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Duck Farming Guide For A Beginner
It’s estimated that United States raises over 19 million ducks in a single year and yield in eggs and meat is very high.
Ducklings require a lot of proteins to aid their growth maturity and it has been revealed that when they are about 3 weeks old, they should be fed starter which has content of 22% of proteins.
Ducks are soon occupying an important position next to chicken farming. People have since realized that breeding ducks can be profitable as they are easy to maintain.
4 out of 10 people in African countries have taken an interest in broadening their farming of animals because breeding chickens was the most practiced.
Research has shown that it easier to become a duck farmer for their eggs and meat produce and this is due to that duck meat and eggs are fast growing in demand.
Consumers have decided to consume duck meat because they have become accustomed to eating chicken and the taste is different, and their eggs as are larger than hen’s eggs and the nutritional content is almost the same.
One advantage of ducks is that they normally lay most of their eggs within three hours of sunrise (compared with five hours for chickens) and this makes it possible for ducks to range freely in the fields by day and be confined at night..
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Types Of Breeds For Meat And Eggs
There are quite a number of breeds to choose from and these are Rouen, The Mule, Muscovy, Pekin, Khaki Campbell, Runner, Silver Appleyard, Saxony, Crested, and many more. We look at the following breeds and their best produce;
- Rouen Duck
- It is a heavyweight breed of duck commonly bred for meat and eggs as they can lay eggs every other day during the breeding season. Be warned forthey are known to crush their eggs when allowed to set due to the massive frame.
- Rouen ducks are ideally roasted and they bring out their succulent flavor.
- Their production variety normally weighs 2.7 – 3.6 kg and for standard – bred duck weighs 4.1 – 5.4 kg.
- Muscovy / Barbary Duck
- These are a multipurpose breed with good flavor meat though a medium or poor egg producer due to that they lay about 20 or so eggs then they go broody or pause before producing again.
- They fly and perch on roosts and trees.
- They are ideal for backyard keeping and good grazersand the young are hardy and easy to rear.
- Pekin Duck
- They are ideal for commercial production due to good egg production capabilities and hatching.
- Adapt well to confinement as the egg production tends to be high and they maintain a low feed consumption.
- These ducks need water to keep their body temperature at the right level because they are originally from a colder climate and were kept near water.
- Khaki Campbell and Runner
- They are the best egg laying breed and the egg production of this breed it is estimated to be 300 eggs per duck per year throughout the twelve months.
- Runners cannot fly and waddle so they prefer running since they are lightweight.
- Ensure that you confine the runners overnight which make egg collection easier.
There is other cross breeds that have been identified for a better production in either meat or eggs though they have a slower growth rate and produce good quality;
• Cayuga, Aylesbury, Buff Orpington, Crested breed are good for meat production.
• Silver Appleyard and Saxony breed are good for both meat and egg production.
Breeding
Once you have obtained a number of ducks of the selected breed, you need to consider how you will maintain productive ducks over a longer period. Choose one of the following three options.
• Keep ducks purely to sell their eggs and you buy ducklings whenever you need them, you will only need female ducks.
• If you intend to breed your own ducks then you need drakes and ensure that you have some fertile eggs.
• If you are keeping ducks for meat you have to make sure that you keep enough adult ducks for laying eggs so that you have a supply of ducklings.
ADVANTAGES OF BREEDING DUCKS
• Ducks are tougher than chicken, requiring less attention than chickens and are less likely to be sick than chickens.
• Ducks are larger than chickens, so if they are reared for meat there will be more to sell. Duck eggs are also larger than chicken eggs.
• Ducks do not necessarily need supplementary grain and maize like chickens because they normally need supplementary high in quality feed.
• Ducks eat more vegetable material and insects than chickens, and they also eat snails.
Two Ways Of Breeding
• Free breeding – If you rear female ducks and drakes together then getting fertile eggs or ducklings won’t be a problem. Drakes are free to mate with any duck they want, however, in this way, you will have no idea of which drake has fertilised which ducks.
• Directed breeding – You can direct the process yourself and combine the ducks with the most desirable characteristics. In this way you keep ducks for duckling production and this process is known as breeding stock.
The extent to determine which drake has paired with which duck depends on how you keep your ducks. If you keep the ducks inside at night and allow them to roam freely at daytime in search of food then it will be difficult to know which duck has paired with which drake.
Breeding stock
Breeding stock are ducks with desirable characteristics which you like to see in the ducklings. Bear in mind that not all the characteristics are passed on from the parent duck to its offspring. So chances of breeding good ducklings are greater if good parents are used.
SHELTER
Housing for small-scale duck keeping should not require too much care and maintenance. A night shelter should be sufficient and does not require much space per duck: 1 m2 is enough for five to six ducks.
If the ducks are going to make use of the shelter during the day as well, then they need more space. In that case 0.5 m2 is needed per duck. It does not matter what kind of material you use to make the shelter.
Bamboo, wood or chicken wire is all fine as long as the holes are small, so the ducks cannot go through. The shelter must be well ventilated when the ducks are inside. How To Raise Ducks Fresh air is important to prevent the ducks developing respiratory problems.
