A Quick Guide to Raising Ducks

Image Gallery Muscovy ducks aren't noisy, have a better flavor, are very hardy and are free from disease. This trio of drake and two ducks produced 18 young ducks on their first hatchings. These ducklings are about six weeks old. PHOTO: MOTHER EARTH NEWS STAFF

People are always giving us something. We got our trio of Muscovy ducks one day when a lady who lives near our Country Bookstore in Noroton, Conn., moved. They were breeders and she didn't want to have them killed. Knowing that we had a small farm, she thought we might like them.

There is a good deal to be said for making ducks your second poultry project, particularly if you have any kind of small stream or pond on your place, although neither is necessary. One of the unusual things about ducks is that they are well adapted to either a small place or to large-scale commercial production.

Don't start a duck project unless your family is fond of duck. If you're anywhere near as successful as we've been, you'll have a lot of duck. The trio that was given to us has produced over 25 ducklings in the first six months. Incidentally, Muscovy ducks are better eating, we think, than the ordinary Pekin variety that you get in the market.

Anyway, ducks do furnish delicious variety for the table. Many people like duck eggs, too, especially for cooking. Ducks require relatively little care and are practically free of disease problems. They are efficient and economical meat producers, gaining weight rapidly even when allowed to forage for much of their food.

You have three choices as to how to plan your duck raising program. You can keep a small flock of breeders the year around. You can buy day-old ducklings and brood them like baby chicks, but with less heat and care. Or you can buy duck eggs and hatch them out under hens.

Keeping A Small Flock Of Breeder Ducks

Reasons for owning ducks varies. Some just plain like ducks and like having them around and some would like having some duck eggs for eating or cooking in addition to having duck meat if you have some grass forage land. If you have a stream or pond, keep a small flock of breeders.

You don't have to qualify on all these points to keep a flock of breeders, but if you do, then your flock will practically keep themselves, providing you with plenty of tasty meals from spring until late fall.

If you don't have forage, ducks can be fenced in, but will require more feed. If you don't have the stream or pond, you can provide a sunken trough, half-barrel or pan. You can raise ducks successfully without any water, but they like water to wash themselves in and it is said to be best if the eggs are moistened regularly during the setting. This moistening occurs naturally whenever the ducks return to the nest with wet feathers from bathing.