7 Best Duck Breeds to Keep as Pets

best duck breeds to keep as pets

Ducks are known for eggs and meat production in many homesteads. But these adorable poultry birds can also be raised as affable pets.

Children choose ducklings as pets around Easter. And many parents find it challenging to resist these fuzzy little cuties for their beloved children.

But there are several factors to consider before buying a duck pet. These feathered balls have different personalities, and it is fun to get to know them as individuals.

We have compiled a list of the best duck breeds to keep as pets for you. The information will help you choose a perfect duck pet that suits the taste and preference of your beloved child.

Best Duck Breeds to Keep as Pets

There are so many duck breeds available in the market today. When selecting the best duck breed to keep as a pet, consider the physical appearance, personality, and lifespan.

Besides that, spend more time with your duck pets to develop a strong bond regardless of the breed. It is the best way to get closer to them and let their affectionate traits shine.

Below is a list of the best duck for pets:

Pekin Ducks

Pekin Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Solid white color

Character and Personality: Calm, sociable and interactive

Life Expectancy: 8-12 years

Pekin ducks have a solid white color with creamy white plumage. The orange shanks and toes make the duck breed stand out from others.

This poultry bird is also an excellent companion for kids who love to explore and roam. Thanks to its calmness and interactive personality.

But Pekin duck breeds are too vocal. They are not the best choice for those people living in an area with strict noise restrictions.

The good news is that the duck breed behaves like a dog pet. You can easily tame their characters to suit your homestead and neighborhood requirements.

A mature duck has a long, broad, deep, and full breast. The average weight of a drake is about 9 pounds, and the hen is about 8 pounds.

The average lifespan of a Pekin duck is 8-12years as a pet. But this duck breed can live longer with proper care and healthy feeding routines.

Pros of Choosing the Pekin Duck as Pet

  • Pekin ducks are calm, friendly, and interactive. These traits make this duck pet an excellent playmate for kids. Besides that, the duck owners should not worry about clipping the wings since the bird is less flighty.

Cons of Choosing the Pekin Duck as Pet

  • Pekin ducks are too noisy, and this could land the owner into problems with close neighbors. It is not the best choice for those individuals living in a neighborhood with strict noise restrictions.

Rouen Ducks

Rouen Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Grey

Character and Personality: Calm and peaceful

Life Expectancy: 5-9 years

Rouen ducks are closely similar to mallard ducks. But the two stripes running over their faces set them apart from mallard ducks.

The duck breed has a dark green head with a white collar and grey body. These conspicuous colors make the duck breed an incredible addition to your backyard.

The calm and peaceful personalities also make them suitable playmates for your children as pets at home. The kids can socialize with the birds without getting injured.

The heavyweight bodies make it hard for the duck breed to fly away. The duck parent does not need to worry about clipping the wings.

The only drawback is the cumbersome stature. Young children will find it challenging to carry the duck around while playing. The average weight of a mature duck is about 9-12 pounds.

Rouen ducks have an average lifespan of 5-9 years. But ultimate care can make the duck breed live up to 12 years.

Pros of Choosing the Rouen Duck as Pet

  • Rouen duck breeds are too heavy and unable to fly. It relieves the duck owners of the task of clipping their wings. Besides that, these cuties have striking feather colorations to improve the appearance of your backyard.

Cons of Choosing the Rouen Duck as Pet

  • The ducks have a cumbersome stature which inhibits the young kids from carrying them around when playing in the backyard.

Cayuga Ducks

Cayuga Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Black

Character and Personality: Intelligent, obedient, and docile temperament

Life Expectancy: 8-12 years

Cayuga duck breeds have black plumage with black bill and beetle-green sheen. These striking colors make the duck breed ideal to keep as a pet.

The ducks are also intelligent and easy to tame. You can train them to roam around the backyard without intruding on the neighbors’ yard.

Besides that, the ducks love foraging for their food to satisfy their hunger. The owner has an easy time when it comes to feeding them.

One of my favorite features is that Cayuga ducks can adapt to cold weather with ease. You do not need to worry about the incoming winter season.

The duck breed is less vocal. The trait makes Cayuga ducks ideal for keeping in an area with strict noise restrictions. There is no way you are going to land into conflict with neighbors.

Cayuga ducks can live up to 8-12 years with quality care. The average weight of a drake is 8 pounds, and the female is 7 pounds.

Pros of Choosing the Cayuga Duck as Pet

  • The duck breed is less vocal. It is the perfect choice for people living in areas with strict noise restrictions. The docile temperament makes the ducks excellent playmates for kids.

Cons of Choosing the Cayuga Duck as Pet

  • The duck species is rare and loves to fly around the neighborhood. The owner has the task of clipping the wings to protect the duck from getting lost.

Also ReadCayuga Duck: Breed Information and Owner’s Guide

Buff Ducks

Buff Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Golden buff plumage

Character and Personality: Calm, interactive, and intelligent

Life Expectancy: 8-12 years

Buff ducks have yellow bills and golden buff plumage. These birds also have broad body shape with long curved necks. These body features and color shades make the breed ideal as a pet.

