Snakes will be attracted to young ducks and also to the mice which come to steal some of the feed.
Always be alert, keep all areas mown and always have a clear area around
the fences which protects your birds.
People are another potential problem. Small children need always to be supervised when they are near ducks. There is a risk that they may be
nipped by a duck if they get too close or appear threatening.
They also are a risk to the health and safety of your birds, especially
ducklings, which can easily be injured by unintentional squeezing or other
actions.
Of course, the biggest risk from humans is deliberate theft or injury. Many
people who are usually honest will take a duck if they get the chance and
believe that they can get away with it.
There is always a risk with pet ducks which have developed a trust for the
humans they associate with each day. They are often stolen or casually
harmed and left on their owner’s property by some low-life that just walked
by.
All ducks need to be kept in areas where public access is prevented. Make
sure the fences around your property are adequate and the area around your
ducks’ quarters is well lit at night and close as possible to your home.
Controlling Predators
Be careful what methods you use to control or remove any creature which
you think is a threat to your ducks. Even if you have a license for a gun,
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“Your Duck Keeping Guide” by Ken Smythe
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there will probably be bans on its use in residential areas and restrictions
elsewhere.
You should check with your local and state authorities what methods you are
allowed to use to protect your birds and other property.
You can use traps and even poison in most areas but each may catch or kill
other creatures which could cause you trouble with your neighbors and even
the law.
If you use poisons of any kind, ensure that it is set in ways which will make it very difficult for other creatures to get at. Remember that you also need to
be able to retrieve the animals you c t
a ch or they will cause strong offensive
odors within a couple of days.
Always check traps and poisons every day to ensure that you deal with
anything you catch as quickly as possible.
Using live traps is a way to ensure that you get the right animals but you
then have to humanely dispose of the live predator.
Don’t use poisons without getting professional advice because of the risk to
other animals and people, including your own family.
Fencing is the best method for controlling foxes and some other creatures.
The fencing needs to extend well below soil level and should have an
overhang which leans away from the pen at the top.
Electric fencing can be used at suitably low levels to deter predators. It is not always completely effective.
Your ducks may be upset or even hurt if the shock level is too high and the
birds connect with it when they are wet.
Two layers of strong netting, one several inches inside the other, can be an
effective means of keeping some predators away from your birds and
reducing the stress which would be caused if they come close to the birds
where there is a single layer of netting.
But, this is more expensive and both barriers need to be strong, with the
edge buried well into the earth around the ducks’ area.
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“Your Duck Keeping Guide” by Ken Smythe
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Water
Ducks always need access to water but a lack of a large body of water is no
reason for you to get a couple of ducks.
The wild varieties need larger and deeper areas of water than most of us
could provide, but many people use a child’s large pool as the main source of water for their domestic breed ducks.
You will need to move the pool around if it is on the surface so that muck
does not accumulate underneath it. Moving it will be needed more frequently
if the pool is located on soil because the area underneath will become
messier and possibly unhealthy.
G v
i e your ducks clean drinking water and a pool
which they can splash about in, then they will
be happy. Unless the pool has enough water to
allow them to splash water all over themselves,
they will probably not be able to spread oil from
their preening gland over all their feathers.
That oil is needed for their feathers to be healthy and for the birds to float.
The birds will submerge their heads in the pool which will help clean their
nostrils and eyes.
But, the pool needs to be kept as clean as possible and that means you will
need to do it daily. Otherwise, the accumulated muck may cause some
problems.
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“Your Duck Keeping Guide” by Ken Smythe
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Choosing Your Ducks
Your selection of ducks will be governed by what you want to use the birds
for.
I am including details of some of the most common and popular breeds w th
i
details of their commonly accepted suitability for different goals.
I recommend that anyone who is just getting their first ducks should try to
find a suitable supply in their local area rather than buying them from a
supplier farther away.
Getting your first stock locally will remove some potential risks which i
m ght
happen with ordering, transport and handling the new birds when they
arrive.
Breeders are always the best people to deal with. You will usually get the
best prices and some great advice from them.
The local supplier will have those breeds of birds that are known to suit your local conditions.
You will be able to see them before making your purchase and the advice you
get from the supplier will be directly applicable to your needs.
You may have to wait until birds of the age you decide to get are available.
Your facilities and budget will also influence what type of ducks you get and the number you keep at any one time.
If the birds you are offered seem below par, walk away. Do not accept them
at a “bargain price”. The most important rule is to get the best stock you
can. Never buy ducks which do not appear to be in top condition. They will not produce the results you desire and will cost you more in money and other
resources than getting less birds of a better standard will.
It is always better to have more space than your ducks require. Stocking
heavily can stress the ducks leading to health issues, reduce their
productivity, degrade the area they are in and encourage the development of
diseases.
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Which Breeds are Best?
Here is a brief overview of some of the most popular duck breeds for various
purposes.
