New to Ducks - Information Needed

[Mrrr]

Hey there..

So my boyfriend and I are looking to start breeding ducks for meat soon and as this is an entirely new venture for us (we currently have meat rabbits) I was hoping I could get some information from people as to where to start. Some specific questions..

What kind of a setup do they need?
What/how much do they eat?
How often can they breed and is it dependent on the time of year?
How many is a good number to start with? (Looking for enough to provide eggs and the occasional meal for a family, plus a meal for my dogs a few days each week)

Any insight into anything other than what I've asked is also appreciated!

Thank you

 

[Amiga]

@Mrrr

If you would be willing to invest in a book - or look for it in your library system - I recommend Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. I think all your questions - okay, most of them - will be answered there.

And

There is a Sticky on Raising Ducklings.

Storey's Guide has a chart showing you how much different size breeds need to eat based on their development level.

Breeding depends somewhat on the breed of duck - Mallards and Muscovies tend to be seasonal, most of the rest may be mating most any time of year, and whether a particular duck goes broody is, from what I can tell, entirely up to her.