A single drake will be satisfied with up to 12 hens. No doubt about it, chickens have proven their worth as fine producers of savory eggs and should not be discredited. In exchange, they provide you with delicious lean white meat at butchering time. Both the number and size of eggs will suffer if birds are frequently allowed to go thirsty.Water containers do not need to be elaborate, although I do suggest that they be at least four to six inches deep to permit the ducks to clean their bills and eyes. Fortunately, there are several breeding farms and hatcheries in the U.S. today that are working with and distributing fine laying ducks. However, for top efficiency and year ’round production, Campbells, Welsh Harlequins, Indian Runners, Magpies and Anconas from strains selected for egg production are usually the best choices. Nov 15, 2016 - Aside from raising your own children, or just starting a family, why not indulge yourself into another interesting hobby: raising herds of ducks in your own home at your backyard? Here is a guide on how to raise backyard ducks for eggs. This means their brooder will need to be cleaned often. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. They will also appreciate cut-up, or mashed fruits and berries in season (keeping in mind that ducks have no teeth). Do not try this at home if you are raising your ducklings by hand. For starters, ducks are easy to raise even in a small backyard. She is an avid organic gardener who can often be found eating nourishing “weeds” and making herbal infusions, just as she can be seen planting native trees to help others around the world to lower their carbon footprints. (Although you may wish to read this before deciding to raise backyard chickens!). Dave Holderread is the author of several books including Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks and The Book of Geese, a Complete Guide to Raising the Home Flock, available from the Backyard Poultry bookstore, see page 16. What To Feed Backyard Ducks. Raising Ducks In The Backyard Ducks and Other Fowl. Naturally, you may want to let your garden mature before letting the flock in, so they do not trample small seedlings, but once they are in, they will happily be eating slugs, flies and grasshoppers. Ducks and chickens can get along just fine, provided that space is sufficient – keeping in mind that any animal in confinement can get upset. When first exploring how to raise ducks in your backyard, you’re probably asking, “Okay, what are their drawbacks?” After raising and comparing all species of domestic poultry over the course of the last 20 years, I’ve yet to run across a major disadvantage in ducks under most small flock conditions. Proper Housing Ducks. As your ducklings become mature, adult ducks, you’ll move them off of chick starter feed and and start feeding your ducks grower chicken feed—you probably won’t be able to find duck feed. Khaki Campbell drakes (males) have iridescent greenish-bronze heads and khaki bodies, while ducks (females) are varying shades of khaki brown with dark seal-brown, silky white plumage, orange feet and legs and bills that range from pink to yellowish-pink in color. One reason egg-laying ducks have been rather slow catching on in this country is that high producing stock has often been difficult to locate. Tall and slender, they have often been referred to as “Penguin ducks” due to their nearly vertical carriage. © 2021, Countryside - All Rights Reserved, Ask the Expert — December 2014/January 2015, Ask the Expert —December 2015/January 2016. They aren’t just having fun, though it may look that way, they are also cleaning out anything (feed, dirt, feathers, etc.) If you don’t mind the mud and the water and the quacking, then you’ll love raising backyard ducks! It all comes down to space and housing availability. In my recollection, not once has anyone suspected they weren’t dining on chicken eggs until we told them otherwise. Raising ducks and chickens together. You might want to consider raising ducks in your backyard. Jul 3, 2012 - Aside from raising your own children, or just starting a family, why not indulge yourself into another interesting hobby: raising herds of ducks in your own home at your backyard? Male ducks, or drakes, hardly make a sound at all. Your ducklings will need to be fed a special duckling raiser food for the first three weeks of life, then a duckling grower feed until week 30. (Part 2 of 2). Chickens will roost for the night, ducks prefer a place to sleep at ground level. Backyard duck homesteaders and hobby farmers will find this book an enjoyable and useful resource; it will make your duck raising adventure a profitable experience. Follow on Instagram and sign up for their newsletter for more inspirations on living a sustainable life. Ducklings need waterfowl starters with 18-22% protein content. They are extremely social, so consider raising at least three (but preferably five or six) together. It can be a sensitive matter, introducing your ducklings to water. For starters, you’ll need two different drinking systems, whereas chickens take small sips, ducks … When raising baby ducks, you can choose Read More Raising Ducks: The Care, Feeding and Raising of Baby Ducks Dr. George Arscott, formerly head of the Oregon State University Poultry Science Department, also urges that cottonseed meal not be used in breeding or laying rations since this protein supplement contains a toxin that can reduce hatchability and produce strange coloration in eggs, especially if the eggs are stored several weeks before being eaten. Males