Diaper Swappers

jbug_4 · 12-09-2012, 07:36 AM

Does anybody have ducks instead of chickens, or in addition to chickens? We are thinking of getting ducks instead of chickens. The main reason being our township has chicken regulations regardless of acreage- only 2 hens, no males, no breeding and no slaughtering, permits required for coop and and chickens. By there are no regulations on ducks plus we've heard that the ducks can go in the garden and will eat japanease beetles. I have read i can use 1 duck egg in place of 2 chicken eggs but they are harder to cook right when fried or scrambled because they have a lower water content, but are excellent for baking because they have a higher fat and protein content. We could legally breed and keep up innovatory so to speak. And we actually have a pond 10 feet away from our garden so we have a good set up for them. Any body raise ducks?

igotmywings · 12-09-2012, 11:57 AM

i know we use to raise ducks but I only have a VERY vague recollection of them to be honest. I can tell you on my left wrist I have a huge scar from where a ducks toe nail got me and the males are meaner (to me) then roosters. Baking with duck eggs = totally awesome and worth it though! LOL

missc · 12-10-2012, 08:54 PM

We raised 4 Muscovy ducks this past year, and still have 2 (a male and female). Somehow we ended up with 3 drakes, so we butchered 2 of them.
Technically the Muscovys aren't ducks, but we chose them for their meat and egg properties, as well as their AWESOME bug eating capabilities. They eat 2x their weight in bugs every day. It's crazy! We've had a fairly consistent and bad bug population in the past, but this year we had barely any.
Anyway, we are planning on getting a few more next year. And maybe our hen will set and we'll have a few ducklings from her. I would recommend the Muscovys. They are a "quackless" duck, they more hiss. I would caution though, our male is fairly territorial and him and our turkey tom fight at times. They are pretty "hands off" ducks, they aren't our best friends, and do have claws. But, they've never gone after any of us either and I don't feel threatened by them like I do our turkey tom. They don't need a whole lot of water to be happy (we don't have a pond, just our puddles and a kiddie pool).
What else...their eggs are good. I have cooked with them just like a chicken egg, but they are twice the size.

sarahannecloud9 · 12-11-2012, 03:54 AM

Subbing/ Cayden is saving for Daddy to dig him a pond and get a cpl ducks.

jbug_4 · 12-11-2012, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missc

We raised 4 Muscovy ducks this past year, and still have 2 (a male and female). Somehow we ended up with 3 drakes, so we butchered 2 of them.
Technically the Muscovys aren't ducks, but we chose them for their meat and egg properties, as well as their AWESOME bug eating capabilities. They eat 2x their weight in bugs every day. It's crazy! We've had a fairly consistent and bad bug population in the past, but this year we had barely any.
Anyway, we are planning on getting a few more next year. And maybe our hen will set and we'll have a few ducklings from her. I would recommend the Muscovys. They are a "quackless" duck, they more hiss. I would caution though, our male is fairly territorial and him and our turkey tom fight at times. They are pretty "hands off" ducks, they aren't our best friends, and do have claws. But, they've never gone after any of us either and I don't feel threatened by them like I do our turkey tom. They don't need a whole lot of water to be happy (we don't have a pond, just our puddles and a kiddie pool).
What else...their eggs are good. I have cooked with them just like a chicken egg, but they are twice the size.

These are what we were looking at. Are yours free range? We were thinking of letting them in the garden and around where ever in the day, then penned at night. But we have a large population of wild turkeys that wonder through our yard. They eat a lot of our seed but otherwise we don't mind them. We like knowing that we can have meat if we want it. Not sure how that would play out. Would the turkeys stop coming, would they choose sides of the yard, would the male duck get injured?

sarahannecloud9 · 12-11-2012, 05:10 AM

Be cautious with wild turky. They carry some dangerious diseases to foul. Not real sure about the effect on duck. Black head disease is one I have heard most about.

jbug_4 · 12-11-2012, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahannecloud9

Be cautious with wild turky. They carry some dangerious diseases to foul. Not real sure about the effect on duck. Black head disease is one I have heard most about.

As in eating them be cautious? We don't go near them, just watch them wander the yard. we have thought about shooting one but both dh and I lack the ambition to clean the thing. Our main garden is fenced so they stay out of it, but we have stuff planted outside the fence- wheat, soy, pumpkins things that need more room then our fenced area allows. They eat those seeds. I wonder how a duck would stand up to a couple of toms- we have seen groups with several toms in them. I didn't think they would tolerate more then 1 tom in a group, but we see it all the time. If it came down to it I think we'd rather have the ducks then the wild turkeys around. Not really sure how to keep the turkeys out though. We have dogs but they are only outside part of the day and one is cabled. The turkeys have figured out she can't get to them if they stay away from the cable.