The average weight of buff ducks is about 6-8 pounds depending on the gender. Drakes are usually heavier than female ducks.

The most exciting thing is that buff ducks are social and docile. They can form an excellent companion for kids who love to explore and roam around the yard.

Besides that, the duck breed can adjust to cold and hot weather climates with ease. There is no need to prepare your cuties for winter and summer.

Buff ducks love to keep their vocals low when raised in large groups. One or two ducks happen to be too noisy and unsuitable for residential neighborhoods with strict noise regulations.

Pros of Choosing the Buff Duck as Pet

  • Buff ducks are calm, social, and intelligent. These traits and their beautiful plumage make the breed ideal for keeping as a pet.

Cons of Choosing the Buff Duck as Pet

  • The duck breed is rare and super expensive. You will drain your wallet to acquire such a beautiful bird for your kids’ Easter present.

Khaki Campbell Ducks

Khaki Campbell Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Light Khaki Plumage

Character and Personality: Less vocal and adaptable

Life Expectancy: 10-15 years

Khaki Campbell ducks have the same ancestry as mallard ducks. But the breed has a light-covered khaki plumage on their bodies.

The dark brown heads with olive green cast distinguish Khaki Campbell ducks from the wild breeds. The white ring around the neck is another distinguishing feature from mallard ducks.

The ducks are fairly quiet and adaptable breeds. But the duck breed takes time to trust their new human keeper and environment.

Khaki Campbell ducks have independent personalities that allow them to cope with other poultry birds in the backyard. You can free-range them with other poultry without any problem.

The duck breed’s life expectance is about 10-15 years as pets. Ultimate care can make the duck breed live longer than the stipulated time frame.

Pros of Choosing the Khaki Campbell Duck as Pet

  • The ducks are less vocal and suitable for keeping in an area with strict noise regulations. Besides that, the small to medium weight make it easier for kids to carry them around when playing.

Cons of Choosing the Khaki Campbell Duck as Pet

  • The duck breeds love to fly around the neighborhood. They are highly susceptible to getting lost if the wings are not clipped.

Call Ducks

Call Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Apricot, chocolate, and white with a yellow belly

Character and Personality: Social and docile temperament

Life Expectancy: 10-12 years

Call ducks come in different colors such as apricot, chocolate, and white with a yellow belly. These conspicuous colors make the duck breed ideal for breeding as a pet at home.

The petite body makes it easier for the kids to carry when playing. The social and docile temperament makes the duck breed compatible companions for kids.

But these ducks are super vocal. The noise is intolerable in neighborhoods where there are strict noise restrictions.

Call ducks can live up to 10 years as pets. But the life expectancy depends on the environment and care. Good housing and feeding routine may make the breed live longer.

Pros of Choosing the Call Duck as Pet

  • The call ducks are social and less temperament. The traits usually go along with the playful nature of children. Besides that, these ducks are tamable to meet your desired character qualities.

Cons of Choosing the Call Duck as Pet

  • The ducks are too vocal and less calm. They will fly around and make a lot of noise that is not ideal in noise-restricted areas.

Indian Runner Ducks

Indian Runner Duck Information

Physical Appearance: Black, white, chocolate, dark brown, light-brown, and brownish

Character and Personality: Super, active, and energetic

Life Expectancy: 10-12 years

The duck breed comes in different colors such as black, white, chocolate, dark brown, light brown, and brownish shade of green.

Indian runner ducks have energetic personalities. These ducks love moving around in an upright posture and rarely swim.

The ducks are excellent foragers and vocal. The loud noise production makes them unsuitable for breeding in an area with noise restrictions. But their friendly trait makes them a wonderful pet.

Mature drakes weigh about 3.5 pounds on average. Female Indian runners are a little bit heavier than their male counterparts by four pounds. The female runners lay up to 150-200 eggs per year.

Pros of Choosing the Indian Runner Duck as Pet

  • The birds cannot fly at all. It relieves their owner the hassle of clipping the wings to keep them safe within the backyard. The active and energetic traits make them wonderful pets for playful kids.

Cons of Choosing the Indian Runner Duck as Pet

  • The duck breeds are super noisy. These loud vocals make the breed unsuitable for neighborhoods with strict noise regulations.

Summary – Best Duck Breeds to Keep as Pets

Ducks can be wonderful pets. But it would be great to consider their personality, appearance, and lifespan before making any decision.

Most of the duck breeds listed in the article are friendly and ideal for keeping as pets. We recommend choosing a less vocal and calm duck to breed as a pet.

Duck parents need to clip the wings of flighty breeds, this will help to tame their flying behavior and restrict them within the backyard.

It would be best to avoid very vocal duck breeds since they will not be tolerated in areas with noise restrictions. This should also be an important factor to consider when buying a duck to keep as a pet.

There’s only so much that you can learn from this blog. For more information, you can read this popular guide:

Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks

Learn everything you need to know about raising ducks as pets. Duck care, food, and nutrition, as well as how to keep them in perfect health.