Ducks eggs are the richest, creamiest, smoothest eggs going. In the US, however, lots of people raise ducks only for their incredibly rich, high mineral content eggs. Plus, I just *might love duckling more than chicks in the extended fluffiness and sweetest, itty bitty, webbed feet! I’ve been told not to get ducks because they will eat all the small fish from your pond. I plan on using cedar logs for the raft and put the house on it with enough room for a duck deck for sunning themselves and a floating ramp as they can not jump. Duck eggs also stay fresh longer than chicken eggs, due to their thicker shell. Duck eggs are generally larger than chicken eggs and they provide more protein. So much has changed since those days of yesteryear. )… You can watch the video below on Free Range Duck Mating & Serious Duck Egg Production #121… You can watch the video below on Raising Ducks for Eggs…----- Advertisement -----You May Also Like. We have also put a lot of duck eggs in our incubator with pretty good results. Do you want to try raising ducks of your own? I couldn’t do that with the Cornish Cross, and they aren’t good foragers so it probably wouldn’t have helped much anyway. They’re also great for making egg noodles and baked goods. However, ducks are equally good layers and, in some cases, even better. Duck housing is… Ours get maybe a cup or two a day of commercial feed between the 6 adults that we have roaming around. Some ideal for egg, meat production. Take this into consideration when you determine placement of your ducks. We raise Pekins for meat, Khaki Campbells are great for eggs, we have Indian Runners too but they’re just for fun. Do you know of anyone trying this and what were their experiences? We let them free-range as soon as they’re big enough to “hold their own”. We have put our ducklings outside as early as 2 weeks, if the weather is nice enough. Some modifications need to be addressed when raising ducks… Oh you should! Keeping ducks is brand new to us and their independence is greatly appreciated with everything else happening around here! When we had no chicken eggs, we still had plenty of duck eggs! Raising ducks for meat is an easy, efficient way to raise your own meat. They require no extra light to continue laying. Reasons to Keep Ducks for Eggs. Many breeds of ducks are also very unlikely to go broody (broodies don’t lay eggs, so they are detrimental to your egg production). However, as wonderful as the Muscovy duck is, this isn’t the breed to get if you are after an egg-laying machine. We often put their pool under a trellised squash bed, with the plants hanging down for shade. I have raised Cornish Cross meat chickens, and I have raised Pekin ducks for meat. We have 3 ducks, but wasn’t sure about the eggs. Raising Ducks in the Garden for Eggs. If it’s not answered here, contact us. Thanks. I did end up roasting it and it did come out good. Could poor water quality hurt ducks? This is non-negotiable! Duck eggs typically have higher nutrition values than chicken eggs. Supply a pond or a small plastic kiddie pool. Our ducks live with the chickens in the same barn and run. One of them hatched out 8 babies, all on her own! But yes, it is good for pretty much any animal to sit in the fridge for a couple of days. Ready to add some ducks (or ducklings) to your little homestead? They find ducks better than chickens for a lot of reasons. How to Start a Business Duck Farming and Raising Ducks for Eggs. They typically like to breed in the water. As long as they have water that isn’t frozen, duck eggs continue to come consistently throughout the winter without an increase of feed. Duck eggs have larger yolks, firmer whites, and are wonderful for breakfast dishes or for baking. (Note from Kris: I use an all-purpose, molasses coated mix for my drakes. We just feed ours chicken layer feed. Getting started with ducks on the homestead is easy, really. They are very efficient! Campbell PETER M/Flickr. I’m not sure what you mean by “poor quality.” My ducks love dirty puddles. A re you thinking about adding ducks to your existing chicken flock? The ducks get shade during the day, and the plants get fertilized well in the evening. Ducks need water. As a bonus, many people who can’t eat chicken eggs due to an allergy are able to consume duck eggs with no problem. Ducks have been such an easy addition to our little farm. The feed costs are cut drastically by letting them free-range. Here are five great reasons to consider them. Since they are better at foraging, raising ducks actually requires less feed than raising chickens. Reading Time: 6 minutes I’ve been raising various types of ducks alongside our chickens for years and have had ample opportunity to observe not only the interaction between the chickens and ducks, but also the differences between the different breeds of chickens and ducks. If you would like to learn more about hatching duck eggs, please visit this link: Hatching Duck Eggs. Please make a post/video of butchering and cleaning it! In this scheme, ducks are provided with a balanced diet that includes formulated feeds and clean drinking water, proper floor space, feeding spaces, and other requirements needed for maintenance, growth, and development, and for egg production. (saw your site on pinterest) We are going to be moving soon to a place with a few acres so I can get some animals. Besides the fact that they are generally 1½-2 times the size of a chicken egg, most chefs will tell you that duck eggs are better for baking. Do you have a pond stocked with fish? Sturdy perennials for duck runs. They have more Omega-3’s than chicken eggs, more iron and vitamins such as folate and B12, and they have more protein and good fats. I’m glad that it turned out okay! Should you delve into raising ducks for eggs? Duck eggs also have more fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. The increased fat content is what makes duck eggs popular with bakers. I’ll definitely do a post and a video of butchering and cleaning, as soon as my daughter lets me butcher one of “her” ducks! Great info, Shawna! how frequent do ducks lay their eggs, is it the