Raising Ducks for Your Homestead | Homesteading For Beginners

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Are you having a second thought about raising ducks? Read on and discover that raising ducks can benefit you a lot more than you might think.

Raising Ducks for Your Homestead | Homesteading For Beginners

If you like to garden and love eggs and surely hate bugs, then, ducks is a perfect addition to your homestead flock. It’s a sure thing that if you want to have a steady supply of homegrown eggs that are nutritious and tasty, you’ll need a flock of chickens, but not necessary since you can consider raising ducks and become successful from it. Continue reading and you will have a reason why you should continue raising duck for your homestead and tips for duck raising.

Reasons why to raise ducks for your homestead…

1. Ducks are Good For Your Garden

Chickens love to scratch in the dirt which can topple your garden soil, ducks, on the other hand, will not disturb garden plants. Except for lettuces and ripe strawberries, both of which are duck favorites. Ducks are steady hunters for pest, especially—slugs and snails, that are most likely can destroy tomato plants.

2. Ducks Are Low Maintenance

With ducks nothing goes to waste, they can definitely feast on your leftovers, plus they eat all kinds of pests such as snails, worms, cockroaches, fly larvae, mosquitos and a possible chance for wasps. Ducks can feed, walk and bathe themselves.

3. Ducks Produce Tastier and More Nutritious Eggs

Duck eggs are an alkaline-producing food that can help restore and maintain the body’s natural pH equilibrium. It contains six times the Vitamin D, two times the Vitamin A, and two times the cholesterol than chicken eggs. Read more about ducks vs chicken eggs.

Ready to get started? Here’s how to….

1. Choose A Breed

There are dozens of duck breeds to choose from. However, the best choices that top efficiency and year’ round egg production are Campbells, Welsh Harlequins, Indian Runners, Magpies, and Anconas.

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Campbells are hardy duck which is a prolific egg layer. It has been recorded that the best stains were nearly 340 eggs a year although it is more common to expect around 200 eggs per year. Read more about Campbell Duck here.

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Welsh Harlequins are docile and placid and doesn’t fly and is happy to stay in the orchard or garden where it hunts enthusiastically for insects. It can lay a respectable 100 to a superb 200 eggs a year and has a carcass that is big enough for a table. Read more about Welsh Harlequins Duck here.

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Indian Runners are considered as the most entertaining of all domestic ducks. They’re the closest thing you can get to a Penguin or a walking wine bottle. So aside from there laying prowess, they’re all sure to provide you long hours of entertainment by watching these slender creatures patter around your garden. Read more about Indian Runners duck here.

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Magpies are friendly and domesticated, they can make good family pets. They’re good layers at up to 200 mainly white but sometimes blue or green eggs per year. Read more about Magpies Duck here.

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Ancona is a hardy, adaptable, all-purpose duck. That typically lays 210-280 white, cream, or blue eggs yearly. It grows relatively quick and produces high-quality meat that is more flavorful and less fatty than that of most Pekin ducks. Read more about Ancona Duck here.

2. Plan A Pair

Remember ducks are highly sociable creatures, having only one will likely be very lonely unless you have all time you can spend with him. Plan of having two and see how it goes.

3. Feed

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Aside from eating insects and leftovers, it is best to know what is really best for you ducks so that they can have the nutrition they need to lay sustainable number eggs. To reduce waste and prevent ducks from choking, pellets are preferred and fine, powdery feeds should be avoided. Read more about What to Feed Ducks here.

4. Water

It’s important to understand that high-producing ducks need a constant supply of reasonably clean drinking water. Both the number and size of eggs will suffer if ducks are frequently allowed to go thirsty.

Ducks love water, you need to provide them a container of water where they can also clean their bills and eyes or allow them to dipped their head entirely. See video below for tips on How To Keep Ducks Water clean.

5. Housing or Duck Coop

A good housing or duck coop has the following characteristics.

• Protects the flock from predators.
• Keeps wind, rain and snow out.
• Has good ventilation but no drafts.
• Provides a good place to lay.
• Has a place for water and feed.
• Easy to clean
• Comfortable and healthful for ducks.

6. Proper Lighting

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Like chickens, ducks must be exposed to a minimum of 13 to 14 hours of light daily for consistent winter egg production. Read more about How to Use Lights to Increase Duck Egg Production here.

Want another inspiration for raising ducks? Let’s watch this video from Podchef.

Are you now ready to raise ducks for your homestead? Let us know in the comments below.

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