After a flurry of chicken-planning activity this winter/early spring, we have our long-dreamed for chicken flock (the three hens, plus three new Speckled Sussex chicks, and three more chicks on order (2 Australorps and a Buff Orpington)). And the chicken run is mostly complete (needs a little gussying up, and a grape trellis up the side). Now, moving on to the next project, the Baker boys have gone into intense-planning-mode for …
DUCKS!
The boys are a bit so-so on the chickens, but can’t wait for ducks! We have room for 3 (and maybe sneak in a 4th?) next year, and all the talk from Daddy is, “Where do we put in a duck box and run? What style?”, and “should we get runners or Khaki Campbells?”  Tum Tum’s contribution is more along the lines of “Duck goes QUACK QUACK!”, but he loves to look through the stack of duck-keeping books with his dad.
Did you know that the better duck breeds are more efficient at removing slugs than chickens (a major problem in the NW)? And lay larger eggs (sometimes more eggs -up to 300 per year for Khaki Campbells) than chickens? And those eggs that produce more substantial whites, which makes for better meringue, souffles, etc! And, ducks are darn cute!
So, if all goes as planned, by next year, our little urban farm will be complete when it comes to livestock. Except, maybe for future additions of meat rabbits…or honeybees…If you could (or do!) have any livestock on your property, what would it be?
I’m so envious! We had to put our plans for 3-4 chickens this spring on hold because of some pressing health issues in the extended family that required emotional/physical time. I’m already looking forward to next spring’s coop building project, though, now that everyone’s back on track. As a fellow NW’er, I’m curious about how well your chickens do at keeping slugs and snails at bay.
We had ducks and geese when I was growing up in CA, I don’t know what kind. They ran loose in our fenced 2 acre lemon/avocado grove. My mom fed me duck eggs when I was little, she didn’t want to eat them herself because she thought they were very strong tasting but I didn’t know any different.
At our next place I want to have chickens (no place for them where we are now) so I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing more about your adventures with them.
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