We had Mallards when I was a kid, and what I remember best is searching through the run to figure out where they had laid their eggs; the coop was never an option. Maybe there were too many chickens in there.
All my ducks are runners. They are hilarious to watch because of their upright stance and jaunty gait. Although I have six hens and three drakes (one of whom was supposed to be a hen), there is very little serious squabbling. In the spring, some of the girls lose feathers on the back of their heads, but no one gets seriously injured.
They are easy to train to get back into their house at any time of day, and I don't have to worry about them flying over a 2-foot fence. With six girls, I usually get four to five eggs a day, and one of them lays lovely light green ones.
I hand-raised all but two, and they will eat out of my hand. However, they are reluctant to be picked up, so I usually just lure them to wherever I want them to go; they are extremely food motivated, although they forage all the time. They free range okay during the day with my chickens.
One of my favorite things to watch is when the geese decide to "herd" the ducks, and I get to see a parade of runners marching along.
I also love the sounds of quacking when everyone gathers around the water tank. It's like gossip at the office water cooler. I wish I could understand what they're talking about.
