New to ducks question

[porkchop48]

Hopefully by the beginning of June we will be moving to our mini farm in Ohio.

There is a pond in the middle of the pasture. Spring fed with a large 3 sided shed next to it.

We eventually want to get a few ducks for meat and eggs.

Our questions are... Can we free range them around the pond? Will they stay or fly away? For nesting boxes of sort we had thought about building "mini sheds" for them... Good idea? Bad idea?

What are good multi purpose ducks?

 

[gryeyes]

Cayugas are considered meat ducks, and they're heavy enough they won't fly away. Mine range freely on an acre, pretty much keeping to the middle section near the house, not going all the way to the far boundaries. Some folks provide shelter for their ducks - I did, too, but mine decided they wanted to be Night Patrol Ninja Ducks and stay out all night. They find tall grasses in which to snuggle when they DO sleep, mostly during the day.

If you insist on putting them into their houses every night, eventually they will - probably - make that their routine.

 

[porkchop48]

Quote:
Thank you Linda - I will look into them.

Do they happen to be god egg layers as well?

The pond is surrounded by a lot of tall grass as well as some small bushes and trees, but I think we will be building them a few little houses/ shelters as well should they choose to use them.

 

[KansasBoy]

Meter Farms has a lot of info that would help you...

http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm
http://www.metzerfarms.com/MaximizingEggProduction.cfm
http://www.metzerfarms.com/CommercialMeatDucklings.cfm

I was sure they had a page on wing clipping too, but that's easy info... Clip the feathers on the back side of the inner wing (helps hide the clipping when wings are folded up) and only do one side (leaves the bird off balance when attempting to fly)!