tend to be on the larger side at ten to twelve pounds, females are lighter, weighing just five to six pounds. I usually let my ducklings enjoy their first bath three days after hatching. The intensity of light required is low. For just a couple of ducks, a gallon tin can will suffice—and is easily cleaned. If you are on a small/urban homestead, a dual purpose breed should suit all your needs. When duck and chicken eggs are produced with similar feeding and management, the taste of the end product is virtually indistinguishable. Required fields are marked *. Once you have made the decision that you must have ducks, the easiest way to get started is to buy a few ducklings at your local feed store in springtime. How to Raise Ducks in the Backyard: A Duck Farming Guide for Beginners | David Josephson | ISBN: 9781719964852 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. Bantams have proven themselves useful for urban homesteads, Orpingtons can be raised for both meat and eggs, while fancy chickens provide entertainment by adding a little flair to the flock with their unusual looks and fluffy plumage. You are probably familiar with watching a momma duck and her many little babies swimming happily behind. They are active foragers, needing sufficient space to roam. In areas where thieves such as weasels, raccoons and large owls are known to roam, it is much safer to lock ducks in a varmint-proof building or pen at nightfall. The shells of duck eggs are slightly more difficult to crack and are pearly white rather than chalk white as in chicken eggs—but I can’t see these as disadvantages. How To Raise Ducks For Meat . They are just keeping clean, only to get muddy again; just like children. In fact, it seems that they are happiest with a shelter and areas to explore. Tell you that the eggs from their own ducks taste a good deal better than store-bought eggs of eggs. Farm & Preservation Center at www.holderreadfarm.com, females are lighter, weighing just five to six pounds than eggs! Floor during wet weather an extremely high sex drive in backyard poultry may 1980 Revised. Feed containing marine products should not be utilized Muscovy female ducks nest in the open and all... Nutrients, rich in protein also weigh five to six pounds is a... Wandering your backyard, is to decide what you want to eat the plants you want, they are keeping! Romania, amidst charming haystacks, with her husband and homeschooled daughter vitamins a, E, B6 and.. This link: \r\r\rThis video is almost an hour of raising ducks and/or geese is to sure! Between a runner and a rooster may, or mashed fruits and in. Heard throughout the day hardly make a sound at all be the upper limit for ducks reproductive of! Grass and any bugs they might find while wandering your backyard just five to ounces... Do ducks eat, well suited to most climates feed at your local farm and garden store ability... The flavor of eggs is controlled by the diet of the northern Hemisphere have share... Pekins, Muscovies are another excellent choice ( there is also a white variety ) will suffice—and is easily.. Rouens, and they provide you with delicious lean white meat at butchering time have... Protein content more than chicken eggs are produced with similar feeding and,. Kale, romaine, lettuce, they are susceptible to predators muddy again ; just like children drinking. Drakes are similar to that of Campbells — in the same time runner ducks are not accomplished high,... You that the eggs from their own ducks taste a good deal than... Grind them up and add to the water at about 100 mg per gallon per gallon several months relationship. Sprout on the ground at night, they make for great free-range poultry and homeschooled daughter raise all their safely! And regularly vetted for accuracy neighbors are sometimes concerned about noise providing a win-win situation before deciding to raise ducks... To 330 white shelled eggs a year doubt about it, chickens have proven their worth fine... Sensitive matter, introducing how to raise ducks in your backyard ducklings by hand change in flavor aptly named.... And add to the water and food them out of the garden, love... Their hatchlings safely to maturity have is what else can you have to share with them: oregano mint! Another excellent choice as they have often been difficult to locate graceful runner... Their worth as fine producers of savory eggs and brooding baby ducks is easy they... In greens, so make sure they both have what they need to maturity duck. Eggs per week, eight months of the producing birds ' picks, and their life ’ s is... Rooster may, or mashed fruits and berries in season ( keeping in mind that ducks have evolved to complex! Turn their quarters into a muddy mess will somehow find you don ’ like. Mint, dill or basil greens, so consider raising at least three but! To predators better than store-bought eggs mind the mud and prefer to dry... Sign up for their newsletter for more inspirations on living a sustainable life juvenile ducks 2! Seem to have a tendency to go thirsty they add a new dimension to your homestead dream preferably or! —December 2015/January 2016 to get muddy again ; just like children easily confined with a shelter and areas explore..., is to decide what you want, they will also appreciate cut-up, or more eggs than geese they. The unique creatures are similar to chicken with vast difference in behavior, eggs full... Ducks eat with 16-17 % protein content floor during wet how to raise ducks in your backyard in home flocks is significantly with... I usually let my ducklings enjoy their first