What is your favorite duck breed?

[autumn_g]

I'm extremely partial to Muscovys!!! They are full of personality and gorgeous!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My all time favorites are Runner Ducks! I have four fawn and white bowling pins on legs, running around my house, dressed in brown vests and white shorts.
Also have Magpies, Buff Orpingtons and White Layers. I like the WL better than Pekins (sorry @Jpat ) because they are lighter and more agile, same goofy look and more eggs. Look at this White Layer duck showing off in front of my trail-cam:

 

[Claires Poultry]

I totally agree. My ducks are super hardy compared to my chickens. Every few months I feel I am treating my chickens for something and there is never anything wrong with the ducks. They don't seem to get the diseases or parasites the chickens do. Also my chickens will hide from the weather or not lay on a windy day because they are scared/stressed, but the weather doesn't ever seem to phase the ducks, they will sleep outside in a blizzard by choice, and the ducks seem to lay through everything. I swear my one chicken, who is supposed to be a production/egg breed, finds any excuse she can not to lay an egg .

The KCs are nervous, but it doesn't stop them laying. They don't hide and refuse to come outside, but if you need to catch one for some reason it's quite a bit harder.

I know! The ducks are just sooo much better than the chickens. Something is always going wrong with the chickens! I've had ducks for almost 9 years now, and the only thing that has ever gone wrong with them is getting egg bound. I've only had 3 egg bound ducks in all these years. I've had zero problems with diseases and never had any parasites - internal or external. In my experience the ducks are way better foragers and are much friendlier. They also aren't nearly as scared of the weather as the chickens, and like being outside rain or shine.

I get it, my Black Australorps who are supposed to be these great wonderful egg layers, who are even being bred for egg production always, ALWAYS have an excuse for not laying eggs!

 

[Kates Chooks]

I have only ever had Khaki Campbells, but they were wonderful. A mated pair and they were very adventurous. We lived in the woods at the time, and they would follow our path to the creek and enjoy the water, then come trooping back. I spoiled them in winter with warm 'soup' and before long, they would be at the tall windows clacking on the glass asking for treats. Sometimes they hung around on the porch, which can get messy, but they were very friendly and we did love them alot.

 

[Conan]

Ah, I missed your post! Another vote for the Rouen!

They really are cool, plus they're so big! Mine is so friendly that she gets rather annoying when I'm out and about. Manages to get underfoot all the time. She does have angel wing, but it doesn't seem to bother her at all and I'm not breeding, so she remains a solid favorite.

 

[Claires Poultry]

I am going to stick up for the Khaki Campbell’s. I love mine! If skiddish means they will run quickly when a hawk flies over, great (ok they will also run if a trash bag flies over). They also run when my year old Golden Retriever chases them, my one Welsh Harlequin freezes. Fortunately for her, my dog only enjoys the chase.
My Welsh Harlequin is beautiful but more stand-offish than my Khakis. She is the only one who won’t eat from my hand. I did spend more time with the khakis wnen they were babies though.
I have a hard time believing that the other breeds lay as many eggs. My oldest hens are three years old and have given me an egg a day pretty much since they started laying. They even continued through the winter months. They only took a few weeks off for the first time this year, in early spring, to molt.

After reading through these posts and seeing what everyone has to say, I think that Khaki Campbells can be great ducks. Some peoples' ducks are more skittish and some are more friendly. I think its partly a matter of how much time you spend taming them. I have read so much about them being good layers, it has me convinced they are.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I know! The ducks are just sooo much better than the chickens. Something is always going wrong with the chickens! I've had ducks for almost 9 years now, and the only thing that has ever gone wrong with them is getting egg bound. I've only had 3 egg bound ducks in all these years. I've had zero problems with diseases and never had any parasites - internal or external. In my experience the ducks are way better foragers and are much friendlier. They also aren't nearly as scared of the weather as the chickens, and like being outside rain or shine.

I get it, my Black Australorps who are supposed to be these great wonderful egg layers, who are even being bred for egg production always, ALWAYS have an excuse for not laying eggs!

I can only agree to the weather thing: We have a brutal thunderstorm, i am and my ducks are outside playing in the rain and wind.

 

[Beccazon]

This has been SUCH a fun and informative thread! Thank you everyone for a great day of reading and thinking! I have new ideas and choices now for our next additions in the future! Yay!

 

[FluffTheDuck]

View attachment 1755347

They look like runners. @Miss Lydia wouldn’t you agree?

 

[Knighstar679]

When I had my Welshies they were nuts when it stormed. I came home one Sunday and it was a horrible thunderstorm so bad it was almost night type of dark. The ducks could be seen dancing out in the rain and hail flapping their wings quacking happily. They even argued with me when I put them up in their house. A few tried to sneak out before I closed them up. I wish I had a camera of the angry duck faces looking at me through the door.