Is there anyone who likes ducks better than chickens on here and cares to admit it?

Most of you know I didn't grow up on a farm or have any experience with animals, except dogs, until last year. So, I am very much still learning, fast and great deal. Today, while I was showing some people my goats, they asked also to see the rest of the animals. I proudly led them to the sheep, the llamas, the ducks and geese, but did not show them the turkeys or chickens. The chickens were in their coop. I am quite proud of the chickens. Some that I have are likely show quality and not the usual ones, and for feathered dinosaurs (to use the term I recently heard), they are attractive.
They really were interested in the ducks and want to come back for some eggs to hatch in the spring (Saxony). I love the ducks and geese and could watch them for hours. They are comical and cute and social. I even really like the geese and find them quite beautiful. I would like to expand my ducks to include Aylsbury, Silver Appleyard and Pekin next year, though I have not found anyone who has Aylsbury ducks and Silver Appleyards are hard to come by too. Some day I would like to have Sebastopol geese as well. They are very very beautiful.

Are you a duck lover? What breeds do you have and do you raise ducks to eat, for show or for eggs? or maybe none of those?

I loved the idea of ducks until I got some. Now I've decided I like the taste of duck better then the personalities. You really have to baby and befriend them as ducklings I think. My ducks run away from you as soon as you walk towards them, even if you are feeding treats etc. They are a real pain in the tush to put to bed every night because they never go in on their own, and they are either seasonal layers or hide their eggs because I have yet to find a duck egg.

Interesting Briarwood, I find it just the opposite. The ducks will go in on their own or I simply have to walk over to them and lift both arms and they toddle in. They come looking for food and when I am feeding them, they are around my feet. And I got an egg a day from each Khaki Campbell hen since early spring and am still getting the occasional one if I find it before it freezes. They lay in a nesting box I made for them. This makes me think that sometimes the individual flock of birds, be they chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks, reacts differently to different people. I love the waterfowl.

I personally prefer my waterfowl over my land fowl. They are commical critters, and I love watching them playing in the puddles or the pools. Ducklings are my favorite, so cute and so durable, much more than chicks.
I also like that when a new bird is introduced they will have their little tussle but then all is well and nobody is being picked on or picked to death like in the chicken house...
The only time I don't like my waterfowl as much is the winter time, they make such a mess. But with proper management, outside water, etc. They do very well and don't make quite the mess.

We have about 12 ducks. 5 Khaki females, 2 drakes (Magoo is blind, but he's a great little duck), a pair of Welsh Harlequins, a female pair of Pekin, and a remaining Muscovy black and white female. I get anywhere from 2-4 eggs per day (the Welsh harlequin are only 4 months old as is one female Khaki and the 2 males. Our other ducks were a bear buffet...I hate bears! I love to watch the ducks play and we have raised all of them except the muscovy from eggs. They are super friendly and follow us around. They love to watch my husband dig holes and hope for worms. They come in when it starts to get dark (around 5:30) and they stay out in the yard for about 1/2 hour more. I am really fond of my chickens but the ducks hold a place in my heart.

Waterfowl was the first fowl I owned and have had them though all these years. I find them way less work then the poultry and love my Indian Runners the most as they provide many hours of endless entertainment for me walking around like little soldiers and playing in their water. Every creature has it's place and depending on where you live keeping waterfowl can be a little more difficult dure to the water playing tendencies but even when we lived in colder Alberta they were worth the work.

Right now I am sitting in the Charlotte North Carolina airport, on my way home everyone have a great day,chatting about a good subject.

Heather

Waterfowl was the first fowl I owned and have had them though all these years. I find them way less work then the poultry and love my Indian Runners the most as they provide many hours of endless entertainment for me walking around like little soldiers and playing in their water. Every creature has it's place and depending on where you live keeping waterfowl can be a little more difficult dure to the water playing tendencies but even when we lived in colder Alberta they were worth the work.

Right now I am sitting in the Charlotte North Carolina airport, on my way home everyone have a great day,chatting about a good subject.

