DW wants ducks DEW, not so much

[Smart Red]

And if they were 'homing' ducks, the breeder can sell them again.

 

[Nyboy]

Lesson do your research before buying !!

 

[MontyJ]

How well do ducks overwinter? That's my biggest concern. And what do they eat?

 

[seedcorn]

Funny duck story, I have a friend Dana who is a big animal lover. Dana's family owned a store chain leaving her very wealthy. She has a amazing house with a small pond in back.One day she decided the pond needed ducks, so she got on her computer and found a very flashy website for a duck breeder. Before she knew what happened, her and a friend where driving to this breeders farm. There where all kinds of ducks, she fell in love with cute little ones. The breeder told her she had a great eye and these where show quality ducks they where so good he really didn't want to sell them. Dana had fallen in love and ended up paying a small fortune for 1 male and 3 females. When she got back home she went right to the pond and opened the box. She had visions of the ducks waddling down to the water then swinging around. The ducks came out of the box, then took to the air and flew away never to be seen again. The breeder never told her call ducks fly, even knowing she wanted pond ducks. He made a lot of cash,she was heart broken.

Stories like this make me very angry with poultry breeders. This kind of stuff goes on. Went to swap meet, saw a pen full of polish half grown chicks. Guy said your pick and they hadn't been sexed. Knew something was wrong, passed. All cockerals, he had sexed them.

 

[bobm]

Years ago, I had 4 Pekin ducks and 1 drake ... All were very Quiet ! All of the ducks layed many eggs and became broody... each hatched between 10 and 14 ducklings per clutch. I took the ducklings away a day after hatch and the ducks started brooding again. I butchered the ducklings at 9 weeks of age and at the end of the season put 95 into my freezer. After roasting, one can keep the rendered fat for cooking and add it to other baked goods instead of oil or butter , which is an added benefit in taste as well as money savings. The Pekin ducks outproduce the CornishX chicken ( the basis of the chicken meat industry ) in converting feed to meat in the shortest time witch is a huge savings of money. I also had 2 Khacky Campbell ducks + 1 drake. They lay eggs that are 2 x to 3x the size of a chicken egg and they outlay the commercial egg laying chickens in the number of eggs per year. So, instead of 2-3 eggs for breakfast, I can just eat ONE . Instead of feeding and caring for 2-3 hens you can feed and care for ONE duck, which equates to feed $$$s saved as well as housing and labor saved. Also, duck eggs are highly prized in baking cakes, cookies, breads, etc. . I fed them the regular chicken feed + table scraps, and offered them LOTS and LOTS of water to drink and clean their bills only in large un-tipable waterers where they can only have access to it by putting their head and neck in . I didn't provide them with any water to swim in.

 

[ninnymary]

Bobm, that sounds amazing! Why don't you have ducks now?

Mary

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

How well do ducks overwinter? That's my biggest concern. And what do they eat?

Ducks are hardy and overwinter very well, as long as you have something with four walls and a roof for them to hide in occasionally you'll be just fine. They all lay out huddled up together in the snow and cold, kind of like a flock of penguins. We throw piles of dirty straw in the run during the winter for some extra protection, this also keeps them from sliding around on the ice. They sometimes look awfully disappointed whenever a migrating flock of ducks or geese flies over; they still have that instinct to migrate but can't actually do it.

They'll eat just about anything - for the main part we give them duck pellets (that you can find at the feed store), scratch, and whole corn. They'll also eat plant roots and bugs that they dig up, eggshells, and greens. What we do is throw compost material in the run so the birds can pick over it, rake up what's left and put it in the compost bin.

 

[bobm]

Bobm, that sounds amazing! Why don't you have ducks now?

Mary

I had them at my ranch. Now , I am retired and living in the city ... remodeling our formerly bank owned trashed house and yard so no extra time for livestock or rest for the wicked.