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BarleyMow

Khaki Campbell ducks

Got some surplus, last years' hatch, started laying in April. I'm in Gloucestershire but travel regularly into Wales, Midlands and South West.
Bodger

I'm interested in some. I'm in deepest darkest Wales but travel down to see my son from time to time who lives in Cheltenham. Please PM with how little you want for them. Notice I didn't say how much? Very Happy
Graham Hyde

Hi Barley Mow, how many eggs you get from your Campbells? The books say up to 250 but my ducks can't or won't read and give about 75. Free range and given rice and rice husk twice daily. Threats or treats don't seem to make a difference.
Any ideas?
Bodger

There are KC's advertised here in the UK as being from a ' 340 egg laying strain'. I've got some of them but they've fallen a fair bit short of that.
Unfortunately, Barley Mow never did get back to me.
chez

I've got some that came in to lay last August and have laid right through, had a break this August and are now coming back in again. I haven't been trap nesting though; and I reckon the count is probably down a bit because they have been laying away.
Graham Hyde

Thanks Bodger.
75 will have to do. I've reduced the numbers of ducks now by having some for the table though there's not much meat on the KC's.
Graham Hyde

Chez, do you give the ducks any supplyments or special feeds?
chez

Yes, they are on layer's ration. I don't have enough space for them to free-range properly, although they do tend to get the run of the garden in the winter.

I agree there's not much meat on the KC drakes - two did crispy pancakes for four adults for us a couple of weeks ago. I have just disposed of (well, actually, Rusticwood and Chickem) three Muscovy x KC drakes and they were much bigger.
Graham Hyde

Hi Chez, yes, I've also have Muscovy.
There are propriotary feeds available here including laying though I'm perturbed about the contents.
I give corn as an additional to the hens and may try with the KC's.
chez

Corn is only 10% or 11% protein, I think - you could try giving them something like pulses, that are about 24% to supplement - I'm not sure about ducks, but for hens you are aiming at an average of about 18% to get optimum laying. People used to give fishmeal for the same result, but I understand it can sometimes taint the eggs.
Graham Hyde

Thanks Chez.
Fresh fish is extremely cheap here. I will add to the rice husk and await results eagerly.
The hens seem OK, five a week the norm.
I have several chicks sold as '45 dayers'. Pure white and seemingly a heavy table bird. I was told to feed these birds supplements to increase weight but haven't, feeding the same as the hens. They appear to be doing well.
chez

I think that if your birds are 'properly' free-ranging, they pick up a lot of protein from invertebrates and bugs - we never used to feed anything but a handful of corn when I was growing up; but once the foxes got bad and they had to be penned more, the egg count dropped off a bit.

I will be interested to hear how you get on with the fish and whether you get fishy tasting duck eggs; or if it's just a myth.
Graham Hyde

Hi Chez.
I leave a small amount of wet husk in a bucket overnight and catch about a dozen large hermit crabs every morning. These I take to the duck compound, open with a hammer then leave for the ducks. There is a small pond in their compond, lots of toads and the occasional terrapin. I release the birds about 9 am when they have access to around 1/2 hectacre with another pond and return to them their compond for the night around 5pm.
I hope your advice will improve their laying. Thanks
Rusticwood

I have just disposed of (well, actually, Rusticwood and Chickem) three Muscovy x KC drakes and they were much bigger.


They averaged out at 3lb each. Thanks very much. Very Happy
chez

How much of that is meat and how much bone, RW? They were quite big ... but worrying now that it was all frame and no muscle.
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