Lings or ducks
A long-time breeder shares insights about starting your duck venture.
Does the thought of adding ducks to your farm or suburban home sound appealing? If so, ask yourself a few questions before taking action. The first and most obvious: Confirm that you have the time, resources and desire to care for other creatures year-round. If you already have pets, livestock or poultry, then you have answered that question. Adding ducks to the mix might not be that big of an adjustment, but if you don’t keep livestock or other poultry, you still have to consider a few things before purchasing ducks.
Know the rules
Farm and rural residents are unlikely to face restrictive ordinances that affect keeping ducks. Suburban and urban residents will need to do homework. An increasing number of municipalities are passing ordinances that allow keeping just a small number of feathered friends in city or town limits. Contact your municipal zoning board to determine the current rules and save time and future heartbreak. This is one instance where asking permission first is better than seeking forgiveness — for both you and the ducks.
Even if your city allows you to keep ducks, your neighborhood or homeowners association might have rules against keeping poultry or livestock. Keep in mind: Full-grown hens are the noisy ones. As the drakes mature, a growth on their vocal cords causes them to have very raspy, quieter voices compared to the hens’ loud quacking, in my experience. Many municipalities have rules that allow up to a
specific number of non-crowing poultry, but two or three hungry female ducks at sunrise create more noise than one crowing rooster.
Pick your breeds
Choose which breed or breeds best suit your needs. You have a wide variety to choose from! The American Poultry Association divides duck breeds into four categories based on size. In general, the heavy breeds are bred for meat, while the medium breeds are more general-purpose, and light breeds are for egg production. The bantam breeds are mostly ornamental. Female ducks of all breeds will lay eggs at least in spring, and with a little management, many will lay nearly year-round.
For details galore, check two online resources. Metzer Farms (metzerfarms.com) provides informative charts that give production information based on the breeds it raises, including egg size and rate of production, average body weights, temperament and
foraging ability. The Livestock Conservancy (livestockconservancy.org) created a heritage duck breed comparison chart that can be downloaded; it is excellent, particularly for some of the rarer domestic duck breeds.
Talking to local duck owners is a great way to better understand which breed has the qualities you seek. Often, the genetics responsible for a high rate of lay conflict with meat production, so if you want both, one of the dual-purpose breeds, such as buff, Swedish or cayuga, is a good choice; you can expect a decent number of eggs and a large enough body size to make a nice dinner from these breeds. The lighter breeds, such as khaki Campbell, Welsh harlequin and Indian runner, are efficient, high producers of eggs, while the heavy breeds, such as Muscovy and Pekin, will lay a respectable number of eggs but are truly bred for their carcass qualities. The amount of feed required to keep larger breeds of ducks year-round solely as layers is not typically cost-effective.
start-up choices
After deciding on a breed or breeds, you need to choose how to start your duck venture. You have four options: purchasing hatching eggs, ducklings, started ducks or mature ducks. Started ducks are older than a day. Mature ducks, typically, have reached egg-laying age or are very close to it.
Each option has benefits and drawbacks, so research them carefully — and consider these firsthand tips. Purchasing hatching eggs locally or from a breeder/hatchery can be fun but comes with the expense of purchasing an incubator unless you can borrow one. If you hatch the eggs, then your ducklings can imprint on you immediately and won’t have the stress of shipping through the mail. Hatchability of shipped eggs is never guaranteed; you could spend a lot of money for eggs that became too hot, too cold or shook up in transit, which results in a poor or no hatch.
If you have the opportunity to pick up hatching eggs from a breeder, you can control the conditions during transport and possibly see the parent stock of the ducks you will be hatching. When purchasing hatching eggs in person, select clean eggs with sound shells that are “normal” egg-shaped and have never been refrigerated. You can greatly increase your hatching success if eggs are fresher than seven days and were picked up daily and also held at room temperature (68 degrees to 72 degrees Fahrenheit) in a basement or cellar. Hatching eggs do not need to be turned until they are placed into the incubator.
You might choose to buy newly hatched ducklings through a hatchery, farm store or local breeder — the last being the most popular
option. Multiple hatcheries around the country provide a wide variety of breeds, and some offer sexing of your ducklings for an additional fee. The minimum order for ducklings is around 10, which is typically less than the 25 chicks required by most hatcheries; however, some businesses will let you order as few as three ducklings.
Most hatcheries let you pick one each of the different breeds they offer so you can try several to see which works best on your place. I recommend initially narrowing down to a breed or two and ordering five or six of each kind to get a better feel for that particular breed. There are personality differences among individual ducks, and an individual of a certain breed might not give you an accurate portrayal of the breed as a whole.
In spring, most of the larger national or regional farm stores order chicks and ducklings to sell in stores. They might not have a huge selection of duck breeds, but you can handpick the ducklings and often the store will get them off to a good start with feed and water. Reputable distributors have a replacement guarantee good for at least a couple of days in case of loss. Most hatcheries will give credit
toward your next purchase or refund your money if you lose a duckling or two in the first few days. If you lose a duckling from a store, often you can return and pick a replacement that is the same age.
In many communities, small farms raise ducks and sell ducklings. Some of the very rare breeds may be purchased only from breeders. Often, you can choose ducklings at the farm and bring them home. This also gives you the chance to build a relationship with an experienced duck breeder who can answer questions and just “talk duck” from time to time.
Local breeders sometimes have started or mature ducks to sell. Purchasing older ducks that have received proper care boosts your chance for success. Considered a smart choice for beginners, the started and mature ducks will cost more than day-olds, but they are past the critical brooding period, which can vary on the season and climate. Health, size, breed conformity and other important traits are easier to discern on older ducks. The downside is that they might not be as friendly as those you raise from hatchlings or day-olds.
As with choosing to own any creature, your decision to raise ducks should begin with a good plan and a thorough understanding of the animals’ needs. Ducks are different than chickens or other landfowl, in that they tend to make a mess if not kept correctly. I always warn beginners that a duck can turn a tablespoon of water into a mud hole, and I speak from a great deal of personal experience. ■
Matthew John owns Hidden Creek Farm near Columbus, Ind., and has been breeding poultry for more than 30 years. Along with his wife and children, he raises several breeds of ducks and chickens as well as geese, pigeons, turkeys, rabbits and pigs.