Keeping Ducks

[Oola]

Just wondered if anyone here has ever kept ducks? I would just have them for their eggs, not as table birds. I'm thinking about smaller breeds rather than Aylesbury size, but don't know if all breeds lay good edible eggs? You would think I'd be more up to scratch, owning chooks!

Just wondering what sort of space they need? I'm aware they can muck up lawns and poop a lot (I think hen poo is easier to clear up), and they need a nestbox for night time, as well as a pond...but any other tips or advice? Just a thought for the future really...

[Pippa]

Oola, we kept ducks for quite a few years, they were small, Silver Appleyards which are a cross with a call duck so have a good quack. We always shut them in at night because of foxes so they had a little wired in run they could come out into in the mornings then we would let them into a larger enclosure when we got up. They must have water to preen just deep enough for them to 'uptails all' hence the smaller breed does not want such a deep pond. You can have two ducks to a drake and the min.silver appleyards laid small, pale green eggs with huge orange yolks which made brilliant sponges and lemon curd. They really need an enclosure as will poo anywhere and it is very liquid so needs to be confined. I absolutely loved keeping duck, wasted hours watching them and their antics, they were tame and naughty and noisy and laid loads of eggs and some we hatched but got a lot of drakes, so they had to go to the local animal shelter. Do some research and pick a small breed,they will reward you tenfold with eggs and laughs.

[sunflower]

25 years ago, we bought two little ducklings for our twins as pets. Unknown to me, I was pregnant at the time....so maybe that's why I made this decision, a kind of wanting to nurture. Anyway, the ducks were Aylesburys and strictly pets. We were sooo niave. The lady who sold the tiny ducklings to us, insisted that they were female because of the high squeek lol. Sooo, my husband made a wonderful duck Ark and we also bought duckling food and then collected the ducklings. They were sooo cute. When I opened the food bag there was a most dreadful smell which is difficult to decribe. Because of our niavety, the shop keeper had sold us food that had been peed on by cats. So, in ignorance I fed this to the ducks thinking this was normal...(I could'nt identify the smell at the time) until I bought the next bag which smelt very pleasant. I lived with that guilt a long time of feeding those little ducklings with rubbish. They grew very quickly into handsome ducks. Dug our garden up considerably, as ducks are scavangers. As time when on, Lizzie and Annabelle, named by the twins did not lay any eggs(hubby adores duck eggs) and became depressed. How did I know? I'm not sure. My friends used to laugh at me, and say 'how can you tell if ducks are depressed!?' It slowly dawned on us, that Lizzie and Annabell were actually Freddie and George! and were longing to mate...hence the depression. After promising my twins faithfully, that, although table ducks, they would never be eaten, we took them to a lady a couple of miles down the road who had a pet farm. She allowed the twins to pop in anytime to see their ducks. The story has a happy ending. Our Aylesburys mated with her Harlequins and the following year, the local river had the most beautiful ducks adorning the water. I do'nt regret it, as I love ducks and hens, and the twins sometimes talk about the ducks as a good experience. They are definatley messy and smell more than chickens. They are also very cute and always reminded me of Gemima Puddleduck. They definately need access to water...enough to dip themselves into. Though having no experience of egg collecting! you have to collect the eggs as soon as they have laid them, because the eggs are more porous than hens' eggs, so more prone to bacteriea entering the shell. This is a big possibility due to ducks not been very clean. Hope you did'nt mind this long reply, as I liketo remember our Annabelle and Lizzie....the joke being on us!!.

[Pippa]

Ours were called Francis (Drake) or Frank for short, Gwendoline and of course Jemima, loved Sunflower's post above, can identify with most of that, especially collecting the eggs before they have a game of football with them.

[sunflower]

This all brings back memories. When we went to collect our ducklings, the lady also had goslings. These were the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. The goslings were lime green and they looked as if they had a crew cut.

[Pippa]

Have you been to the Goose Fair at the Gaggle of Geese in Buckland Newton, Sunflower. We used to go twice a year and it is a brilliant place to learn your breeds and Ooh ar aarh over the beautiful birds. They had Rheas there one year and the tiniest banties ever, also a good car boot, a good family day out.

[fife]

Hi Oola we don't keep ducks but my father in law has geese on the field, the other day my 3 yr old fell over and one of the geese attacked her thank god our dog was to hand and got the geese of her does any one know if this is unusual as my father in law just shrugged it of but i have to say i am not that keen with having them here now they won't come near as long as the dog is around us, but obviously if they see the opportunity they will attack.

[sunflower]

No I have'nt. But sounds great. I'd forgotten Rheas! I will try and find it on the net. If you find out the date before I do, please let us know. If I'm not working I'd love to go.

[Oola]

Bit of a silly question... how do you stop them flying away? Are bantam ducks and call ducks good flyers? Or do you have to keep them in a pen/clip their wings?

Also, does anyone know if bantam or call ducks can be found at rescue centres?

[SummerSkye]

Hi Fife, geese will attack, they actually make excellent "watchdogs" and will keep intruders and stray dogs away. They do get used to you especially if bought young and will only attack strangers, I admit they can be rather frightening but I do like them.
Oola we always had ducks, usually muscovy ducks which are too heavy to fly anyway. They need enough water available to submerse their heads completely when feeding and although they love to swim it is not strictly necessary. We also had a pair of Pekin ducks at one time, they did not fly away; usually when we bought any new fowl home we always clipped the wings. Duck eggs, especially from the muscovy are wonderful for baking, they make the best sponge cakes and also for making pasta.

[Pippa]

Oola, we used to clip one wing on each duck, that was a palaver in itself, I would hold duck and husband would clip with strong scissors, they grow back of couse and don't clip when they moult. You could try an animal shelter for a trio, I took about 4 young drakes to a local one, but you only need one drake, they get a bit stroppy with each other. Unfortunately, my ducks were stolen about a year after my husband died, they were sitting on eggs at the time, ikt was all very upsetting. I still have the pond but don't think I will get any more ducks, waste far to much time watching them.

[lily]

I duck sit for my neighbours when away, the runner ducks are very timid and don't make good pets for children because of this. Have also found that ducks are a bit thick when it comes to bedtime- sensible hens know to put themselves to bed- ducks don't seem to grasp this. Neighbour has ordinary variety as well but has very few duck eggs.

[SummerSkye]

Ducks actually don't like to go to bed they wander and feed at night which is a problem where there are predators. We had khaki campbells and indian runners at one time and found them good, they laid quite a good egg too. When we lived in queensland we did not have to shut our animals in and they lived a more natural existence.