Meet the Floret Ducks

Birds have been a big part of our farm since the very beginning, but we now mainly keep ducks (which we lovingly call “slug patrol”) because they are so helpful when it comes to keeping slugs, snails, and earwigs under control in the field. Plus, they are hysterical and bring such fun energy to the farm.
This season we’re trialing a handful of different duck breeds, including Cayugas, Muscovys, and Indian Runners, to see which ones are the very best sluggers. Our newest ducklings came from Metzer Farms (link below), a family-owned hatchery that has the largest variety of duck breeds in the United States.
LEARN MORE ABOUT METZER FARMS:
www.metzerfarms.com
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#floret #flowerfarm #ducks #floretducks #erinbenzakein

[@tannenbaumgirl3100]

Prepare a large round containment system and fill it with driveway rock of choice, then put the swimming pool in the middle, with a wide board ducks can use to walk from the grass over the rock to the pool. The watery mess will drain into the rocks, eliminating the mess, and clean access is provided.

[@ginnytalbert3696]

Well, aren't baby ducks the cutest thing ever?? The slug patrol, huh? Sounds like a win to me :) This was a fun video, thanks.

[@meme5jack]

Your videos are so pleasant. It doesn't matter what they are about, they are always so inviting, and so delightful. Thanks!!!!

[@whitneyhoffman5749]

Ducks are seriously the best. They are so pleasant. No pecking order. Much happier birds than others. ❤

[@yomama3926]

There is a bullying issue with every living animal. My two small ducks were driven out of the flock because they were weaker than my 2 other male ducks.

[@johnfravel9772]

This was a such a timely post for us. We had a random flock of 5 ducks show up on our pond about a week ago. They have been so fun to watch. Never thought I would want livestock of any kind (happy with the dog, cats and flowers) and then they made an appearance. Starting to rethink my stand on this. Thanks for sharing.

[@milliproust9530]

This is wonderful!!! Hats off to the slug patrol!

[@vanlilly3873]

Ducks are wonderful birds and great for slug control. Guineas are wonderful for insect control as well, especially for tick control. Thank you for sharing 💕

[@marlenahirsch4338]

That photo of the poultry inside is what I would end up with. I know free ranging chickens would end up at our sliding glass door.

[@sprusslac]

I love how they all fall in line and stick together. They are so damn cute!

[@TheBschwald]

What a fun video to wake up to this morning!! I had a smile on my face the whole time. I only have a few backyard chickens that I’ve raised for the past 4-5 years. The ducks are SO CUTE and I would love to get some ducks and the turkeys seem very cool too. Not enough room here at the inn for more birds. I really appreciate your fun video!! Go Slug Patrol, Go!!!

[@aliciasorenson3807]

I'm a bird person, grew up with chickens, had them for a few years with our kids and had mama's hatching some too. Now we live in a place that doesn't allow chickens, and now we have 4 budgies(parakeets) in our house!😁 We love them, and they love flying around, and doing tricks for treats (fellow north western Washingtonian here)!

[@user-fy4yu6dd7n]

Erin, you live my fantasy life and the bird video this am cheers me up and prepares me for my on-call day in a big metropolitan hospital. I try to be grateful for my two poodle mixes who are the animal obscession in my life. Thank you for the cheer.

[@aimeesgardens]

Omg I never knew I needed ducks until now ❤️

[@hummingbirdforestgardens]

We have 7 ducks arriving in 2 weeks!! Can't wait!! Thanks for sharing yours!!

[@juliel.5731]

What a sweet way to start my day. Love the slug patrol all in a row! Thank you to all of you at Floret!

[@tdlashley]

This just made my day!!! Thank you for sharing your birds with us!!

[@Serendipity_Strawberry_Farm]

That is so cute! We have wild ducks here that came to our property after the bushfires and just blossomed. I had no idea that they would take care of slugs and snails. Our ISA Brown chickens just free range all day but are kept out of our strawberry and flower beds as they just want to dig everything up looking for bugs. I’d thought about buying a little posy of miniature chickens to allow free range of the flower field and the strawberry patches but haven’t taken the leap of faith yet that they wouldn’t completely destroy my growing areas. Love having the kangaroos here every afternoon as they just munch away at the grass in the paddocks.

