I need your help! I hinted the other day that our backyard flock of chickens may be getting some new neighbors. We are adding ducks to our modern homestead and we need to decide on a breed.
These cute little creatures are becoming increasingly popular as a backyard livestock option. They are docile creatures and light-weight breeds are generally poor flyers with high egg production. Their eggs are about 25% larger than a chicken egg and the best layers produce more eggs per year than chickens.
Photo by Bjoern Clauss
Some of the most popular backyard options are Khaki Campbell and Indian Runners, although there are over twenty breeds of domestic ducks being raised in the US. We have been planning on getting a small flock of Runners, also called Bottlenecks, this month to raise from ducklings. We love their quirky look and they are excellent backyard layers.
Our plan hit a speed bump though as I called local farms to find a duckling source. I stumbled upon a critically endangered breed called Ancona being raised by a local farm in the Eugene area, called Boondockers Farm.
I did some sleuthing and by all accounts they seem to be the perfect backyard duck option for the Pacific NW. I talked to Evan from the farm about this rare breed. How does he feel about people raising them for eggs, rather than breeding? They are a dual purpose breed that you cannot buy sexed, meaning we will probably eat half of them. Is he okay with people eating this uncommon breed?
The answer to everything was yes, he’s cool with it. They want to see the breed become more common in every way – for breeding, eggs, meat production, etc.
So now I am left with a tough decision that I want you to weigh in on. Do I choose Runners with a graceful, quirky appearance in the backyard? Or do I choose the Ancona duck to help promote this breed in the backyard?
can you have a mixed flock, like the chickens? or are ducks breedist?
Mixing the flock is an option! I suppose we could get four of each breed hoping for two girls of each at the end?
I’m so excited to see how this develops! I’d go for a mixed flock, or the Ancona breed–the uniqueness is appealing, and I like that you could potentially have “heirloom” ducks for your heirloom garden?
Quick question that’s only slightly related: How do chicken and duck eggs add up in recipes? Baking keeps me sane in nursing school, and at this point I go through about 18 chicken eggs a week–how many duck eggs would that be? Have you ever baked anything using duck eggs?
Generally one duck egg is about 25% bigger than a chicken egg, if that helps. And they are especially amazing in baked goods! I am jealous of your baking/grad school combo. At this point in the term, I feel like I can barely feed myself 🙂
All of the above! There are some instances in life when more is in fact better. Perhaps this is one of them?
I have been searching the web this afternoon because went to plant the peas that I was so proud to save from last year and they are full of bugs. When I google; what bugs are crawling out of my saved peas. I get this as the only response that fits:
Hip Chick Digs – Part 57
Apr 5, 2008 … The source of the bugs seemed to be the snap and snow peas I saved from my plants last year. It was beetle-like, mostly black, …
http://www.hipchickdigs.com/page/57/?iframe – Cached
I would love to know what you wrote about this, because Iwould love to know what I did wrong. Any help?
Ducks,
I bought a pair of “anconas” and was very excited about them, but have now realized they are mag pies. I too have been contemplating going out ot boondockers, in fact I messaged them last night and heard from them this morning. : )
I have to cast a vote for the Anconas, but to be honest I just never could get used to the runner duck look. : )
Happy to find a blogger very close to home, always more fun that way. God bless.
I am at a toss up between Silver Appleyards (large), from Dave H in corvalis. Or Boondockers Anconas…. I am leaning to the SA’s.
I don’t know what the bugs were! They grossed me out so much that I just threw the whole seed packet in the garbage. I imagine the bug laid larvae on the plant, then I saved seed with larvae on it that hatched. Something about that whole process just makes my skin crawl!