x| Bantam Call Ducks |x
NEW, BantamCallDucks Yahoo Group
No Spamming Allowed!
Check it out for more info!!
Welcome fellow Call Duck enthusiasts.
This group will be for call ducks and other bantam ducks.
Helpful Questions and Answers, Hatching Tips and Idea's.
Raising and keeping to Feed and Nutrition.
Buy, Sell, Trade - We are not responsible for any transactions.
Please contact owners/mods to alert of any shady characters.
A little chatter from time to time is ok, we love to hear how things are going
at everyone's farms, how the breeding and hatching's are going. Let us know what
is working for you. We really encourage getting the chance to attend a poultry show,
learn about showing your birds and sharing your show results and experiences.
So if your interested in this, here is the group for you. We will keep
this group well moderated, to keep the spam out.
We are now requiring new members to introduce themselves when joining.
Hope to see some well informed and experienced members join!
Please introduce yourself and enjoy your stay!
Please know this is a Yahoo Group.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/BantamCallDucks/
(One of our old grey hens, we no longer have her.)
Please see below for General information about call ducks.
Grey Call Ducks
We LOVE the Grey Calls, I love them because they remind me alot of the Mallard,
same colors and markings, only call ducks are generally about HALF the size of
your wild Mallard! This is one of the MOST common color duck around,
a very stunning and popular color!
I absolutly LOVE color, and colorful birds!
We need to get some new pictures really bad, my hens are broody
so I will not disturb her right now! Will update in about a month, hopefully with babies!!
Updated pictures coming soon!
White Call Ducks
(our son's white call pet, Charity)
I am not really big into white birds, but I absolutly LOVE these White Call Ducks!
I got my first White Call Drake early 2007 he was HUGE but I instantly fell inlove with him,
so pure in color so smooth looking he was sooo handsom!
Later in the year I ended up hatching another white drake,
and kept him for my breeding program, he came from TN.
Then I found someone who raised these White Calls and does the showing
which is exactly what I was looking for!
So I purchased a pair of white calls from him, small rounded and beautiful! *Thank You*
I gave my other drake to my grandfather, hes a happy little pond orniment now!
Unfortunatly, we no longer have any more show quality white call ducks at the moment.
General Bantam Call Duck Information
Call ducks are most popular for pets, decoration and exhibition, but are also good seasonal layers.
Under many conditions, a patrol of eight to twenty of these little Broad Bills per acre of land provides an effective means of controlling many pests including mosquito larvae, various insects, snails, and small to medium sized slugs.
Due to their small size call Ducks are more susceptible to nocturnal winged predators, than larger ducks. For this reason we suggest call ducks are kept in a covered enclosure from dusk to dawn.
Once they learn to go to there pen at night they are fairly easy to get to there pen regularly.
We have had flocks return to there pens in the evening at there own will, made it nice for round up!
Most Calls are capable aviators, but my calls have never departed through airways. However do not expect them to stay at home if they are terrorized by predators including dogs and people or frequently allowed to go hungry or are overcrowded.
To keep them from flying off, you can clip there flight feathers, but this will make them easier for predators.
Call ducks kept with no mate will often leave to look for another mate, therefore I suggest getting a few call ducklings or a pair when purchasing ducks so you have better chances of getting male & female. If you end up with more males they will fight over the hen and the hens usually get the worse end of the issue. Call ducks do not mate for life.
When relocating them to a new home, it is safest to put calls in a tightly fenced pen with a covered top until they are acclimated to their new residence. They can also be grounded by clipping the primary flight feathers of the one wing. I do not clip my calls unless I let them out, I would suggest clipping wings when the flight feathers come in if your birds will be free ranging. Make sure your calls are locked up in the evening to try to limit the predators from getting a easy snack. Sometimes they will attack during the day too, so it is best to keep close watch on your pets.
Predators include Hawks, Eagles, Coyotes, Raccoons, Opossums, stray dogs, etc
Rats can also take out ducklings
History of the Call Duck
Story has been told that this mini duck is primarily raised for exhibition and pets. A direct descendant of the wild mallard, the call probably originated in Holland where it still goes by the name of Decoy Duck. Originally employed as live decoys, calls were used to entice wild ducks to enter funnel traps. Later market hunters tethered calls near their gunning stations to lure wild ducks to fly within shooting range.
Since the middle of the twentieth century, calls have made impressive strides in both popularity and quality. In North America today this little charmer is a favorite among hobbyists. At poultry shows, calls win more duck championships than any other breed.
Modern calls look like toy ducks - a tiny plump bowl shaped body short, broad bill, not much larger than a thumbnail, stubby neck, large round head that is wide across the skull and short legs positioned near the center of the body, these are desirable characteristics.
Day old calls are often more delicate than ducklings of other breeds. It is also very challenging to hatch call ducklings. Special care should be taken to ensure that they are sufficiently warm and do not get wet. Once they are well started, call ducks are typically quite hardy. When they are old enough to take a short dip in a kiddy pool, always let them swim supervised, they can and will drown if they are left alone and can not get to a place where they are out of the water. Supervise them as you would your children, that's the way we look at it!
Care & Feeding
Call ducks can be fed all purpose duck food and crushed corn cobs purchased at any feed store. Ducks require fresh water daily and a place to swim, either a natural pond or plastic kiddies pool with water changed frequently. Call ducks should also have crushed oyster shells available, may be purchased at any feed store. Greens should be supplied occasionally, either from natural foraging or garden refuse. I found grass clippings from mowing my lawn and left over lettuce or weeds from my garden a popular treat. They love the peas and beans from our gardens and enjoy romaine lettuce. We also feed our calls meal worms and sometimes night crawlers.