Hi im new to this site and i have joined to ask and educate myself on the world of ducks! lol Im seriously thinking about having a pair or a trio? I have got 5 hens and would love some ducks, but I havent got a clue where to start, ive been googling till im all googled up and still not sure. Could any of you kind duck people give me some advice on which breeds to start researching.
I need a breed that is quiet as possible (for my neighbours, they love my chooks but i dont want them to think im taking the mickey lol). Also as my girls come first, would i beable to have the girls and the ducks out free roaming as my girls are out 99% of the day? or would this be a bad idea, Also is there any good websites out there i can read through? Thanks in advance for any help

Hi, I livei n a built up area and have six ducks. 4 boys and 2 ducks, so they are seperate at the mo until I cvan find new homes for thew boys. They can be loud, but to ensure not to pee the neighbours off I make sure theyre put away at a reasonable time in the evening and they don't come out until 7:30am on a weekday, and over the weekend I let them out at 8am, which keeps them quiet enough. Ducks are louder than drakes too. I keep campbells, I have 3 khakis and three whites. Ive not had any problems with the noise as I stick to not allowing them to come out too early. Theyre generally not a loud breed, unless they get excited or disturbed.

If you wanted a pair, then you would have to have two ducks or two drakes. A trio of two ducks and one drake would be ok, but you may find one drake to two ducks is a bit too much for the girls. I think the recommended ratio is 4:1. They should get along fine with the chooks providing they have plenty of space.

As you can probs tell google as much much info. Keeping ducks is pretty much the same for all the breeds! There isnt really much to learn, theyre ducks, they like food, plenty of water to get into and a nice warm bed at night! Quite simple to keep, i love mine, and i love the fuss they give me when i goout to see them!! prefect pets! Any more Q's just ask! Also if you go on the 'omlet' website it will rate ducks out of 5 stars according to their egg quality, noisiness, and how good they are for gardens etc! x

Hi thankyou so much for the adivce i will go on the omlet site, i actually looked at the khakis campbell and thought how lovely they were. What sort of size house would i need ive seen alot of different ones and unsure which are correct? thanks again for your help.

How exciting getting new ducks!!!

Breed will depend on what facilities you have really. Muscovies and Runners can manage with a paddling pool anything else really would benefit from something to swim in Call ducks are very noisy so not good if you have close neighbors. Best to get a flightless breed too. Most of the medium and heavy breeds are flightless.

When you are thinking about overnight accommodation remember that in the winter they will be in there for about 15 hours, so they need room to move around and stretch out. Some houses on the market will say they are large enough for 4 large ducks, but in reality are not. I have a standard B&Q garden shed for 8 large ducks, this has enough room for them to wander around and have heavy bucket of water in for them also.

Whatever house you get, raise it off the ground on bricks or something to keep out the damp and rats Good luck!

zo
x

Yes campbells are lovely, I don't know if you would want duck eggs or not, but if your not fussed, I either have two khakis looking for a good home, or them two khakis and a white drake, im unsure yet wether one of my ducklings is a drake!

Hi Zo, thanks so much for your reply, if possible i definetly want one of the quietest breeds and yes fightless.My garden is pretty big, so space really isnt a problem. Just want to make the right decision over them before we make the step forward x

Hi we arent at the stage where i can go out and get the ducks just yet, need to do more reading and sort out a house for them etc. x

Of course. If you have a few bob to spend, I had to save up for weeks to get all the stuff i wanted for my pen. Buut i got my raised pond from garden oasis, and its 100 gallons, I got this generally for the look of it, think its super cute! And I clean it every two weeks, just drain it out and refill! And I got my house off ebay and it was £89 brand new, simple to put together aswell! have fun I love buying new stuff for my duck pen! My luxury in life...very sad! lol x

well good luck, have you found somewhere to buy the house from yet?
this place is excellent:

Duck & Goose Houses | Waterfowl Houses | Poultry Supplies

Are you planning any fox protection for them in the form of electric fencing?

zo
x

I use a double clam childrens paddling pool/sandpit that Argos sold for £18 in the spring. I have 16 ducks, muscovies, runners and khaki campbells. I have seen 5 ducks at a time swimming(?) in one of the pools. I have them on the ground with a wooden ramp or breeze blocks for access. Then I do my Desperate Dan act to empty them (they are located next to the soft fruit area).
However often you replace the water, within 1 hour it will be muddy and opaque.
Khaki Campbells lay the bigger eggs and more often, the Runner eggs are pretty blue medium eggs.
After a fox attack, I designed my new duck houses and had them built by a local friendly carpenter - so they are bespoke and very good quality and of a size to suit my garden. After creosoting them I expect them to outlast me - I'm 67.