Duck Farming For Beginners

Duck Farming For Beginners

Duck Farming For Beginners

How Do You Raise A Farm Duck?

During the initial weeks that ducklings come into the world, they look so cute and people can’t stand not to look at them. In the beginning, they don’t do much of anything except eat, sleep and poop, just like human infants do.

As they get older, their feathers start to appear and they don’t look too much like the adorable darlings that first came on the scene. They grow very quickly and within a matter of weeks, it’s time for them to have larger housing.

Since a duck is very delicate, they can are not to be tossed around like a toy. They cannot be pushed to the side just because you don’t feel like spending time with them. If that’s the case, then don’t get one.

They cannot be sent out in the wild where they can roam free. Domestic ducks are raised in captivity and have been for a long time. Therefore, they cannot fly because their legs are not strong enough.

They cannot fly to food elsewhere when food for the winter is not available. If they don’t have anyone to take care of them, they will not survive. Some people who don’t know what they’re doing, will feed them the wrong foods, such as nuts and chocolate. Doing this will help them to leave this earth quicker.

Also Read: Various Places For Buying Ducks 

If you have children, it can be a complicated situation to take care of ducks too. If you can, keep the children and ducks separate. On the other hand, both raising children and ducks are time consuming.

You may want to wait until the children can fend for themselves and you can devote more time to the animals. By that time, the children will be able to assist you in taking care of them.

If you have a dog or a cat, it might not be a good idea to have a duck. They both look at ducks as food to eat. They are not very happy about an innocent animal being in your home. They feel that the duck is a threat and trying to invade their space. So you will have to make a decision as to what you want to do.

Since ducks require attention, you should not try to raise one if you are not going to be able to devote the time and care that they need. It’s not like trying to find a baby sitter for your children, which can also be difficult. Having someone to sit for your duck is not something that many people would be willing to do.

Make sure that you will be able to afford paying vet expenses when you need your duck(s) need medical treatment.

Ducks are considered exotic, so you will have to take them to a special vet that specializes in exotic animals. Because of the specialty, it will cost you more for maintenance and medical treatment. If you can’t afford it, then don’t get a duck.

People have to remember that ducks are special pets and that they cannot be left anywhere. Many ducks are dumped every year because people find it difficult to take care of them. Yes, they are more difficult to take care of than dogs and cats.

There are so many things that you have to do in order to keep them healthy and thriving. The best thing to do is to read about the proper care of ducks before you decide to get one or more.

Choosing A Breed

For first time duck owners, it cannot be stressed enough to make sure that you are ready to raise and take care of a duck or a whole slew of them.

Choosing a breed will depend on the purpose that you want the duck for. If you want a pet, you must know that some breeds will not connect to humans. They would rather be with their own.

The best breed of duck that would interact with humans in the Pekin duck. They like people and they are outgoing. They also like to play and they are very friendly with others. This breed of duck would make one of the best kinds to raise.

Also Read: Domestic guinea fowl breeding behavior 

If you are looking for one to show off, there are some that have beautiful colors. The Khaki Campbell has a bronze hue. The Cayuga is lovely with its green color. Either of those breeds can make a house feel warm and decorative.

If you want eggs from the ducks, think about the runner duck breed. They can provide some of the best eggs among the domestic ducks. They are easy to locate and some of them are great as pets. If you are able to interact, spend time and properly take care of them, they can be a wonderful addition to your family.

Duck Breeds

When you are breeding and raising ducks, it’s important to know what kind of breed you are working with. Each breed is different and has their own personality. There are many breeds of ducks and some of them will be discussed here.

Call Duck Breed

– This breed is used for ornamental reasons. This duck is smaller than most of the other duck breeds.

Cayuga Duck Breed

– This duck is of a black color, but does have some green in it. It is an American duck breed and they are larger than the Call Ducks. The females weigh around seven pounds and the males weigh around eight.

Crested Duck Breed

– They come from a mixture of two other breeds of ducks, the Pekin and the Aylesbury duck breeds.

Like the call duck, the crested duck breed is used for ornamental purposes. On their heads, you will see feather tufts.

Khaki Campbell Duck Breed

– This is an English duck breed and they are one of the breeds that is good for raising ducks for eggs.

These ducks produce around 300 duck eggs every year. However, since they are lightweight, they are not recommended for meat. They are also ornamental in nature.

Muscovy Duck

– This duck breed is considered to be unattractive. It has feathers that are a mixture of grey and white, while their crest is pink and red.

You can also find this duck in other colors, such as blue and purple. The female ducks can weigh up to 10 pounds and the male ducks can weigh up to 15 pounds. This is a breed that is not known for swimming.

Buff Duck

– This is an English duck breed that is used for ornamental reasons. They can weigh up to around nine pounds whether they are a male or female.

Pekin Duck

– This breed is the most popular one in North America. These white ducks are prime property for making good meat. As far as laying eggs is concerned, they are not primed up for that. The female Pekin can weigh as much as eight pounds, while they male can weigh as much as nine pounds.

