Which duck to get?

[lexiredhead]

Hi everybody! How are you? I was wondering which duck to get. I really want the duck to be friendly! To alarm me when something is wrong. I was thinking Rouen, Muscovy, or pekin. Which duck should I get? do you have any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

my vote for friendly would be a pekin, they are great. my farm rouens have always been a little aloof, but the show quaility birds are super docile (partly because they are so big, they couldn't run away even if they wanted to). Muscovy ducks would not be good if you want one to alert you to danger, they are an almost silent bird (they don't quack). oh, and get girls as an alarm, boys don't quack loud...they do more of a hoarse scratchy quack that you can't hear from any distance.

Also, make sure you get at least 2...they need a companion.

 

[lexiredhead]

Thanks! So can I get 2 Pekins - male and female? Will they be fine with that?

 

[needlessjunk]

Thanks! So can I get 2 Pekins - male and female? Will they be fine with that?

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the drake. Usually they need more than one female or else you run the risk of over mating. Sometimes it does work out as a pair but I would be prepared if it doesn't. Geese make much better watch dogs than ducks though.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

no problem
A pair should be fine, though sometimes males will wear the girl out by mating with her so much. another pro about pekin's, is they lay quite a few eggs...like 170-200/yr.

 

[lexiredhead]

Awesome!! Thanks!

 

[lexiredhead]

Are geese good with chickens?

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Awesome!! Thanks!

no problem

Are geese good with chickens?

it depends...if they are all raised together it can work, but geese can be very aggressive to the chickens. Some people say they sometimes dunk chickens in water and bite them and pull there feathers out. I've had mine do ok free ranging together, but they had plenty of places to get away from each other. they are housed in different houses. If you do go with geese, i would get embden or pilgrim...they seem to be the most easy going. Ducks get along much better with chickens.

 

[Americano Blue]

Hi everybody! How are you? I was wondering which duck to get. I really want the duck to be friendly! To alarm me when something is wrong. I was thinking Rouen, Muscovy, or pekin. Which duck should I get? do you have any suggestions? Thank you!

I'm a huge fan of Muscovy!

 

[lexiredhead]

Oh - then no geese! Thank you for your help!

What do you like abou thet Muscovy breed?