How To Raise Ducks - Simple Tips To Help You In Keeping Ducks Whatever Your Reason Is

Raising ducks has become more popular. Ducks can
bring interest and variety to your life. Ducks
can be a good source of income
too. Whatever your reasons, this guide will
help you learn about keeping
ducks correctly. People raise them for
meat or for eggs. The first thing to consider is
your duck breed. Peking ducks are the most
popular. People often visualize this white duck
as the stereotype whenever they plan on raising
ducks. However, there are other duck breeds that
you can prefer. Another breed, the Rouen duck
breed is also popular. The Muscovy duck is a
good choice for pasture. Ornamental duck breeds
like Wood Ducks and Mandarin Ducks are also good
choices. You can always check a good guide on how
to raise ducks whenever you encounter any issues.

Incubating and brooding your own duck eggs and
ducklings can be considered as a start. People
often use a broody chicken to hatch their duck
eggs while others use incubators; the choice is
yours. If you prefer artificial incubation, you
may use incubators that does not require manual
turning of eggs. You can choose hens if you
choose to use chicken incubation as they make
excellent mothers. A good choice is the Silkie
breed.Duck eggs may take about 28-30 days to
hatch. They hatch longer than chickens. Other
breeds like the Muscovy duck, may take up to 35
days before the eggs begin hatching.

Another important aspect on how to raise ducks
is brooding. As soon as the ducklings hatch,
they should be placed in a brooder. If you are
using the chicken brooding method, however, the
hen will do the job. Put a soft litter and make
sure that the duck brooder is clean and dry. You
can use wood shavings or corncob for your litter.
Put a 250-watt lamp to ensure that your ducklings
are getting adequate heat. About 90 degrees
Fahrenheit temperature should be maintained; it
should be decreased by 5 degrees on the
succeeding weeks.

Chick feeds can be use as an alternative when
feeding your ducklings. They are high in protein
and will aid the growth of your ducks. Once they
grow, you can use grower feeds for chicken. You
can use a ordinary poultry waterer for their
water. But make sure that the ducklings can dip
their entire head and beak into it. Ducks need
plenty of fresh, clean water just like any other
waterfowls.

Ponds and pools are not often necessary but make
sure that you put a place to keep their heads
wet. If you are using a chicken coop to raise
your ducks, make sure that there is plenty of
space for them to roam. Brooding ducklings need
about a half of a square foot. This should be
doubled as they grow older. Now you know how to
raise ducks. Raising ducks can be hard but is
very rewarding.

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If you think you still need guidance on where to
start, consulting existing duck owners and
farmers will certainly be a big help. Are you
looking for more tips on how to raise ducks? If
you are interested to learn more about raising
ducks correctly, please visit:
http://www.howtoraiseducks.com

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