Raising Ducks: Choosing Breeds, Feed, Housing and More

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From teaching you how to preserve your garden harvests to how to reduce your energy consumption, “Natural Living” is a terrific resource for families and individuals looking to move toward a more gentle, green and self-sufficient way of life.
From teaching you how to preserve your garden harvests to how to reduce your energy consumption, “Natural Living” is a terrific resource for families and individuals looking to move toward a more gentle, green and self-sufficient way of life.
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Strong, well-ventilated duck housing should also have a large door, as ducks will all try to exit at once!
Strong, well-ventilated duck housing should also have a large door, as ducks will all try to exit at once!
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Muscovy ducks are good table birds, but unlike other heavy duck breeds, they are also good flyers.
Muscovy ducks are good table birds, but unlike other heavy duck breeds, they are also good flyers.

The following is an excerpt from Natural Living: The 21st-Century Guide to a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle by Liz Wright (GAIA/Octopus, 2010). Whether you want to begin your journey to a more self-reliant life in the garden, in the kitchen, in the chicken coop or even in the wild, Natural Living has advice and inspiration to help you get started successfully. This excerpt is from Chapter 4, “Raising Your Own.”

Domestic ducks not only produce a large number of good-sized, rich eggs, but they also make good table birds. They are increasingly popular with self-supporters, and they can also help you rid your land of slugs and snails as they forage.

Choosing a Breed

All domestic breeds (except the Muscovy) originate from the wild Mallard, but they have been developed for specific purposes. Most ducks still have a strong utility element — they provide meat and eggs — although there are exceptions. Like chickens, ducks are divided into bantam, heavy and light breeds, with the heavy breeds being better suited to the table and the light breeds providing the high egg layers.

Bantam Breeds

  • Published on Sep 27, 2010
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