I am thinking of getting a few ducks next year. I wanted to know what breed you think is the best i want a friendly good looking ducks. Thanks! Pics would be appreciated.
Whats the best breed?
- Thread starter MotherMal13
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Runners!
My silver hen(middle) and fawn and white drake(top right)
My silver hen(middle) and fawn and white drake(top right)
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- #3
Wow they are really pretty.
3 questions how often do they lay eggs. How much water do they need to swim in and do drakes get along unlike chickens?
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Wow DuckFanatic! That's a pretty hen! I love the black bill on a white duck!
Runners are pretty good layers, I think about 200 - 300 eggs a year depending on the hen.
A baby pool is adequate for them to swim in.
Here's my little story about drake behavior. My two runner drakes Gabriel and Raphael grew up together got along great with each other, with one exception. When they entered their first breeding season (early spring) the non-dominant drake, Raphael developed a "thing" for me. I tried everything to break him of it, but couldn't. The dominant drake, Gabriel, observing my all efforts seemed to decide it was his responsibility to keep Raphael in line. He would see Raphael start to go for my legs and start chasing him all over. It was hilarious, but Raphael never learned. I guess hormones are more powerful than brains. If I wasn't around though, Gabriel would just go back to dominating the hens. He had it in for one hen in particular, roughing her up and chasing her away from the food and everything else that's important to a duck lady, and she wasn't happy one bit. Poor Bridgett! She would waddle around the yard all lonely with her feathers messed up, bleeping to herself. After I got rid of the drakes she could finally became a happy member of the duck flock.
Runners are pretty good layers, I think about 200 - 300 eggs a year depending on the hen.
A baby pool is adequate for them to swim in.
Here's my little story about drake behavior. My two runner drakes Gabriel and Raphael grew up together got along great with each other, with one exception. When they entered their first breeding season (early spring) the non-dominant drake, Raphael developed a "thing" for me. I tried everything to break him of it, but couldn't. The dominant drake, Gabriel, observing my all efforts seemed to decide it was his responsibility to keep Raphael in line. He would see Raphael start to go for my legs and start chasing him all over. It was hilarious, but Raphael never learned. I guess hormones are more powerful than brains. If I wasn't around though, Gabriel would just go back to dominating the hens. He had it in for one hen in particular, roughing her up and chasing her away from the food and everything else that's important to a duck lady, and she wasn't happy one bit. Poor Bridgett! She would waddle around the yard all lonely with her feathers messed up, bleeping to herself. After I got rid of the drakes she could finally became a happy member of the duck flock.
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- #5
Wow i wasent thinking that many eggs. Thats pretty impressive. Anymore suggestions what about Pekins anyone have experience with them?
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- #6
Wow i wasent thinking that many eggs. Thats pretty impressive. Anymore suggestions what about Pekins anyone have experience with them?
I have pekins and I love them. I don't think they're great layers, being as they were meant for meat. I guess when you're looking for a breed, you need to decide what is most important to you. If you're looking for meat, you want larger bodied birds like pekins, khaki campbells, cayugas, and rouens. If you're looking for eggs, you're going to want something like khakis, cayugas, and runners. Khakis are supposed to be the best for laying eggs, sometimes out laying the layer breeds in chickens.
I've had pekins, rouens, calls, cayugas, and runners so far. I love my cayuga. She's beautiful and sweet. My pekins are great to. They're very curious and sweet natured, but very loud. I am not a runner fan, although I do like all of the colors that you can get. I found them to be skittish and I prefer birds that are more willing to approach you.
Good luck and enjoy your ducks. I love having them.
I've had pekins, rouens, calls, cayugas, and runners so far. I love my cayuga. She's beautiful and sweet. My pekins are great to. They're very curious and sweet natured, but very loud. I am not a runner fan, although I do like all of the colors that you can get. I found them to be skittish and I prefer birds that are more willing to approach you.
Good luck and enjoy your ducks. I love having them.
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- #8
I want one that is friendly has fairly good egg production and is cold hardy. I cant do the whole raising your own meat thing all my animals have names and get cuddles daily.
If you want friendly, everyone I've talked to says muscovies. I personally am not a big fan--I know it's pathetic, but I just can't get past the wattled face mask. If you want eggs, go for Indian Runners, Khaki Campbells, or Welsh Harlequins (there are other good layers too--Magpies, Anconas, and some others that are very pretty). In fact, if I had it to do over again, I'd probably start with Welsh Harlequins--I keep going back and forth about whether I want to switch breeds--they are reputed to be friendly, calm, and excellent egg layers. They also have the immensely useful ability to be sexed at a day or two old by the color of their bills with fairly good accuracy. This may not seem important to you now, but if you ever let a hen go broody, you'll be glad to know which are "keepers" and which are "sellers" before you've invested a lot of time and/or energy and/or emotion into the little darlings.
Also, Harlequins are a larger bodied bird, so the boys *can* be sold as meat birds if you like.
Alternately, buy an assortment and see what you like. Then keep the ones you love, sell the rest, and get more of the ones you like.
Also, Harlequins are a larger bodied bird, so the boys *can* be sold as meat birds if you like.
Alternately, buy an assortment and see what you like. Then keep the ones you love, sell the rest, and get more of the ones you like.
My 4 yo DD LOVES her Pekin. Princess Pekin Love is the only one of our 6 ducks who wants to spend time with people. She is sweet, and tolerates being carried around like a sack of potatoes. She loves eating out of my DD's hand, and is the best little ducky ever.
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