Which Ducks Make The Best BAckyard Pets?

[Cuqui18]

which breeds are best for a suburban home with neighbors? I know cayugas are quiet, and supposedly friendly? what are saxony ducks like? i want a friendly breed!!!

 

[halecards]

Welsh harlequins are very calm, well mine are anyway. Pekins are always a favorite but they can be very noisy, especially with close neighbors.

 

[Kevin565]

Muscovies. They're very quiet and very affectionate if raised from babies.

 

[larkflying]

I am not sure if female ducks are capable of being quiet. Ours are loud! We are lucky enough to live on an old farm, the neighbors have to sign waivers when they bought their houses saying they know there will be noises, smells etc, and I still feel a little bad about the female ducks QUACKING . . . Muscovy's are the only breed I've heard of where the female duck is as quiet as the male. Muscovy's also fly more, so I'd rather not deal with that. However, they are quiet, and friendly, and come in lots of color variations. If you don't care about eggs, I'd suggest drakes of any breed as they are VERY quiet.

 

[bryan99705]

We have made pets of several breeds, kinda funny seeing DW with a puppy pee pad on her lap and trying to keep the duckling from running all over her.

I've come to believe that it's like any other pet, the more time you spend with them, the better the pet and that outweighs the breed especially when you imprint as their family.

Just remember what a person said who had a pet turkey.....It was fun as a chick to let them ride on your shoulder but it's all over when the bird jumps out of a tree and lands on you head or shoulder and they weight 20+ pounds!

 

[animalpro24]

RUNNERS!!! They are awesome. And the don't fly.

 

[Cuqui18]

Quote:
runners make good backyard ducks? whats their temperament like?

 

[kikidee]

Quote:
runners make good backyard ducks? whats their temperament like?

if you want them to be cool with you, i wouldn't recommend runners. they are usually really jumpy and scared of people.

 

[Going Quackers]

Muscovy are quiet but there big, you could clip the wings so that would remove the 'flying' issue. I live rural so the noise level was never an issue but since i have some i can attest to the fact the horses make more noise lol

 

[featherfinder]

Quote:
runners make good backyard ducks? whats their temperament like?

if you want them to be cool with you, i wouldn't recommend runners. they are usually really jumpy and scared of people.

My runners do just fine. They were raised in an inside brooder so they were already pretty use to me. I currently have 3 more in the brooder. My femal is not that loud I have never actually heard her quack super loud. They can be a bit skiddish when i first go near them but they open up really quick for me. If i sit on the ground they will even come sit in my lap and want to be pet. I think its all in how much time you have to give them to make them friendly. I had them out with me 3-4 times a day as ducklings handleing them and getting them use to me.