Why do you like your breed of duck(s)?

[runamuck]

The most amazing breed I've had and have are the Saxony..
Friendly
amazing colors
not horribly loud
good moms

They are always the 1st to greet me in the morning and will come and eat out of my hand Nice birds!!!!!!

 

[pirtykitty]

I love my pair of welsh harlequins. They are colorful, quiet, and Daisy gives me eggs 9 to 10 months out of the year.. I also like our rescued crested pekin Judy.. She just started laying last month. After she got ajusted she is quiet too.. Will have to see how they do come spring.. LOL

 

[Caprice_Acres]

I have muscovies and Welsh Harlequins.

Points I make about my 'Scovies:

*quiet! quiet! QUIET!

*Come in MANY colors, they're all gorgeous.

*VERY calm, can be tamed fairly easily

*EXCELLENT meat birds

*EXCELLENT mommas

*Don't have a mean bone in their bodies

*Easy to care for and relatively clean for a duck

*Free range nicely (and the multiple colors look gorgeous free ranging!)

*They do fly but they tend to stick around if they know where the food/water is, and can be pinioned or have wing feathers trimmed to keep them grounded.

*Some don't like caruncles - I didn't like them at all when I got them. I have changed my mind. The non-show muskies look gorgeous with their bumpy masks that contrast with their rich feather colors. Over-caruncling is gross and silly, IMO, but the 'right amount' looks very nice.



Points I make about my W.H's:

*They make 'duck noises', which is weird after owning only 'scovies for 4 years. We don't have to worry about loudness, here, because we have no close neighbors.

I think the drake noises are some of the prettiest animal noises EVER.

*They are GORGEOUS. They only come in 2 color phases but they are absolutely stunning - both males and females.

*purported to be good layers. Mine were babies from summer 2010, so mine should start laying anytime between now and spring.

*They are more skittish than 'scovies by far - though not annoyingly skittish. This is fine for me, because I don't make 'pets' out of my ducks.


All in all, ducks are AWESOME if you can provide for them correctly. I'd never keep ducks if I kept them cooped or in a run. They are just to messy and smelly for me, in those conditions. Takes way too much work to keep them clean and happy. But if you have a big area or can free range them, they are SO worth it. Keep their food/water/housing spread out, and they don't muck it up with poo or spilled water easily. At least, that's what works for me.

 

[awesomefowl]

After reading this thread I don't know wether to get Runners, WHs, or Pekins.....

 

[dumb_cluck]

OK, I think I've narrowed my selection down. Not in any particular order, but: WH, mini Appleyards or Mallards.

 

[secretquail]

I have a standard Appleyard female, and a WH male. The female we hatched out, so she still thinks she is a person. Follows my daughter anywhere. Lovely personality, a little loud, doesn't eat a ton, doesn't fly, and very mellow. The WH I got from a guy at the local state fair, and thought I was getting a male Appleyard. Turns out, just because you show your poultry, doesn't mean you know ANYTHING about them. ...he is a mellow one too, doesn't stray far from his girl, tries to fly, but only manages a few feet. He is starting to get used to us, but still won't touch us. They are both wonderful. I am thinking about getting a Saxony female to fill out the group. I've heard great things about them.

 

[dmiravalle]

Call ducks hands down. I love their chubby cheeks, they always look happy, I love the color variations you can get, and I LOVE the females call, it sounds like their are laughing their you know whats off at you and you have to laugh at yourself and them.

They LOVE to play and play some more, they are soooooo social. Ok, so I love the Ducks!

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

I just love the Pekin Ducks. I have two that are about 3 months old now. They are so darn smart. They are in the house with us, have been since birth. Its been unseasonably cold here this year. But they get to go out for walks etc., and do you know that one of them knows how to open the cage door to get back inside? I have a pic somewhere showing him/her doing just that. It is so funny.

I also love the Swedish blues, and the Ancona's (black and white).

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

duck walk, can you post a pic of your ancona/pekin cross ducks?

 

[duck walk]

just a chicken, this is her with her Pekin girl friends and three other mixes...they are just feathered out...the second Pekin/Ancona is very similar and a bit younger...I have no pics of her...