Post by orly152 on Jun 3, 2012 14:37:00 GMT -7
Hi guys, just would like to say that I'm not a duck expert but wanted to share research I did on ducks for meat and eggs.
When I was 10 years old I started with a pair of ducks in my back yard and in no time we ended with about 40 ducks.
I remember the ducks laying a bunch of eggs each year and my mom taking the eggs for food.
Anyways, here is the info
Some duck breeds are better for those who want to raise ducks for eggs, while other duck breeds are better for those who are raising ducks for meat.
The Best Duck Breeds for Eggs
One of the main reasons that people choose to raise ducks in their backyards is for duck eggs. Certain duck breeds are better for laying eggs than other duck breeds. The important thing to remember is that ducks do not lay as many eggs as chicken layer hens.
The Khaki Cambell Duck Breed: The Khaki Campbell duck is originally from England. The Khaki duck was officially recognized as a standard duck breed approximately fifty years ago in the early 1940s. The Khaki duck is one of the only duck breeds that can match, or even exceed, the rate of lay of chickens. That's a lot of eggs, especially when you realize that ducks lay much larger eggs than chickens do!
The Runner Duck Breed: The Runner duck breed is extremely popular among hobbyists who are raising ducks in their backyard. Runner ducks are terrible dual-purpose ducks because their body frames are lean and tough, but Runner ducks make great layers and can provide you with many, many fresh duck eggs.
The Best Duck Breeds for Duck Meat
People who are raising ducks for meat require a different type of duck breed than those raising ducks for eggs. Meat duck breeds grow larger and lay much less, allowing more energy to be diverted toward building a larger body frame. Meat ducks can get quite large, but make terrible layers.
The Rouen Duck Breed: Rouen ducks look very similar to the ancestor of most modern duck breeds - the Mallard duck, replete with a green head and feathers! For this reason, Rouen ducks are popular for various ornamental reasons. The Rouen duck breed is also known to make a relatively good meat bird. Rouen ducks grow quickly and keep quite a bit of meat on their frame, making them suitable to raise for meat.
The Pekin Duck Breed: The Pekin duck breed is a beautiful, white duck breed. It is the main duck breed chosen by poultry farms who wish to raise ducks for slaughter, due to the fact that Pekin ducks grow quickly and attain quite a large body mass. The Pekin duck breed is probably the best duck breed for those trying to raise ducks for meat.
How long do duck eggs take to hatch?
For most ducks, your eggs will take 4 weeks to hatch. This is the time where ducks appreciate water where they can frolic in, as the moisture from their feathers seems to be important for egg setting. If you are keeping muscovies, muscovy ducks take 5 weeks to hatch.
What do baby ducks eat?
Ducklings, or baby ducks should be fed a commercial duck starter which should be pelleted rather than given as a mash. They can also be given fruit and vegetable scraps but these must be cut up really small for the ducklings. They also enjoy insects and worms. Do not feed them onions, rice, whole grain, dry bread or wild or caged bird seed.
You can start slaughtering your ducks after week 9 or 10. Usually but week 10 they are fat enough, but you will need to determine this by examining your ducks carefully. There is no point at slaughtering at this age if they don't have enough meat on the bones. However, something else to consider here is that at about this time your ducks will start to moult. No matter how much you feed them after this period, they won't put on much weight and whatever weight they do gain will be done very slowly.
RAISING DUCKS and Good Housing for your Ducks
Foxes are a duck's worst predator and your duck houses should be constructed in such a way that your ducks will be safe at night. This means that any fencing should be high enough to prevent a fox from jumping over or even climbing over - yes foxes can climb fences! And the fence should be buried at least 15-20 cm below the soil line to prevent him from digging his way into the duck pen.
The duck house should be sturdy, well-ventilated but not draughty. It should be water-tight and the opening should be facing away from the prevailing weather. Litter should be placed on the floor and removed once a month and included in your compost heap. Nesting boxes can be placed whereby they can be opened from the outside, which is very convenient for those collecting the eggs. Unlike chickens, your ducks do not need perches.
Care, Illnesses and Diseases
Occasionally when raising ducks they will fall ill, although they are quiet hardy, and illnesses are rather unusual. Most of the time problems arise when water has been allowed to go stagnant, when they have been fed rotten food scraps, haven't been fed the right diet, been wrongly dosed for worm medication or have been bitten by snakes, or stung by bees, wasps, spiders or ants.
To prevent your ducks from getting worms add a small amount Condy's crystals in the duck's drinking water once a week. The crystals line the gut of the duck preventing any parasites from sticking to it. Another excellent additive is a capful or two of cider vinegar. However, if you are adding cider vinegar to the water, make sure that the water is in a plastic container, and not a metal one, as the vinegar will cause the metal container to leach. A small amount of garlic given to your ducks from time to time is also a preventative against worms and parasites.
Your birds should be housed in sanitary conditions that are well-ventilated but not draughty. They must be released from their duck house every day. These should be cleaned weekly. Like all birds they can also be susceptible to mites and worms, and should be treated for these accordingly. Any serious illness should be attended to by your local vet.
Raising ducks is a rewarding experience, and if you are into permaculture, they are a vital player in your farm's ecology. They eat the snails, slugs and other nasty bugs in your veggie garden without destroying your greens. In addition, they provide great farmyard manure to enrich your soil. Depending on the breed, you will be provided with a clutch of duck eggs on a regular basis, and a bird or two will grace your dinner table from time to time.
