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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
  
| Anyone here raise ducks?
Hubby and I are considering getting 5 females and 1 male to raise for eggs. I do a ton of baking, and I think we could sell some eggs if we had extras. We've raised chickens and meat birds in the past, and have had success. We've done a bunch of research, but thought Id ask on here if anyone had any first hand experience. |
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 Just a Yankee
Posts: 1239
Location: Some where I haven't left yet | Ducks are FUN, messy, but Fun. Depends on the breed and if you go with commercial type production hybrid or a pure bred as to what temperment they'll have. Please note the females are/can be very LOUD. lol In the spring the drake will beat the snot out of the ducks so you may rethink having a drake. Kiddy-pools with two bricks for them to get in and out, place a big stall mat or two under the pool so they don't dig so many holes. They are very low maintenance and if you are having trouble with weight/condition - dog food will bring them up. |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| I know nothing about ducks, but if you plan to sell eggs I'd skip having a male. Fertilized eggs freak me out and I'll throw a whole dozen away if I find one lol |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| I had 7... never again unless I had a large tank or pond.. I bought 3 kiddie pools and they trashed each one every day... very very messy and loud lol! But I did enjoy watching them waddle around |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 668
Location: Upstate New York | I had 6 that we raised. Was fun watching them grow. We have a pond so they ran free to play in pond and out back. At night I would bring them in their coop to protect them from the wildlife. They were pretty easy to train to go in at night, would follow me anywhere for food. Loved watching them play. BUT, very messy and could be very loud. In the end, the wildlife still got them all. Never again. Even though I have to keep reminding myself this every spring.
Edited by grey_ghost 2017-11-07 7:40 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| Thanks for the replies! I only thought about having a male because I would like to have ducklings. I was thinking about the Muscovy breed, as I read they are extremely quiet. We have had TERRIBLE luck in the past with roosters, so I'm nervous about a male duck, but I'm not sure if I should be or not. We only kept one rooster at a time, and it was always the same scenario. They start off super friendly, no problem with them, months later I go in to collect eggs, and they start attacking my calf, and then I'm too scared to go in the coop, as they attack me. My husband thought I was over reacting one day, so we go out to the coop to close them in for the night, and he bends over, and the rooster attacked him! That was the end of that rooster, but I don't know if male ducks are the same. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| emricmacy - 2017-11-07 7:53 AM
Thanks for the replies! I only thought about having a male because I would like to have ducklings. I was thinking about the Muscovy breed, as I read they are extremely quiet. We have had TERRIBLE luck in the past with roosters, so I'm nervous about a male duck, but I'm not sure if I should be or not. We only kept one rooster at a time, and it was always the same scenario. They start off super friendly, no problem with them, months later I go in to collect eggs, and they start attacking my calf, and then I'm too scared to go in the coop, as they attack me. My husband thought I was over reacting one day, so we go out to the coop to close them in for the night, and he bends over, and the rooster attacked him! That was the end of that rooster, but I don't know if male ducks are the same.
We had Muscovy's and Pekin's forever.
Most we had at one time was about a dozen females of each breed. Ducks LOVE water and mud, as suggested above, kiddie pools with bricks in them to help them in/out are fantastic.
A safe place to let the hens lay/incubate eggs was also helpful. Our coops had slatted raised floors and nesting boxes to get them out of the mud and give them a space to get their feet out of the mud and into some shavings as they desired.
We fed out of old tin pans and kept the kiddie pool warm in the Pac NW winters with a basic donut heater - they left it alone and none of them burned their little feet on it either.
If you are set on having ducklings, have a space to separate your drake. Yes, they can and will get mean toward females and kill ducklings if given a chance. They are seasonal breeders, like most mammals. We had large dog kennels (10x20 feet) set up for breeding groups and when we decided it was time to pull the drake, we put him in his own kennel that was smaller (like 4x8 feet).
Ducks are easy, you can teach them to come to a whistle, and at times they can be loud - but they are hell on bugs and scratch your flower beds less than chickens do when left to their own devices.
Good luck!!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | We started out with five hens and one drake. The next summer I had 40 ducks running around! Be careful what you wish for, haha. We had one drake that killed the baby ducks, so he was disposed of. I would open the front door of the house, and 40 ducks would come running. |
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| I've had two Muscovy's, they were the sweetest ducks. Very quiet, but as everyone stated all ducks are messy. We had a male and a female. The female wasn't as friendly, but the male was protective of me and always follow me. He enjoyed being held and wasn't ever a pest unless someone raised their voice at me. They ate with the cows and horses. They never got locked up but they flew away one spring.
