Breeding ducks

[Ryan Wiemken]

Is there any money in breeding ducks? What if you can't find a large local market? Is selling at shows a viable way of selling and still making a profit?

 

[Welshies]

There is a bit of money in breeding ducks, as well as selling fertile hatching eggs, eating eggs, and chicks. Check your local craigslist and kijiji for interest in birds.
Selling at shows won't make you much money though.
If you want to make money off of ducks, get some pure bred, quality ducks. Something that lays well but is big enough to be eaten, so you'll hace a wide margin of buyer interest.
When they begin laying collect their eggs. Make SURE you have a drake for every 5-8 hens.
Collect eggs, candle them, and store them at the right temperature by the dozen. Then sell them as "Fertile Hatching Eggs", at between $20-$50 per dozen.
If you want to sell babies, don't let your ducks hatch them. When ducks go broody, they stop laying, therefore inhibiting your profit. Collect eggs, candle them, and if you aren't selling them as fertile hatching eggs, pop em in the incubator for 20-30 days (is it 28 days?). Sell purebred ducklings for $10-$15 per duckling.
You can also sell eating eggs at about $4 per dozen.
If you want to sell fertile hatching eggs or ducklings and will use an incubator, I suggest the Welsh Harlequin, Khaki Campbell, Rouen, or Cayuga duck. Welsh Harlequins and Khaki Campbells lay about 300 eggs per year, so if you want to focus on a laying breed, that's the one.

 

[Welshies]

You can also ship out fertile hatching eggs or day-old ducklings.

 

[casportpony]

You can also ship out fertile hatching eggs or day-old ducklings.

But only if your are NPIP I think.

 

[Ryan Wiemken]

I have found a quality show bird hatchery. They have some Saxony, appleyard, Cayuga, Swedish, rouens, aleysbury, Buff, and runners. I might choose the buff, appleyard, rouen, or saxony. Or two of the breeds above. I'd keep my top quailty birds in a trio or 4:1 male ratio and the rest for just eating eggs or low quality pet ducklings.

 

[casportpony]

Is there any money in breeding ducks? What if you can't find a large local market? Is selling at shows a viable way of selling and still making a profit?

For me, no, lol. Other people to ask are @WVduckchick , @Pyxis , @Ravynscroft, they might have more info.

 

[casportpony]

I have found a quality show bird hatchery. They have some Saxony, appleyard, Cayuga, Swedish, rouens, aleysbury, Buff, and runners. I might choose the buff, appleyard, rouen, or saxony. Or two of the breeds above. I'd keep my top quailty birds in a trio or 4:1 male ratio and the rest for just eating eggs or low quality pet ducklings.

I lose money on all but day old ducklings, but I guess I lose on those too if you consider how much it costs to feed the parents for a year.

 

[Ryan Wiemken]

I lose money on all but day old ducklings, but I guess I lose on those too if you consider how much it costs to feed the parents for a year.

Do you have any problems selling day-olds? And much do you sell them for?

 

[casportpony]

Do you have any problems selling day-olds? And much do you sell them for?

It's hit and miss... Sometimes I can get $5 each, other times only $2 each.

 

[Welshies]

It's hit and miss... Sometimes I can get $5 each, other times only $2 each.

Wow, they get sold for $10 to $15 here... seen someone selling for $25 each