If you raise them yourself, or even buy them from someone that brooder-raised them they are VERY sweet ducks. super friendly & full of personality. They do get bigger than other ducks but they don't quack & are very mellow. One "downside" is that their claws on their feet are a lot bigger than other ducks so they can hurt you if you handle the duck wrong or it doesnt want to be held. I don't have any trouble with even my boys though since they're all big babies
I have adopted & rescued adults in the past that were never really handled though and they are very skittish, I prefer to raise all of mine myself though.
ETA: Here's one of my babies hanging out on my lap.
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I got an old pair last springtime,they were somewhat skittish and did not want to be handled.They escaped there pen and proceeded to be wild in the swamp we have outback.Before they left the female layed 4 eggs and I hatched out a drake named Nibbles.I raised him with some coturix chicks for a while until I found another female muscovy duckling which I named Bonita.Since the beggining Nibbles loves to be pet but not held,Bonita learned from him and also became very tame but sadly a hawk took her becouse she was still young.This fall the male muscovy (Nibbles father) from the pair I got in the spring came back looking for food.He was a little malnourished but other-wise fine.He and Nibbles got in a fight but now they are great pals.Jym is now very tame and I can also pet him.In my experience they are very tame ducks and nice to have around.
All ducks are friendly for the most part. The younger you get them and the more time you spend with them is the "friendly factors". I personally think you would like the runner ducks to start. Ive kept them all at one time or another and here is what people say about each duck consistently. OH how beautiful (manderins) Oh how cute (call ducks) oh how funny (runners) how unusual ( muscovies). They are all great and like people every duck is different. The muscovy claws and sometimes attitude (moreso to worry about if you have kids) is why I would not reccomend for starter ducks. But if you want that breed get em young for sure.
esp if you can get dayolds or hatch your own, they will be so tame and they are very smart !!! but i agree w destin duck , prob not a begginner duck and the drakes can have attitude but like eveyone has said , it all depends on what you want from a duck they are all different
We are looking for ducks too. We have other animals (goats, chicken, rabbits, quail, guinea pigs). We are thinking of muscovies for fly control this summer.
Are all ducks good for fly/bug control or are muscovies just much better at it? Also I just read a thread on bantam ducks. Is the purpose of bantam for the cute factor or are they practical for bug control?
We used to have big chickens but replaced them with bantam chickens because of the poo factor. Now the poo is soooooo much more managable. Is it the same with bantam ducks?
Runners! Runners! Runners!
My girls are friendly as can be! If your raising them 2 or 3 at a time skittishness shouldn't be a problem as long as you handel them frequently!
They lay like chickens.
Comical and neat looking! So much personality!
They're alittle small for meat birds but I couldn't Imagine eating them anyway!
Emily
Me, My dog, and My ducks! (both Runners)
Pepper (the dog) and Frances (the duck)
The girls on my bed. (they were diapered and staying in for the night)
khaki campells are friendly and pretty. though i always thought of ducks as just things to have around instead of pets, you know, like a friend, that never goes home, and eats you out of house and home!