Hi!
Compost piles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You don't have to do much, especially if you have shavings and duck poop, because that's a good combination that will promote microbial growth (microbes do so much of the actual composting).
For optimum composting, you need the pile to be moist (you can squeeze a few drops of water out of it - of course, use gloves!), have a little air in it (you can toss and turn it, but with wood shavings those will probably let enough air in anyway), have a good mix of carbon (shavings, leaves, straw) and nitrogen (duck, rabbit, or other vegetarian animal waste), a good pH (anywhere from probably 5.5 to 7.5).
Now that you've read that, look back and see "optimum." If you set the used shavings out in the yard in a pile about 4' around and as tall as it will pile, you should do fine. If you're concerned about aroma, you may want to turn it twice a week. Just either slide it over shovelful by shovelfull, or rake it apart a little and pile it back up. Mine don't give me an aroma unless I add too much old feed. Then I just stir it up a bit.
If it's really dry weather, you can keep the composting going by adding some water. Don't totally soak the pile, but I find that when I empty the overnight water pot, it can go on the compost.
As I mentioned before, you can sheet compost with duck stuff. It hasn't burned my plants, and I place it around perennials.
Benefits: less material to the landfill, source of excellent garden soil amendment, promote healthy soils, reduce greenhouse gases, feeling of accomplishment
I'm sure I've missed something . . . . but others will chime in.
