Planning on getting ducks this spring

[Silkie2]

Is the mucky duck water good for the garden? We have a giant vegetable garden that we're always looking for different natural fertilizers (I think duck poop is as natural as you can get

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What types of vegetables do you give your ducks? We usually give the chickens table scraps. What do you give your ducks in terms of table scraps and the must-have veggies?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Duck drink so much water that their poop wont burn plants. I use it on all my plants but the sweet potatoes seemed to love it the most. There was a thread about it a few days ago: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1155030/poopy-gold-anyone-use-duck-water-as-fertilizer .

I suspect ducks are pickier than chickens. They love some things and wont touch others. Mine get lots of lettuce/greens, peas, corn, and tomatoes. They will help themselves to dandelions, sweet potato leaves, herbs, some grass, clover, etc. They love to pick plants out of water (snacking while swimming). When they are little I float finely chopped plants in their water. They go absolutely crazy for dried mealworms, earthworms, snails, and slugs. I no longer have a slug problem in the garden thanks to them.

 

[Feder-Feet]

Well, I raise Swedish blue ducks. I got a dog kennel.. chain link pen type 10ft x 10ft. I built pretty much like a dog house with a sliding door. I close them in at night when it is below freezing. I have chicken wire over the kennel to keep predators out. I give them plenty of hay or straw to snuggle in... out in the kennel and in the house. Seems that the ducks only go into the house to lay an egg and prefers to sleep out in the kennel. I will say that ducks are beyond easy. I have a Rubbermaid feeder/waterer that they swim in when it it is not freezing. Yes they need water to eat and are messy eaters but if the food and water is outside on the ground it does not cause a problem. When it snows I makes sure there is plenty of straw on the ground in the kennel so they are not standing on Ice. My ducks are also free ranged and I have no issues with them wondering off or scratching the mulch out of my flower beds. They put them selves to bed at night. I have never lost one to being sick, or a predator. Good luck to you, they are a joy to have

 

[Silkie2]

Thank you for the replies, can't wait to get my KCs!