[Debbieta]

Hi,
I am considering adding aylesbury ducks to our garden , and have a newly acquired a 'good sized' shed. Have ordered Katie Thears' Starting with Ducks which should be with me early next week.  Was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any useful websites whilst I am waiting, and/or give me some 'on hindsight' pointers. 

We already have chickens and quail, hubby is already considering a good sized pond !   We would probably go for 3 or 4 ducks and was also wondering on peoples experiences of size of area/protection from fox etc.

Many thanks,
Debbie

[Debz]

My sister has 3 of these and they are messy beggars but have the most beautiful temperament.  They just waddle around her garden and Jack Flash (drake) likes to look at himself on the patio doors.  Hers don't have a huge pond but as soon as they clean it out, the ducks are in it making a mess of the water.  They are funny though and my little boy (3 years old) loves them and they aren't bothered by him.  My sister also has hens running with them and they all get along.  Sorry very little practical info but I would recommend them anyway.  She gets a lot of big eggs from the two girls.

[darkbrowneggs]

First consider what you want from them

Ducks to lay plenty of eggs
Ducks to look pretty
Ducks to eat
Ducks to quack a lot

If you want lots of eggs go for a commecial Khaki Campbell type or non-show-bred  runner duck
Ducks to eat, go for a commercial Pekin cross
Ducks that quack a lot and are very small - Call Ducks

Personally after trying many types I settled on the Crested Ducks.  They look exceptionally pretty, lay a reasonable number of eggs, you can eat the spare males if so inclined, but they are not so large they flatten every plant in the vicinity, they are good slug hunters for the garden, and they don't quack from 4 am in the morning to after dusk at night

This is Big Daddy :-)

[Debbieta]

I do like the idea of white ducks, as they would be easier to spot and keep a check on.  However would there be a possible smaller, less mess option that may not quite take the 'garden over'!  (The garden is very large - 1 acre plus, but they would only have part!). Don't particularly want to go as small as a call duck - cute though they are, our two cockerals make enough noise!

[darkbrowneggs]

You can get white crested ducks and also Miniature and Bantam Silver Appleyards are quite pale and not very large as are Welsh Harlequin

On the pond side it is sometimes easier to have something like a childs paddling pool or old plastic sand pit, then when the ducks have made it very muddy and pooped in it a lot you can empty it out and fill with clean water :-)

[Debz]

I think ducks are generally pretty messy creatures.  My sister had a notion of Jemima Puddleduck and that is why she wanted Aylesburys.  They aren't any messier than the hens though and they don't make pits in the garden to dirt bath in.  They are tremendous characters and if that is what you fancy, then go for it.  The only drawback is the amount of time you waste watching their antics.

[Debbieta]

I think the paddling pool option may be a good one to start with, like the idea of being able to 'clean up' easily, then if hubby wants to take his time with a pond for 'occasional' use, no probs.  I have read that you can feed ducks with poultry layer pellets, is this so! Also what bedding does anyone use.  Have loads of straw available so could easily use this in the shed.  Does much adapting need to be done to the shed or is it a case of leave them to it.  (As you can tell, still awaiting book).
Sorry for questions, but do I assume egg size is related to duck size?

[darkbrowneggs]

If they can get to the layers pellets they will certainly woof them down.  I give mine a mix of pellets and straight wheat, though at this time of year when I am looking to have good hatching eggs they get a mix of breeder pellets and straight wheat.

If you have plenty of low cost straw then use that.  They will tend to "cap" the top with poo, so either put in a thin layer followed by another thin layer till it needs "mucking out" or put in a bit more to start with and stir it about a bit each day till it needs replacing

Mine have a shelter, but never go in (their night pen is belt and braces fox proof) then there is a wooden barrel attached that they go to lay in.  This is deep bedded with wood shavings to keep the eggs clean.  Their pen is concrete floor which is scraped and washed, then in the day they have a large woodland type pen, and get free range of the garden when I am around for slug eating duties.

The geese have pallets in their indoor shed - they are first covered with straw then each day clean shavings added till it is all taken off and started again.  The flooring is concrete and is scraped and washed down.  Mucky blighters all of them.

[Sassy]

I think the paddling pool option may be a good one to start with, like the idea of being able to 'clean up' easily, then if hubby wants to take his time with a pond for 'occasional' use, no probs.  I have read that you can feed ducks with poultry layer pellets, is this so! Also what bedding does anyone use.  Have loads of straw available so could easily use this in the shed.  Does much adapting need to be done to the shed or is it a case of leave them to it.  (As you can tell, still awaiting book).
Sorry for questions, but do I assume egg size is related to duck size?

I used an Early Learning Centre sand pit/ pool that I got from freecycle and the ducks loved it. Easy to empty and clean out. It will be dirty within 1 minute of it being cleaned out, strangely if left dirty they will not use it!! I used layers pellets and had daily eggs from my birds but I think this is only a good idea if you have lots of free ranging - which you have. Ducks do not perch so you can make their bed on the floor of the shed using whatever bedding you use for the hens. Do be aware that they cannot climb steps like chickens can so may need shallow steps or a ramp to get in the shed (depends how set up of course). It is probably a good idea not to let them out too early and they will lay in the shed. Otherwise they lay outside and you will lose the eggs to birds and rats. If you are going to build a sizeable pond put the shed on an island in the middle - the fox will not cross water to get to them. However, mine had to be herded into their house nightly.

They are great to have and I miss mine

[Debz]

My sisters eat the layers pellets with the hens but as one poster pointed out, they need space to free-range too.  They sleep in a little wooden house that has a ramp to let them in and they lay their eggs there too.  They have the same substrate on the floor as the hen house.  I think it is horse bedding (because my sister has ponies too and it's laid quite thick.  They lay beautiful big blue-ish eggs with great regularity now the days are a bit longer.

[Debbieta]

Thanks so much for your shared info. It certainly gives me more confidence about getting a few in the near'ish future, as my thoughts and ideas aren't  far off what you are all telling me.  Hubby seems as enthusiastic as me, as he has certainly 'come around' with the chickens, having adopted a cockerel that was meant for the pot.  So now he is expected to share the duties! (Luckily he likes the early morning stint, and is constantly checking on them through the day  ahhhh!).  As he has said, what's the point of having lots of ground if you don't use it for something!