I will be getting 25 straight run KC from Mt. Healthy next week. Now, my Muscovies have raised ducklings, but I've never raised ducklings. I assume the basics are much like raising chicks but if anyone has any advice specific to ducks, I'd be glad to hear it. I know they need to be able to get their beaks submerged and will make a huge mess. :-) But they don't need to be able to swim in it. I have some chick waterers that worked for the Muscovy ducklings so I'll use those. And I know not to use medicated feed.
Can anyone give me an idea of at what age I will see the tail curl on the drakes?
I hope they will be roughly half and half males and females, but anything can happen. The very first time we ordered straight run chicks we ended up with 23 roosters and 2 hens!
Not many people around here (if any) offer duck eggs, so I'm hoping to corner the market. ;-)
Oh, and for those who raise ducks for eggs, do they use nestboxes, or just lay anywhere?
Thanks!
Getting Khaki Campbells
I am interested in the answers too, I have two ducks sitting now..
There are a few duck keepers here, but I've gotten the most information from the duck forum on backyardchickens.com. MissJ, I believe they even have a turkey forum.
Your males will show a curl within 6 months or so. The females will begin to quack within 3-6 months. You really only need 1 male per 7 or so females. Khakis can live up to 20 years but only laying up to 7 years. They love water...like all ducks...but can remain healthy without swimming in water very often but do need a bath on ocassion. Khakis do not make the best moms...I can explain more if you need.
Thanks duckmother. I know they aren't the best mothers but that's OK. Do you know at what age they start laying?
There are a few factors that can contribute to the laying of eggs such as how well bred the ducks are (which may cause egg laying difficulties) and the amount of protein in their diet. However, most will begin to produce between 4-6 months of age.
oh a duckmother... have I got a question for you. I have a duck that pays her eggs in a hole, sits for a bit and gets up... She has layed a bunch of eggs but never has gone broody..Today I found an egg outside of the clutch, on the other side of the pen. Should I grab all the eggs and bator them or just leave them. She has been laying for about a week now.
I moved the geese out of the same pen cause one of my geese is actually sitting in that pen on a bunch of eggs, and the other two geese were getting mean. I had to move a male duck out a few weeks before that cause he got injured, so I grabbed his mate and now she is sitting in the small coop that they share, she started laying right before I was going to put them back, but I did not want to stop her so I have left them in where they are.
I have 3 females and 3 males, and I have the third duck under a bath tub sitting on her eggs...
LOL Many domestic ducks have had the broodiness bred out of them. Do you know what kind of duck you have? Are the eggs fertilized?
I would love to see a picture of the momma under the tub ;o)
There is a picture of our ducks here in this thread..
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1073111/
Not knowing much about ducks so I cant really say much, they were given to us cause the owner could no longer care for them. One hen has a deformed wing, she is called Broken wing...
Jestr, you have dmail.
I know I am soooo happy... you started something you may regret... She is a DuckMomma...WHOOO HOOOOO Thank you...
You're very welcome. Anytime.