What you wish you knew about ducks before you got them....

[Heffalump]

I've had chickens for 3 or 4 years now and for the last little while I've been eyeing up ducks. I've done a fair bit of research but I want to know....

1 - what did you know now as an experienced duck owner that you didn't know before (maybe the articles didn't tell you).

2 - is there a good "beginners breed" of duck?

Thanks

 

[EverythingDucks]

I haven't had ducks yet but I really like Welsh Harlequins and they're good for beginners. They are also quite, lays tons of eggs, and are very pretty

 

[Heffalump]

I haven't had ducks yet but I really like Welsh Harlequins and they're good for beginners. They are also quite, lays tons of eggs, and are very pretty

Thank you!

 

[corriemartin]

I wish that I had known how FAST they grow. That big washtub that so many people recommended was only going to be big enough for about four days. So be prepared for sizing up, and it'd probably be a good idea to have your final duck house built (we still haven't and our monsters are three weeks old, and going to need it SOON.)

 

[Texag87]

If you think you are going to need X amount of housing, food, medicine, etc.,buy or build twice as much.

 

[Spiase20]

From my experience...

1. If you prefer to have clean ducks, the coop needs cleaning every day. So design yours so that it can. They get water EVERYWHERE.

2. They are fragile in every possible way. I know people say they are tough, but I have learned that everything can happen and is a threat to them. They especially have fragile legs.

3. Make sure you have the right make and female balance. When I first got ducks, I didn't think about that. Luckily mine were all female except one.

4. If you can, build them a place where they have access to water or can swim, they are made for water and thrive in it. (Which is why they have fragile legs)

5. The heavier the duck breed, the luckily good of dealing with bumblefoot increases.

They are amazing and worth it though. I love mine very much. Such personalities and characters. My Drake is the biggest cuddle bug of all.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I wished i knew how messy and skittish they were. Mine were absolutely terrified of any human even looking at them and they were handled pretty often as babies

 

[Floof]

That if you plan to get an assortment of breeds, plan to get ones that grow at the same rate and size, or plan to keep them separate. My silver appleyards smushed one of my welsh harliquins and killed it just by being their big fat 3 week old selves.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

They bring great joy to your life . Well worth the trouble. They grow so fast, plan for big space.

 

[AquaDuck]

The mess. Oh the mess! Their poop is much more "runny" than chickens, and they go insane with any and all water sources.
My advice; don't put water inside their house, but keep it in the outside pen. Preferably with something underneath to collect the spillage so the whole pen doesn't get wet.