Chicken bald back

[CatherineH178]

Hiya duck lovers,

 

I was wondering whether anyone could give me some advice. I would love to get a couple of ducks to go along with the chickens we already have but am not sure what type I should be getting.

 

What are the best breed of ducks to have in a garden situation - I read somewhere that a certain breed only needs a very small amount of water????

 

Help please

xxxx

[mollyripkim]

Hi, I have two little call ducks, a male and female, who happily share a WIR with my bantams and FR all day with them. They have a paddling pool for their pond which I just tip out and change every other day and haven't had any problems. They are such funny little characters, complete time wasters. The only thing I would say that the females are very very noisy, the first few weeks in particular everything set her off. Now a year on she hardly ever does that really loud noise and the male just makes lovely little quacking noises.

[Ziggy]

Hello there,

Runner ducks don't need much water. I have five of them, and they happily live in the WIR with two little basins of water (I use plastic cat litter trays). For less than five ducks, one basin would be enough. I was originally told they didn't need water at all (apart from drinking water), but I find they love dipping their heads in the basins, and cleaning themselves up in them, so I wouldn't want them without the water.

Two things to keep in mind :

- Ducks are very messy. Much, much messier than chickens. And much smellier. Keeping the WIR clean and smell free is quite a job! Also, as they have water, you can't use aubiose or woodchips and so on in the WIR, as it would be permanently damp (they splash the water all over the place), you'd need a solid area around the basin as a 'slash border'.

- As Mollyripkim said, they are noisy. I was told runner ducks were less noisy than chickens, and while it's true that their call isn't as loud as a chook's 'laying cry', they tend to quack about all day... mine hardly ever shut up! So that's one thing to keep in mind, unless you get drakes, who just make gentle sounds. I have been told my girls might get less noisy as they get older... so I'm waiting to see if that happens, they're nearly 5 months old now.

They are lovely animals, but I wouldn't say, as I was told, that they're easier or quieter than chooks.

Good luck with your decisions

[Chortle Chook]

Like Mollyripkim I have two little Call Ducks waddling about with my banty chickens. They are really sweet. Like Moolyripkim, my little girly duck made a real racket when I first got her a year ago, as they 'call' (read very very loud quack that sounds like a loud laughing machine) to issue a warning whenever they feel there is something strange about. After about 4 months she got used to all the new sounds and since then has been almost as quiet as the drake (the drakes are almost totally silent).

 

Regarding mess, I'd have to disagree with Ziggy in that they are much cleaner than my chickens but then Call Ducks are a lot smaller than Runners. In ducks, size does matter. I have seen a set up where someone had 2 Aylesbury ducks running with 3 Pekins and 2 Wyandottes. The ducks made the most dreadful mess of things and the poor chickens were litterally wading in mud

 

Here are my two in their 'pond'

and with the chickens

[counturchickens]

We started with hens, then added a pair of black East Indian ducks. We've ended up extending and seperating the wir to give the ducks their own section. They have partly wood chip, same as the hens but gravel under their pool. We love them though, so much so we've just added two female Campbell's, so we'll see how the intros go.

[Daisgirl]

Hi. My husband bought me 4 runner ducklings as I have wanted them for years. Yes, they are messy, yes, they can be a lot of work (and demanding) but nothing beats sitting with a cup of tea and watching them play in their cat litter tray of water. They are so funny.

 

They are three weeks old now and will come back in to my kitchen when I call them and are so funny that I would not like to be without them. And as for eating! I have a job to stop them trying anything and everything!

 

Yesterday I had to fish them out of my dogs Sunday Dinner bowl as they were standing in it bathing in the gravy! I had to gently hose them down as they were covered in the gravy.

 

They are not very noisy at the moment, they sound more like canaries at the moment including loud whistles! Although one or two of them are starting to quack a bit.

[Chortle Chook]

I can see you are well and truely smitten and I am . I only have call ducks, but one day OH and I would just love runners.

How funny about the gravy Guess it might look a bit like muddy water - but taste a whole lot better.

[Daisgirl]

I certainly am, Shabby Chic! At the moment I think the word duck finds its way into every sentence. must be totally boring for those who don't have ducks!

 

PS - the girls names are Dora (the explorer), Lily, Poppy & Duck.

 

[Chortle Chook]

Oh look at them all in a line - they are just so cute WANT big time

[AndreaT]

Aw, I am so I really want ducks (and geese!) but as a shift worker living alone I've not yet figured out how I can manage it There must be some way of training the to go to bed like chickens do

[Daisgirl]

Aw, I am so I really want ducks (and geese!) but as a shift worker living alone I've not yet figured out how I can manage it There must be some way of training the to go to bed like chickens do

 

I am sure any ducks would get used to your routine. Myn are only a month old and already know our routine. Bit like children really! Home from work, food bath and bed

 

[Chortle Chook]

That is just so sweet