.Buying Ducks, Ducklings, and Hatching Eggs... Whoops! Be careful! You're starting to slide into the duckpond!

My first runner ducklings came from Murray McMurray Hatchery...

Last year I phoned a request for a catalog to McM's number at 1-800-456-3280. The automated answering service had a catalog on the way, and later I would use the same service to place an order. The folks at McM are always courteous; service is excellent. The catalog has beautiful illustrations, and McM has a good variety of fowl for sale.

I ordered 15 runner ducks which arrived in good condition. Later I ordered books, incubator parts, and other items. The runners were good ducks, but not of show quality. You can't expect that from a commercial hatchery. Those runners are incredible egg-laying machines.

You can also order a catalog from McM's website.

Then I learned of Holderreads' Waterfowl Farm...

Dave and Millie Holderread operate Holderreads' Waterfowl Farm & Preservation Center in Corvallis, Oregon. I gave them a call at (541) 929-5338.

Their mailing address is P.O. Box 492, Corvallis OR 97339

I ordered 10 fawn and white, then later I ordered 10 white runners from them. They are superb runners, a delight to see, and several have good "show quality". I recommend their birds without reservation; moreover, they are delightful folks with whom to do business.

These are the white and the fawn&white runners that I got from the Holderreads' Waterfowl Farm. This photo is BTF...Before The Fox. I have 12 remaining of the 17 shown here.

Those of you who are skilled duck watchers will recognize the drake in the right foreground as the celebrated Sam Drake, P.I. He is traveling incognito in this flock, without his customary hat. He is doing plain-clothes work on another thrilling mystery.

I got a copy of Dave's book "Raising the Home Duck Flock", ISBN 0-88266-169-8. The book is well written and illustrated, filled with the information one needs to learn to care for ducks. It is a Garden Way Publishing Book. In 1998 the price for the book from the Holderreads is $12.95US, plus $2.25 postage and handling. It is an updated eighth printing edition...a bargain for the amount and quality of the information.

I know there are other hatcheries and quality fowl breeders...

I have only dealt with these two businesses. Poultry websites, magazines, and newspapers will enable you to contact others.

If you're within driving distance of Canton GA...

I expect to have some ducks, ducklings, and hatching eggs to sell over the months and years to come. Canton is about 40 miles N of Atlanta, so if you're in driving distance and would like ducks or ducklings, come over for a visit. I really don't care to get involved in shipping birds.

I would be glad to try to mail hatching eggs to you. I think I can package them so that they would arrive unbroken, but hatchability, of course, could not be guaranteed. Nevertheless, eggs are regularly shipped through the mail, and many do have successful hatches.

Drop me an email note if you wish, and we'll "talk" ducks.

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