[loopy]

Hi

I have chickens, but want to get some ducks - for eggs and for eating.  I was thinking of getting some indian runners and some aylesbury's - so that get a mixture of white and blue eggs, and breed the aylesburys for the table.

Can anyone give me some pointers on the things i need to be aware of re any differences in looking after ducks compared to looking after chickens.  I know they need water and they can't climb ladders like a chicken, but not sure what else i should know!  Any suggestions on where to get the ducks from in or near to Cambridgeshire? any idea on what is a reasonable price to pay?

Re housing, i am thinking of perhaps 1 male aylesbury with 3 females and 3 female indian runners, and then breeding the aylesbury's but not a clue on how many eggs a duck would sit on at a time?  or how long would it take for the ducklings to reach a decent table weight?   

And to do what i've outlined above, what housing would people suggest i should get?  any suggested suppliers? i have a chicken that is being bullied somewhat - i'd like her to live with the ducks for company - unless anyone knows of a reason not to put them together?  (she had a small prolapse, has seemed ok for last few weeks but just hasn't fitted back in with the others at all).

And i read somewhere that ducks are ok in veggie gardens as they only eat small seedlings and weeds and grass and so won't touch veggies once they are established - is this truth or fiction?

Sorry for all the Q's but for the ducks i'm hoping to significantly spend less time researching than i spent researching chickens over the winter as the weather's now too good to be sat indoors and the garden is needing constant harvesting!

thanks L

[doganjo]

They are messy, if you want your chickens to have clean water keep them separate.  Ducks wash their food before swallowing it and dibble around in the earth too, so their water is never clean!  You can do little about that.   They need ground floor accommodation, will use a nesting box about 25% of the time and the great outdoors the rest of the time so you need to be aware of egg predators - I have a magpie problem, some people have rats. They both take the eggs away so you never really know if they are being stolen or the ducks aren't laying.   If you can persuade your ducks to go inside at night and leave them in till about 10 am you are likely to get all the eggs as they usually lay fairly early.  They need to be able to put their heads under water regularly to re-oil their feathers.  I have a small stream running through the garden, but a duck pond is just as fine but it gets very dirty as they poo in it while swimming about, so you need to be able to empty it (and the disgustingly smelly sludge) They are great fun though.   As to where to get them - ad trader type papers, probably googling 'Indian runner ducks Cambridge' might get a result, or ask a local farmer if he knows of any breeders, or the local Livestock market. Don't do any research - just get some! You will enjoy having them.

[Womble]

A supplementary question - will ducks put themselves to bed at night like chickens do?   If not, it would seem that they're not quite as practical to keep if you ever fancy having a night away.............  Any comments?

[jameslindsay]

My ducks never take take themselves tp bed but they do know the routine and when they see me coming at that time
they know what to do and generally go in no problems. The geese on the otherhand have spent the last 2 nights out on the river. This is the first time in absolute ages that they have not been locked up.

[Tullywood Farm]

I have found that the Geese and the Indian Runner Ducks run into their house if I just walk them home at night, making a ssss sssss noise.

The Khaki Cambells and Aylesburys on the other hand, can be little s*ds to get in, and find it funny if I go slipping on the wet grass when chasing them 

They all poo all over the paths if free ranging, not too bad if you can keep them on grass, it dissapears when it rains. 
If you have them free ranging BEWARE they always seem to sit and sh1t on the door mat of our farm shop - not ideal   so no door mats - they love comfort

Julie

[shetlandpaul]

that is very true you can hose down your doorstep and the next minute its covered in goose poo.

[northfifeduckling]

Mine do put themselves to bed when it gets really dark, but at this time of the year they need to be reminded! I won't let mine near our pond, as I would have no wildlife left (they eat newts, toads and frogs) but a yukky mess instead! They do have a paddling pool which can be easily cleaned. I give them weeds (mainly chickweed), slugs and snails but do keep them away from the veg plot, they do like lettuce and cabbage! And they flatten everything...Beware of growing areas of mud - slippery when wet and concrete when dry 

[doganjo]

So after all that - do you REALLY want ducks?

[jameslindsay]

Ive got another duck missing tonight, I just have he feeling that it's gone off on the river and no Mr Fox involved. The geese have taken off down stream tonight for the 3rd night so fingers crossed it will be with the geese.

[doganjo]

Hope it's OK, James.  At least mine are penned in at night even if they don't go into their shed.  And if they go on the burn they can't get off my bit as there are gates at both bridges so the dogs can't get through.

[jameslindsay]

Mine do get penned in at night Annie and locked up as it gets dark. Unfortunately tonight we have been so mega busy all day that we were later in getting  out to put them to bed. The geese though do from time to time take off,they come back about 5am and make a helluva noise wanting bread. Today is my birthday too so I really hope it turns up tomorrow, not a nice present!

[doganjo]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES

[jameslindsay]

Thanks very much Annie, it's just another day isn't it? I am sitting here "peeing my breeks" with excitement. I am thinking about booking a few days away to see Bette Midler in concert and at the time we would go there is a special front row package that includes getting to meet her. We went last year to Las Vegas just so I could see this show, it was so incredible we went twice to her concert. This would be wrapped up as a secret birthday present for Kenny ha ha. I am off to look at flights for Vegas again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides, apparantly she is retiring after this Vegas stint next year so I would never get to see the Devine Miss M again. (incase you haven't noticed I am a fan hee hee).

[jameslindsay]

No sign of the missing duck, geese are back ok though.

[loopy]

thanks for the comments so far but can anyone answer some of the questions i've asked as i still haven't a clue re most of the points 

Especially re the set-up i'd like to achieve - as don't know if can house them all together - ie ducks for eggs, breeding ducks to raise ducklings for the table, lonely bullied chicken - would they go all ok in one house or would i need more than one?

And re the veggies - most of the things i grow are in raised beds - with pea shingle paths between them - and they'd also have access to a fairly large lawned area - would this make it ok to mix veggies with ducks or would you still say its a big mistake to consider?

thanks L