They are here! One didn't make it, but the rest are doing great and making the biggest mess ever!
Two are Khaki hens that I am keeping. The rest are Pekin and Grimaud Hybrid Pekin. They will be going to freezer camp. By then, the stores should have ducklings and I will buy a new batch to grow out.
Ducks grow faster than chickens and do not need heat for as long. Thus, to me, they are superior and why I am selling my peeps and getting ducks.



Idk how to embed video, so here's a link instead.
http://youtu.be/a93u458u7Kc

Very cute...so are we to expect to see less of ChickiesnBunnies and more from DuckiesnBunnies?

I wanted ducks, but being smack dead in the city, I heard they make a lot of noise. Maybe when I finally get my farm...

Very cute! (Grimaud??)

Cute! Good luck with them!

We got 4 mallard ducklings for Easter this year, and got more than we bargained for! They where MUCH messier than Chicks. They would play in the water and would get the box soaked.
Regreted getting those babies so much. I guess you live and learn!
I felt bad for them though, we weren't prepared for them as well as we should have been.


They where cute though right? Impulse buy. Shame on me!

Grimaud is a metzerfarms.com hybrid meat bird. Should grow 2-3lbs heavier than the regular Pekin.
Ducklings are definitely more messy, but for me, the pros out weigh the cons by a ton.
Ducks are fairly quiet unless someone shows up and they announce your presence to the world. Chickens make noise all day, but I really don't notice noise from anything but my annoying dogs...
I'm going to keep a couple chickens that are fav pets, but the rest are going. They eat too much for little return. Prolly go down to 8-10 total.

A couple curiosity questions...

Don't ducks need water to swim in? I briefly researched a while back, and let go of the duck idea after I read that as I don't have any water near the house for them. Of course, I was thinking about eggs at the time. Maybe meat ducks don't live long enough for that to be an issue?

You mention buying ducks to raise. I take it that's more economical than having a pair yourself and eating the offspring?

How are ducks to butcher? I've not done chickens, but I did a turkey once. Never again. The smell got to me, and trying to get the stinking thing plucked was a serious pain. Processing the rabbits is a blessing compared to that. I was just curious where ducks ranked in the scheme of butchering.

They're just so cute, it makes me pretty sure I need at least a dozen or two.

They need water deep enough to submerge their heads because that is how they clean out their nostrils. Water to swim in isn't necessary, but a lot of fun to watch. For those who can, a clean kiddy pool of water once a week would be a great treat for them. They can clean their whole bodies then. They also mate more easily in water than on land.
I don't have my incubator anymore, it gets me into trouble. So I'm taking a year off so I stop hatching like a crazy person and end up with way too many chickens, lol.
I got the meat mix and the Pekin to see which would grow the fastest and end up better over all. I do have a Khaki drake and I do plan on hatching their eggs next year so I won't have to buy ducklings all the time. I only have my Pekin hen now, rest were taken by foxes! The two new Khaki hens will join my pet flock for future hatching.

I never had any issues pulling feathers w/o scorching them. I rather not mess with near boiling water! The wing feathers are the hardest to remove, but all others are fairly easy, at least to me. You can always just skin the bird, feathers and all.

Ducks will mud up a yard easily if there are too many in a space not big enough. They dig holes near water and when it rains looking for worms and other bugs. And their poo is uber slippery! I've fallen cause of duck poo hidden around a corner a few times..lol.

awwwwwws I LOVE ducklings! they are so cute! (:

HAHA! I have busted my butt MANY a times that way!

I just changed their quart waterer, they ran out. They will need a new towel in the morning! And they ate out of my hand. =D
Trying to figure out how those people who get ducklings for easter manage to make them love them and follow you around...lol.

My aunt and uncle gave me one when I was 7 for my birthday, much to my parents dismay. I called it Donald until we found out it was a female then it became Donalda. She would follow me everywhere even to the store which was only 3 blocks away. When I picked her up she would wrap her neck around mine almost like a hug.

Very cute i love khakis they are great egg layers.

I am so jealous! I would love some appleyards, but we need more room seperate from the dogs.

Gave them some Duckweed I had growing, at first it terrified them, but then the bravest duckie said it was ok.