Keeping Ducks

rubys_mummy

hi, i know there's a thread on keeping chickens, but i can't find one on keeping ducks!

i'm looking into getting 3 or 4 ducks, just for their eggs, and i wondered if anyone else has them, and can offer me any good advice/tips on keeping them?

ie what you feed them.....can i keep just all females as i dnt want lots of babies running about!....do yours sleep in a chicken-like coop?.....etc etc

any helpful advice would be great

thanks in advance x

katep23

Hi RM - we have ducks and they are lovely! We have a chicken-style coop, they don't nest like chickens so we take the struts out but apart from that no modifications needed.

Feed them layers pellets in the morning and mixed corn in the afternoon.

Re a pond, we rent so were not allowed to dig a pond but we went to the aquatics place and got a pre-formed pond liner which we put in a dip in the ground and propped the sides up with logs to support the weight of the water. This also means it is easier to empty and re-fill.

Eggs, we have a couple of varieties of ducks. Runner ducks have done well, we are getting 2/3 a day off our 3 ducks and they are in their 4th year. Khaki campbells have been dreadful layers but I understand they are supposed to be good so we probably have duffers. We also have 3 saxony crosses which we got last year and have had at least 1 egg a day over the winter and are getting 2/3 eggs a day now. Yesterday had 6 eggs off our 9 ladies, today only 4.

You don't need a drake, they are happy without.

They make a mess! We clean their house out weekly, scrape out all the bedding, hose it down with the pressure washer and then spray on jayes fluid to kill any nasties. They also churn up the ground so if you keep them in a pen, be prepared to move it around, particlarly if it has been wet!

Water, they like to clean themselves and dunk their heads to clear their nostrils so they need buckets and shallow trays. We have an old industrial roasting tin which they love and it is rather ironic to see them sat in it cleaning themselves!

A really good book to read is Katie Thear's getting started with ducks which you can get from Amazon very cheaply.

Finally I would say they are lovely, with loads of personality. Two of our neighbours who have chickens want to get ducks this year after seeing ours.

rubys_mummy

thank you so much kate for such a lovely reply....i want mine NOW lol!

what do you do with all the eggs? i thought 3 ducks would be plenty for just me and hubby, or do you sell them?

we rent as well, so i was looking to get an old plastic paddling pool for them

we move house in 2weeks, and as soon as we're settled in about a month, i want to start sorting a pen out in the garden for them

have looked at adverts to buy ducks, but can't seem to find any near me at the mo...will just have to keep looking!

katep23

This time of year you will likely get last year's birds; by about May / June you should be able to get this year's birds.

We eat most of our eggs as we have them for breakfast every day so get through 4/5 a day. They are lovely and rich and the yokes are really yellow. When OH was working in an office he had a waiting list of people who wanted to buy our excess eggs! We sold them for £1.50/half dozen.

Paddlin pools work well, the only thing to watch out for is ducks do have claws so they can puncture them. For a while we had separate flocks so needed two ponds. We just bought a £4.50 one from B&Q and it lasted a year.