Heather
Sorry hit send twice

Ducks are way cooler than chickens, hands down. I do very much love my chicken flock too, but ducks (and probably geese to just haven't delved very far into them as yet) take the cake every time. Hardier, tastier and easier to manage too.

Yay! I am not the only one after all.
Heather, what are you doing so far away talking about what and aren'e we thrilled that you are checking and responding to a forum question while on your journey?
Country Thyme, what breed of ducks do you have? Cuckorama and Hidden River, do you raise ducks to eat? I have eaten one of the ducks I raised so far, and I must say, it was the best ever, much better than the heritage chickens.

Does anyone have Silver Appleyard or Aylsebury ducks?

F.E. I have never eaten any of our birds and when the bear broke the window of the cook a few weeks ago and killed nine birds, our neighbours were aghast when my husband gathered up all of his little bird buddies and buried them in the back yard (well wings and legs and heads and bodies, you know how destructive bears are?). I silently thought that maybe we should have put them in the freezer, but was more or less in shock. We have discussed getting turkeys to raise and sell for Thanksgiving next year but we cannot name them all and make them our pets...we will see.

I just started with waterfowl this year and I have become a convert.

Last January I bought 2 pairs of call ducks and fell in love with the funny little things. Strangely so did my husband who declared at one point that the ducks are great get rid of the noisy roosters!

Later in the year I hatched welsh harlequin a light breed duck. That was amazing. Something about holding a squishy, fuzzy duckling is sooo cool. I thought chicks were neat but that trumped it. I will use them for eggs and ducklings but did send 3 males for processing in september. They were almost 16 weeks old and were 3 to 3 1/2 pounds processed. Not a bad size. I have yet to eat one yet they are in the freezer but I am looking forward to it. I like knowing I can use the extra males and they have a decent end if not kept for breeding or just their good looks.

The most recent addition are the geese. Oh my goodness I am in love. I bought a young sebastapol trio. They are stunning, beautiful, graceful creatures. They walk around so light and airy like little ballerinas. I have only had them for about 2 months and they are not overly friendly but recently I think they have decided I am ok. I find them now following me around the yard. If I am in the barn I will find them standing in a horse paddock outside waiting for me and they stay there until I am done. Maybe its in my head but they do seem very curious about me.

I do still love my chickens. They are not as entertaining and personable, well some are but its few and far between.

I think the biggest aspect in both chickens and waterfowl is finding the breeds that suit your personality and your needs ( eggs, meat, show). I have cycled through various chicken breeds and I think now after about 4 years I have figured out what I like and what I dont.

I've had geese for years, and decided to get a few magpie ducks last year. Quiet and comical, I loved the little guys, but as they say, ducks are the worst bird for predation. They seemed to attract the coons and mink here. Fortunately the geese are good watchdogs.

Absolutely! If my son didn't love his chickens so much they would all be gone. Chickens need so much more care and are a royal pain in the butt (but they taste good). We got a few turkeys this year and I found them amusing but damn they are stupid! That and they nearly drove hubby insane following him around and everytime he tried to do something a turkey would be right there ( I found it very amusing though ) We still have a couple but we won't ever keep more than a couple.
My ducks are easy to put away anytime of the day we just walk behind them and they herd wherever we want them. The water can be a pain in winter but on whole they're just so hardy and easy to look after. Plus they may not enjoy being snuggled but they're so fun to watch in the pools or strut around the yard chattering and so excited especially in the rain Nothing like watching and listening to those happy ducks on dark dreary rainy days you just can't help smiling. I also love watching them slide on the snow in winter like happy little penguins I also have a trio of geese who are my guards and the girls are very tame I just love them
So far I've found that the people who tell me they have this pond and have lovely thoughts of duckies end up hating them. They are nightmares with open water and make a horrible mess if thought and planning are not used when allowing them water playtime but thats's the only problem with them and thats easy to solve
I don't think it has much to do with breed as I have a few breeds (Cayuga, Buff, Khaki, Welsh Harlequin, Runner, Rouen) and I love them all. I don't have any bantams (I don't want to keep ducks penned at all times) and I don't have muscovies (I don't like the looks of them )
Anyways, ducks are by far the far better bird to have around

