What kind of ducks for pets and pigs?

[Kareng]

We are thinking of getting 2 or 3 ducks as pets/layers. We heard they will keep the fly population down around the pigs, anyone have any experience with this? What is a good breed to keep around as pets or egg layers? Can we keep them around the chickens safely? I think my feed store can still squeeze in an order for me, so I should have a choice of breeds.

Thanks fellow bird addicts,
Karen

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I have a Cayuga, Khaki Campbell and a Magpie. All three get along with my chickens and are all laying right now.

I am not sure that Ducks will keep down the fly population. My ducks and geese eat grass but not flies. You want to keep down the fly population, I would suggest guineas.

Other opinion?

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Cayugas, Khaki Campbells and Blue Swedish all make great pets and layers.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I would be careful putting them around the pigs. There are numerous instances of pigs eating chickens, I would not think they would be picky between the differences of ducks and chickens.

-Kim

 

[BantyHugger]

I'd also worry about the pig eating a duck. If their gonna live with pigs I'd think you want a larger type that wouldn't be man handled. I recommend either a rouen or pekin. Mine lay great (not as great as chickens but you can only eat so many duck eggs). You can't really pick them up and cuddle them but their cute and entertaining.

 

[dragonshiner]

What about putting up a duck perimeter between you and the hog house? (Great, now I have this image of little rows of ducks with army helmets quacking up and down in a line around the pigs lol) But seriously, ducks do eat flies, at least mine do. Mosquitos too, thank goodness. Perhaps you can set up a duck run inbetween the hogs and the rest of the farm to catch any wayward flies? Then you'd only have to deal with them by the pigs themselves.

 

[ChickenToes]

Khaki Campbells lay better than some chickens. I just received my ducklings a few days ago, and the Cayugas and Mallards are the friendliest. The Campbells are still a bit shy yet.

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

For bug control get a scovie or two, they are great buggers, laying wise they are not so wonderful, very seasonal and then with the main objective on going broody and thus changing nest sites immediately when they notice eggs get taken out of the current one.... well, at least thats what mine do, then they change from laying in the coop to laying somewhere impossible to find, then dissapear for a month and come back with lil ones.