Meat
Muscovy
Unlike the other breeds of duck, which have developed from the Mallard, the
Muscovy is descended from a South American duck which lived in trees!
They have strong webbed
feet with claws. They can fly
and perch off the ground,
unlike most other ducks.
They are good insect
harvesters.
But, they will attack small
animals, so don’
t let them near other domestic birds, such as fowl, or any
kind of pets.
They have a crest which they raise when excited and a fleshy r
a ea called a
carbuncle which surrounds their eyes and the base of their beaks.
Their confidence and striking appearance have divided duck owners into
those who cherish them and others who avoid them because they say that
the Muscovy looks strange and behaves badly.
They lay about 100 eggs a year and are good for the table as well, but the
Peking is regarded as a better choice for meat production.
Peking
The Peking came from China in the 1800’s and has been used in the
development of many of the other breeds intended for meat production.
Their basic shape has been described as a rowboat sitting on its stern
although some are now being bred with bodies that are more parallel to the
ground.
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“Your Duck Keeping Guide” by Ken Smythe
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It is prized for its ability to produce a high ratio of meat to bone. It is also a good forager and layer as well.
It needs space to roam and water to wash
in.
The body is almost vertical and the tail is
close to the ground. That and its loose
feathering can cause the birds to get dirty
where the ground is muddy.
So, they should be kept clean. The bird
be checke
s must
d for mites
regularly.
Despite these points, they are one of the most v
aluable breeds for meat and
also for developing new and better duck breeds to improve the industry.
Eggs
Orpington
There are currently three varieties of the Orpington, including the Buff
Orpington, which may be the most popular of the three. The original breed
was developed by the same breeder that gave us the Buff Orpington chicken.
They are better layers than many duck breeds and are also considered good
for eating.
They are adaptable and can get along even if they do not have a body of
water to swim in, but will need a source where they can splash water over
themselves.
They would be suitable for a first attempt at breeding ducks provided you
had some access to an experienced breeder for hands-on information and
some experience with maintaining ducks first.
They can be kept in small areas or in a free-range situation.
Campbell
The best known variety is the Khaki Campbell.
They are, reputedly, the best layers of the three Campbell varieties.
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They can be messy but do not fly, so they are not as hard as some other
varieties to maintain. They ha e
v a need to forage, so give them n
e ough
space.
You might be able to keep them with your chickens if you have some. The
two factors which might work a a
g inst that would be whether you kept a
drake and whether the temperament of the chickens would lead them to be
stressed having the ducks with h
t em.
The Campbell ducks will lay and get along fine without a drake. If you do get a drake, you should give it at least four ducks to service because they are
very aggressive during the mating period.
They could harm or, at least cause severe stress and noticeable feather loss
to the ducks if there are just one or two.
Pets
Call Ducks
The small Call breeds which were developed to lure wild ducks into tra s
p are
suitable for pets.
But, they are relatively noisy and you would need to check well in advance of getting them that your neighbors would not complain to you or the local
authorities about them.
Their small size, their chubby appearance and their nature gives them great
appeal and makes them easy for children to handle. They are also a very
popular section at poultry exhibitions.
They will be much happier with a mate of their own choosing.
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“Your Duck Keeping Guide” by Ken Smythe
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Basic Health Checks
When you learn to do more yourself with your ducks, your venture will be
more efficient and you will be able to look forward to better results with less stress.
Do your own research, but check information with other duck owners, your
local agricultural service or your vet to ensure that it is appropriate and legal in your area.
In this section, I will only cover those points which most duck owners do
routinely.
Any of the more advanced strategies should only be done after consultation
with your vet or, at the least, thorough hands-on training from an
experienced and successful duck owner in your area.
This is important when you are looking at birds which you are first thinking of buying, but you will also learn the value of running your eyes over all your
birds whenever you are near them.
One important tip is to focus when you are looking at your birds on a daily
basis. If they are an important source of income for you, you will be doing
that. But many people that just have a few ducks as a hobby tend to just
give them a quick glance.
When you are looking at the same birds every day, you may not realize the
significance of some part of them gradually changing in size or appearance.
You may see that one or more of your birds are getting larger and think
that’s a great change. But, they may have a growth developing which needs
to be checked, or be adding fat from being over-fed or converting their feed
better so you will get more meat.
That is important to you and also to the health of the birds. A fat duck is an unhealthy duck.
If you see a change in the appearance or condition of any of your birds and
you don’t know what it means, check it out.
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What to Look For
Feather loss may be caused by an illness, but a duck that loses feathers from the back or its head
in the mating season is
probably being given too
much attention by your
drake.
If you see dull feathers,
the ducks may not have a
water source deep enough
for them to sit in and
throw water all over
themselves. In that state,
they will not be able to
spread the lubricating oil
from their preening gland
over themselves. This can have serious consequences and should be fixed
quickly.
