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Talk to me about ducks!
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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 12 7:48 am Post subject:

The Campbells all lay white eggs and lots of them. They come in white and khaki colour along with one or two other variants that breeders have developed over the years.
Laying a few less eggs but still quite a few, are the Indian Runners. These are the ones that lay the beautiful blue and green eggs that you see. When it comes to the actual colour of this breed of duck, then the world really is your oyster. They come in the most fabulous colours and there are dozens to choose from. The list is almost endless but my personal favourite is the fawn and white. Have a look at this link to see whats on offer.
The Indian Runners certainly don't need their wings clipping and I'm yet to see my Campbells take to the air. The only breed of domestic duck that I'd say needs to be clipped is the muscovy.
Here's that link.
https://www.runnerduck.net/photo_album.htm

https://www.runnerduck.net/new_colours.htm

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 12 12:20 pm Post subject:

I have a mix of Indian Runners and Khaki Campbells to get the mix of white and green eggs.

A good strain of khaki's will allegedly lay 300 eggs a year (although they probably need lights to hit that). Mine aren't in lay yet, though.

I may have an unrelated pair of Aylesburys to rehome in a few weeks. They are good all-purpose ducks with very nice wiggly bottoms

ETA: Duck P*rn ... https://www.domestic-waterfowl.co.uk/index.htm

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 12 12:33 pm Post subject:
Ive got Aylesbury X cherry valley crosses...really good layers and nice to eat! Quite friendly things.....

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 12 12:37 pm Post subject:
The thing I love about ducks is that they are creatures of habit. I got mine a new trough yesterday and they are still sizing up whether it's safe to eat out of and discussing it. Also, in my observation, the Lady Ducks are in charge and the Men Ducks do as they are told. I find it very cheering .

T.G

Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 7280
Location: Somewhere you're not

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 12 1:52 pm Post subject:

Muscovy are great egg layers, and are a big meaty bird so worthwhile raising the drakes from any hatch... the boys do get very big.

We've had IR, KC, Aylesbury, as well as a selection of crosses.... ducks are lovely, they really are hard to surpass poultry-wise for character and the element of fun, they will make a mess easily of a small garden or area, turning thing to a nice soup of muck and mud.

gythagirl

Joined: 18 Feb 2010
Posts: 1467
Location: Somerset

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 12 10:18 pm Post subject:
Ducks have been Approved by OH

Minamoo

Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 1231

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 3:40 pm Post subject:

We've just been offered some ducks by someone who no longer wants to keep them. Our run currently has a mini coop inside it that we've been keeping to use as a broody coop but we don't have plans to hatch any eggs until much later in the year (july/august time...maybe...) We figured we could remove the perches from it and detach the run so that the ducks can wander about with the chickens and were going to get a paddling pool for them to use as a pond. Would this work? I have no idea what breed the ducks are though. We figure that it's a great way to see if we like ducks and if we don't...there's always the free meat. Can they eat the same food as chickens if we're keeping them in the same run?

(sorry to hijack your thread Jools!)

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 3:55 pm Post subject:
If you haven't got a lot of room, then you, your chickens and the ducks will be up to their knees in mud within days.

Duckhead

Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 2069
Location: Up the hill, Italy

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 4:22 pm Post subject:

We keep Muscovies. They are delightful, intelligent things. They are quiet, they do a lot of peep peeping- under their breath- and when angry they do a breathing out loud noise.
TG is right, the boys do grow well.
The downside is the mess. We have kept 10 over the winter, they get let out in the morning and don't go back in till dusk.
From dusk till dawn they spend their time flicking water all over and pooing, and pooing, often in what water is left.
Disgrace they are.

Get Muscovies.

Minamoo

Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 1231

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 4:24 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

If you haven't got a lot of room, then you, your chickens and the ducks will be up to their knees in mud within days.

The floor of the run is covered in about 6 inches of woodchip to keep it from doing just that.

We will however top it up in preparation for more mess than ever before descending. At least this way, if we decide that we can't cope with the mess/constant cleaning it won't have cot us anything.

Duckhead

Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 2069
Location: Up the hill, Italy

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 4:32 pm Post subject:
how many ducks?

Minamoo

Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 1231

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 4:40 pm Post subject:
4. I think. IF it's more than 4 that need rehoming it will go down to 4.

Jools

Joined: 28 Jul 2006
Posts: 1028
Location: South Wales

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 9:09 pm Post subject:

Minamoo wrote:

(sorry to hijack your thread Jools!)

No problem! Any information is helpful.

Jools

Joined: 28 Jul 2006
Posts: 1028
Location: South Wales

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 9:22 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the info and the links. We wouldn't be able to keep ducks for meat as I'm a veggie and Rob is a softie! Do ducks need to have drakes with them? Do they eat a different feed to chickens? (If we got some, they'd be kept in the same fields as the chickens and I'm wondering if it would matter if they ate the chicken's feed and vice versa.)

Duckhead

Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 2069
Location: Up the hill, Italy

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 12 9:28 pm Post subject:

Jools wrote:

Thanks for the info and the links.

We wouldn't be able to keep ducks for meat as I'm a veggie and Rob is a softie!

Do ducks need to have drakes with them?

Do they eat a different feed to chickens? (If we got some, they'd be kept in the same fields as the chickens and I'm wondering if it would matter if they ate the chicken's feed and vice versa.)

Keep them together. They all eat together. Ours lay together with the hens. They do fight but not nasty, a bit of tail pulling and thats it, they'll soon get used to it

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