Ducks or Chickens?

My ducks and chickens free range together but are housed differently. I have heard of people who have combined the two but I prefer not to due to them having differing needs.

To make a sponge cake using duck eggs is really easy: weigh the egg (with or without shell, makes no difference) then measure out the same weight of flour, butter and sugar; now make it the same way you would normally (add a little milk at the end if the mixture is too stiff).

Specifically "easy" duck to keep is ... most of them! If you want ducks for eggs, then the Khaki Campbell is a well known, prolific layer. If you want eggs and elegance, then an Indian Runner duck fits that bill (this breed has been called "wine bottle on legs" because of its stature). Neither of these breeds fly (so no wing clipping required). You may find this website useful - even if it is just to satisfy your curiosity. http://www.domestic-waterfowl.co.uk/

 

Thanks very much for the recipe and info Mum....going to give it plenty of thought.....there maybe trouble ahead

 

lolimac, yes, do give it plenty of thought before you jump in. I did and my dh wasn't keen at all. One Sunday afternoon, while he was at work, I went to the farm where I bought my hens ... just to *look* at the ducks ... well, what do you know? By the time I arrived home a trio of Campbells had flown into our garden! When dh came home, he heard a quack (or two) and didn't bat an eyelid - we live near a park with a duck pond and sometimes the wild mallards visit our pond in the Spring. I got away with it right up until he went to his shed Took him a far bit longer to twig that they couldn't actually have "flown" in

 

Nice one Mum....i did discuss it will Mr L before he went out last night....Notice i said 'I' discussed it ....he just said NO....But Lolimac don't give up that easily

 

Loli
At a County Show I saw a white duck with a bobble on its head (its own feathers) , do you know what type of duck ?? I called it Taffy . and it kept quacking at me .


Spruce

 

They are called "crested" ducks; it is quite possibly a Bali

 

It was bali , thanks for this did they just breed this for a laugh ?? as it looks like someone has attached a large cotton ball to its head

Spruce

 

No, it's actually a natural bird, the Bali; one of the oldest breeds of domestic ducks.

 

A couple of years ago I was looking into Welsh Native Chickens and we dont have any but we do have Brecon Buff Geese & Welsh Harlequin Ducks.

Lots of English chickens (Dorking)and Scottish chickens (Scotts Dumpy ) a couple of examples.

So I dont know what happened in Wales not to have any ?? do have lots of different sheep though

Spruce

 

I never knew that!

Maybe they preferred roast lamb to roast chicken?

 

Or maybe the other way around and eat them all

My brother has Aricana ?? lays blue eggs the cockerel (now sadly passed on ) Elvis used to attack us all , my niece ran around the garden screaming we had to get onto the trampoline to escape its talons.

Spruce

 

Oh I adore Araucanas! Sadly, for whatever reason, they don't thrive with me (or come from a poor strain ) I do get blue eggs though, from my Cream Legbar. I bought a Maran because they are supposed to lay very dark brown eggs. But no, not mine my Cuckoo Maran lays blue eggs!

Yes, cockerels can be noisey, vicious things. Thankfully, we don't keep them (wouldn't be fair on the neighbour).