The birds’ eyes should be shiny. If they are not bright-eyed, they need to be checked carefully for what is ailing them.
Any awkwardness in the way they walk should be checked. They are lik
e
us in that they need their legs working properly and supporting their weight
well. Some illnesses can cause ducks to appear uncoordinated or dizzy.
Dirty nostrils or dirty eyes signal that they don’t have a water source which they can dip their whole head and neck into. This is essential for the
ducks rely on washing their eyes in clean water regularly because they do not have tear ducts.
If you see that a duck’s vent is soiled by droppings and anything else except fresh mud, or if it smells bad, you have a sick duck because they will always keep that area clean if they are physically able to.
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Ducks can be victims of bullying, just like humans. Any sign that a duck is reluctant to eat or go with the other ducks foraging is a sign that should be investigated.
Don’t Delay
Isolation is the first step, so you can observe the bird closely and give it
some extra food and water which it doesn’t have to share with the others.
You will also be reducing the risk of anything which is affecting the bird being transferred to others in your flock.
Any delay could mean you act too late. The birds often hide any sign of a
problem until it is has a strong hold on them.
One way to catch problems is to compare the actions and activity level of
different birds to each other. There will be natural variations but sometimes you will notice marked differences.
Then, you can pay more attention to the bird that is not coping as well as the others. This bird has a problem and you need to find it and deal with it.
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Handling Your Ducks
In this section, I will suggest some good ways to handle your birds in
different common situations.
Take Care fo
r Yourself and the Duck
You can easily damage yourself or your ducks from doing things too quickly
or without proper thought.
You should be as careful of your own posture and general safety when lifting
or carrying a duck as you would be if you were carrying a parcel of similar
size. The duck is more likely to cause damage because it will move unless
you restrain it.
You can hurt or even kill it if you do that wrong.
You also could be hurt by its beak or have your clothes stained if it sprays
waste because of the stress it is feeling.
Whenever you want to pick up a duck, take a cautious approach. If you
hurry, the duck will get agitated and the risks start to multiply.
Stay calm and try to ensure that the duck does the same. You will get the
result you want more quickly and with less stress all around.
The best place to get your duck is when it is in the duck house, preferably in a corner.
You might make it part of your routine to catch any bird which you need to
examine or transport when they come to the duck house to be fed in the
afternoon. Make sure that you don’t cause any alarm among the birds or it
will become more difficult to get it to come in from then on.
Another tactic is to keep them closed in first thing in the morning until you catch your bird.
Otherwise, try to maneuver it into a spot where it cannot easily get away.
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Put one hand loosely on the duck’s neck and slide your other arm under the
duck until you can put two fingers between its legs and gently wrap your other fingers around them.
Keep two fingers between the duck’s legs at all times. Never squeeze
or otherwise apply any pressure which would push them together or
you may seriously injure the duck.
Keep your hand lightly on its neck, giving it support and not applying any
unnecessary pressure.
Lift the duck with your arm which is under it. The duck’s beak will point
toward your body and its tail will point away from you.
That will reduce the risk of its waste staining you
r clothes.
The duck will probably be fairly comfortable in this position.
Some duck owners use a large fishing net with a ring and a handle to catch
their ducks if they cannot corner them. This will need some practice to
minimize the risk to the duck of being hit with the metal rim on t
he net.
Another important point is that many owners cause injury to their ducks
when they put them down after being very careful while they were catching
and carrying them.
It can be awkward to set down a lively duck and they can get a leg seriously
hurt very easily if you are not steady in your movements and as gentle as
possible in that process.
Be particularly careful with all drakes in the mating season because they are excited.
Always take special care with Muscovy ducks and drakes that will bite or use
their claws when upset. They are a different breed from the others, very
strong and determined.
Ask other bird owners to show you how they catch and hold their birds.
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Travelling with Ducks
You may be able to buy purpose built travelling boxes for your ducks.
Some people successfully use pet-carriers made for dogs and cats to
transport individual birds. Always get advice from your vet or a very
experienced duck owner before trying this with your particular birds.
Each breed has its own needs and potential risks when being transported.
Because the carriers are designed for creatures which are physically and
emotionally very different from ducks, some types of carriers may have in-
built problems which an experienced person is more likely to see in advance.
Whatever container you use, it should be:
9 Strong enough to prevent the duck escaping.
9 Have no holes which are big enough for the duck to get its head
through in case there is a sudden stop.
9 Lined with absorbent material for the ducks’ waste.
9 Large enough for the bird to stand fully upright.
9 Well ventilated.
Take Care in Vehicles
Do not put a duck i on a seat of a car which has airbags. The triggered bag
would harm or possibly kill the bird. Even if it was in a strong box, the sound and shock could prove fa a
t l.
You will need to observe any regulations which affect the transport of
livestock i
n those areas where you are carrying the birds.
You must carry water and some food for the birds. It would be