Best pet duck breed?

[Laura]

Hi,
given that my four chickens are doing just fine, I promised my daughter to get her a couple of ducks this spring. My local feed store has already published the list of the duck breeds they are going to offer. This is it:

Peckin
Runner
Rouen
Campbell

Can you help me choose? What I am looking for is: really quiet, does not require a large amount of water (I can only provide a kiddie pool), preferrably not a good flier, attractive coloring (even though I would probably get a female).

I already ruled out the Peckins because they are noisy.

The Runners are beautiful but I heard they are very nervous, so if that means they quack each time they are scared it would not be a good choice. Also, do they require a pond?

The Khaki Campbells are quiet and don't require much water, but they are really plain, with a muddy color. I would prefer a more attractive pet. Also, they produce a lot of eggs, and I don't know if I like duck eggs.

The Rouen are supposed to be quiet also, and more attractive than the Campbells. I don't know if they require a lot of water though, and I am a little concerned abouth their weight (7 lb as opposed to 4.5., they are dual purpose). Could they have difficulty moving around?

Do you know of any of these breeds?

Thank you,
Laura

[dudley5000]

Hi.

I like the campbells myself. If you like chicken eggs you'll like duck eggs.

None of them need a pool to swim in although they do really enjoy it. They just need a deep enough water bucket that they can stick their heads under water. Also, the water gets dirty pretty quick so you might not want to fill a pool for them very often.

I have 2 Ancona (Magpie) drakes and they are a little noisey. Also 4 Buff Ducks which are nice. 1 big Pilgram goose and 1 Toulouse female goose. And all in the backyard. I'm getting lots of Campbells for the farm.

Dudley

[chuck graham]

Just what I need, another pet. Oh well. Dang. This thread planted a Bug in my ear. In for a Penny/In for a Pound.
Got one year old chickens & mature cats that get along well. What would it do to the equation to get a couple of baby ducks from the feed store this Spring? Would the Chickens beat them up? They would have to bunk with the Chickens and stay in the run. Would they be compatable? How much extra attention would the ducks need? Food? Mess? Nest box? Could I just get one or would that mess her head up and make her think she's a Chicken? What if it turned out to be a Male? ::Ect., ect.?
How bout a Goose?::confused1:

[hour3suns]

Now that's what I'm looking into for spring...a goose. I can't advise Mallards as we had two...had two. One died mysteriously (which doesn't really count in this) and the other flew the coop...well, the pond anyways. Saw other Mallards heading further south and decided to file an unscheduled flight plan and off she went. I don't think she'll be back. I'm not sure how ducks and chickens would get along together in a run. Our ducks have their pond and are the eyes and ears of our little farm, but spend their time quacking at the chickens through the fence. I will say though with the freezing weather we've had if anyone is going to have ducks, whether it be with a pond or not, it's very important to keep water of some sort available for them. Also, they get in it, they get it very dirty, and it has to be changed. Ducks have to be able to put their whole head in the water. Also, if you are going to use a kiddie pool you will have to make sure it is clean and doesn't develop the slime or bacteria in it. I love watching our ducks. They have developed silly antics that keep us on our toes around here.

Smiling & Waving,
Sharon

[chickenplucker]

Laura, I raised Pekin ducks for a time and I dont recall them being overly noisy. These birds are the most vulnerable to predator attack as they are not a very fast moving bird. To be honest, if I ever did decide to do the duck thing again, it would be without question Muscove. They are prolific breeders, wonderful parents and make arguably the best of the best for various reasons for subjects to the oven. Plucker

[Huntsman]

I swore to myself that I wouldn't bother posting again as my last post defending myself from an unprovoked and unsolicited attack was heavily censored. I live in a country where we have free speech, (with responsibility of course.) 'Nuff said!

However, as you are looking for a duck breed for a child, can I suggest you look at the wonderful range of 'calls ducks,' the banthams of the duck world.

[Huntsman]

I just re-read you requirements and 'call' ducks are great fliers, so clip their wings hard and you should have no problem.

'Whites' are beautiful but lots of other wonderful colours to choose from.

[debbiefl]

I would suggest when a hen goes broody, put a duck egg under her, and she will defend it and raise it as a chicken. I know they take longer to incubate, but just maybe if you have a hen that is broody with no eggs. Who knows?

[athena]

Hi Laura....

I have never had ducks...but, I do have a suggetion....

and they are NOT on your list.... (SORRY)

But look into cayuga's... OMG, they are gorgeous...

A shimmering green/black sheen..and they make awesome pets... Shop around and see if those are available. Seems most hatcheries sell them, so maybe your local feed store can order them for you.

They have a docile temperment, pretty to look at, and if I wanted a pet duck, it would have to be cayuga.

Are we helping you any???

[chuck graham]

After reading about the requirement of a pond for Ducks, and the story about the poor drowned Rooster I'm starting to have doubts about getting a Duck. Would a Goose require a pond? I guess I'm just looking to shake things up a bit in the run by introducing a little "Cultural Diversity". Having no Roaster/I mean Rooster it would be nice to have some kind of a little bird to raise from Scratch.

[hour3suns]

Chuck, a pond isn't a requirement to have ducks. Folks have them without. You need a water source that's deep enough for them to get their head in (like a kiddie pool) and be dedicated enough to keep it filled and clean. Even with a pond if you're in cold weather where it freezes (like I am and am envious right now that you're not) you'll have to take water to them like I've been doing for a couple weeks now. It's definitely a chore lugging it out there but the joy of watching them swim around when there's no ice on the pond makes up for it.

Smiling & Waving,
Sharon

[dragnlaw]

I agree with Athena, the pics I've seen of the Cayuga's are marvelous.

But - I was under the impression that all ducks could fly - literally, fly the coop, as in, bye by baby... unless you keep their wings clipped. Am I wrong?

I'm trying to decide if I have the wherewithall to lug water for them during the winter.
I would love to have a couple of ducks and a goose.