[@TsunamiSmif]

LOVE this SO MUCH...❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️!! Also, Chris is the best.

[@GatheringExperiences]

Thank you!

[@jugnoothelight8662]

beautiful video thanks for sharing excellent , beautiful birds😱💐🙂👏👍👊

[@heidirogers2371]

I can so relate to this video, I have 16 adult hen chickens, two roosters, (They both are well behaved) 10 of which I added last fall. They arrived in the mail last September. I also added 6 ducklings to my flock of 4 ducks at the same time. Sure enough, I headed into the feed store last Friday to pick up feed,

[@LorettaLawrenceKeane]

Charming and funny--and that's the video! Love the birdies!!

[@ruthoie7626]

This is my favorite video ever, I could watch it again and again

[@donnaj1049]

Indian runners will win the slug patrol! Love Call ducks too! You must try some for entertainment! When we moved to far east Maine back in 2021, the hold up on closing on our home was allowing for chickens, as I love my chickens! Well, we don't have chickens, but we do have Canada geese that hang out next to our house and bring their goslings to us. They make our day. Gave up on the chicken idea as we have eagles in our yard too!

[@YourDreamLifeIsWaiting]

Okay.... I'm with you on bird love ❤️ and they are so cute for sure. I have always wanted to live in the country, grow and raise my food and flowers. And now.... ducks! 🤗🦋💕

[@elizabethhertz3185]

We had cayugas and I absolutely loved them! They did a great job on the slugs and would follow me into the tomatoes to get the tomato horn worms. Lots of personality, too.

[@theproperty541]

I have Indian runner ducklings! They are the sweetest.

[@amyturnbull8335]

Erin! I've been wanting ducks for a few years but needed my littles to get a bit bigger. We have our first ducklings coming in the mail too next week. I can't wait!

[@marymorris221]

I have ten Khaki Campbell's love them fun and good layers . . . getting ready to set the incubator up for some ducklings! I also raise Rhode Island Red chickens great tick control and good layers will be hatching more soon! Love all the activity and play times!

[@ColleenReagon]

seeing this brought so much joy! I want ducks!!!

[@jodyglud4265]

Loved this video!!! I love birds and wish I had the space. We have a store here in Oregon, The Grange and they have baby chicks and I always try to talk my brother into getting some because he has plenty of room. But he is afraid of predators getting them. I just love ducks and maybe someday, I can get some. They are the cutest, ever!

[@josephinehowe4063]

Love them. In another lifetime I had khaki campbells and Blue Cayuga from the Holderreid farm in Oregon. Just loved them. So nice to see all of yours.

[@Babushka_Kat]

Great job on this video Chris!!!

[@Fabdanc]

I raised ducks as a kid/young adult and loved it. I would urge people casually interested to source eggs or young birds as locally as possible and avoid, if practical, the big commercial hatcheries. Also... this should go without saying. Don't dump domestic ducks in parks, golf courses, or in public in general. They cannot fly, are slower, and not equipped to survive outdoors without human protection. About 6 weeks after Easter, I see large numbers of domestic ducks dumped at my local park. It is illegal and cruel to dump animals.

[@lorihry6236]

As a postie in Canada I saw someone come in to pick up their chicks, and I delivered eggs to someone.

[@jeaniechampagne8831]

Very entertaining. They're all beautiful. I'm curious how/when do they return to their home?

[@user-uy7wp8mf8n]

Such a stunning video. Loved it. Big kudos to Chris.

[@heidirogers2371]

Oops hit the comment button!! As I was saying I was at the feed store and strategically placed were the spring chicks. I came home with 4 Easter Eggers! It's totally an addiction!

[@blakehahn-atlantaga8510]

I love this! I want chickens and turkeys but must wait until I have more land! It’s in the 2 year plan!

[@nbfarmandpets]

You have an amazing farm..most farmers dream to have that too!!

