# golden 300's or khaki campbells?



## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

We are going to get some ducks this year and I've been visiting the Metzer website reading about the different breeds. I'm torn between the golden 300's and the khaki campbells. Which type do you prefer and why? We want good egg producers so these seem to be our top two choices.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I don't personally care for hybrids that don't breed true. However, if you just want a high producer and don't care that any off spring will not be sex linked, the Goldens look good. You can still hatch replacements, you just won't be able to tell on hatch which are males or females.


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## 64102 (Sep 21, 2010)

hillbillygal said:


> We are going to get some ducks this year and I've been visiting the Metzer website reading about the different breeds. I'm torn between the golden 300's and the khaki campbells. Which type do you prefer and why? We want good egg producers so these seem to be our top two choices.


We had a pair of Khaki campbells 2 years ago. they are known to have the best tasting eggs, they are large eggs my neighbor loved them; I baked with them, my cakes where very fluffy and moist. The couple was very loving as the male was always at her side. She did not get to sit on her eggs ( which was almost 1 a day) because we did not have the room---they were in my shed in a very large dog crate but not enough room for a nest--- they were out in the yard the rest of the day and would swim in a kids pool that was cleaned everyday. I also had runner ducks.


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## barefootflowers (Jun 3, 2010)

I love my khaki campbells-we have 23 hens and one drake. Ours live outside year round and we get an egg from each almost everyday too. I haven't seen a tendency for the khakis to set their own eggs, but of course that's what they were bred for-not brooding. This year I might try incubating some, I haven't done that in the past because the demand for their eggs is so high- and they are so good in baking that I couldn't leave them alone long enough to let them hatch out. I think the ducks are much more economical compared to our hens. And definitely hardy.


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## 64102 (Sep 21, 2010)

hillbillygal said:


> We are going to get some ducks this year and I've been visiting the Metzer website reading about the different breeds. I'm torn between the golden 300's and the khaki campbells. Which type do you prefer and why? We want good egg producers so these seem to be our top two choices.


I forgot to say that here in Canada they are very popular in my neck of the woods, as an adult pair of Khaki campbells usually go for about $80 (if your lucky) and more (at the last few auctions we went to).


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## goto10 (Oct 5, 2009)

I ordered Gold Star Hybrids from McMurray last year. I am pretty sure those are drop-shipped from Metzer since they came from CA but they laid really well. I had a khaki campbell and indian runner before them and the Gold Stars laid bigger eggs and they laid very regularly, more so than my chickens. I had 4 of them and could count on at least 4 duck eggs a day from those girls. 

I crossed a few of them with my cayuga drake and all those ducklings hatched out looking just like cayugas. If I had the space I would've kept them because I imagine they would have also laid pretty well.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I don't know anything about the Golden 300's.

I can tell you from experience that Khaki Campbells are very good ducks.

My suggestion is to split the order and get half and half. Then you can see how each breed does under your conditions.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

oregon woodsmok said:


> My suggestion is to split the order and get half and half. Then you can see how each breed does under your conditions.


LOL, I cannot believe it took 6 replies to get to this answer - especially as we all have spring fever and poultry catalogs flooding us with temptation:rock:


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

BTW, to reliably get sex linked colors on your ducks... take that Khaki (brown) drake to a black hen - your brown babies will be girls and the others boys. However, that only works for one generation and it must be a brown drake to a black hen, not the other way round. 

I have a couple of Khakis (right now a trio) that are lovely ducks, have laid well and been healthy for the 7 years I have had two of them. Never had the others, so that's no help.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies. I like the 50/50 suggestion. May have to try that  Maybe I should throw in a couple of others just for good measure too.....They do have a white layer that might be a good duck


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## barefootflowers (Jun 3, 2010)

Shoot- I like the 50/50 idea too. Does that mean I should go ahead and place another duckling order of a different breed? Not that I need anyone to twist my arm to get me to buy some more ducklings...


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

I was happy with my Khaki Campbells when I had them. Consistent egg layers, nice temperaments. Pleasant little ducks.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

barefootflowers said:


> Shoot- I like the 50/50 idea too. Does that mean I should go ahead and place another duckling order of a different breed? Not that I need anyone to twist my arm to get me to buy some more ducklings...


I'm terrible, I have to have a few of this and a few of that... I have a couple of Khakis, a couple of Anconas, a Welsh Harlequin and some mutts for layers. One of my very best layers is a Khaki cross, she is quite small and lays a lovely blue/green egg extremely reliably. I think I'll hatch a couple of her eggs this year too, I keep raising daughters only to find they lay white eggs and finding them homes... hehe Next time I'm going to keep one, no matter what color eggs she lays. 

I love hatching eggs. I love seeing what comes out when I breed or cross ducks. I love baby ducklings. Even more than colored eggs, I love different colored ducklings. What can I say?? I always hatch more than I need - I'm so going to have to sell ducklings this summer!


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

If you are ordering either one from metzers I would go with the golden 300's. They know what there strains produce better then anyone here will and the golden 300's lay more eggs then their khakis. 



> This table shows how the Golden 300 Hybrid compares to the Khaki Campbell (historically considered the best egg layer) on our farm.
> 
> Golden 300 Hybrid	Khaki Campbell
> Eggs In 40 Weeks of Lay	230	195
> ...


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## barefootflowers (Jun 3, 2010)

GrannyCarol- Do you let your ducks hatch out their own, or do you use an incubator? I have about 24 Khakis right now and 3 Magpie hens and 1 Magpie drake. I would love to get some more of the Magpies. I have an incubator & I just posted a question about getting the eggs ready. It's my first time using one. And of course I had to order some more ducklings from Metzer- 10 of the Buff ducks. How do you get your eggs to hatch?


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I have one Saxony that is reliably broody, so I try to hatch under her and in the incubator at the same time - last year she hatched six and raised 13. She's a wonderful mother. Mostly I use the incubator, she only broods once a year and you'll find your egg layers are bred NOT to go broody as that stops them from laying. 

Where in the PNW are you? I love Magpies...


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## barefootflowers (Jun 3, 2010)

GrannyCarol,
We farm out in Clatkanie-are you familiar with the area? Very close to the WA border from Oregon. We started with 14 ducklings from Welp last year & had a rough time. Only 6 or 7 made it, & then we lost 2 or 3 more to hawks. The darker colored ducks do better at our place because we let them roam. But I do love those Magpies, too. Perhaps you will have a road trip in your future if we can get enough of those eggs to hatch out...


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## mommagoose_99 (Jan 25, 2005)

Anyone want to split an order of Production 300 ducks in the Broome County, NY area? Joan and Hilltop are you out thereare you there ?
Linda


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