Pomeranian Duck

– This is not a very popular breed and it is rarely seen. You won’t find too many breeders for this one and may become extinct.

Rouen Duck

– This breed is similar to the Mallard duck and some people will get them confused with the former.

This is a very popular breed and for those who are into backyard poultry, they love the Rouen duck. They are good for the meat market. They are one of the more easier breeds to raise and are able to take care of themselves.

Runner Duck

– This breed is known for being good egg layers. However, this is one that the meat market would not want. They are popular and people do use them for laying eggs. Female and males can weigh up to four pounds.

Various Places For Buying Ducks

You may be wondering where you can buy a duck. There are various places where ducks are sold. Some people think that because a duck can be considered a pet, you can easily get them at pet stores.

You can do that, however, a pet store is not the best place to purchase one. Some stores do not get the sex of the duck correct or because the store has so many, some of them end up getting sick or contracting a disease. You can also get them from farms or online retailers.

Wherever you get them from, make sure that it is a reputable resource for selling ducks. You’ll want to check them out first. If they have a website, go and look to see what they have.

Also Read: Raising ducks for eggs in the backyard 

Read their policies and guarantees. Keep in mind that the more you purchase, the less the prices will be for each one. They usually post a bulk price to entice you to purchase more.

You want to go to a retailer that knows what they have and they should also have photos of the ducks on their site so you can at least see what they look like. It’s better to purchase from a site that knows what the sex of their ducks are.

You don’t want to purchase one that you may think is a male, but ends up being a female. If you decide to purchase online, you can get the animals delivered to your place of residence. You can also try eBay and other online retailers that have ducks for sale.

Duck Essentials

In order to properly take care of your ducks, you will need basic essentials. This will ensure that the ducks will be healthy.

In order to feed and water your ducks, you will need equipment specifically made for them. You can use chicken feeders and waters that are used for chickens. If you have a lot of ducks, these items will come in handy.

If you have baby ducks, keep the waterer on a special stand. Otherwise, the young ones may make of mess of the waterer, causing the litter to get wet and turn into mold.

Starting out, you can keep the baby ducks in a small kennel. If you have at least ten of the young ones, have an allowance of five square feet. You will have to add more space for them to be house as they continue to grow and get older.

Get something that is sturdy and will protect them from getting wet. For ducks that are older, they can be on the pasture.

When you have young ducks, make sure that they stay dry and comfortable with litter made from straw material. They need to stay dry so that they won’t have to deal with mold, which can harm them.

You’ll want to change their litter either every day or when it needs to be changed.

Ducks need to eat and drink just like humans. Provide them with a waterer so that they can place their head in the water. However, the water should only be enough for them to do only that. They can be fed chicken feed. Place the food in a hanging tube feeder. This can help them not to waste the food and have some for the next time.

If it is really cold, adult ducks will need heat. Baby ducks will need heat while they are still young. You can get a brooding lamp with a 250-watt bulb for the young ducks. As they grow and acquire more feathers, they won’t need that much heat.

Hatching And Nesting

If you decide to get your ducks from scratch (a mother duck), there are some things that you need to know about the hatching and nesting process.

Don’t get nervous when your duck is about to lay eggs or they are nesting. The mother duck will do the majority of the work. You just need to know what to expect with the process. Eventually, you will get the hang of everything that you need to do.

Also Read: What to feed guinea pigs when out of food 

If you don’t plan on keeping all of the ducklings that the mother duck has, they should not all be hatched. As the mother duck lays the eggs, you can remove them. However, if you do have room and the money to take care of them, then by all means you can do so.

The best place to do that is on a farm or somewhere where you have a lot of space. If you live amongst others, you’ll probably have to check with your local government to see if you can even take care of ducks.

As far as nesting is concerned, the mother duck should be housed in a safe area, away from other animals. A full nest is considered to be 12 eggs. She will probably want soft bedding, such as hay to rest on along with the eggs. Do not build a nest because she won’t use it. While she is nesting, everyone else should be kept away, especially young children.

The hatching process requires at least 30 days for all of the eggs to come out. When the process starts, the first ones hatch in 24 hours. If there are eggs that are forcefully pushed out of the nest, they are no longer alive. The mother is aware of this and pushes those eggs away from the other ones. If there are cracked or broken eggs, there may be an interference with the nest.

If the mother is nesting, she should be left alone. She doesn’t like people to bother her when she’s at that stage. She can get irritable and agitated. Also, she may show an aggressive side that you may regret later. Even though they know who you are by now, they still don’t want to be bothered. If they see anyone that they do not know, she may leave her nest.

If she is not close to water, provide a reservoir with water in it. She should also have food, but don’t leave it out for a long period of time. Definitely don’t leave it out overnight. There is a great danger of pests and other uninvited guests that can come by.

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