ducks for eggs.

[kevnsue]

Hi,can anyone recommend a breed of duck as a good laying bird and would 2 birds mix well with 6 hens,cheers kev.

[JILLY JACKSON]

khaki campbells are nice ducks decent layers too

[penny]

yes khaki campbells are lovely or indian runners, if you keep them with hens you may get very dirty eggs though as ducks poo a lot.

[Hilary B]

If you just want eggs, khaki campbells are far the most reliable. If you mainly want eggs, but may occasionally want to hatch some eating-ducks, go for Harlequins (name may have changed since I bought some30 year ago) or Silver Appleyards, both of which are also rather pretty breeds, and excellent 'dual purpose' types. They actually lay pretty near as well as the campbells, but bigger eggs. The drawback (if you only want eggs) is that they eat more.

Agree about dirty eggs!!!!

[Scottishnewbie]

We hatched some muscovies last year and gave one to our pal who keeps chickens. Unfortunately, the fox got our grown up ducks and only the one baby was left. He/she was attacked regularly with the chickens UNTIL he/she matured, turned out to be a male and now tries hundreds of times a day to have his way with the chickens! Some may say it is his revenge but the poor chickens really are having a hard time the poor girls! They do mix apparently but I'd be tempted to keep them separate....might be a different story if it was only girls of course.......

[Two_Sheds]

Indian Runners have "an incredible reputation for egg-laying". Indian Runner Ducks: The Indian Runner Duck Association - Domestic Waterfowl in the UK

[kevnsue]

Hi thanks for all your help,just need to locate some in leicestershire,

[Hilary B]

Indian Runners have "an incredible reputation for egg-laying". Indian Runner Ducks: The Indian Runner Duck Association - Domestic Waterfowl in the UK

Runners do lay quite well, but on average khaki campbells lay better (one reason the pure runners became relatively scarce once the khaki was created from cross-breeding between runners and 'ordinary' ducks).

Runners are also VERY amusing to have around, and they may indeed pay very well in 'eggs per pound of food', being very light in weight.

[Birdie Wife]

I've got three runner ducks, they are giving me two eggs every day now and they are very comical. The good thing about runners is that they don't really need a pond - mine play in the ditch by the side of the road and I've got a big shallow tub trug which I top up with fresh water when the ditch is dry. Khaki Cambells would be much happier with a pond. They do make more of a mess than the hens but with just the three, it's manageable. Ducks tend to lay wherever they feel like it rather than in a nestbox (mine are very good and lay in the hen house every morning!). Runners are a bit highly strung though and freak out at the slightest opportunity!

[OverWyreGrower]

I have both Khaki Campbells and Runners.... they are all good layers, and since they lay in their house in a morning before being let out, the eggs aren't too bad!!

My runners lay large pale green eggs and the khakis lay slightly smaller white ones.

However, they will make a mess of your land. I don't have a pond per se, but a large turtle sand pit and some large bedding boxes for the ducks to splash/swim/muck around in. These are easy to move around, empty and clean out.

[Nessie]

We have 2 little call ducks that live with our hens and cockerel. They all get along great. The eggs are lovely but obviously small.