Diseases which are spread through the air can be prevented by good ventilation. Air circulation in the shelter makes the temperature lower.
Nesting boxes may not be necessary, but if you provide them ducks will use them. An advantage of nesting boxes is that they are easy to clean. Eggs laid in nesting boxes will be cleaner, and eggs which look clean are easier to sell than dirty ones.
Separate laying area – Ducks prefer to lay their eggs in a dark, protected space. Nesting boxes offer ducks a sheltered place to lay their eggs and makes it to collect them.
Attach the laying area at the back wall of the night shelter. In this way the ducks can sit quietly, away from the rest of the flock when laying eggs.
Feed And Water
Allow the ducks to roam around the yard to get food for on their own as they can eat grass, insects, snails, earthworms, small fishes and other aquatic material.
Ducks may be grown on pellets though they are slightly costly and they have distinct advantages like in saving the amount of feed, minimum wastages, saving in labor, convenient and they improve sanitary conditions.
The feed is served as per the production type. Starters and Growers are ideal for both meat and egg duck producers, then Layers and Finishers are recommended for egg producing ducks.
Ducks feed on available resources and each feed must be accompanied by clean water. The water hydrates the ducks and helps prevent scaly and crusty eyes on ducks which can lead to blindness.
Always make sure that each feeding session has water as ducks are fed twice a day (morning and late afternoon).
Ducks consume an average of about 12.5grams of feed up to 20 weeks of age. Feed eaten such as quality of feed will depend upon factors such as quality of feed, strain of ducks and method of management.
Caring For Ducklings
Ducklings naturally hatched require protection and the duck will look after them until they are old enough to look after themselves, but the duck cannot deter all predators.
Sometimes duck and ducklings must be kept enclosed during the first weeks for protection against predators.
Day-old-ducklings purchased which were hatched in an incubator, need extra attention. You need to pay attention to warmth, water/feed and ventilation.
Newly hatched ducklings cannot maintain their own body temperature so you have to keep them warm and the heat source can be a stove with slow burning sawdust or an electrical lamp shining in a clay pot or an infra-red lamp.
The most favourable time for raising ducklings is during the rainy season. During the first 10 to 14 days ducklings are kept in several baskets with about 5 cm of rice husks or straw at the bottom of the basket.
Frequently change the husks or straw to keep the ducklings dry and comfortable. The basket is covered.
frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Duck Farming Guide for Beginners along with brief answers:
1. What are the best duck breeds for beginners?
- Answer: Popular beginner-friendly breeds include:
- Pekin (fast-growing, good for meat)
- Khaki Campbell (excellent egg layers)
- Indian Runner (active foragers, good egg production)
- Muscovy (hardy, good for meat, less noisy)
2. What do ducks eat, and how often should they be fed?
- Answer: Ducks eat:
- Commercial poultry feed (starter, grower, layer feeds)
- Greens, vegetables, and insects
- Grit (for digestion)
- Feed 2-3 times a day; ensure constant access to clean water.
3. Do ducks need a pond or large water source?
- Answer: While ducks love water, a small pond, kiddie pool, or deep water container is sufficient. They need water for drinking, cleaning their nostrils, and mating but can thrive without a large pond.
4. How much space do ducks need?
- Answer:
- Minimum 3-4 sq. ft per duck in a coop.
- 10-15 sq. ft per duck in an outdoor run.
- More space reduces disease risk and aggression.
5. How long do ducks take to mature?
- Answer:
- Meat ducks (Pekin): 7-8 weeks.
- Egg-laying ducks (Khaki Campbell): 5-6 months before laying eggs.
6. How many eggs do ducks lay per year?
- Answer:
- Khaki Campbell: 250-340 eggs/year.
- Indian Runner: 150-200 eggs/year.
- Muscovy: 60-120 eggs/year (not prolific layers).
7. What are common health issues in ducks, and how to prevent them?
- Answer: Common issues:
- Duck viral enteritis (Duck Plague) – vaccinate.
- Bumblefoot – keep area clean, avoid sharp objects.
- Respiratory infections – ensure dry, clean bedding.
- Prevention: Clean water, proper nutrition, biosecurity.
8. Do ducks need shelter or a coop?
- Answer: Yes! A secure, predator-proof coop with:
- Ventilation (but no drafts).
- Dry bedding (straw, wood shavings).
- Protection from foxes, raccoons, and dogs.
9. Can ducks be raised with chickens?
- Answer:Yes, but with precautions:
- Ducks need more water (messy).
- Chickens may bully ducks (or vice versa).
- Separate feeding (ducks need niacin; chicken feed lacks enough).
10. How do I start a small-scale duck farm?
- Answer: Follow these steps:
- Choose a suitable breed (meat/eggs/dual-purpose).
- Prepare housing (secure, ventilated, dry).
- Arrange feeding & water supply.
- Buy healthy ducklings from reputable suppliers.
- Vaccinate & monitor health.
- Market eggs/meat locally or online.