[Alec]

Hello.I have kept bantems for a while now and have found them very "gentle" on the garden that they free range in.Can anyone tell me if there is an equivelant small duck breed that would also be not to hard on the garden?.Thank you-Alec-Wirral

[tesni]

The call duck is a miniature breed - don't know about temperament or destructive tendencies,  The cayuga is said to be a calm duck and not too large but again they could be garden thugs for all I know! 

[Helenaj]

I was going to suggest Call ducks as well as they are very small. Unfortunately, all duck breeds are very destructive when it comes to gardens, they tend to rip the greenery up rather than "shave" it like a hen does. They are also very messy. If you seriously want ducks then I would suggest sacrificing part of your garden and fencing it off.

[Kate and her Ducks]

I have to say I have not found my ducks to be too destructive of the garden but it depends on what you started with!

The do not dig holes in the lawn and even keep it nicely mown. If it is wet over winter they do trample it into mud but I have had less of a problem with this since I moved somewhere with much better drainage.

They will eat anything tender in the reach of their mouths so you do need to protect anything you value and the veg patch!

Campbells, runners, Welsh Harlequins are all small ducks. There are also miniture Appleyards. Cayugas are lovely but actually pretty large ducks.

[Helenaj]

Cayugas are absolutely gorgeous. The green - purple sheen on them when the sun is out is breathtaking. If you don't really have to have a minature breed go for these - they are stunning!

[Jane-M]

Yay for cayugas they are lovely lovely ducks. BUT they love their bath and make a massive mess with it,  dive and swim and beat their wings in the water and love dabbling the muddy puddles they create. Mine are soon to have a new bath sunk in a deep gravel patch with a soakaway drain!!

[Squiggly]

Id been looking at having ducks and the only small ones I could find that were friendly and not likely to trash your garden too much are miniature appleyards

[Kate and her Ducks]

Remember a lot to do with friendliness is also about rearing. The ducks that eat out of my hane and will let me handle them are the ones I have raised from egg or very small duckling (days not weeks). Nervous breeds may never be friendly. I had a white Campbell I raised from egg who wouldn't come near me once he was adult. His companions that I got at a week old to keep him company were fab and included Patrick my wonderful Cayuga who is a lovely animal.
I never had a duck that I got as an adult who got that friendly.