Ducks

I’m going to start off with DUCKS. The reason for this is that although we only have a limited range they are every bit as important as our more extensive range of hens. We might have given the impression we don’t have ducks, or worse we don’t even like them. So let’s clear that up first we do have ducks. And yes we do like them.

You’ve probably heard or read that ducks are pretty messy and if allowed freedom in the garden will flatten all your plants. Do you really believe that? Well if you don’t... you should. Yes they are pretty messy and given the opportunity their flat feet will flatten the newly planted seedlings that the hens have managed some how to miss. But it’s a case of a little bit of control and a lot of live and let live. You’d be a hard person that didn’t take to ducks and their antics, waddling about in formation ...and sharing their time between, the mud-produced ground and their pond, or baths of water.
 
You will also have read or heard that ducks will keep down the population of snails and slugs... the gardener’s main enemy, supposedly, eating these tasty, morsels. Well my theory’s a wee bit different, I think, in their collective search for slugs and snails they squash more than they find and the slugs move out in a state of panic and terror. This could still be good news for the gardener, except the ducks seem to have done more damage than the snails. Eventually all the snails and slugs will disappear, but this is mainly down to starvation, as the last of your struggling crop, or colour coordinated flower display vanish beneath the feet of the retreating ducks.

I think I said this earlier on.  It’s all about balance and that’s still the case, especially if you’re a gardener.... If you keep ducks and let them have total, unrestricted, freedom in you garden for a couple of hours... then the balance of sanity will be in the ducks court.

YES, we really do love them.

KHAKI CAMPBELLS

Are certainly not the most colourful ducks amongst the huge range available, but they are exceptional birds with unbelievable laying qualities. Although small in stature they are the ruling queens of the egg layers.You can always expect, the biggest, best quality, white eggs from them. They just never let you down.

Ducks of course will eat more than hens, but because of their smaller size the difference is negligible. They will return a very, high, food/egg, conversion ratio. Expect 300+ huge, eggs per year. Our stock has been bred from the best Exhibition Stock and Highest Commercial  Strain, that we could find, in an attempt to get the best of both worlds. Whether that totally worked is probably debatable, but they still dazzle us and lay plenty of big, white, eggs.

INDIAN RUNNERS

The, “standie up” DUCK ...a wee bit like a penguin. A unique  individual, that oozes CLASS. Another, consistent, layer of, HUGE, WHITE, EGGS. It is more or less accepted that the Indian Runner will never lay quite the amount of eggs as the Khaki Campbell, but with the exception of the few darkest weeks of winter, there is not much in it. Consistent layer, of, Big, Tasty, Eggs. Great for Omelettes and Baking. The Khaki Campbell was originally bred off the Indian Runner. At the moment we have restricted the colour to the white range. Initially we had a choice of colours, but as time went by we found the White Runner was the number one choice, for us as well as buyers.

AYLESBURY DUCK

The Aylesbury duck is a well known breed of duck, Bred in part for its appearance... a full white plumage. But, more probably known for its excellent qualities as a table bird.

The pure bred Aylesbury, is as a rule, much smaller than the commercial, utility type.

Our own range came from a well known commercial breeder.

The egg laying capacity of our ducks should reach around 150 per year. But possibly more importantly, for those who require a traditional large sized table bird, these birds will reach around 12lbs. very quickly. (The pure bred Aylesbury reaches around 8lbs). They also have an excellent conversion of feed to meat ratio... just like our good friends the “good old muscovies”... they appear to eat very little, yet grow very quickly.

The Aylebury Duck, was developed around 200 years ago by the “Weston Family”, in Aylesbury of course. As its meat quality is so highly rated, it has not only caught the main market in the UK..... it is now farmed all over the world.

There are many Aylesbury ducks sold as, “Pure Bred”. To be honest, they do not look any different from the ones we sell. Most commercial Aylesbury ducks include the pekin strain somewhere in their line. 

This point is further emphasised if one takes into account the definition by “Wikipedia.”  They emphasise, “the pink bill colouring is a vital key characteristic of the true breed”.  It goes on to say... if the duck has an orange/yellow bill, it will not be a true pure breed.

From my experience I’ve seen many aylesbury ducks, described and sold as “pure bred”.  And they did not have the “vital characteristic” of the pink bill.

Whether your choice is for the commercial strain, or the pure bred counterpart, you will enjoy the company of a duck, that as well providing eggs & meat,  if that is your choice).  It will also provide you and your family with a load of fun. They have a very calm nature.

MUSCOVY DUCK

The emphasis on the Muscovy is probably, that it’s “different”. Very few people would describe the duck as beautiful, well may be not, but they look fine to us and they’ve got many other attributes that are lacking in the good lookers.

How many ducks do you know, that are not so demanding of water, don’t quack, smile at you and perch on trees? (I told you they were different).There not prolific egg layers, but they do more than their share and their eggs are huge. They are gentle creatures and not at all nervous like some other ducks.

For those of you who are vegetarians, or are adverse to rearing poultry for the table, this next bit is not for you .They are described as an excellent table ducks, lean, very, little fat and gamey in taste. The size of the drakes would certainly suggest it is the ideal bird for the table and it would seem this is the one for the family feast for taste, quantity, quality.

(Note.  We are not vegetarians, but at this time we still find it too difficult to raise any birds for home consumption for ourselves, although I am not sure in principle it is wrong. I have had to kill birds for very good reasons , and although we normally manage to give most cockerels away in cases like this, it has been the case where I have had to kill them. This is not easy for anyone and not easy for a “softie” like my self. In this case, not eating them would be even more wasteful and criminal and so we have tried. Although the taste was delicious, they ended up as meals for the dogs. As both Margaret and myself do enjoy eating meat, there are many good reasons for raising poultry for the table, (if I was being totally callous, the taste alone, compared to the insipid, tasteless, poultry sold in the supermarkets might justify it). But it’s a personal decision we’ll leave for the future, as to whether we take that step). Let’s move on.

khakis

Duck Summary

As a “Wee Summary” for those who have never kept ducks. Ducks are very easy to keep and will give you a load of fun. Their habits are different from hens. They seem to be less independent than hens and prefer the company and safety of the flock arrangement. In other words, if one decides to go for water or food, they all have to follow and it’s a scream to watch.

Of course, maybe it’s only our ducks that do that. We are not experts, so we could well be contradicted here. But we do know how our own ducks act.

Lastly, ducks will benefit from a pond, but (and standing up to be shot down again) they will manage without one... buckets with plenty fresh water, or baby baths, will do the job if that is all you can provide. What is important is they must be able to get their heads into water. Don’t even attempt to keep the water constantly clean... the ducks wont give you a chance. But do make sure they never run out of water. Ducks are very hardy and less prone to diseases. (Note. Hens, quails etc. must always have fresh, clean, water).

The Real Professionals and the big egg layers are Khaki Campbells and Runners . . . the “DEMOLITION DUCK SQUAD” (no job too big ...and always ready for action) who when given total freedom, move in to show how to do a real job on a pretty garden. “Lets go lads... and no, we don’t need no spades or shovels” . . . However, since then, we have gained more experience, more enthusiasm, more ducks... and a lot less garden!

Next stop on our Breeds Tour: Bantams >