Finding ALOT of conflicting advice on raising ducks! I'm SO confused!!

[NoseyChickens]

I am considering trying to hatch out some runner duck eggs soon. I have been researching various breeds and I am most interested in this breed. However I have read so many conflicting articles on humidity level during hatch. One said start at 60% raise to 80% Another said start at 80% raise to 90%(during hatch). Some say medicated chick feed is alright if only one kind of med is in it. The people at my local feed store carry duck food but not starter food and reccomend using game starter for just hatched ducklings. I even read today that ducks with the crested gene have a high mortality rate???? Is there a book or a site anyone would recommend with the best advice for raising ducks?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Best book is Storeys Guide to Raising Ducks
http://holderreadfarm.com/literature_page/literature.htm
Support the author and get a signed copy:

Holderread Waterfowl Farm

P.O. Box 492

Corvallis, OR 97339

 

[houndit]

That is a pretty good book. I have read it.

 

[1lpoock]

That book has all the answers....great resource!

 

[4-H chicken mom]

You are always going to get conflicting advice. That is only because everyone has their own way of doing things of what works for them. Hatching eggs is always trial and error. What worked one time may not work the next time. I just try to find a happy medium and what I think most closely resembles mother nature.

 

[DuckLady]

I think what you are seeing is not so much "conflicting advice", but "different experiences".

No one has the "only way" to do anything and ducks are no exception.

What you can do is take all that experience you read about and apply it to you and your own situation.

For instance, a duck house.
Some might tell you it needs to be so high and so big and needs nest boxes.
You might find that for you and your situation, it should be higher, bigger and you don't want to bother with nest boxes.

You can't ever go wrong by reading and learning as much as you can.

 

[newchickmom09]

The book listed is a great book.

You can use medicated chick starter feed if the medication in the feed is amprolium. It will say the ingredience and medication that is in the feed on a tag that is attached to the bottom of the feed bags. I fed my ducklings Nutrena NatureWise medicated chick starter feed and they are fine happy and healthy. You can feed them the gamebird starter feed also. I think the main thing you need to worry about is to make sure the feed is a starter and not a layer feed and if you use chick starter then make sure the medication is amprolium. Don't feed them layer until they are at least 20 weeks old or laying.

I think the thing with crested ducks is they have a hole in there skull were the crest forms. (don't quote me on that someone who knows more will chime in I am sure)

 

[NoseyChickens]

Thank you for all the imput! Looks like I will be heading to the book store soon.

And I will continue researching as much as I can.