[@jackiedurk8799]

Such a wonderful video, thank you so much for sharing this.😊

[@thewishingacrewithteresawo9380]

I totally get your obsession with birds, I have the same one. Every year I tell myself I don't need anymore and I end up with a few coming home with me. Some day I won't have the kids to blame it on though!!!🥰

[@tarotbysemaj2424]

I fully understand the addiction. They bring immense amounts of JOY and it's a brilliant value added benefit! Thanks for the fun video.

[@mdjohnston06]

This video made me so happy.

[@joannc147]

Yup…..I can’t explain what it is about having chickens….they simply made my life better! They are amusing ….all the time. I have free range hens and they follow me like puppies. Also, hens come when they’re called….my dog?….not so much. 🤣 Here in central NC, I had oodles of very tiny snails. All gone now! My hens will also eat frogs, small snakes and (whoo hoo) voles. Good girls! And ya get eggs too! 👍🏻 Very cute video, thanks for posting!

[@diandrahosey2771]

Awesome video.

[@pamfromwashington]

The best reason to visit Sedro Ace this time of year! Love!

[@Shebrontosaurus]

This is such a fun and calming video. Thank you!

[@gabrielaallendenaranjo8187]

Muy hermosos!! Saludos de Chihuahua Mex,

[@n.w.414]

Loved this. Tyvm ❤

[@LeslieLorber]

Great fun video. Thanks for sharing! Got our first chicks this past May and enjoy those fresh eggs every day.

[@user-qb6sq8cl9w]

Oh i love my ducks and chooks just like you ❤❤

[@ameliaterrell5974]

What a wonderful video! Love our duck, Karen, our lone duck (we lost a few last year to predation). We will have some new friends next week! They make the best Slug Patrol!❤🦆

[@SwatchQueen]

I love it!!! Thank you!

[@thewolfethatcould8878]

What a joy it is to see this! Thinking about seeing if you need any remote help. I would love to be a part of your flowers but I no longer live in WA (boy do I miss it). I am in the Midwest now.

[@Simplyfarmhouse7]

cute babies, I would love to own a couple of runners and your black ducks are beautiful!

[@lynnmallen9699]

So cute, and what a great place to live if your a duck❤

[@vynedvyne59]

Feathered friends of the foul sort ❤

[@wendymtzc]

We had ducks last year but we’re in the city and they were too messy for our small backyard, but they are so cute

[@debraflowers5905]

I am going to move for no other reason than to be able to have ducks and chickens and larger gardens! Where I live birds aren't allowed. Until the meantime I have 2 canaries.

[@thefabuloustravelingartstu5119]

Very addictive indeed. Thank you.

[@apriloestman8304]

So great! Thanks for making my day😂

[@delyndahendricks7510]

I ❤️ our 20 Kakhis!

[@clarisekylander]

This was so wholesome

[@allison2489]

Metzer Farm is literally trouble for me in the spring!!!

[@sydneysovern]

I was at tractor supply last year when they had babies and the ducks were so cute 🥹 I want to get a handful but I’m worried I will get too attached and wind up with ducks in the house 😂

[@dmt543nerd]

I miss our ducks! They are so stinking cute

[@beckyscheller9358]

Sooo cute🥰🪿🪿🪿🪿🪿

[@rattriffic]

Best video ever!!!❤

[@melodyt4165]

You could say it's a Quack addiction😂. Sorry, I've got ducks too, and the Quack jokes are endless.

[@michellejames5953]

Omg so cute!

[@hdavis587]

That is great! And they are soooo cute! What eats grasshoppers?

[@nostromo7928]

Chickens, if they can catch them. Its hilarious watching a chicken chase a grasshopper that takes off and lands and takes off again and the chicken is running and zig-zagging after it. Chickens are such fun!

[@robinzuppan]

I think it's Wonderful , That they Eat the Slugs and Earwigs! I really want Turkeys 🦃😊

[@brendabrenda413]

I love my chickens and ducks. I first got ducks 11 years ago and still have 5 from the original 20. Last year a Muscovy duck showed up at my house. I have no idea where she came from but she lives with my ducks and went broody twice last summer. My Khaki Campbells never went broody so I was thrilled when the Muscovy hatched out ducklings! I’m planning to slip chicken eggs under her this year to try and get more chickens. Because you can never have enough chickens, right?

