Do the "need" water?

[Fireraven0613]

I am well aware that it's a silly question. We had a few runner ducks years ago that we kept in an old garden with a kiddie pool as their "pond".
Now I want to get a few ducks strickly to raise for food. I was going to keep them with my meat chickens but we don't have a pond or an area we can turn into a pond for them. So do they really need one? What breed is good for meat and how long till they can butchered?

 

[Kevin565]

I'm a vegetarian so I can't answer the meat questions. As for the water they don't need it but it does increase fertility as well as keep feathers in great condition.

 

[CorinneP]

Lot of people Love Peking .. I Keep a Kids plastic sled in my yard that I use as an extra Make shift watering trough for any one who wants by mid day My ducks usually jump in .. Now I have a Nice big Creek in my back yard .. And they do venture to it sometimes. but more than not they jump in that old sled ... I Knew a woman who Raised Pekings in town with nothing more than a kiddie pool.. they laid eggs like crazy and grew nice and big ..

 

[billw]

For purely meat ducks, I don't think I would bother with a pond. You can butcher at 8 weeks or butcher after 12 weeks (to accommodate the molt). It is most economical to butcher at 8 weeks. If you are going to butcher at 8 weeks, for 6 of those 8 weeks, you probably don't want them to have unsupervised access to water anyway. Ducks enjoy a pond, but they don't need it.

Pekins are pretty much the meat standard.

 

[Fireraven0613]

Thanks guys!

So I should look at pekings? They only need 8 weeks before butchering age?

 

[Kevin565]

Pekins are one of the most popular meat ducks down here.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

French White Muscovy

Silver Appleyards

Pekin

All meat ducks, all have their own qualities. Our Scovy and SA ducks are both very VERY large. The Scovy of course don't quack, the SA don't do much really but enjoy watching life around them. They get up and move "quickly" for food, and that is about it.