Raising Ducks - 5 Simple Yet Important Tips For Beginners When Rearing Ducks

It is said that more than 22 million ducks are
being raised in the US each year. Particularly
because keeping ducks seems to have become an
enjoyable hobby as well, this number seems to be
on the rise. Below are some tips for starters.

1. Determine what is your main purpose for
raising ducks. This will help you to select the
duck breed best suited for your purposes. You
will also get more optimal results. For
instance, the Call Duck breed is often bred for
ornamental purposes while the Khaki Campbell
Duck breed are bred mostly because they are good
egg-layers.

2. Start research on how to raise ducks. There
are many resources that are available to you.
Countless articles, such as the one you are
reading right now, can provide many pieces of
information on how you can start keeping ducks.
You can also talk to other experienced duck
breeders as they can give you invaluable tips
which they have gained through their
experiences.

3. For raising ducks, one important start-up
equipment you must have is a duckling brooder.
This will help you raise baby ducklings, which
is a great first step in rearing ducks. You
start with the duck eggs themselves and take
care of the brood when the eggs hatch. Although
you can choose from adolescent ducks or adult
ducks, raising ducklings may be a more rewarding
experience for you. You will have more learning
opportunities as well.

4. Make sure you also have your duck coop or
duck hen in place. You wouldn't want your ducks
scattered all over the place or unprotected from
the elements. Raising ducks require a certain
amount of investment and one of them is a safe
and secure place for your ducks. Wood shavings
and straws are recommended materials for your
duck coop. You will also need to take sanitation
into consideration since a duck coop will have
the tendency to be wet most of the time. To
prevent molds, you may need to change the litter
everyday.

5. Make sure to provide adequate heating,
especially if you are rearing ducklings. After
your ducklings hatch, they will require a
certain amount of heat for the next few weeks. A
standard, 250-watt should meet their
requirements. This will tend to lessen as they
grow feathers, unless you have them in an
environment where there is extreme cold climate.

Next, provide the ducks with waterers and
feeders to serve as containers for water and
food respectively. Although not essential, it is
also advisable to have a water body nearby the
duck houses so the ducks can have somewhere to
exercise and swim.

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Of course, raising ducks is also done for
purposes of garnering duck eggs and duck meat.
Learn more important tips about keeping ducks
and avoid costly mistakes at:
http://www.howtoraiseducks.com

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