Duck tales!

[Salle de Bain]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone has 'duck knowledge' to share with a novice?
I have kept hens, but never ducks. Therefore I would love to hear from people who keep/or have kept ducks and can share their experiences. I am keen to find out about preferred breeds, temperaments, types of housing, feed, bedding etc...

I'm not too bothered about egg production, as this is just a hobby.

I have books and the internet for info of course, but it's never as useful as hearing about the real life experiences of seasoned duck keepers.

Any kind of 'duck tip' will be gratefully received:)!!!

Thanks

[Oola]

I have never kept ducks, but have known of people that have. Therefore the only bit of advice that I can offer is put a lid on the run - as the ducks were in the lidless run one day, and then gone the next without a trace!

My friend also kept one Aylesbury duck on its own - a male - but I always felt it must be lonely and he was quite aggressive, but not sure if that was because he wasn't handled and socialised enough when he was young, or just inherant to the breed. Good luck with it, hopefully someone else here will offer you some decent advice.

[Pippa]

I have kept ducks and bigger timewasters I have yet to meet. You will spend hours just watching their antics, they are real characters and very amusing. I had Silver Appleyard Bantam Ducks, a Drake and 2 ladies, a good ratio, then they decided they wanted a family and hatched about 6, mostly drakes who were rehomed. The next year they decided they wanted to be good time girls and poor old Mother Hen had to hatch to ducklings that year and we had a couple of ducks this time, but you do tend to get more drakes. They must have water, preferably enough to do an 'up tails all' Secure housing at night and let them lay in the duck house or else they play footie with the eggs. Like hens, you can clip the flight feathers on one wing, ours did take off a few times, circled the house and came home, but they will fly so keep an eye on anything that may spook them. I loved having ducks, they eat grain and cooked peeling, they need clean water to drink and they make a dreadful mess, but I would forgive them anything for the fun they gave us. Try a small breed, then you get little eggs full of yolk and great for cakes. They don't seem to get much wrong with them and love the rain! Good luck.

[sunflower]

Years ago, we bought two Aylesbury ducklings for our twin boys. We were assured that they were females, so my sons called them Lizzie and Annabelle. Hubby built them an enormous Ark, which, looked rediculous when they were small but they soon grew into it as Aylesburys are table ducks and a very large. I adore ducks...like Pippa says you can spend hours watching their antics...so cute. Our turned out to be a Freddie and George!!! so because they wanted to mate we gave them to a Pet farm just down the lane from us where they mated with the lady's Harliquins. The twins used to pop in there on the way home from school to see them. Her garden went right down to the river, so it was paradise for them. They need enough water to dunk their whole body. Ducks are scavengers so will mess the garden a bit, but I love 'em. Good luck with your venture.