same as chickens? (In other words, save yourself some time — they’ll figure out where to nest, and you’ll have an egg hunt!). For this article, I used the duck comparison chart data from Metzer Farms, my personal experience raising ducks, and research data. There are several ways to begin with ducks: buy day-old ducklings or hatch duck eggs! You can either buy ducklings at your local farm store, mail order from a supply company, or hatch out some fertilized eggs. Ducks really only need a pretty constant supply of water, and some supplemental feed. The stress of being raised along will significantly and negatively impact egg production. Raising ducks for eggs has many benefits. We want to get ducks for the eggs, the garden, and mostly for our son. Runner ducks are non-flying ducks, who act as their name suggests: they choose to run, rather than waddle. Another thing to keep in mind is that while backyard ducks eat more than other birds such as chickens, their eggs can be sold for more, which can offset the cost of extra feed. I have attempted to put them in a coop or something similar, but they just won’t do it like chickens do. We feed our ducklings the same food as our chicks, since they often brood together. Some ducks start laying eggs earlier in their lives than chickens. 6 Duck Breeds To Raise For Eggs. Our ducks have never needed that extra care. Reply. What breeds do you recommend? [Here’s how duck eggs compare to chicken eggs.]. Yes, ducks are very tasty, one of my family’s favorites. Related: 3 Good Duck Breeds for Beginners 2. Raising Extra Drakes for Meat. The legs were tough. Lots and lots of water. I have an estimate of the cost of the ducks we raised for butcher, in contrast with the Cornish Cross chickens we raised. Thanks for sharing on Farm Fresh Tuesdays! Many times the questions involve raising ducks. Ducks are very appreciative of a little pool or pond of some sort, but don’t think that you have to have a huge lake for them. In the wild, the mother duck will add an oil to her ducklings to keep them afloat in the water. Raising Ducks For Beginners Plenty of people raise ducks for profit. I am from Nairobi & I am planning to raise ducks for egg production. It’s high enough that the ducks don’t get in it, though. Which is nice, because ducks make a horrible mess of the brooders! While not nearly as popular as chickens, domestic ducks offer the same benefits, as far as their skills in providing eggs and/or meat, as well as insect control for their owners. Some people dream of owning fancy cars or taking exotic vacations. My book Duck Eggs Daily is a great place to start if you're thinking about raising ducks. As I write this article on raising Pekin ducks, there are twelve eggs inside: the same amount that our neighbor’s duck had when hers were eaten so many years ago. Your email address will not be published. Glad I was able to share! The information highway now helps us understand the benefits ducks bring to the garden and I no longer believe my backyard ducks love me quite like I did when I was young. They don’t make nests, so collecting eggs can become an egg hunt: … Since catfish is going to be a major protein source on our homestead, this would be a problem. Duck eggs have higher Omega-3 fatty acids than chicken eggs. When you purchase them at the store, they do not have that protection and can actually drown if they get water logged. The information highway now helps us understand the benefits ducks bring to the garden and I no longer believe my backyard ducks love me quite like I did when I was young. We let our ducks loose in the garden to eat slugs and rarely see damage to the plants or beds. Duck eggs have a higher content of the much-needed Omega-3 fatty acid compound. A re you thinking about adding ducks to your existing chicken flock? If you have wild predators or roaming dogs, yes. We answer why we have ducks. Ducks are great conversation starter! Aim for larger pellets if you can, as ducks tend to waste a lot of crumble style feed. A very small one. Raising ducks for eggs. They do benefit from higher protein, so when they are little, we feed them higher protein chick starter. Living in England we have unreliable weather ☔️☔️ But our gorgeous ducks have no problem with it. They get along with our dogs, and eat all the snails and earwigs. Better safe than sorry! Reply. Raising ducks can be so simple and rewarding. Want to learn more about raising ducks for eggs? If you happen to come across a surprise clutch of eggs, simply float the eggs in cold water. Add to that the yummy richness of duck eggs, and you have the top five reasons for adding ducks to your yard or homestead. They are a fun little addition to the homestead, and can be dual purpose (producing eggs and meat) if you get the right breeds. Ducks quack and can be very noisy. Ducks are resistant to diseases and thrive in harsh conditions. You can email me at [email protected]. Khaki Campbell ducks lay more eggs than Pekin ducks at 280-300 eggs per year, but you’ll get less meat from them. We keep a small kiddie pool filled with water, and they love it. Add to Favorites . Tips for natural duck keeping, including cold climate duck keeping, what to feed ducks, raising ducks naturally, and more. You’ll also get my free weekly newsletter, complete with recipes, gardening tips, and a little peek at what’s going on around here — both the zany and the mundane. Either way is wonderful but there is a special wonderful when hatching your own critters. When ducks eat, they take a beakful of food, then a beakful of water to wash it down. In fact, ducks may be the better answer to getting fresh eggs every single day of the year and for up to five years, compared to chickens. They wander about the yard, 24/7. Raising Ducks for Eggs. The other scheme for raising ducks is through the confinement system using a duck house (kamalig). For the Pekins, my feed costs are very minimal. Here, what to feed ducks and ducklings, along with some other pertinent information if you’re planning to incorporate these egg layers onto your little farm. 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