Duck newbie - few questions to experienced poultry owners

[springmachine]

We've been discussing getting ducks for a few years and now we have a large garden feel now is the time.

There are a few questions which may be totally silly but here goes -

My local hatchery has some kahki Campbell ducklings available - will their wings come clipped?

Will it be ok to have 2 or 3?

Can I leave them free range during the day (secure 6 ft fence)

Will they eat my roses and jasmine plants?

I'm thinking of getting an Eglu with 3m run and using a large Belfast sink with old braces for steps into it - does this sound suitable?
Thank you

Forgot to ask - will ducks annoy the neighbours?

Campbell's are meant to be a quiet breed?

Will those anti pest plastic spike strips for the top of fences stop foxes coming in?

3 is probably better in case one dies in the winter (although ducks are probably sturdier than chickens).
6 foot fence is not foxproof at all, foxes easily run up it. (I have seen it.) You need to keep a dog with them or be out with them.

Not sure about the plants, sorry, I don’t have any. :-)

The sink sounds good, I never had a pond for them, only a deep dish where they could wash their beaks. It will get dirty quickly, ducks are messy.

If you’re worried about your neighbours (ducks do make a noise when they’re hungry etc) look at getting muscovies. They peep rather than honk/quack and are very friendly. Some will sit on your lap and genereally are ok to be petted as well. They come in some lovely colours as well.

How lovely!

I have hens and have always asked the seller to clip the wings so they can’t fly off. They can still get some serious height though and I imagine ducks may too - be warned!

Agree three is best - hard to integrate new birds into a flock and you don’t want them to get lonely.

On annoying the neighbours, I lived by some ducks at university and could happily have killed the buggers - when they mate / try to attract a mate / try to escape each other they are SO LOUD. If you just get girls this should be ok but the blokes are unacceptably noisy.

Eglus are never big enough, in my hen keeping experience. I would look for duck houses - wooden needs varnishing to keep out mites but I found getting wooden houses (first and second hand) much better value than tiny eglus.

Personally, I would keep them in a run during the day. I keep my girls in a run which is about 3 x 2m during the day, and it has lots of thick chicken wire over any points a fox could get into / over (unfortunately and cover the whole roof, which would be ideal). They get out when I am around. I don’t like the strips - could easily injure local cats / birds, and I’m not convinced they’d keep out the fox, he may get hurt once but then would just be wise to it..

*unfortunately can’t

You’re welcome?

@Misericord

Thanks so much for the in-depth response.

We've just got back from holiday (so couldn't respond sooner)

Ducks are settling in well too

Sorry, I feel really mean now @springmachine sorry to be a dick.

Glad they’re settling in :)

Your plants should be fine those arnt really good tasting plants to a duck but if your worried about the ducks being an annoyance to neighbors get muscovy they dont quack they can fly if needed but mine really dont much and they are excellent birds at staying away from predators and they are really very garden friendly eating alot of slugs and bugs plus they are very interactive with the family