We keep several breeds of ducks here, I love them all for their personalities and some for they mothering and some for thier egg laying.
We keep Call ducks and Australian spotted ducks, mostly for the joy of having a few little ducks around, the spotted ducks we have let out to fly around the farm, and many visitors comment on how cool that is.
The Welsh Harlequin and Buff Ducks we keep for their egg laying, they are our top layers and are also great momma's. We could easily hatch out any of these two breeds to fill orders all spring, and still have a supply of eggs for ourselves.
The rouen ducks I might phase out, they are good layers as well and they seem to be popular amongst the old farmers, that is what they want most. They are decent mothers and my heaviest ducks (besides the muscovies).
The Muscovy ducks are the last breed we keep, they are excellent mommas usually giving me 2-3 batches of ducklings a year and most coming off with 12-24 duckligns at a time. They are very protective moms.

We tried duck last year as eating and we really enjoy it, we had 50 left over drakes in the fall so got a colony near us to butcher them. I cook two at a time (they were mostly welsh and buff, so average of 3 lbs a peice) and there is never any leftovers with our family of 4.
My husband did eat some eggs last year as well, but have heard they are the best for baking pasteries, so going to try that this year.

Sorry. Misread. Thought the title was, "Does anyone like DRUNKS better than chickens?" But I see that is not the topic.

Ha ha funny Uno. What was Uno doing before reading the forum, hmmmmmm?

I definitely love waterfowl over other poultry! I love my muscovie ducks. Not only do they tast good, I find them very intelligent, beautiful, very fun to watch!!

Yes, Steve, I agree. I got some Muscovy ducks, 3 females a male, from Sue and am thrilled with them. I think they are the smartest of the ducks by far and the girls can fly so well. I am looking forward to having them raise their little ones this coming summer. Little duckies are soooooooooo cute.

I am currently working with Muscovies and Silver Appleyards. Still considering adding a light breed egg layer, but uncertain.

And before you ask, I am not currently considering selling, maybe next year.

Maybe we can trade next year, Country Thyme, Khaki Campbells for Silver Appleyards?

The Fat Ewe wrote:Maybe we can trade next year, Country Thyme, Khaki Campbells for Silver Appleyards?

Certainly a possibility. We'll keep in touch.

We used to raise muscovy ducks back on the coast. I loved my muscovy ducks, we also had bronze heritage turkeys, I didn't particularly love the turkey hens, I liked them. Especially when one hen decided that she wanted me as part of her clan and decided that she would protect me from an overly horrible muscovy drake. He hated me. He only lasted a couple of months when a friend took him to be part of his breeding group, because of his extremely over-than-large stature. This turkey hen would surround him and walk around him making a very specific sound that a turkey hen makes when she is upset. This would upset the drake so much that eventually he would take off to the hills, so to speak. I liked her for that. I must have been one of her babies or something, go figure that. The new drake I got from another friend was bigger than Whoppo, and he was of a very lovely demure. I loved my muscovy ducks. Don't have them anymore. I knew with our move that I would not have room for ducks, nor turkeys. They all went to people that I knew and I can get progeny back anytime I so choose. I always cover my bases when I have to make these deep decisions.

In many ways I like ducks better than chickens, but in most ways, I prefer chickens.

My chickens are my soul mates. I think they actually like me. I do not coddle my chickens, nor do I pick them up just to hug and hold. Nothing wrong with that, but I don't want to befriend in this manner. They are not fearful of me, in that they run when they see me. They see me as the letter outer of them in the mornings, the putter inner at night when the light becomes low. They will come to eat out of my hand, if I so choose them to. This is not uncommon.

I would say that I prefer chickens over ducks and turkeys. I don't know why, just do. To me they are much more simple to look after. I remember how big tom would fly up on top of the chicken houses, about 15 feet up, and he would then be freaked out cause he would be up there alone. The turkey hens would not fly up there. They choose to go and roost with the chickens and ducks. He would cry sometimes. Other times he would just stay up on the roof until mornings first light then fly down. I don't think the see well at night and he could get up to the roof, but too dark to get down. What a silly dude. I love the sounds the toms make. Wishes for wonderful days for us all, CynthiaM.