I've decided that our homestead needs a few ducks. They will be in the goat yard with a little duck pond. We have a low place that water runs through and leaves it soggy so that's where we're putting our future duck pond. Am I right to think that ducks eat slugs and snails, I hope to rid my goat yard of them. I'd like to have both eggs and meat. Do you butcher the spring ducks in the fall? What's your favorite breed of duck? Let's talk ducks

-- sherry in Arkansas (chickadee259@yahoo.com), February 22, 2002

Answers

My favorite is the Muscovy. They lay good, hatch their own eggs, and grow quickly. They also don't quack. May not be the prettiest things in the world, but they grow on you. The biggest problem I have with them, is that they love to play in the goat's water, and the goats don't appreciate it :)

-- Kim Bailey (bailey@hilly-acre.com), February 22, 2002.

NOT Muskovies!!! Oh , puh-leeze, not Muskovies!

(ugly, mean, aggressive...eyyyuckkkey...)

I LOVED my Khaki Campbells, what wonderful layers they were, three hundred eggs a year per duck! But whats funnier/cuter than an Indian Runner duck...comedy for the barnyard...sweet ducks that don't waddle, but wobbly wine-bottled shaped/ bowling -pin shaped ducks that stand upright...like the scrawny one in the "Babe" pig movie...I LOVED my Indian runner ducks.

-- Susan no longer in Texas (wind_n_her_hair@yahoo.com), February 22, 2002.

Sherry, I also really like the Muscovy. Ours are very, very gentle. Excellent Mothers. The meat cannot be beat, (humble opinion, here) both for flavor and quantity. Plenty of eggs, tho not the most proliferate layers of the duck breeds. I think they make a great all around homestead bird, if indeed your interest is in the eggs AND the meat.

"Do you butcher the spring ducks in the fall? What's your favorite breed of duck?"

We butcher in the fall.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), February 22, 2002.

I like all ducks except muscovies. Butchering time has to do with ewhen they hatch, not the time of year. Butcher them 8 weeks after hatching, Rouens butcher 12-14 weeks. Runner ducks are so skinny, they're not worth butchering, but they put out a lot of eggs, although the eggs are kinda puny. If you want BIG eggs, get Pekins. Ducks are great!

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), February 22, 2002.

Can you keep ducks and goats together? I know you aren't supposed to keep goats with chickens. The ducks are surely messier!

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 22, 2002.

Processed and frozen.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), February 22, 2002.

sherry, What kind of ducks you get depends on what you expect from them. Eggs? Meat? Beauty? Personality? Pond Decor? Humor? There are very large breeds, medium breeds, light breeds and bantam breeds. If you want a duel purpose breed and just one breed, my favorite all round duck is the Ancona. These are medium weight, beautiful pinto ducks(white, splashed with any colors). They are laying fools and here lay all year round. Very good eating also. That said, I raise bantam "dumpling" ducks(dress out at about 3-4 lbs, exclusive resturants serve them) and also have Indian Runners, they make me laugh! It is beside the point that they are superb layers, they are funny! I would think you would want to start with catalogs, call Holderreads Waterfowl Preservation Center(541-929-5338)if you want excellant stock. Get a hold of Metszner Farms or one of the other commercial hatcheries for so-so stock. Also go to www.poultryconnection.com, General Waterfowl forum(post your question) and click on the LINKS. These will take you to many sites with great pictures, like Blue Hen Farm, Shagbark etc. I love pictures!One thing I want to mention. Plan on building a SECURE duckhouse(or use existing structure?)to put your ducks in at night. Don't even think "chicken wire". Ducks sleep on the ground and are easy pickings for predators. A pond will not keep them safe. Some ducks learn to sleep on an island but that is subject to change, and is the exception. LOL Have fun, ducks are great! Hope you will come back and let us know what you do. A hard thing, Making up your mind! E mail me if I can help at all. LOL LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), February 23, 2002.

LOL - we have a lot of different kinds of ducks but our Favorites are they Muscovy, Utility Rouen and Cayuga (all for different reasons but really we like them all! (we also have goats ) and I would be happy to chat ducks with you if you'd like... I have pictures and "info bits" on our website just drop me an email and I'll send it to you.

-- Trisha-MN (coldguinea@netscape.net), February 23, 2002.

I've only tried a few breeds so far. My favorite dual purpose ducks so far ar White Pekins. They are fairly good layers and they are a good sized bird to eat. I want to get a few Cayuga ducklings this spring. I haven't had any myself yet but I think they are beautiful. We've always butchered spring ducklings that fall. Enjoy your ducks. I'm sure you'll be happy with which ever breed you choose. They're all so much fun to watch.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), February 23, 2002.

Hi, My responce is Don't Do It. What a mess they make.Perhaps one male wood duck to swim around the pond.Good luck K.Frost

-- Karl Frost (Frostym@swns.net), February 23, 2002.

We have Khaki Campbells and really like them. They are entertaining, as well as great egg layers.

-- Kris in Wisc (kkwoestman@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002.

Hi, My all time favorites are the Blue Swedish,they are gentle but standoffish,but they are great slug eaters!! Lay every day except in the hotest season of July & Aug. My other favorite is the German Saxony, from Holderreads. They are larger than the Blue Sweds, are gentle and become more friendly than the Sweds. We put our ducks in a Duck house at night to protect them from Possiums.

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), February 25, 2002.

khaki campbells are suposed to be very good layers and very good ducks. pekins however are probably the best meat duck

-- Amanda (Beaglelover6475@aol.com), April 01, 2002.

I like the runners the best. They come in all colors (Holderread's), are productive, entertaining, and good foragers. I love to watch them. They don't have a lot of meat on their bones, but then they are an egg breed. I didn't much care for the Rouens. They were piggy, didn't lay well, and didn't set on their eggs. They sure had a lot of meat though!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 01, 2002.

Over the years we have raised almost every kind of Duck there is----

We now only have my favorite---the fawn runners---

They think they are family!!!!! Wonderful layers--

We also have two bantam hens sitting on duck eggs right now--- They are such fun & boy the insects don't have a chance with them!!!

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), April 02, 2002.