Unusual, easy to keep, entertaining to watch, don't even need a pond! (Ducks)

Member Name: CokaCola

Product:	Ducks
Date:	07/03/09 (496 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Do not really dig, generally not noisy, still can lay plenty of eggs

Disadvantages: Feathers can get messy around the garden, water needs regular cleaning if provided

In this review, I will consider Ducks as "pets" considering the category that this topic is in, rather than as a family of birds in general. Waterfowl are becomming increasinly popular animals to keep, even in an urban environment. They are now often seen for sale for £12 each at agricultural shows and the similiar, laying eggs like chickens do, but have some advantages over chickens, which I will touch on in this review.

There are many different breeds of duck, and all were "designed" with a purpose. Ducks are quite an interesting group, because there are both species and breeds. A mandarin for example is a different species to a mallard, but aylesbury's, pekins etc are all based on the same species and are many made "breeds". Breeds of duck tend to have utility purposes, like meat, eggs or feathers, whilst many of the different species of ducks are kept as ornamental birds, in waterfowl collections.

When keeping ducks, it is a good idea to pick a breed that you think will most suit your needs. If you are living in a city, and just want a couple of ducks in the garden as pets, then a small breed like the Call Duck may be a suitable option. Drakes will be more adviseable than ducks in this situation, as the ducks are quite loud, hence the name "Call" duck.

If you have a smallholding, or a little bit more land, and want to keep ducks for eggs, then a good utility breed is the best option. Khaki Campbells are a good choice, as they lay hundreds of eggs a year, and are fairly low maintenance. Another popular medium sized duck is the "Indian Runner Duck" - an upright, almost vertical species of duck, often kept for entertainment above any other reason.

Ornamental ducks are usually "pinioned" which is a minor surgical practise carried out on ducklings which prevents them flying long distances. This ensures they make a home on your pond, rather than fly off and start a life on the local lake. Ornamental water fowl are often brightly coloured and superbly attractive, but do not really lay eggs and are often not handleable.

Ducks do not really need a pond and can be kept in a similiar way to chickens. I would always recommend providing a bucket of water for them to submerge their heads in, and can keep their feathers in good condition, but often a large body of water is not necessary and will quickly become very dirty if provided. Ducks have advantages over chickens. They do not dig up the garden lawn/flowerbeds for example, which is a problem many urban keepers have with chickens. They still "snip" the grass though, keeping it short. They also (with the exception of certain breeds like call ducks) do not make anywhere near as much noise as chickens, especially when you compare drakes with cockerels.

One disadvantage is that they tend to get feathers everywhere. Chickens do this too, but I have found that because duck feathers are more oily, they tend to stick around in the garden for a lot longer than chicken feathers, and they are especially obvious if you have ducks which are white.

Ducks eat the same food as chickens, layers pellets and mixed corn. There are special mixtures available for waterfowl, and I believe the feed company "Allen and Page" make a good waterfowl mix. I think a species-specific mix is more important if you are keeping ornamental waterfowl as opposed to utility breeds.

Summary: An excellent alternative to chickens, loads of different types of waterfowl to choose from!