Ducks are Easy to Raise

(Page 3 of 3)

March/April 1970
By the Mother Earth News editors 
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If your ducks have a stream, pond or fairly large, clean bathing trough, you don't need to provide other drinking facilities. If they don't, you should provide a reasonably deep (4 inches anyway and at least 12 to 15 inches across) supply of water. This is because of the peculiar nasal construction of ducks. They need to be able to get most of their bill in water when drinking.

RELATED CONTENT

Buying Day-Old Ducklings

You can get day-old ducklings through your feed dealer, from a neighbor who raises ducks, or by mail from people who advertise in farm journals. The season when they are easiest to get runs from April through July.

By starting a dozen ducklings two or three times during the season, the first batch early in April, you can have a steady supply of eating ducks coming along from mid-June until late fall. And again, of course, if you have a quick freezer, you can have roast duck any day of the year you choose.

You can brood your ducklings in the same way you brood chicks, except that they require artificial heat for only three weeks - a shorter time than chicks do.

Setting Duck Eggs Under A Broody Hen

There are points to watch carefully in this method. One is that you obtain the broody hen at just the right time. She should be in the first week of her broodiness because duck eggs take about 4 weeks (a week longer than chicken eggs) to hatch, and she may tire of the job unless you get her when she has just gone broody. (Muscovies take 5 weeks to hatch.)

You should also care for the hen faithfully during the period of incubation. Take hen off nest daily, feed and water her. Usually she will stay off only five minutes to eat and drink, then get back on eggs herself. If she doesn't put her back before eggs cool. Dust her well with insect powder at the beginning. You must also be sure the eggs are moistened (sprinkled with water) the last few days of the period.

A hen can usually hatch only seven to nine duck eggs, because they are so much bigger than chicken eggs. A rat-proof coop with wire run, as illustrated, is advisable for the hatching period of about 4 weeks and also for the brooding period of about 3 weeks.

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  • Linda Welch 12/16/2008 1:33:23 PM

    Not a comment but a question. I have 3 muscovy ducks (approx. 2 years old). Got them from a woman who had to move and couldn't take them with her. She said the 3 were all girls (sisters). Not raising them for food, just pets. They have been a source of entertainment since I aquired them; however, in the last week or so two of the ducks have been fighting (actually one is picking on the other). I'm now wondering if the dark teal colored duck is actually a male and the two white ones may be female??? One white duck is pecking at, jumping on, tormenting the other white duck. The dark colored duck is pretty much staying out of it. They are in a pen maybe 6'X12'; however, right after Christmas we are going to open a door in the pen and build a nice yard for them to have access to and use the pen as shelter. I feel bad for the poor duck that is being picked on. She hides in a corner all day. By the way, the 3 are also off their feed of mash and mid day meal of two hard boiled eggs, romaine lettuce and chopped tomato (which they love). They aren't eating much of that either. Never had them in the winter before (even though here in Mexico our winter is still warm). Any suggestions? Should I try to separate them? I'm close to doing that (dividing pen in half until we get the outdoor run finished for them). Thank you so much.

  • chicanolife25 4/4/2007 2:08:31 PM

    i like this information but i would like to know how to take a
    oekin duck a shower.

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