I got all the listed information from the below links.
jayduve.hubpages.com/hub/Top-Raising-Duck-Breeds-Backyard
www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/raising-ducks.html
When I was 10 years old I started with a pair of ducks in my back yard and in no time we ended with about 40 ducks.
I remember the ducks laying a bunch of eggs each year and my mom taking the eggs for food.Anyways, here is the info
Some duck breeds are better for those who want to raise ducks for eggs, while other duck breeds are better for those who are raising ducks for meat.
The Best Duck Breeds for Eggs
One of the main reasons that people choose to raise ducks in their backyards is for duck eggs. Certain duck breeds are better for laying eggs than other duck breeds. The important thing to remember is that ducks do not lay as many eggs as chicken layer hens.
The Khaki Cambell Duck Breed: The Khaki Campbell duck is originally from England. The Khaki duck was officially recognized as a standard duck breed approximately fifty years ago in the early 1940s. The Khaki duck is one of the only duck breeds that can match, or even exceed, the rate of lay of chickens. That's a lot of eggs, especially when you realize that ducks lay much larger eggs than chickens do!
The Runner Duck Breed: The Runner duck breed is extremely popular among hobbyists who are raising ducks in their backyard. Runner ducks are terrible dual-purpose ducks because their body frames are lean and tough, but Runner ducks make great layers and can provide you with many, many fresh duck eggs.
The Best Duck Breeds for Duck Meat
People who are raising ducks for meat require a different type of duck breed than those raising ducks for eggs. Meat duck breeds grow larger and lay much less, allowing more energy to be diverted toward building a larger body frame. Meat ducks can get quite large, but make terrible layers.
The Rouen Duck Breed: Rouen ducks look very similar to the ancestor of most modern duck breeds - the Mallard duck, replete with a green head and feathers! For this reason, Rouen ducks are popular for various ornamental reasons. The Rouen duck breed is also known to make a relatively good meat bird. Rouen ducks grow quickly and keep quite a bit of meat on their frame, making them suitable to raise for meat.
The Pekin Duck Breed: The Pekin duck breed is a beautiful, white duck breed. It is the main duck breed chosen by poultry farms who wish to raise ducks for slaughter, due to the fact that Pekin ducks grow quickly and attain quite a large body mass. The Pekin duck breed is probably the best duck breed for those trying to raise ducks for meat.
How long do duck eggs take to hatch?
For most ducks, your eggs will take 4 weeks to hatch. This is the time where ducks appreciate water where they can frolic in, as the moisture from their feathers seems to be important for egg setting. If you are keeping muscovies, muscovy ducks take 5 weeks to hatch.
What do baby ducks eat?
Ducklings, or baby ducks should be fed a commercial duck starter which should be pelleted rather than given as a mash. They can also be given fruit and vegetable scraps but these must be cut up really small for the ducklings. They also enjoy insects and worms. Do not feed them onions, rice, whole grain, dry bread or wild or caged bird seed.
You can start slaughtering your ducks after week 9 or 10. Usually but week 10 they are fat enough, but you will need to determine this by examining your ducks carefully. There is no point at slaughtering at this age if they don't have enough meat on the bones. However, something else to consider here is that at about this time your ducks will start to moult. No matter how much you feed them after this period, they won't put on much weight and whatever weight they do gain will be done very slowly.
RAISING DUCKS and Good Housing for your Ducks
Foxes are a duck's worst predator and your duck houses should be constructed in such a way that your ducks will be safe at night. This means that any fencing should be high enough to prevent a fox from jumping over or even climbing over - yes foxes can climb fences! And the fence should be buried at least 15-20 cm below the soil line to prevent him from digging his way into the duck pen.
The duck house should be sturdy, well-ventilated but not draughty. It should be water-tight and the opening should be facing away from the prevailing weather. Litter should be placed on the floor and removed once a month and included in your compost heap. Nesting boxes can be placed whereby they can be opened from the outside, which is very convenient for those collecting the eggs. Unlike chickens, your ducks do not need perches.
Care, Illnesses and Diseases
Occasionally when raising ducks they will fall ill, although they are quiet hardy, and illnesses are rather unusual. Most of the time problems arise when water has been allowed to go stagnant, when they have been fed rotten food scraps, haven't been fed the right diet, been wrongly dosed for worm medication or have been bitten by snakes, or stung by bees, wasps, spiders or ants.
To prevent your ducks from getting worms add a small amount Condy's crystals in the duck's drinking water once a week. The crystals line the gut of the duck preventing any parasites from sticking to it. Another excellent additive is a capful or two of cider vinegar. However, if you are adding cider vinegar to the water, make sure that the water is in a plastic container, and not a metal one, as the vinegar will cause the metal container to leach. A small amount of garlic given to your ducks from time to time is also a preventative against worms and parasites.
Your birds should be housed in sanitary conditions that are well-ventilated but not draughty. They must be released from their duck house every day. These should be cleaned weekly. Like all birds they can also be susceptible to mites and worms, and should be treated for these accordingly. Any serious illness should be attended to by your local vet.
Raising ducks is a rewarding experience, and if you are into permaculture, they are a vital player in your farm's ecology. They eat the snails, slugs and other nasty bugs in your veggie garden without destroying your greens. In addition, they provide great farmyard manure to enrich your soil. Depending on the breed, you will be provided with a clutch of duck eggs on a regular basis, and a bird or two will grace your dinner table from time to time.
I got all the listed information from the below links.
jayduve.hubpages.com/hub/Top-Raising-Duck-Breeds-Backyard
www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/raising-ducks.html
