Author Topic: Ducks or chickens? (Read 5071 times)

twizzel · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2015, 08:41:30 pm »

I find surplus chicken eggs easier to get rid of than duck eggs. Hence why I have 20 hens and only 2 laying ducks. Chickens scratch up the land whereas ducks don't, so my hens are in an area of land that doesn't matter if scratched up too much, and my ducks are in the back garden (normally free range but fenced off at the back as our grass is waterlogged. They don't have a pond, just tub trug for water and a kids swimming pool if/when it's filled to splash about in.

I enjoy watching my ducks more than the hens, they seem to have more character

Backinwellies · « **Reply #16 on:** February 28, 2015, 07:35:39 am »

I'd like to counter Womble's comment. Yes chickens do put themselves to bed and ducks tend not too...... However if you need to get them in early one day ....in my house this is when dusk clashes with a meeting....... Then ducks are easily herded into their house ......, the hens are a different matter!

I love both but for entertainment you can't beat ducks... Especially runners. Runners don't need a pond, nor do my KCs they spend all day foraging ...... I call then my anti fluke patrol!

Stereo · « **Reply #17 on:** February 28, 2015, 11:42:51 am »

I would suggest if you are going for hens to get a proper pure breed from a decent breeder (not the usual high volume outlets). They will lay less per yer but should live longer, be hardier and lay for a good few years. The problem is with hybrids is that they have a short productive life, sometimes 18 months and then you start to get poor shell quality, illness etc. That's in my experience anyway. Our own hybrids have been fine (pure rhode red x pure sussex / marans) but any I have bought in as POL have been useless.

What will you do with 5 hens in 2 years time if they can't lay a decent egg because they are spent?

Kimbo · « **Reply #18 on:** March 01, 2015, 11:50:10 am »

Quote from: Stereo on February 28, 2015, 11:42:51 am

.

What will you do with 5 hens in 2 years time if they can't lay a decent egg because they are spent?

Make chicken soup?

lord flynn · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2015, 02:04:39 pm »

Quote from: Kimbo on March 01, 2015, 11:50:10 am

Quote from: Stereo on February 28, 2015, 11:42:51 am
.

What will you do with 5 hens in 2 years time if they can't lay a decent egg because they are spent?

Make chicken soup?

from a 2yo hybrid? hardly worth the effort of skinning it, let alone the electricity slow cooking it

Stereo makes a good point-so many buy as many chickens as they can house up front. Then in two years time they have a load of hens that don't lay as well. If people are happy with that then its fine but it needs thinking about first-alot like what you are going to do with the boys if you decide to hatch.

Stereo · « **Reply #20 on:** March 01, 2015, 08:24:35 pm »

I would say get some pures and hybrids. A couple ginger ranger types who will lay through winter but have a limited lifespan and a few marans / CLB / welsummer etc. who will gove you lovely big eggs year after year but probably switch off for winter.

Neighbours of ours came down from London for the good life (nice folk and good friends) and spent a fortune on an Eglu, net etc. and bought 3 hybrid sussex types from a dealer. They had all stopped laying within 2 years and were all dead within 3. I had the job of putting them down and it was depressing. They all got peritonitis and they spent a fortune on vets against my advice. In the end they sold us all the kit cheap and gave up. I can't help thinking that one of my first gen hybrids, a copper marans and a lavender araucana would have been a much more joyous experience for them.