sarahannecloud9 · 12-11-2012, 10:16 AM

Not as in eating, they carry disease. Give it a search. I know they pose a real danger to chickens, even tame ones. You have to house them seperate. I could be wrong, but I believe it's a transmission by droppings thing. No idea how to keep them out other than removing the food source and warning shots, or eating them, lol. The diseases may not effect ducks? I only know about chickens. Bing or google should have some excelent reads on it. I wanted turky so bad, but because of the hastle of disease controll, seperation, housing, I just opted out. We figured ducks were a good option and that's what Cayden wanted to save up for. William wants rabbits, lol.

sarahannecloud9 · 12-11-2012, 10:26 AM

Here we go: AWSOME info!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/53085985/1...seases#page=94

igotmywings · 12-11-2012, 10:59 AM

Our male ducks use to fight the wild turkey (which is how I got my scar actually) .not all of them but some of them. We had one male duck that was freaking vicious though. He would even fight dogs that came in the yard. Basically if it could walk he would attack it

12-09-2012, 07:36 AM	#1
jbug_4 Registered Users Join Date: May 2011 Location: West Olive, MI Posts: 4,944 Ratings: 1 Feedback: 100%	Ducks Does anybody have ducks instead of chickens, or in addition to chickens? We are thinking of getting ducks instead of chickens. The main reason being our township has chicken regulations regardless of acreage- only 2 hens, no males, no breeding and no slaughtering, permits required for coop and and chickens. By there are no regulations on ducks plus we've heard that the ducks can go in the garden and will eat japanease beetles. I have read i can use 1 duck egg in place of 2 chicken eggs but they are harder to cook right when fried or scrambled because they have a lower water content, but are excellent for baking because they have a higher fat and protein content. We could legally breed and keep up innovatory so to speak. And we actually have a pond 10 feet away from our garden so we have a good set up for them. Any body raise ducks? __________________ SAHM to LR 7/26/07 and IHM 10/6/10, wife to a self proclaimed genius, ex-navy guy. Going places and doing things that I always dreamed of, but never imagined I would.

12-09-2012, 11:57 AM	#2
igotmywings Registered Users Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Neverland Posts: 3,241 Ratings: 25 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Ducks i know we use to raise ducks but I only have a VERY vague recollection of them to be honest. I can tell you on my left wrist I have a huge scar from where a ducks toe nail got me and the males are meaner (to me) then roosters. Baking with duck eggs = totally awesome and worth it though! LOL __________________ Follow me at The Whole Adventure I AM DESTASHING EVERYTHING. FROM BGE ORIGINALS, ALVA BABY POCKETS, PREFOLDS, THIRSTIE DUO SIZE 2'S POCKETS GOODMAMAS, AND MUCH MUCH MORE MESSAGE ME IF YOU ARE ISO ANYTHING

12-10-2012, 08:54 PM	#3
missc Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MI Posts: 532 Ratings: 25 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Ducks We raised 4 Muscovy ducks this past year, and still have 2 (a male and female). Somehow we ended up with 3 drakes, so we butchered 2 of them. Technically the Muscovys aren't ducks, but we chose them for their meat and egg properties, as well as their AWESOME bug eating capabilities. They eat 2x their weight in bugs every day. It's crazy! We've had a fairly consistent and bad bug population in the past, but this year we had barely any. Anyway, we are planning on getting a few more next year. And maybe our hen will set and we'll have a few ducklings from her. I would recommend the Muscovys. They are a "quackless" duck, they more hiss. I would caution though, our male is fairly territorial and him and our turkey tom fight at times. They are pretty "hands off" ducks, they aren't our best friends, and do have claws. But, they've never gone after any of us either and I don't feel threatened by them like I do our turkey tom. They don't need a whole lot of water to be happy (we don't have a pond, just our puddles and a kiddie pool). What else...their eggs are good. I have cooked with them just like a chicken egg, but they are twice the size. __________________ Jesus lover wife to T. Mama to A (5), K (3), and J ('da baby boy).

12-11-2012, 03:54 AM	#4
sarahannecloud9 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crossville, Tn (Pleasant Hill) Posts: 10,657 Ratings: 382 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Ducks Subbing/ Cayden is saving for Daddy to dig him a pond and get a cpl ducks. __________________ MAKE REASONABLE OFFERS ON MY FS ITEMS! Sarah, OCD about, Chickens, Gardening, and Farming! Wife 2 my savior since 97 Jimmy Ray, momma 2 my blessingsCayden 3/29/05 ANDWilliam 1/23/09Desperate for just 1 more. Missing my beloved moma, Karen- passed 4/14/09.

12-11-2012, 05:10 AM	#6
sarahannecloud9 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crossville, Tn (Pleasant Hill) Posts: 10,657 Ratings: 382 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Ducks Be cautious with wild turky. They carry some dangerious diseases to foul. Not real sure about the effect on duck. Black head disease is one I have heard most about. __________________ MAKE REASONABLE OFFERS ON MY FS ITEMS! Sarah, OCD about, Chickens, Gardening, and Farming! Wife 2 my savior since 97 Jimmy Ray, momma 2 my blessingsCayden 3/29/05 ANDWilliam 1/23/09Desperate for just 1 more. Missing my beloved moma, Karen- passed 4/14/09.