Read on for more information on raising ducks; ducks might just be the addition you need on your little farm. Domesticated duck breeds grow fat fast, which is ideal if you are raising meat for your family or the market. Except for a few weeks of the year, drakes (male ducks) lay much more consistently than chickens. Ducks not only lay a higher number of huge eggs than chickens, but they also lay for years more.
Farms have ducks for food, pest control, and aesthetics. Ducks lay eggs that are a pleasant alternative to chicken eggs. The ducks themselves may also be eaten. Ducks are also better at performing pest control duties than chickens are because they eat bugs less selectively. They also happen to look nice.
Ducks lay eggs that are big, full of flavor, and great to fry because of their high fat and low water content. Duck eggs have higher moisture content than chicken eggs, and they have a higher yolk-to-white ratio. Their eggs are massive, the size of three chicken eggs, and just like their larger eggs, have higher nutritional value than chicken eggs, and produce a much fluffier mixture when baked. If you are thinking about eggs, the most obvious difference between a duck egg and a chicken egg is size.
Egg Production for Ducks
Egg-laying ducks lay between 200-300 eggs a year, resulting from selective breeding. For farmers who want to raise ducks for eggs (also a popular niche market), certain varieties of ducks reliably produce as many as 300 eggs a year, which is a level of production that is comparable to that of chicken-laying breeds.
The number of eggs produced by the breeder of the duck is a critical figure in this industry. We average 3-5 duck eggs per day (an impressive 75-100% ratio) out of our ducks all year, as opposed to just 8-10 chicken eggs out of 20 egg-laying hens in winter (a paltry 40%-50% ratio).
Our ducks are now each laying 1 egg a day, and keeping pace or beating our chickens. While we still have chickens, the ducks have become a valued part of the family farm. By moving our ducks all over the farm, we make sure that ducks are happy and fed with all kinds of bugs, larvae, and plants.
You can raise ducks on more than just big backyards and farms, but also smaller ones, or even backyards. Many of us keep backyard ducks as pets as well as to produce eggs.
Ducks Are an Alternative to Chickens
If you are not sold on being a fanatic about chickens, but you still want some farm-fresh eggs, I recommend giving yourself a chance to raise some ducks. If you want fresh farm eggs mostly year-round, ducks are going to be your best option. If you want a meat-and-egg raising bird that is not susceptible to attacks, a duck will fit your needs much better than keeping a chicken- or goose-rooster.
Whichever duck you decide on, you cannot go wrong with adding this versatile animal to your homestead. Whether feeding the insects or feeding the farm household, a duck will do the trick. Ducks can serve a variety of purposes on the farm, whether that is providing eggs or meat, or even helping out with pest management.
Ducks insatiable appetite for insects and grubs makes them an excellent organic option for keeping the garden free of pests. Ducks grow fast (even the double-purpose variety) and their meat is tasty as it is high in fat and protein. Ducks are low-maintenance meat birds, will feed on their own, and grow up to a large body size if you provide them with scraps.
They are tough, grow quickly, provide ready markets, and are far less susceptible to price-conscious shoppers than commodity meats such as chicken or beef. For a breed of meat, duck is bigger and heavier, fetching higher prices than chicken, and also makes an excellent wintertime roast. Ducks are far bigger than chickens, bringing higher prices to the market, but farmers can also expect to pay a premium for ducklings, as much as $10 per duckling, depending on the breed. Many varieties of ducks will provide an abundance of eggs, but their large bellies also provide tasty food later in life.
Ducks Require Their Feed
From a feeding standpoint, ducks will benefit from a duck starter during their first couple of weeks, but they should be able to eventually eat similar to chickens, with about 16-18 percent protein and 2 percent calcium feed (depending on if they are layers or meat birds).
A female duck will lay continuously through the winter months when chickens usually slow down their production and will average about 180 eggs per year. Ducks hens will not only average producing three or four eggs a week, but they also lay eggs between sunset and sunrise, rather than on the 26-hour laying cycle varying from that of chickens.
Exactly how many eggs and baby fish ducks consume each day will vary depending on the size of the flock swimming at the pond. Ducks kept on ponds can get some of their nutrition from plant and animal life in and around the pond, but the additional feed will likely be needed.
The number of ducks kept on ponds should be limited to prevent an oversupply of nutrients and plant overgrowth, which would deplete oxygen in the water and kill fish. Typically, both the ducks and fish are given additional food, which in commercial duck/fish farms is usually a nutritionally complete pelleted diet.
Because our birds have powerful flocking instincts, you must allow sufficient room in your feeders for ducks not only to eat all at once but also to contain enough food so they all eat their full complement within 15 minutes with no additional interference from you. Our ducks do not mind or dislike chickens, just tolerate the shared running space.
If you tried comparing chickens to ducks, to figure out which is a better breeder, you would realize it comes down to breeding. You need to thoroughly weigh the pros and cons of raising ducks before investing in a buy-and-care setup for these lovely meat-and-egg birds.
