Which duck breed do YOU think is the friendliest??

[Sparrow]

I'm just curious which breed you feel is the most friendly towards people. I personally have:

1 Ancona male
1 Khaki Campbell(dark) male
*all the rest are females*
1 crested Blue Swedish(chocolate splash?)
1 Welsh Harlequin
2 Black Indian Runners
1 crested Fawn & White Indian Runner
1 crested Cayuga
1 crested Khaki Campbell


All of them are friendly, but the Cayuga is the least fond of being held. My Ancona is extremely cuddly and loves to sit on my lap and and be petted. I also have one cuddly Black Runner and my extremely SWEET little crestd Khaki Campbell. The others like to nibble my fingers and clothing, but are not as fond of being petted.

I'm just wondering which ducks you have the best experiences with!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I have call ducks. I had one that would fly after me, land behind me, and walk around the yard with me.

 

[DuckLady]

I have one call duck. He sure is a nosy curious little fella. He is in my business when he can tear himself away from his scovy girlfriend.

Other than that, I have 2 indeterminate white ducks and my scovies who need to be in whatever I am doing.

 

[Omniskies]

Muscovies.

Most of the duck stories I hear about a certain breed being a sweetheart are from ducklings that were held a whole lot when they were young. When we had three Khaki Campbell ducklings one year they grew up to be great. We played with them all the time and they would wander the yard. Since they were so awesome, years later I bought 15 ducklings expecting the same results.

They were skittish and only came up to devour food. Otherwise they were content to roam the yard far away from you. We've had similar results with Indian Runners and a wide array of other breeds. So far Muscovies seem to be the friendliest with the least amount of handling, if that makes sense. I bought 17 Muscovy ducklings and so far they've grown up to be mellow adults.

 

[DuckyBoys]

My friendliest are my two new calls. They act like they've lived here with me forever and the've been here one week.

they follow me around quacking until I make a mud hole for them.

The other calls are also coming around - for being only 8 weeks old I think they are pretty friendly.

My runners from holderrreads are hopeless at this point. Wow - do they ever over-react.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

Quote:
Yeah, runners are spastic....but they make for cheap entertainment

Of all the ducks I've ever owned, muscovies were the friendliest.

 

[snewman]

I have four runners and four pekins and whenever I come into the coop (they're just four weeks old so haven't gotten free range yet) it's like panic on the streets of London, they're climbing over each other to get to the farthest corner away from me. When they were younger they'd crowd around the feeder and waterer as I was lowering them into the brooder and I had to be very careful not to crush anyone. I could touch them and they'd nibble on my hand. I'm not sure what has happened in the meantime, but they sure are not warm and cuddly. I didn't handle them very much, so maybe that would have made the difference. I have five more coming this week (runners) to replace some that died and some that were supposed to be crested but are not. Maybe I can do better this time around.

 

[DuckyBoys]

I really like the runners and it is interesting that my fugly production runners from MM are pretty laid back. I just sold a few of those guys for herding dog trials and egg layers and now I'm sorry they're gone. I only have two of them now and they just go with the flow.

Hopefully my younger runners will come around as well, but for right now I am evil and they want nothing to do with me.

 

[KierBri]

i have 4 week old welsh harlequins and mini appleyards. from the start the minis were friendlier. they all follow me around the yard, nibble fingers and clothes, if i sit in the yard with them they lie down next to me, but the minis have to be on me. when i herd them back to the pen the minis are out in front (if i'm in front) or running back to see if i'm still there (if i'm driving from behind) minis are first at the pen door in the moring the harlies behind them. they have all been raised together with the same handling, i got them from holdenreads as day olds.

 

[dragonshiner]

Of the ducks that I have the one that I paid the most attention to as a chick is the freindliest. A runner named Nike. The rest of my birds will let me get within 2 feet of them and then move away.