Has anyone had any experience with Ancona ducks? I found I can get some from a feedstore in the Portland, Oregon area and am wondering how they are (not for eating). I thought I had my heart set on Swedes but after seeing the pics of the Ancona ducklings I just don't know now. Wondering how calm/friendly they can be? How they are at egg-laying? Any info would be appreciated. I will do internet research but prefer first-hand advice from people who might have them.
I have posted this on BYC too.
This message was edited Mar 26, 2010 2:33 PM
Ancona ducks - opinions please
I have 1 Ancona duck and I really like her. She is easy to deal with and she lays well. She is in with my chickens at the moment but I hope to get her a pen built by my creek. I won't move her until I have another duck to move with her. She would be lonely by herself. I am hoping to get an Ancona drake but there have not been any around here that I have seen. I will keep looking because i would love to have some more Anconas. They are very pretty.
Can day-old ducklings be sexed like chicks?
From what I've learned, most day-old ducklings have to be vent sexed. If I remember correctly, there are one or two breeds that the sexes have different colored bills but not sure if they have that characteristic at hatching or not.
Thanks, I wasn't sure they could be sexed at all.
Quote from LoreenH :
From what I've learned, most day-old ducklings have to be vent sexed. If I remember correctly, there are one or two breeds that the sexes have different colored bills but not sure if they have that characteristic at hatching or not.
Care to explain Vent sexed please??
(No Snickering, just don't know any other way to ask it.. )
Here are two links, since chickens and ducks do somewhat differ. I have been told you shouldn't really do it if you don't know what you're doing.
http://www.howtodothings.com/pets-and-animals/a3887-how-to-determine-the-sex-of-baby-chickens.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2061032_sex-ducks.html
Thank you but I will take the other options
Other Sexing Methods
# Step 1
Listen to the ducks' voices at one month of age. Females will have a loud quack; males have a softer cluck.
# Step 2
Check the ducks' tail feathers when they are two months old. The males will have a distinct curled feather at the tips of their tails that will be present even if they have molted for the summer.
# Step 3
Look for extravagant plumage. Males of the mallard-type northern duck species have brightly colored feathers in the winter, but beware: they molt in the summer, adopting a more feminine appearance.
I agree with you MissJ. As much as I'd like to hatch my own ducks I'd be heartbroken to have to give any up because they are male. I'm limited to a small number of ducks and only want females so I will be ordering them from Metzer's (you can order as few as 2).
On several sites I've seen they do not sex ducklings. You have to take your chances with straight run. Not sure why. I doubt you could just order 2.
I talked to someone (don't recall her name right now) at Metzer's a few weeks ago, I was told you can order as few as two (I will get 4-6) and they can sex them at an extra cost of course.
Thanks. I'll check them out! Hope they have Ancona's.