- Mar 20, 2008
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My 4-H club's members used to own 99% chickens, with 1% ducks. Well, a lot of our members are now becoming interested in ducks. So I mentioned the idea of starting a market duck project to my club leader. She said it was a great idea and, as the VP, she wants me to head it off. Wonderful. So I have two ideas in mind. I need a place to obtain project books, though. Does anyone know where I could get these? Also, what do you think of my ideas? I'll talk about the one I'm favoring less first.
Campbell Duck Egg Project.
The kids will raise Campbells to sexual maturity, so they're laying by the time of the fair. They will enter either one, a pair, or a trio, depending on a lot of factors (the number will be determined at the beginning of the project, though). The hens will be judged on their production qualities and, if it is decided that the kids will enter a pair or trio, they will be judged also on conformity of body and production qualities. Hopefully we will be able to sell the grand and reserve champion pens in the auction, but that is why I don't like this idea as much; either we won't be able to sell them in the auction at all, or we will, but no one will want to buy ducks for egg laying. (Chickens are really popular in our area; ducks, not so much.)
I do believe the kids will want to do this project more, though...
Muscovy Meat Duck Project.
Kids will raise scovies to market age and enter a determined number (probably only one or two) at the fair. All the birds entered will be either hens or drakes (meaning there will be only one sex entered, not hens and drakes). Judged on production alone if individual birds are entered, on production and conformity of production qualities if pairs are decided. I think it will be as difficult to get into the auction with this project, but much easier to actually sell the product.
What do you think? I really just need the project books at this point, because there's a great hatchery that sells Campbells and Scovies about fifteen minutes from my house, so I could pick up the ducklings and bring them to the date we distribute them.
Campbell Duck Egg Project.
The kids will raise Campbells to sexual maturity, so they're laying by the time of the fair. They will enter either one, a pair, or a trio, depending on a lot of factors (the number will be determined at the beginning of the project, though). The hens will be judged on their production qualities and, if it is decided that the kids will enter a pair or trio, they will be judged also on conformity of body and production qualities. Hopefully we will be able to sell the grand and reserve champion pens in the auction, but that is why I don't like this idea as much; either we won't be able to sell them in the auction at all, or we will, but no one will want to buy ducks for egg laying. (Chickens are really popular in our area; ducks, not so much.)
I do believe the kids will want to do this project more, though...
Muscovy Meat Duck Project.
Kids will raise scovies to market age and enter a determined number (probably only one or two) at the fair. All the birds entered will be either hens or drakes (meaning there will be only one sex entered, not hens and drakes). Judged on production alone if individual birds are entered, on production and conformity of production qualities if pairs are decided. I think it will be as difficult to get into the auction with this project, but much easier to actually sell the product.
What do you think? I really just need the project books at this point, because there's a great hatchery that sells Campbells and Scovies about fifteen minutes from my house, so I could pick up the ducklings and bring them to the date we distribute them.
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