Call Ducks: The Tiny, Talkative Bantam Duck

What a Call duck is

The American Poultry Association classes the Call as a bantam duck, and the poultry extension service notes that its small size makes it especially well suited to exhibition. Call ducks are miniature, Mallard-derived ducks with compact, rounded bodies, short necks, large round heads and short, wide bills, which gives them their famously cute, babyish look. Adults typically weigh only one to two pounds.

The breed's name comes from its original job. Hunters once used the loud, carrying voices of these small ducks to call wild ducks within range, a practice that is now restricted in the US. Today Calls are kept as pets, show birds and garden ornaments. Common varieties include White, Gray (Mallard-colored), Snowy, Buff, Pastel and Blue Fawn. Planning their housing? Start with our duck houses and duck house buying guide.

Noise: the main thing to know

If you take away one fact about Call ducks, make it this one: they are loud. Hens in particular make a high-pitched, repeated quack that is far louder than their size suggests, and a pair will call back and forth for much of the day. Drakes, as in other Mallard-type breeds, have a quieter, raspy voice.

That makes Calls a poor fit for close neighbors, apartment balconies or homeowner associations with noise rules. Check local ordinances on keeping poultry before you buy. If you want quiet waterfowl, the Muscovy, which hisses rather than quacks, is a better choice.

Flying, predators and housing

Unlike heavy domestic breeds, Call ducks are light enough to fly well. Many keepers clip the flight feathers on one wing after each molt, or keep their Calls in a covered run. Their small size also makes them easy prey for hawks, owls, raccoons, foxes and even large cats, so a secure duck house with a solid floor or buried wire mesh is essential, and they should be shut in every night.

Give them at least 4 square feet of floor space each in the house, deep, dry bedding, and a run with shade. Ducks need water deep enough to dip their whole heads to clean their eyes and nostrils, and Calls love a small pond or a shallow tub to bathe in. Change water often, because ducks make it dirty fast, and place it where splashing will not soak the bedding.

Eggs and ducklings

Call ducks lay small eggs, typically seasonally in spring and summer, and far fewer than laying breeds such as Khaki Campbells or Runners. The extension service lists Runners, Campbells and hybrid layers as the top egg ducks, so keep Calls for their character rather than the egg basket. Some Call hens go broody and make devoted mothers.

Ducklings need a warm brooder at about 90°F to 95°F in the first week, lowered about 5°F each week, according to the extension service, plus non-medicated duck starter feed and fresh water deep enough to dip the bill but too shallow to drown in. Do not let ducklings swim unsupervised in their first few weeks, because they have no waterproofing until their adult feathers grow in.

Feeding and health

Feed adult Call ducks a complete waterfowl feed, or a non-medicated layer feed with grit and access to fresh greens, and offer oyster shell to laying hens. Ducks also forage happily for insects, slugs and weeds. Keep treats small; bread offers little nutrition and can cause problems if fed often.

Check feet for cuts and swelling, which can lead to bumblefoot, and watch for eyes that look crusty or closed, often a sign the duck lacks swimming water to clean them. Call a vet who treats poultry or waterfowl if a duck limps, stops eating, sits apart from the flock, has trouble breathing, or has a drooping wing or eye discharge.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace advice from a veterinarian who treats poultry.