What is the friendliest breed in your opinion?

[Kimarie411]

I have 2 welsh harlequin and a Pekin. My welshies are by far the friendliest ducks.

 

[subhanalah]

Welsh harlequin are generally sex linked at hatch, so if you can get there within 2 or 3 days of them hatching, you'll more than likely be able to pick out some girls. I would get at least two babies, since they will have to keep each other company til quarantine and introductions are over. Or you can look for adult hens on craigslist, the hens quack loudly and the drakes have a more grumbly or raspy quack (works for ducks over 5 weeks old, I think)

 

[flynntheduck]

I can only get one. It will have a chick for a friend while in the brooder. I will look for a pic of baby WH

 

[Kimarie411]

Here are a pic of my girls as itty bitty fluff balls




The first one is last week and the second one is yesterday. They are beautiful, friendly ducks. They love love love water.

 

[flynntheduck]

Welsh harlequin are generally sex linked at hatch, so if you can get there within 2 or 3 days of them hatching, you'll more than likely be able to pick out some girls. I would get at least two babies, since they will have to keep each other company til quarantine and introductions are over. Or you can look for adult hens on craigslist, the hens quack loudly and the drakes have a more grumbly or raspy quack (works for ducks over 5 weeks old, I think)

how can you tell the difference in sex as newbies? They all look just a sort of dirty yellow to me. Haha!

 

[Kimarie411]

The bill color in the first three days. Girls have pink bill with dark bean and boys have dark bill.

 

[Smartconnect]

Probably more important than breed, is that you have the duckling as soon as possible after hatching (within a few days is best). This allows the duckling to imprint on you (think of you as another duck). You only want a duckling to imprint on you if you want a 'pet' and don't have plans to breed the duck when it's older, because generally, they will be more aggressive toward you as adults when drakes are wanting to mate or ducks have gone broody.

Personally I am fond of Muscovies for a variety of reasons: They are large (fewer raptor threats when full grown), they are quiet (don't quack), have very easy going dispositions, and don't require water to swim in.

 

[flynntheduck]

Yes I plan to get them very young. Im interested in knowing temperaments of different breeds. I don't want a muscovy nor does my husband. Im thinking a swedish or kc I guess. Idk.

 

[subhanalah]

Yes I plan to get them very young. Im interested in knowing temperaments of different breeds. I don't want a muscovy nor does my husband. Im thinking a swedish or kc I guess. Idk.

welsh harlequin are better layers and calmer than khaki campbells

 

[flynntheduck]

Are they easy to pick out of a bin of mixed ducks? My feed store doesn't have bins for each breed so I want to pick something with distinct markings as hatchlings so I can be sure to get what I want. I will also be guessing as to the sex and will have to rehome if I get a male :/ so that sucks. I wish the feed store knew more about how to pick certain breeds but they don't. I was given a rouen but he is really a mallard and my runner is really a buff. Hahaha!