What are the best and friendliest pet duck breed to own in South Florida?

[Corgiqueen]

Hello, I’m looking into getting some ducks for my backyard. I live in South Florida and I have an average size backyard. I don’t have a pond, but I am planning on building a medium size pond this summer. I’m looking into getting some ducks. I’ve done lots of research but I would like to get some opinions from experienced duck owners. What are the best and friendliest duck breeds to own in south Florida? I know there are lots of breeds. I can tell you now what breeds I don’t want. I don’t want Muskovy ducks and I don’t want mallard ducks. I am also pretty sure in South Florida, It’s illegal to own them. I don’t eat duck eggs, I also don’t eat duck meat so I’m not looking for Prolific egg layers or meat birds, but a good egg layer would be a bonus. What I want is something friendly, unique looking and is a good broody mother. I am planning on owning no more than 7 to 10 ducks. My plan is to own only one male and the rest female. Any suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello, I’m looking into getting some ducks for my backyard. I live in South Florida and I have an average size backyard. I don’t have a pond, but I am planning on building a medium size pond this summer. I’m looking into getting some ducks. I’ve done lots of research but I would like to get some opinions from experienced duck owners. What are the best and friendliest duck breeds to own in south Florida? I know there are lots of breeds. I can tell you now what breeds I don’t want. I don’t want Muskovy ducks and I don’t want mallard ducks. I am also pretty sure in South Florida, It’s illegal to own them. I don’t eat duck eggs, I also don’t eat duck meat so I’m not looking for Prolific egg layers or meat birds, but a good egg layer would be a bonus. What I want is something friendly, unique looking and is a good broody mother. I am planning on owning no more than 7 to 10 ducks. My plan is to own only one male and the rest female. Any suggestions?

I thought I read some years back that only Pekins were allowed to be kept as backyard pets in Florida.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/duck-breed-focus-project.1024526/

 

[Miss Lydia]

I know you said no Muscovy but had to run this by you any way
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...loving-home-central-fl.1617238/#post-27627624
If you live in a neighborhood I will say females can get very loud drakes not so much so this may be another consideration in choosing a breed. My muscovy are very friendly and quiet I do clip a wing each fall to keep mine home they do like to fly and we have woods surrounding us so predators galore.

 

[sbolerjack]

I agree! Even my drakes get loud sometimes.

 

[WaterfowlsPoultry]

I know 3 duck breeds personally.. Cayuga is quite the loud breed under circumstances, Rouen is quite loud as well.. Margarito who is a rouen loves to talk, if I get close he will immediately start yelling and quacking (Even if they are nice to you) But Cayuga which is Abigail is only loud if they do not know you.. I learned this the hard way, IF you get a cayuga which is a good layer and especially friendly, You have to make sure you become friends with them as soon as possible, Or your eardrums might fly off everytime they see you, But Call Duck is another possibility, The only issue is that they fly a lot, And quack a lot, Which is not loud but is very frequent and they do it ALOT. Those are the only duck breeds I know personally.

 

[Corgiqueen]

I thought I read some years back that only Pekins were allowed to be kept as backyard pets in Florida.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/duck-breed-focus-project.1024526/

I’ve spoke with multiple Hatcheries on the phone on for this exact concern and only one Hatchery mentioned anything and they said you can own any breed in Florida just as long as you have a license. I looked into the license on the website where you are to get the license doesn’t mention anything about Exotic breeds except for mallards and Muskovy ducks. All of the other remaining Hatcheries that I called didn’t mention this at all. The Hatcheries that I spoke with mentioned that people who live in Florida can’t own and raise Muskovy ducks and mallard ducks so Hatcheries won’t sell either of those breeds.

 

[Miss Lydia]

M

I’ve spoke with multiple Hatcheries on the phone on for this exact concern and only one Hatchery mentioned anything and they said you can own any breed in Florida just as long as you have a license. I looked into the license on the website where you are to get the license doesn’t mention anything about Exotic breeds except for mallards and Muskovy ducks. All of the other remaining Hatcheries that I called didn’t mention this at all. The Hatcheries that I spoke with mentioned that people who live in Florida can’t own and raise Muskovy ducks and mallard ducks so Hatcheries won’t sell either of those breeds.

Many people in Florida have Muscovy they just don't tell. If I still lived there and wanted them I would make sure they stayed put by clipping one wing in the fall after their big molt just like I do here. I do not want to add to the feral population.

 

[I_Love_Ducks]

Hello, I’m looking into getting some ducks for my backyard. I live in South Florida and I have an average size backyard. I don’t have a pond, but I am planning on building a medium size pond this summer. I’m looking into getting some ducks. I’ve done lots of research but I would like to get some opinions from experienced duck owners. What are the best and friendliest duck breeds to own in south Florida? I know there are lots of breeds. I can tell you now what breeds I don’t want. I don’t want Muskovy ducks and I don’t want mallard ducks. I am also pretty sure in South Florida, It’s illegal to own them. I don’t eat duck eggs, I also don’t eat duck meat so I’m not looking for Prolific egg layers or meat birds, but a good egg layer would be a bonus. What I want is something friendly, unique looking and is a good broody mother. I am planning on owning no more than 7 to 10 ducks. My plan is to own only one male and the rest female. Any suggestions?

Hi! This may not be what you're looking for, but I just posted an ad for two Pekins and one Khaki Campbell (2 hens and Pekin drake). They are not real tame. Not sure if you wanted an existing family. I'm in West Palm Beach.

 

[Lori-in-Californa]

Hello, I’m looking into getting some ducks for my backyard. I live in South Florida and I have an average size backyard. I don’t have a pond, but I am planning on building a medium size pond this summer. I’m looking into getting some ducks. I’ve done lots of research but I would like to get some opinions from experienced duck owners. What are the best and friendliest duck breeds to own in south Florida? I know there are lots of breeds. I can tell you now what breeds I don’t want. I don’t want Muskovy ducks and I don’t want mallard ducks. I am also pretty sure in South Florida, It’s illegal to own them. I don’t eat duck eggs, I also don’t eat duck meat so I’m not looking for Prolific egg layers or meat birds, but a good egg layer would be a bonus. What I want is something friendly, unique looking and is a good broody mother. I am planning on owning no more than 7 to 10 ducks. My plan is to own only one male and the rest female. Any suggestions?

Beware- The drake really is a sexual predator. My drake was very interested in interacting with me, civil and talkative, so it was really hard for me to cull him. Gave him 3 years and he was still injuring the girls. It has been peaceful since then… sad but true. I have several different breeds and find the welsh harlequin to be the calmest, and therefore the least worried when I am walking past them, or working near them. However, I believe the better predictor lies in how much you care for them, carry them, talk with them when they are very small. Lots of gentle handling when ducklings seems to be key. I didn’t have time for that (and they have no sphincter so they poop randomly) so all mine avoid being handled if they possible can. I am content that they come when I call. (Mealworms are key here. ;-)