[@aprilm9551]

Totally adorable. OK, what about fleas and ticks, since I live in the Midwest and this is a major problem here. Do chickens and ducks get these insects on them? Do they eat ticks? If the birds do get the insects on them, what to do about this?

[@msassi]

Duck eggs are amazing in baked goods!

[@jessiethomson2673]

Slugs are my nemesis... How mature are your rows before you allow the ducks to patrol them? Thinking about running them through after my rows have hortinova trellis up...

[@Anne-cq5qz]

I can absolutely relate. I have a cat and coturnix quails. Now I wonder, should I be glad that I don't have enough space for more birds? Because otherwise I would certainly get lots of different chicken breeds and probably ducks as well (I love duck eggs). Maybe goats, rabbits, donkeys....? Thanks god I don't have the space! But I can still dream of keeping many animals...

[@delphinefernandez-nurdin]

Super!!! 😃😃😃👌👍🏻

[@graffic13]

Call ducks! 😂😂😂they're the cutest! But it would be cool if you could raise wood ducks for release in your area!

[@JosephineFarm-ck1uz]

We have 32 chickens and it IS addiction! 🤣 I find them so charming and pretty low maintenance if you have a good secure set up. I have been curious about ducks and turkeys. Can anyone answer this- do the ducks fly away? I hate to clip wings…

[@bertalove7984]

❤❤❤

[@claydavis9157]

❤

[@bogdanmoldovan1177]

Cayugas are the dark ones? They are stunning!

[@mitzirothman6888]

🥰

[@gabthechef3790]

i would love to have a couple of chickens and ducks, but I’m afraid that they would be taken by racoons or eagles during the day. My neighbour has lost a couple of chickens to racoons, so they are now kept in their small runner all day.

[@stephanied9629]

I've wanted ducks for so many years but we have a serious hawk and vulture problem where we live :(

[@laragunther7423]

do you have to clip their wings

[@cherriethomas9538]

Duck eggs keep your body in the correct alkalinity as chicken eggs make your body higher in acid. so people who can't eat regular eggs can often eat duck eggs.

[@elarabeeeee]

Anyone know what breed of ducks these are?

[@SamYamn]

what breed? (the black ones)

[@clarychambers1056]

I want to be into ducks 😂

[@bellocornelius1273]

I was a bird person I mean I am still a bird person just that I moved to where I couldn’t really keep any I remembered then any time I go to market I am always coming back with 2-5 chicken 😂 and I grandma would always say you got a chicken didn’t she was blind and I would try to lie to her for couple of meaning then she would definitely find out lately and be like I said it and she is always like cornee are you cursed joking I miss her and I miss my life off of the big city

[@elainek6454]

Don’t they need a bigger home to sleep them all 🤪

[@Em_Chester_]

I’m just not sure on the ethics of posting ducks. They may survive but so young, so confusing and stressful for baby ducks. Great they end up in Duck dreamland in your flower farm with a slug buffet but maybe a nesting mum duck who nurtures them is better. I think the heat here in Australia would prevent posting them even as an option. Very interesting video.

[@Fabdanc]

The ethics side is less on the shipping side and more the production side. Straight runs are the cheapest because no sexing takes places, you just get what hatches... But some places sex chicks so that you have a higher chance of getting males or females. Most people want eggs, so male chicks are surplus -- especially amongst layer breeds. So... The males are usually eliminated shortly after hatching.

[@anakokoszko5597]

Pretty sure there would be outcry and legal implications if you did this in the UK!

[@NJGardengirl1961]

​@@anakokoszko5597here come the internet police. What's illegal about keeping poultry?

[@user-si2jl5mo3m]

Most of the chickens raised in Farms for eggs or meat get sent to the stables via Post because there is only a really small amount of hatcheries in Europe and the majority of Farms doesnt hatch their own chickens. Its an industry, not nature

[@TeresaMucha]

❤️