Ruddy Shelduck Ownership--Would You or Would You Not?

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Not in a million years. I am a sound person, and anything that makes a big and loud sound bugs me. I could not stand the noise. Yep, that's just me, think that is why I would never have guineas either. I don't mind, and actually love, the voice of the chooks, be they females or males, that to be is beautiful. As is the sounds the turkeys make, along with the muscovey duck breed, those I like, but anything louder. Oh ya, right, too, call ducks, heard them, kind of interesting sounds, but too whacky loud for me. Hurts my ears. Have a most awesome day, CynthiaM.

I would absolutely buy some again. BUT only if we were prepared with a nice big pond for them, again. We had 3 when we lived on the Island,
absolutely loved them. Where we were, did not bother anyone with the noise. Would build one of those kind of nests you showed on another post.

To me they were awesome, in the right place. We had a very large pond and they got along with our geese and muscovie ducks, that were also on the same pond.

Ours were not aggressive, but doesn't mean that some aren't. But definitely would have them again if we had a good sized pond. Love them.

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what if you kept 2 males or 2 females? if you just wanted them for pretty pets would they be less aggresive?

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I was just thinking that some people who dont want a breeding pair because of thr the territorial behavior or only want two would be happier with this solution.  I sold two saxony drakes this year to one person for pets and another lady took two females.

My Ruddy Shelduck male is Solo at the moment and still every bit as territorial as when he had a female. I love my shellies, their calls aren't loud but very unique I think(can't hear them over the Australian spotted ducks anyhow......).

From February til August I generally keep them apart from any other fowl, its hilarious watching the drake corner my gander and rip out his feathers while the gander wails  but the gander fairs a lot better without the constant beatings.

My pair was always free range for breeding season, they were full-winged but clipped. They did very well that way, claimed the lawn as their territory. We always knew when another duck or chicken set foot on the lawn cause you would see the shellie drake march across the garden with his shoulders hunched, tail down and fanned and head held low locked onto his target.  Next thing you know you hear something scream and see an orange coloured furious feather duster attached to whatever trespassed. Very entertaining. Then he would return to his hen chattering of his victory the whole way. Mine were never very interested in water sources bigger than a kiddie pool, our goldfish pond got swam in once a day for a minute or two but that's it.

I just love them, I hope I can find a New Female for my boy soon. He is living in the main coop right now(chickens, guineas, aussi spots and Muscovy ducks) and he is ever so cranky right now. He wont even talk to me anymore when I chatter to him in shelduck-speak... usually he answers with a lot of bluster.

Oh ya, Tara, bantams, not for me, I can't stand their voices either. Had some white wyandotte bantams once, 3 males and 9 females. I only had them for about a week and they had to go to a new home. NO ONE liked them here, so the choice was easy. Those are freaky squeaky male voices. Ya, so large fowl voices for surely. Oh yes, I clearly recall that post and the pictures of that poor dude sitting on the fence whilst the other dude sang his heart out and nearly broke the ears of his friend, smiling. have a most awesome day, CynthiaM.

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Oh ya, you brought out the bantam voice rant for surely. Wonder what it is, if the ruddy shelduck is anything like that, oh my freakin' Gordon. Even when I go to a poultry show, even before I go in the building I can hear those bantams and their shrill voices, it gives me the shudders cause I know I will be going inside where it is even more noisey. It actually hurts my ears. that rooster call of bantam. I love to see bantams, I think they are astoundingly beautiful, but it is the pitch and it causes me brain trauma, sounds weird, but I stay away from sounds like that if I can. I could NEVER be a poultry judge cause I would have huge hearing protection mufflers on and would look rather odd...beautiful days, CynthiaM.

Ruddy Shelducks sound nothing like a chicken ! They don't even sound like a duck. They have there own call. Not very loud , at all , and mostly only heard in breeding season , or territortial disputs, or when you have a preditor on the prawl.

Asking if you would or wouldn't keep Ruddyshells is not really not even a question . Most people have no clue what they even are , and may have never even seen them.
Wild Waterfowl are not for everyone , but for me thats all I want .

Shelan

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I too Like finding out all the information I can get on a certain type of species . I don't want to sound like it was wrong for you to ask the question . Thats not what I ment . Its just hard to find information , when very few people have even seen , or raised them , on this forum . But good to hear that there are a few people .
These are wild birds and require a little different requirements , but we don't want to detour someone from owning them . I want more and more people to enjoy the wild birds like I do .
I might not get eating eggs , or use them for meat , but they are there for a different purpose .
Wonderful Birds .....

On another note , The ruddyshells can use a box on top of the ground . Mine have produced continuously in a box in a corner of the pen , with a 5 inch round hole .

Anna ...Don't forget I got a girl for you .

Shelan

shelan wrote:.

Anna ...Don't forget I got a girl for you .

Shelan

I kept emailing you and never got a reply so I assumed its not available anymore.... if you still got one AWESOME!

Guess my emails all ended up lost in the ether..... why do I bother with technology again?......

"Nasty Booger"(yes, that is my shellie drakes name, altho usually spoken in that high pitched baby-talk voice that ruffles his feathers to no end making him yell at me sounding oddly close to obscenities  ) would very much appreciate a girl friend, and I bet the rest of the birdies he bunks with would too  .

As bad-tempered as they are I think I would always have some sort of shelduck around. I dunno why but that bossy attitude is just adorable. And the "OMG- What is THAT?" from visitors is just comical. He stands out amongst giant Muscovy ducks and chickens. All in drab blacks, blues and sorts of brownish greys, he is the shining orange beacon(who then tells you off for pointing at him and comes to the fence hunched with his head low daring you do it again)!

The Ruddies I found so far as being pretty low maintenance in comparison to other wild waterfowl I had. But that all again depends on each persons set-up vs birds personality/behaviour. Wood ducks and Mandarins were too spooky for us for example, the aviary had one side to the horse paddocks and if the cows or horses walked by they went absolutely ape, or when the LGD went by on his patrol = feathered Pin-Balls. Needless to say they never looked nice and were in a constant state of panic.....
The Ruddies will nip the dog in the butt if it doesn't get out of the way fast enough. He will even mock-charge the livestock when he thought they got too close to his girl(altho he was always ignored but he felt very proud of his protection skills).