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Barnyard Buddies:  New to ducks-Getting Ancona ducks  |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 31 2017 : 07:37:44 AM
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Oh boy here I go into an unknow territory.
Sometime the end of Feb. I will be getting 3 Ancona baby ducks. Hopefully they will be all girls.....that's what I ordered and hopefully will get. I do not want any males(drakes).This breed of duck seemed the best fit here for our farm.They are cute too!
We have never had ducks before and have tried to research as much as possible. I am hoping to be able to keep them with my chickens once they get use to each other and they are grown up enough. I have a big area for the chickens and for the new ducks together. Its big enough that we have to mow it in the summer.There is also several houses so that they can be seperate while they are growing up and get use to seeing each other everyday.
We are hoping to utilize these ducks to help with the slug problem in the garden this year. We have tons of them everywhere and the chickens flat out won't eat them. Not that I blame them. But I have read that ducks will and they lay eggs!(tried duck eggs this past week)some of them tasted pretty good 2 of them were a little gamey(fishy)not sure if that's the best way to describe.
I did not order a drake because after watching u-tube vidoes and reading they seem pretty darn mean to the hens.I was afraid to get one with just getting 3 hens.I hope this works out and I am not sorry.
Have any of you ladies kept ducks and chickens together and did it work out pretty well? Thoughts on getting a drake. Do you think having a drake is a problem when having them reside with chickens,rooster, and do they fight? Curious and would love to hear any of your experiences on the subject. Thanks for any help or info.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
Edited by - wooliespinner on Jan 31 2017 07:38:35 AM |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
6811 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
6811 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2017 : 03:34:14 AM
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Linda, I know nothing about ducks - just wanted to say I think it's great you are getting your ducks to help in the garden. They should be fun to watch too.
Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015.
Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth. |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4719 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4719 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2017 : 04:47:57 AM
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I don't know anything about raising ducks either, but looked up the Ancona ones just now. They look adorable! Best of luck with your 3, hopefully ladies. Post pictures please when you get them.
Dawn in IL
"Don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great, that somehow we need to make it great again" Michelle Obama |
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
4919 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
4919 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2017 : 04:48:47 AM
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I have ducks and chickens together, but they were raised together...seems like they get along fine. The ducks will need a pond to splash about in, come summer. Ours eat the same feed as the chickens, as well as scratch. They are funny, entertaining and noisy.
TexasGran
#6389
Let God's light shine through you every day.
Amazon Children's Books, look for my name:Marilyn Robinson Godfrey
Craftsy: patterns for farm stick animals under my name.
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2017 : 08:37:18 AM
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Thanks ladies for the info.It makes me feel better to know they can live together. I will make sure they can look at each other through the fence. I will have a small run within the big run until everyone gets use to each other.
I do not have a pond but will put a small pool with rocks around it and a ramp to make sure they can get in and out safely.I know I will have to drain it and clean it often.Winter I can just put out a big rubber water bowl for them.
Marilyn and Debora do your ducks go in with your chickens at night on their own?I do not want to leave my ducks outside at night. We have tons of predators here. I lock everyone up here before dark so they are safe.
I have 2 185 foot electric fences strung together for their run. Even with that the raccoons have figured if they shoot under fast they can get in. During the day it does keep the foxes, coyotes, and occasional dogs out.Night time is the problem and the most dangerous. I hope I can train them to go in on their own eventually.Chickens do this naturally but not sure if ducks did. I don't want to have to chase them down every night to catch them.Thanks.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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AutumnCountyGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
102 Posts
Kiersten
Suffolk
Virginia
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2017 : 12:37:38 PM
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My parents raise Ancona and Welsh Harlequin ducks. They have chickens but they keep them seperate. As far as how the drakes treat the hens- that's just how they naturally are. You should just make sure there are enough hens for each drake so they don't compete over them.
Ducks are a lot of fun and they have a lot more personality than chickens! I really love my parent's ducks.
Kiersten, Farmgirl Sister #7232
https://autumncountrygirl93.wordpress.com/ |
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Barnyard Buddies: New to ducks-Getting Ancona ducks |
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New to ducks-Getting Ancona ducks
