When I was a kid I was bought a duck for Easter once. He lived a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time before a fox got him. I cried when I found that out. And I was an adult. I am not ashamed. He was a nice duck.
Guess that wasn't an annoying post... more confession material.
How nice are they when you raise them? Like if you raised one baby duck alone. Do you need the pond?
A duck raised by itself with no other-duck contact will pretty much grow up thinking you're its mother. However, if you have a drake, he may get moody as his hormones surge. Then it's usually advised to get him a harem and let him live life as a duck, which is what happened with mine. You don't
need a pond, but ducks are much happier with water they can get into and dabble in. Even something simple like a collapsible pool. I had one of those pools, but eventually I gave Easter (my duck, such an original name
) to a friend of the family who promised she wouldn't eat him and he'd have a real pond to play in, and a whole bunch of female ducks. From what she told me, he lived a life of luxury and had many many many many children before he was killed by the fox. While protecting his harem and children, no less.
He was a Mallard/Pekin mix. Took after the Mallard in coloring. Pekin in size. Mallard on steroids, hehe.
Oh, and as far as how nice he was... well... he would sit next to me on the porch swing and I'd pet him and he'd make little quacks and softly nibble at my hair and clothes.