Last year we got Call ducks, small ducks. The female sounded like a horn honking and it was hilarious though loud. Unfortunately a weasel got them before they could produce eggs. Smart enough to learn where they couldn't venture around the yard (we live next to the main road), but if we had to put them in early for some reason, they were stubborn about it. I keep asking when we could get more, but we have to build a weasel proof home for them :) I'd get these guys or Muscovy's again |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| emricmacy - 2017-11-07 7:53 AM
Thanks for the replies! I only thought about having a male because I would like to have ducklings. I was thinking about the Muscovy breed, as I read they are extremely quiet. We have had TERRIBLE luck in the past with roosters, so I'm nervous about a male duck, but I'm not sure if I should be or not. We only kept one rooster at a time, and it was always the same scenario. They start off super friendly, no problem with them, months later I go in to collect eggs, and they start attacking my calf, and then I'm too scared to go in the coop, as they attack me. My husband thought I was over reacting one day, so we go out to the coop to close them in for the night, and he bends over, and the rooster attacked him! That was the end of that rooster, but I don't know if male ducks are the same.
That's why I carry a tennis racket when I collect eggs! |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| want2chase3 - 2017-11-07 11:59 AM
emricmacy - 2017-11-07 7:53 AM
Thanks for the replies! I only thought about having a male because I would like to have ducklings. I was thinking about the Muscovy breed, as I read they are extremely quiet. We have had TERRIBLE luck in the past with roosters, so I'm nervous about a male duck, but I'm not sure if I should be or not. We only kept one rooster at a time, and it was always the same scenario. They start off super friendly, no problem with them, months later I go in to collect eggs, and they start attacking my calf, and then I'm too scared to go in the coop, as they attack me. My husband thought I was over reacting one day, so we go out to the coop to close them in for the night, and he bends over, and the rooster attacked him! That was the end of that rooster, but I don't know if male ducks are the same.
That's why I carry a tennis racket when I collect eggs!
LOL - this gave me a laugh!!  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| want2chase3 - 2017-11-07 11:59 AM
emricmacy - 2017-11-07 7:53 AM
Thanks for the replies! I only thought about having a male because I would like to have ducklings. I was thinking about the Muscovy breed, as I read they are extremely quiet. We have had TERRIBLE luck in the past with roosters, so I'm nervous about a male duck, but I'm not sure if I should be or not. We only kept one rooster at a time, and it was always the same scenario. They start off super friendly, no problem with them, months later I go in to collect eggs, and they start attacking my calf, and then I'm too scared to go in the coop, as they attack me. My husband thought I was over reacting one day, so we go out to the coop to close them in for the night, and he bends over, and the rooster attacked him! That was the end of that rooster, but I don't know if male ducks are the same.
That's why I carry a tennis racket when I collect eggs!
It really got to the point where I would take a broom in with me to collect eggs, and the rooster would still come after me. At that point, it wasn't fun for me anymore, so we put him in the soup pot. No more roosters for me! |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Great... Now I want a duck.... Thanks guys....  |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| So eating duck eggs is a thing?? Whats wrong with chicken eggs?? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| Whiteboy - 2017-11-08 10:44 AM
So eating duck eggs is a thing?? Whats wrong with chicken eggs??
Nothing is wrong with chicken eggs. I personally love the taste of duck eggs. I have made egg salad with duck eggs many times, and it's great! Ducks eggs contain more albumen than chicken eggs, which gives them more structure, which results in very light, fluffy baked goods. They are also higher in protein than chicken eggs. |
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| emricmacy - 2017-11-08 11:56 AM
Whiteboy - 2017-11-08 10:44 AM
So eating duck eggs is a thing?? Whats wrong with chicken eggs??
Nothing is wrong with chicken eggs. I personally love the taste of duck eggs. I have made egg salad with duck eggs many times, and it's great! Ducks eggs contain more albumen than chicken eggs, which gives them more structure, which results in very light, fluffy baked goods. They are also higher in protein than chicken eggs.
Very interesting. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | So I saw on facebook once...that ducks will rape chickens LMAO
BTW: duck eggs and turkey eggs are delicious and taste just the same as a chicken egg |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| hoofs_in_motion - 2017-11-08 11:30 AM
So I saw on facebook once...that ducks will rape chickens LMAO
BTW: duck eggs and turkey eggs are delicious and taste just the same as a chicken egg
It's true. I had 1 male duck (who was supposed to be a female) and he straight assaulted every feathered thing he could find. He was never a problem as far as being mean like a rooster, but he was definitely a pervert. |
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 Dancing in my Mind
Posts: 3062
Location: Eastern OH but my heart is in WV | We have always had a couple of ducks in with our chickens. Never any issues and people LOVE the eggs for baking. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | hoofs_in_motion - 2017-11-08 12:30 PM
So I saw on facebook once...that ducks will rape chickens LMAO
BTW: duck eggs and turkey eggs are delicious and taste just the same as a chicken egg
Now I'm wondering what that turkey was doing hanging out with the ducks in my uncle's yard. . . . |
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