Chortle Chook Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 On Sunday our small flock was joined by 2 little Call Ducks. Now our home is split between two camps: chicken fans and duck fans . I swear it is worse than the everlasting dog vs cat debates Chicken camp - led by me Chickens are busy souls, always doing something Chickens talk non stop Chickens lay yummy eggs Ducks have splashed most of their water out of their tin bath Ducks have repeatedly put muddy bills in the Glug so making the water all cloudy and mucky Ducks did not put themselves to bed last night and had to be ushered through all the garden plants at dusk Duck camp - led by OH Ducks are nice and laid back, gentle souls Ducks quacking noise is a lot nicer than chickens yelling about their eggs and room to lay Duck eggs when they come will be good for cakes Chickens have scratched up all the best plants (irises) and eaten the others (hostas) Chickens have made bomb craters all over the garden Chickens are neurotic about just about everything from fresh gravel to a different coloured Glug Here are the ducks but I think my chickens are every bit as pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabe smallholder Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Bless!! Wish we had the space for chickens and ducks!! Daren't pick a side but i will say that I'm sure you will have so much pleasure from all your babies! Xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Bless!! Wish we had the space for chickens and ducks!! Daren't pick a side but i will say that I'm sure you will have so much pleasure from all your babies! Xxxx wannabe smallholder I just love your Omlet forum name - that says it in one My poor OH says he has dreams of opening the back door onto our little 20m garden, throwing out a bucket of food and just calling 'Animals' I'd love a wee piggy .. . the person I got my first hens from had two little pigs sleeping in plastic dog beds in her kitchen . . . and she lived in the centre of Birmingham but she didn't have ducks. I have to say that as a starting point for ducks, Call Ducks are dead cute . . . but I still like my chickens better. They are rather more interesting and so individual. The ducks are more like my doves; pretty and sweet but not quite as full of character. . . and 2 ducks meant to 2 extra Polands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 I adore my chickens AND my ducks but I would say that if I had to choose a favourite it would be the ducks (despite their being MUCH more work than the hens). I love the fact that they are such gentle souls (chickens can be a tad mean to each other ) and the ducks seem hardier too. Also, they do very little damage to the garden and their eggs are richer. Pls don't tell my chickens I said that xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabe smallholder Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Hi chubby chook, yes my forum name is my dream! ! Oh to have room for chickens, ducks and maybe a few geese???? I'd also love a few goats and a beehive.... One day perhaps! But reading about everyone's experiences makes me hopeful that even just a tiny slice of that life is possible. xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 I adore my chickens AND my ducks but I would say that if I had to choose a favourite it would be the ducks (despite their being MUCH more work than the hens). I love the fact that they are such gentle souls (chickens can be a tad mean to each other ) and the ducks seem hardier too. Also, they do very little damage to the garden and their eggs are richer. Pls don't tell my chickens I said that xx Yes, coppers, my ducks do seem to be much gentler, less demanding souls than the chickens who can be wicked But perhaps I like a bit of feistiness What kind of ducks do you have? wannabe smallholder - I covet geese big time. I have a friend with a small lawn at the front of an old cottage where there is an apple tree and she has two geese mouching about under it and keeping the lawn perfect. It is so idyllic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I love my chickens but I would really like ducks too. I would choose Jemima puddle ducks if I was allowed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uma Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Ok so I am considering ducks just now. When people say they are a lot more work what exactely do you mean? I know about changing the water every two days which seems an easy thing, cleaning them out-well I do that daily for the chickens. Also rounding them up for bed-I do that with my girls already as I prefer them being in their run before bed for a few hours. Am I missing something else?? Uma x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Well... I dont know how you managed that one They are both so so lovely. Hope they have settled in nicely. Daisy and Lily are now very happy and have made new friend and every thing is lovely in Peckingham Palace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_los Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I would love to have a few ducks in the backyard but its the chickens domain now, will have to wait till I move into a bigger place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Oooh they're so cute Catherine What do the dogs make of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Margaret it is so good to hear about Lily and Daisy and that all is harmony at Peckingham Palace The ducks are really OH's thing rather than mine coz as you know I really wanted more Polands. However, I thought it was time he had his way on something as he has had to put up with a lot of my chicken stuff for 2 years: continual chicken chat, chicken friends, chicken ornaments all over the kitchen, chickens destroying the garden etc etc Cheeky Chooky - our terrier is just fine with my little call ducks. The greyhounds I'm watching but they have shown no interest in them at all. The saluki is rather too keen at the moment and is having to be walked past them on the lead. I think it is their little voices that he finds irresistable and also the way they splash about in their bath which is right by my patio. Uma - I would not say that the ducks are more work than the chickens, in fact the reverse, though it may be the breed I have. So far they are making far less mess than even one chicken. They don't scratch about or destroy the plants and in the mornings their house is not full of poo; they go into their house really easily each night and they are a lot quieter. Even though I had heard that call ducks are noisy, mine are a lot less noisy than my chickens who keep yelling about their eggs, room in the nest box etc. One big thing that I think helps me, is that their bath is very close to my outside tap so that has made refilling it a great deal easier. Each morning I have been emptying it with a bucket and putting it all over the plants and then re-filling it (gives me a good feeling of recycling ). One thing though - to my mind - they are less interesting than the chickens. Another thing, as Dogmother pointed out elsewhere, their requirements are different / almost opposite, so though they are FR together I would not want them to have to share a house with my chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
