What are the benefits of keeping ducks? What do you do with them?

[Chicken Fruit]

Ducks are fun. Theyre like feathery dogs, if you get them young enough they bond with you and will follow you and be excited to see and be with you.

They lay eggs, which are decent for eaty, but a little fishy flavored.

Ducks are messy, you have to keep them and their area clean, because they'll muck it right up.

Theyre good eat'n.

if you have chickens, try just one duck. see how you like it. They'll live with chickens.

 

[ChickenToes]

I keep ducks for the eggs. Right now all of my ducks (even the seasonal layers) are outlaying my chickens. I have 4 ducks and I have gotten an egg a day from each of them for 8 days straight.

The eggs are jumbo sized, and are wonderful for baking. They make everything a bit lighter and fluffier. Duck eggs are also great for eating, my husband likes them better than chicken eggs, the yolks have more flavor.

Ducks are much more tolerant of cold temperatures, so when my chickens almost stop laying altogether in the winter, my ducks keep right on laying. They are also more disease resistant.

They do eat a bit more than chickens, but they lay more eggs than chickens, and the eggs are larger. If you can range your ducks, then they don't eat as much feed.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

My have two Muscovy girls that I raised from a week old. They make my day. I've never eaten one of their eggs but we do sell them for 4.00 a dozen. They make good outdoor pets, too. Friendly, funny, precious animals. I love 'em.

'Scovies aren't too pretty however mine have very small knobs on their face and will be two years old in August. hey live with the chickens and fare just fine. They also don't need water to swim in, just to drink.

Lucy (black) and Ethal (brown).

 

[swampducks]

Quote:
Whereas I started with ducks and my husband turned out to be allergic to duck eggs so I got some chickens and he's find with those.

 

[Wifezilla]

The proteins in the eggs are a little different. I can get hives from too many chickens eggs. No problems with the duck eggs so far.

 

[basicliving]

OK, so you just house the ducks in the chicken coop? Do they go in at dusk with the chickens?

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
Muscovies are really the only breed that do totally well without a swimming water source and can live with chickens. Other breds CAN, however it isn't recommended because they need the water to wash themselves and keep healthy. The 'Scovies will do well with the chickens and go in at night, just like they do. They bond slightly with the chickens, just enough to look like part of the flock.

 

[columbiacritter]

Quote:
If you get a laying breed they are great layers. I have khaki campbells and they definitely out lay the chickens.

BUT!!! And this is a BIG BUT, the are soooooooooo, sooooooo
incredibly terribly horribly messy. One duck is at least three times 1 chickens amount of work to keep clean. They eat alot and poop ALOT, especially at night where they are sleeping. Bleck.

If you free range them they will eat bugs and weeds and marigolds and cosmos and lettuce and pea starts and and and. So be prepared to keep them out just like a chicken. Also out of any water feature you have, be it pond or small barrel on the deck. My husband had one of those ceramic water features that was water dribbling down the side of a big jar. It had to be moved from the patio of the second story deck to keep the ducks away from it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Funny you should mention the water features....

I built a pond BUT I built it for my ducks. I tried putting some planters around it with a few plants. Lana stuck her bill in the potting soil and proceeded to filter feed it all in to the pond

I am trying to incorporate pond plants to help keep the water clean. So far I haven't been successful finding ways to keep Lana from eating them before they can filter anything.

 

[jbowyer01]

This is wonderful. Thank you so much for asking this question, I have been contemplating getting ducks when we move to our property (9 acres with a pond). This has answered an huge amount of questions.