Ducks? DH won't let me have chickens!

[oopslateagain]

I would love to have chickens in the back garden, but DH grew up on a farm and has a bloody loathing of them! He says they 'get into' everything, are dirty, smelly and noisy, and need a lot of care. He's just made his mind up he Does Not Want Chickens.

So... has anyone had any experience rearing ducks? We all love duck eggs! I've read up on a couple of websites but would like to hear from anyone who's actually done it in a back garden.

They make even more poo than chickens and it is softer. Oh and they really really need a pond.

We have had both. Ducks require at least equal work and are even messier than chickens, but I still prefer them. They are considerably less destructive to lawns and flower/veg beds, that's for sure!

I would say Ducks are messier, noisier, and harder to keep than Chickens!

Ducks make a huge mess. My parents had chickens for years, and they only made a small mess. The ducks turned the garden into a quagmire, and ate more plants, leading to a lifetime ban on ducks ever again. Till dad tried to smuggle some in again, but thats a whole other story

We have both. Ducks are MUCH messier and noisier, and far more destructive of the lawn. They don't eat the vegetables we used to grow as much as the hens do, but that's a small mercy!

they are lots of fun though!

"and ate more plants"

Than the chickens? Wow! Not our experience at all, and have had over 20 ducks at one time, along with about the same number of chickens. Maybe it's down to space requirements? We let both the ducks and the chickens free range, and we have plenty of open space and a natural pond. The ducks will spend most of their time hanging out around/on the pond, whereas the chckens are (to quote the OP's DH) "into everything" and seem especially drawn to anything that's been painstakingly planted, as opposed to having grown naturally.

Ah, no pond, just a large tub of water. My original lot were in the garden, then they were exiled to the field with lots of space. Main issue was that they splash water back over themselves, then dibble through the resulting mud to find insects etc. I guess with a pond they get all that out of the way in the pond itself

If noise is a concern, OP, whatever you do, don't get Guinea Fowl (the second pic in my photos.) They make a hell of a noise at the slightest disturbance to their environment, e.g. someone coming up the drive...a towel flapping on the line...a dog toy left in an unusual spot...a squirrel looking at them funny...etc...etc...

I love my chickens...but it is true they are smelly and can be a bit noisy at times....and they have trashed my garden

How do you stop them flying away? How big does a pond need to be? Do they sleep in a hen house?

I had ducks for many years as a child, in a side garden in an urban area (illegal). It was my job to collect the eggs. I often caught them for cuddles (not sure the ducks cared for that). We once let a few eggs go unnoticed & ended up with cute babies hatching out (I presume sold for meat, parents were quiet about that). We had Muscovies who are quackless (just hiss, so very quiet) & don't need more than a washing up bowl of water.

Ducks are very very messy. Their poo is basically big liquid splats. They eat snails, though, that's a bonus.

I would choose chickens instead although the possibility of mites puts me off any sort of fowl. I have looked after chickens occasionally for friends, they seem so much less work.