Be sure to check out those links
@Isaac 0 shared--some great stuff there!
As for us, we would answer your question with a resounding "yes!"
We keep silver Appleyards, which is a large breed duck. They are an endangered heritage breed, and that was a big part of our decision to keep them. We need more heritage breeds of everything from peppers to ducks.
We also wanted a duck that has a good disposition (generally friendly and gregarious--although that also has a lot to do with how you raise and treat them), produces eggs well and forages like a champ. Appleyards do all of this, and they are gorgeous too!
We always hear people talk about how messy ducks are, but that just hasn't been our experience. We use the deep litter method in their duckhouse and cleanout once or twice a year. Our predator-proof covered run is shavings and straw except for around their five-gallon bucket, which is cobbles. We put no food or water in the duckhouse ever, and the only water in the run is the five-gallon bucket (they need to be able to dunk their heads). They have 24/7 access to the run from the duckhouse unless it is a ferocious blizzard. We spot clean the run and duckhouse 2x/day, and it never really gets stinky, muddy or otherwise overly messy.
Our duckhouse is 4x8 for six ducks (about 5.3 sq feet per duck). This is more than enough room. We would not suggest less than 4 or 4.5 sq feet per duck. The attached run is 12x8, but the duckhouse is elevated, so it's really 16x8. We have the ability to separate the area under the duckhouse if we need to segment or separate a duck or ducks. We also have a small annex off one side of the run that provides additional space to separate a bird or birds from the flock. We have a Sweeter Heater in the duckhouse, which provides a mellow radiant heat that only warms the animals directly under it.
Our ducks free range (supervised) 2x/day for about an hour each time (morning and evening). They then spend most of their days in one of two fenced fields around their duckhouse. They get "soup for ducks" 2x/day, which is the way we get them to come back from free ranging. They come running!
We keep one drake and five hens presently. We like having a drake from a flock standpoint, but it's also helpful if you want ducklings. If you keep a drake, we suggest a ratio of no fewer than four girls per drake (some people say three). Regardless of your ratio, you will want a plan for being able to separate your drake from one or more girls during breeding season (~April to August for us). During breeding season, our drake spends his nights under the duckhouse (separated by chicken wire from the girls so they can all be together). Sometimes his favorite girl goes in with him and sometimes not. During the day, we mix them into two groups with different make-ups each day but always keeping the one or two girls he is picking on the most separate.
We have a small pond, which the ducks don't use....go figure. We have two additional drainages on the property that have pools in which the ducks like to play when they are out free ranging. We provide small tubs for them during the day in their fields, which, for us, is a WAY better solution than kiddie pools.
We feed Mazuri Waterfown Maintenance free choice and provide free choice oyster shells. We also feed all the eggshells back to them. As I mentioned, they get "soup for ducks" 2x/day, and that is peas and greens in water (warm in the winter) with a mealworm crumble. Mealworms are their favorite treat, and they get those when they go in at night.
That's all I can think of at the moment, but if you have additional questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Quack!
))
