CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Oh my!!....that sure isn't nice. As far as ducks go I really don't know....tho Pekins seem to be the number seller. However, we have Khaki Campbells and Rouens. The Rouens are tame ducks that have the appearance of Mallards, both male and female....they are much heavier birds and don't fly. The KCs are smaller and are a cross between a Rouen and Runner ducks.....and they are a Champ at laying eggs and will out lay chickens over a yr's period. We haven't eaten any of them yet, so I can't speak to their tastiness or difference they may have. Tho they are smaller and can fly very short distances they are comical and very active....probably due to the Runner blood they have. The Rouens are louder, but the KCs are more vocal peeping, whistling, and will "Talk" with ya....they do quack but not extremely loud. Where there is standing water they will leave bill sized holes in that area as they sift the dirt. This can be avoided by lessening the water areas, or....as we do...keep a bed of hay in and around the water area. They will leave the holes in the hay and stop at the dirt if the hay is deep enough.....they won't bill any deeper than their bill, up to their nostril holes on either side of their bill just below their eyes. They both are good foragers and are active. If ya wish to gather their eggs, it will be of a big benefit to ya to keep them penned until about 8am.....ducks will lay the bulk of their eggs between 4-5am and 7am. They will drop their egg where ever they are standing, so instead of hunting them each day ya can simply gather them after ya let them out. They are messy....think of pigs with feathers...but, we believe they are well worth the mess they make and we could lessen the mess with less water, but they are waterfowl, so we cater to that and not our likes, dislikes. I hope some of this helps and doesn't just add to the confusion. Oh, there is a difference between chicken and duck eggs.....chicken eggs are acid based and duck eggs are alkali based.....some that are allergic to chicken eggs can eat duck eggs....and tho when fried or boiled the taste is very similar, the difference really shows when duck eggs are used in baked goods.....cakes, quiche, and stuff. We love them and are amazed that others flatly refuse to even try them.
