# Dual purpose ducks?



## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

We are finally buying the farm this year and I am SO EXCITED I might pop.  But anyway, we have recently discovered that duck eggs sit much better with me and my daughter than chicken eggs do, and so would like to get ducks for eggs instead of the chickens I've been planning all these years. So my question is this: is there such a thing as a dual purpose duck? I'm looking at hatcheries, and they all seem to be labeled as meat birds OR as laying birds. I'd much rather keep one breed that is decently good at both (but doesn't have to be phenomenal at either) so that I can hatch my own replacements and not worry about having to decide what to do with my weird mutt ducks. Any advice is much appreciated.


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## That'll Do Pig (Jan 23, 2014)

We're looking into ducks too and Buff Orpingtons ducks are supposed to be the best dual purpose.

For a better egg layer you may look in to Khaki Campbell.
For a bigger meat duck, you may want Rouens


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## farmerstac (Mar 16, 2005)

Muscovy lays a decent amount will hatch and raise their own and taste great.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

We got our first pair of ducklings- they are Swedish and are supposed to be dual purpose, lay about 150 eggs yearly and a touch on the smaller size 6-8 lbs but its comparable to a chicken I guess, also they do get broody so am looking forward to that...


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

Muscovies are a good choice but do not lay all year, if you want eggs in winter or at least more of winter than not then any of the mid size ducks should work, even pekings are decent layers most of the time, sweedish, Buffs, Appleyards, 

runners are great layers and if you don't need ALOT of meat then they are good too, 

I like a mixed flock both for fun and color, as well as eggs and meat mixture, I would get a variety of hens and use a peking drake over them


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

If you don't mind a smaller (but not the smallest) meat bird, the Welsh Harlequins lay really well (280 eggs a year) and make a decent duckling and are pretty and easy going. 

If you are more on the meat side get a larger breed - I've had Saxonys and Silver Appleyards and liked them both a lot. They lay quite well and have nice big ducklings. Their eggs are huge.

Pretty much all of the ducks tend to be seasonal after their first couple of years. They are more likely to go broody after their first couple of years too, or once you have mature ducks that go broody, then others follow along.

My Saxonys have been wonderful mothers.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

GrannyCarol said:


> If you don't mind a smaller (but not the smallest) meat bird, the Welsh Harlequins lay really well (280 eggs a year) and make a decent duckling and are pretty and easy going.
> 
> If you are more on the meat side get a larger breed - I've had Saxonys and Silver Appleyards and liked them both a lot. They lay quite well and have nice big ducklings. Their eggs are huge.
> 
> ...



Just noticed we are on the same Coast !
Can I ask what a good source for ducks is (those breeds sound wonderful but honestly have never seen them for sale or on CL)...
And we LOVE duck (its 4.99 a lb here so an average size duck will set you back $30/ $40 !)...


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## TheOtherHorse (Aug 21, 2009)

My Blue Swedish are the best layers in the flock currently. I've been getting an egg nearly every day from each of them since just after Christmas time. They are decent sized, not quite as big as the Pekins, but close.


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## Sumatra (Dec 5, 2013)

Meyer has lists below each duck breed's profile showing their standard weight and average egg laying habits. Pekins top the list at 140-220 eggs a year and 9+ lbs. And I agree, having raised them thanks to the advice of several people who recommended them with reports of up to two eggs per day on occasion.


https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productlist.a5w?cat=1021


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I would suggest looking at Holderread's and also getting his book, "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks". That book helped me tons when I was getting started with information about breeds, colors, genetics, feed, care, housing, incubation, problems, you name it. 

http://www.holderreadfarm.com/

I've gotten a lot of my ducks from him and they've been lovely ducks! Also, he's in OR, so a short ship for either of us, which is easier on the babies. His prices are very reasonable for quality ducklings.

If you like to eat duck, I'd recommend Silver Appleyards as gorgeous, big framed, calm ducks. You'll get a really nice duckling at age 8 to 12 weeks. At age 8 weeks, ducklings start to molt their juvenile feathers and are hard to pluck until about 12 weeks when they are done. At 12 weeks they are full sized and filled out. The ducks are good layers - I've gotten eggs that average 3.5 oz each from my Appleyard ducks. 

I haven't raised Pekins, but I am sure you can find them locally pretty easily. I'd check your local Craig's list for ducklings too.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

I was trying to avoid hatcheries (although the farm link in OR is one that I would order from if I were to go that route. although their minimum order is 10 more than we want to start out with at this time)-- 

Just looking for a few (2 or 3) to supplement the 2 black swedish ducklings we have - while we fine tune the duck raising...
I did find a couple listings for Pekin and Welsh Harlequin (a bit odd looking in featheration patterns!) on CL last night but a bit of a drive, and they are pretty old listings too--...

But thanx for tips guys this is super helpful, (sorry not to hijack)....


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

Thank you everybody for the suggestions - lots of good reading to do! We close on the place at the end of the month, hopefully I'll have a box o' ducklings in April.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

Ducklings are so completely adorable-- the tender little webbed feet! Be warned -- we got 2 and now are itching to get some more (2 doesnt seem like nearly enough)...


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

So, I'm doing more research, and rapidly coming to the conclusion that maybe I should get khaki campbells for eggs and muscovies for meat. Anybody that has both - are their eggs easy to tell apart? Based on the interwebs it sounds like they are different colors? I could house them separately (which might be wise anyway), but more information leads to better decision making.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

CAjerseychick said:


> Ducklings are so completely adorable-- the tender little webbed feet! Be warned -- we got 2 and now are itching to get some more _*(2 doesnt seem like nearly enough)*_...


Well, that's because 2 are _not _enough


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

aart said:


> Well, that's because 2 are _not _enough


Of *course* not.  I'm planning on at least fifteen! Possibly fifteen campbells AND fifteen muscovies! No I haven't told my husband how many ducks I'm buying. Hush you.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

aart said:


> Well, that's because 2 are _not _enough


Ha I know that now, I was just giving in to DD and mixed them into our chicks in the brooder, now looking to see who gets them In first so we can get a few more (that brooder is getting pretty full though, just what I did NOT need, another passion)...

marusempai you are a woman after my own heart! Next year we may just skip chickies and get a dozen ducklings!


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

CAjerseychick said:


> marusempai you are a woman after my own heart! Next year we may just skip chickies and get a dozen ducklings!


I've always been the "go big or go home" sort. I figure if we hate them, ducks are delicious, and we can eat the extra drakes in any case, and that will mollify my husband. Besides, they would have to come in two shipments, so it will seem like fewer ducks than it really is, right? XD


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I doubt you'd have any trouble telling the eggs from Khakis and Muscovies apart. I haven't seen Muscovy eggs, but I could easily tell my eggs apart from the smaller egg laying breeds to the large meat breeds. The Khaki eggs are small for duck eggs (still larger than chicken eggs) and I'm sure the Muscovy eggs will be much larger. Eggs can also have different shapes and colors. Some of my Anconas lay a splotchy or speckled egg. One of my mutt ducks lays green eggs. My Welsh Harlequin lays a pale, almost pinkish egg with a long point on the end. My Saxonys lay large creamy eggs and the Silver Appleyards lay very large eggs. There should be a definite size difference and likely a color or shape one too. Each hen lays a very similar eggs throughout the year, I have some ducks that I know specifically which duck laid that egg.


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