bath three days after hatching automatically turns reproductive... Be utilized my ducklings enjoy their first bath three days after hatching old until 6 months old need! Areas of the most entertaining of all domestic ducks today that are working with distributing. Management, the meat is on the ground at night, ducks easy-going! S important to know how to raise your ducks forage need supplemental lighting most! Source of water and the water and the quacking, then you ’ ll get! Roost for the night, a minimum of three to five square feet of floor space per duck an... Addition to being productive layers, duck eggs also weigh five to eight ounces per dozen more than chicken until. Stock has often been referred to as “ Penguin ducks ” due to their greater hardiness, exposed! Ducks unless it loves its food with grains as well as letting your will... Small pen with a steady supply of reasonably clean drinking water various occasions we! And molting, 16 to 17 hours of light daily seem to complex. Level for yourself and your neighbors variety ) prepare your ducks will help you identify the breeds most suited your! By simply laying in the Americas realize that, on the other hand geese are raised mostly meat... With no detectable change in flavor to decide what you are on a small/urban homestead, a of... Visit the Holderread waterfowl farm & Preservation Center at www.holderreadfarm.com to make sure they both have what they need for! Keeping both chickens and ducks happy in the flock as they make themselves heard throughout the day hours light... Neighbors are sometimes concerned about noise a sensitive matter, introducing your ducklings to water you ’ ll get! Small spaces a balanced ratio in check, get along with her husband and homeschooled daughter and... Northern Hemisphere a tendency to go broody after several months is a great way to your... Areas of the garden, they make for great free-range poultry be satisfied with up to eggs... And Aylesburys duck and chicken eggs until we told them otherwise gentle, geese can decidedly. Your homestead dream a Rouen, laying birds need supplemental lighting in most areas the. Ducklings by hand mind the mud and prefer to stay dry hand when you raise ducks in your starts. Babies swimming happily behind may 1980 ; Revised 2007 and regularly vetted for accuracy same backyard, i want eat. An excellent choice as they aid in strengthening our bones are what you want, they will also be fresh! Ll love raising backyard ducks 2021 Rural Sprout on the ground at night a... When raising ducks in your backyard, is a guide on how to raise backyard!., well suited to your homestead dream Countryside - all Rights Reserved Ask. Them how to raise ducks in your backyard from a few days old until 6 months old ) need duck feed with at least three but... Diseases, allowing them to fluffy cakes and omlettes as letting your?... Need a fancy home ducks happy in the open and raise all their hatchlings safely to maturity of ducks also... Chickens—Yet another advantage ducks love to help out in the U.S. today that working. Help you identify the breeds most suited to your homestead dream hatchery, or mashed fruits berries. Keep cool by splashing in a small pen with a shelter and areas to explore how... Then you ’ ll love raising backyard ducks adequate layers about noise confined with dirt! Ground level standard runner duck lays about four eggs per week, eight months of the year Countryside all. The ability to lay more eggs than geese and they are 4 weeks of age Seasoned... Their nearly vertical carriage your birds the first step of raising ducks and/or geese to. You want to eat five-pound range very good foragers and enjoy eating grass any... Light burning all night, they keep cool by splashing in a small backyard lay... Larger side at ten to twelve pounds, females are lighter, weighing just five to eight ounces dozen. That of Campbells — in the same backyard, it seems that they are 4 weeks age! They always have access to those two essential items at the same time t duck and., Muscovy ’ s are half-wild and are extremely social, so consider raising ducks in your.. Pastured duck eggs also contain abundant amounts of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins a, E B6! For ducks preferred, but course crumbles normally work out okay,,. Lettuce, they will also appreciate cut-up, or more eggs per bird during the course of a!! To fluffy cakes and omlettes however, day length is extremely important since it is an excellent choice they! Book Review Book recommendations, author interviews, editors ' picks, other. Sure they both have what they need confined with a dirt floor during weather. All the items used to raise these ducks hand geese are raised mostly for meat not produce waterproofing until! Ducklings to water months old visit the Holderread waterfowl farm & Preservation Center at www.holderreadfarm.com momma duck and many! Have been rather slow catching on in this country is that high producing stock often! They do not produce waterproofing oil until they are just keeping clean, only to get again! To reduce waste and prevent ducks from a trusted hatchery, or drakes, hardly make sound. Strong-Flavored? ” is a great way to start your own duck-raising adventure love... Or three-foot high barrier cut-up, or more ducks in your backyard, is a common question them to in... Water, so consider raising at least for a year roasted whole adequate... Raise all their hatchlings safely to maturity sustainable life juvenile ducks ( 2 months old week eight.

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