4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[clucky clarke's]

Hi,

I am planning on getting some ducks , but just need some advice . I want to get them as young as i can because they are for my son who is 6. At what age can i put a duckling outside in a duck house and enclosed area?

 

Also, what mix of sexes am i best to get? I have got chickens and have been warned that a drake may take a fancy to my hens . Is this true? Should i stick with just girlies or do they need a drake?

 

Also, does anyone know anywhere in the nottingham/lincoln area that sell aylesbury ducks. I am really struggling to find anywhere.

 

Thanks alot,

 

Kelly (mummy to 4 new pygmy goats!)

[bessandra]

Hi Kelly

Goats! Wow!

 

Well, I'm really new to all this but I got 3 khaki campbell girls aged around 3 days old, they are now 7 weeks (nearly). I can tell you, my 4 yr old niece loves them! I also wrote a story with real photos for the children at work (nursery) and they love to read and hear about my ducks. They are a lovely pet but I'm encountering some difficulties now. As Indie will tell you, they are not as easy as chooks, who put themselves to bed and dont require all this water. But still, they are lush

Mine lived inside, in a puppy crate for 3 weeks, at which point they began to go outside during the day. They are now outside day and night, although only jsut. The night time is proving a problem as they think the conservatory is their home!

Your son will love them and they will give you huge amounts of pleasure. I do think Aylesburys are huge though - have a good think before you buy them.

Oh, and I can only recommend getting them from teeny babes as then they totally love you! I seriously beleive I am my ducks world!

 

Good luck - sorry I cant help you with breeders in your area. Check the Practical Poultry forum - breeders advertise on there. Or the maagzine of course.

 

Sorry about typos - long day and minus a pint of blood

 

RACHEL

[Guest]

Hi

 

Ducks are nice pets, the Kahki Campbells are a really niced size hardy duck and less prone to problems , Aylesburys are more prone to leg/feet injurys and are a hefty bird. Aylesburys are a table bird too.

 

I have kept both types and for a starter the Khaki Campbell is a nice type(it does come in different colours)

 

You can just keep girlies and still get eggs just like the chickens(who dont need a cockerel). But one drake would be fine as well for either breed.

 

They do need water to put their heads under. The Domestic wild fowl trust sells ducklings but check with them before going(thats where I got my first ducks) Am sure you will get someone more local though?

 

But otherwise ducks are fairly hardy and depending on what the weather is like should be able to go out after a 2-3 of weeks with a bit of protection. They are really messy. The more mess the better..but definitely water is a real bonus to a duck, there was a nice post on here of a small pond recently (with pics)

 

 

 

Good luck indie

[rachel2390]

Hi Kelly,

 

I just got 2 female Aylesbury ducks a week ago. They were 16 weeks old and as another member said they are quite big....they look like fully grown ducks although I am not sure how much bigger they will grow!! They have settled in ok but I think because we didn't get them from chicks they are still very unsure of us and go and hide under the bushes!! It is still very early days for us though and we are still on a very big learning curve!!

They will still not let us get too close too them but I am hoping that this will change over time. They are very comical to watch and copy each other and do a lot of preening and feather plucking!!

Aylesbury's were recommended as they are supposed to make good pets and become quite domesticated. Let me know how you get on!!

 

Regards, Rachel (Martha & Davina)

[TOMWARDFARM]

Over the years whenm I was growin up we kept all manner of ducks and geese up to 100 at one time.

 

Everyone says they are not as good as chickens at putting themselves up? we found they like routine like any pet/animal. When it goes to dusk, we found the ducks would meander their way to the housing, and if not if we shouted them to go to bed they would coming running to bed.

 

If we were late putting them up so it was dark 99% of the time they would have put themselves up.

 

Muscovys are a bit different they used to find the nearest tree to roost as high as possible.

 

Strangely I have just come across a new supplier of chickens and feathered things and she has a columbine that roosts every night!!

 

Beacause I am restricted on land I dont have the any aylesburys or khakis as my garden still needs to be my garden so I have restricted to 2 Call ducks but I do have a breeding pair of mandarins on order.

 

Aylesburys do produce fantastic sized eggs, khakis are very amenable too but I find them quite boring as they all look very similar.

 

jackiepoppies is the orricle on all things duckified and has owned most breeds includin rouens, indian runners, muscovys, danish etc.

[clucky clarke's]

Thanks for your advice .

 

Just one thing, do ducks clear the grass like chickens do? We have 13 chickens in the orchard and they have nearly stripped all the grass to bare mud. Would ducks do the same? The ducks are going into a separate area that is still grassy.

 

 

Thanks kelly.x

[TOMWARDFARM]

What you have to consider when comparing ducks and chickens is the that chickens have claws and ducks have webbed feet, chickens have pointed beaks for pecking and ducks have shovels for beaks.

 

Chickens tend to peck the grass and strip it, ducks dont strip the grass but flatten it with their feet and if water is in close proximity it will turn to mud!

Edited June 3, 2009 by Guest

[clucky clarke's]

Thanks alot, it all make sense .

 

I have emailed Jackiepoppie and had a lovely reply already . Thanks for suggesting her.

 

Am keen to get them again after yours and jackiepoppies advice.

 

Thanks again,

 

kelly.x

[Guest]

Clucky let us know how you get on in comparison as I think chickens are a complete doddle.

The ducks never stripped our garden at all or ate our plants(just the snails) that was a good thing with them...not sure about bedtime though.

 

Keep us posted though I did my bird keeping the other way round to you so perhaps my memory is not so good indie

[Lesley]

We have White Campbells - they're lovely looking and lay lots of eggs.

 

Ours don't ruin the grass - we actually have to go in and strim occasionally!