Would you choose ducks over chickens?

[percyj]

Not to hijack the thread, but how much less do chickens eat? And how much feed does one of your ducks go through per year? The OP might want to take this into consideration. Most of the problems might be solved by getting chickens. (I wouldn't know

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[pirtykitty]

I have ducks I would have both if hubby would let me.. LOL.. I chose ducks because hubby didn't want chickens cause he said they would tear up the grass... I use my duck eggs for baking and eating. also share them with friends and family..

 

[pirtykitty]

I have 3 ducks an use about 2 50 lb bags of Mazuri duck food a year.. I also give them wheat, oat groats, oat meal and corn in season. also rabbit pellets and a few other grains.. I have greens planted in garden for them during winter.. I also feed other vegetables and fruits when I have them..

 

[percyj]

Ok, thanks!

 

[awesomefowl]

I love my chickens!! But I also love ducks.... This question is too hard!!!! Get both!

 

[elizabethbinary]

I've told my husband often I prefer the ducks over the chickens in suburban areas. They don't make much noise, they have heaps of personality, muscovies specifically don't need much water and don't make a loud noise EVER, I get duck eggs every day AND I can breed them for meat without anybody ever knowing. Plus, ducks waddle in lines and nothing is cuter than a line of ducklings running by your backdoor.

 

[duckking]

We have 5 ducks and 4 chickens. They get along fine, share food, water, the run, everything. They have their pecking order with the alpha hen and the alpha duck and then there is the drake who is kind of top bird. We don't find the ducks particularly messier than the chickens in general, but they are klutzier, so more spilled food and you cannot keep anything around them dry. They have their own houses at night, but lately, the ducks seem to want to hang around in the bottom of the chicken coop at night. As long as there is no food or water in there, I don't see them making it any messier than the chickens do.

Chickens are kind of oblivious to everyday stuff, very friendly, love to hang out with you, sit on your shoulders, back, or head, but the first to investigate anything new. Ducks are similar, but much more wary of new situations or new things coming into the run. Very affectionate and love to cuddle in your lap and what I call schnerbal....using there bills to nibble at your clothes, laces, boots, fingers, ears, hair. The chickens tend to peck and while they are not hard pecks, they can be less gentle than the ducks.

Ducks are LOUD, except for the drake. Not all the time, but when they get going, it can be deafening. We don't have near neighbours, so not an issue and they mostly quack when they get excited, like when we come around to let them out of their house in the AM, come with treats, or just come out of our house in general. They greet you. Hens are quiet, they just murmur and mumble and cluck softly.

I love them all. It just depends on your circumstances.

 

[iajewel]

I have both. I have a large breed of chicken that eats just about as much as my Muscovy ducks. The Muscovy don't need water the same way most ducks do, so you don't need the swimming pool and all that if you don't want. I do.. so mine have one however they don't really use it as much as the half barrel water pan I have for the chickens. Go figure. If I had to choose I would go duck.. why? because although you don't eat duck eggs you cook with them, I don't eat that many eggs. They hatch out way more off-spring a year, do it with out an incubator, thus paying for their feed. They have more and in my opinion better meat. The one thing however that is the real selling point for me is they are more like dogs. They just have this wonderful way about them that I love. yes, they are messy, Yes I have to clean out anything that remotely has a drop of water in it every day, all except their pool which they don't seem to care for. They are smart, use logic, and well.. its like saying are you a cat person or a dog person? many people have both, but when they have to choose one pet, they are one or the other. Im a dog person, and I like ducks.

 

[lceh]

We have both, and I will say, the ducks are definitely more fun to watch. There's just something innately humorous about a duck. I have three runner/Orpington crosses and they lay a ton of eggs. That said, if I didn't have an acre or so for them to range I would not have them because they are SO MESSY. I kept them in a pen for the first couple of months and the mess they made was staggering compared to the chickens. Mud everywhere, holes from snorfling through the mud, etc. Just yuck, especially with the melting snow. But since I started letting them range a couple of weeks ago I'm enjoying them a whole lot more. I'm planning to let them hatch a few ducklings this spring so I can have more, but these will range in the orchard to keep the bugs down.

I do think free-ranging chickens are more destructive with their scratching, but since our chickens don't range yet I don't know for certain.

 

[Suzie]

I have 37 chickens and 26 ducks and I couldn't choose between them - they all have their own characteristics! Both are messy in their own ways and they will all come in at night - I usually have to call the ducks in from the pond and they are much messier overnight inside - BUT a power washer soon expells their mess!

It is true that ducks tend to lay more eggs and they are definately bigger eggs than my chickens provide, however, I don't care if they lay or not - I just love their entertainment value and as for feed - it tends to balance out the same cost for ducks as chickens!

My chickens are great at weeding the garden and the ducks ( with help from my geese ) keep the grass short where they wander - no slugs or bugs in sight - not many flowers either in Spring and Summer.........! Love them!

Suzie