The duck has earned an important — yet underestimated — billet in the American psyche . From Donald and Daffy right through to the feat ofDuck Dynasty ’s Robertson family , the humble duck plays a central role . So I found it reasonably surprising that theAmerican Livestock Breeds Conservancylists a whole host of duck breeds as in serious trouble .
While the popularity of maintain backyard chickens has soar , the safekeeping of duck’s egg has continued to plummet . This is a great shame , as keeping duck can be a fascinating , rewarding and sometimes profitable spare-time activity .
Children absolutely know these risible shuttle . Through them , they can discover how to relate to beast in oecumenical — a worthful contribution in a world increasingly far absent from nature .
But can you really keep these birds in a backyard ? I believe you may , if you commit to fully researching and understanding their needs before you make a purchase .
see after any form of farm animal is a responsibility that should never be undertake lightly . You also have to be trusted that you have enough place and time and can volunteer a worthy environs for the correct type of water bird . I ( from boyhood ) successfully keep open ducks of several breeds in a reasonably sized suburban backyard .
My first duck was an impulse buy ( not recommended ) from a pet shop . He grew into a ridiculously tame male Khaki Campbell . Of course I named him Donald !
Kazzazm/Shutterstock
Donald was free to divagate the garden during the day and locked into a shed at night . One winter ’s eventide , I got held up at schoolhouse and a family member who was at dwelling house forgot toshut him away . By the meter I got dwelling , Donald was gone , only a few feather and a skid mark in the rose bed that point his valiant sweat to give the safety of the theatre .
A fox had taken him . It was a bitter example cruelly learned .
Making a Start
Before anything , please see to it your local zoning laws . Zoning and wellness restrictions present an increase hazard to those wishing to keep any human body of poultry in urban and suburban expanse . Neighbors may also object to noise , which in certain stock ( such as Call Ducks — a hint is in the name ! ) can be considerable .
Here is where enquiry is invaluable . Start by attending a local poultry show . There are quieter breeds uncommitted and ( in double-dyed contrast to chickens ) , with duck , the male is the quieter sex . If you do n’t need testicle , a couple of pet Drake can provide an splendid pest - reduce avail .
Read more : Considering duck ? These skirt bring a peck of value !
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No Pond? No Problem
You do n’t need a pool to keep ducks . You do , however , postulate to ensure that they can deluge their mind and necks and be able to throw H2O over themselves .
I have found that the very better receptacle to allow this natural behavior is a simple children ’s plastic swimming consortium . I received some seriously funny looks when buy five pools in the deepness of wintertime from a local stock . But these can well be empty , cleaned , fill again and moved to impertinent ground .
Silver Appleyard
This beautiful breed fill its name from one of the most famous duck breeders of all sentence : Reginald Appleyard . This famous British poultry stock breeder and author first develop the stock the 1930s . He set out to breed a duck that mix size and looker with lots of orotund , white eggs . Kazzazm / Shutterstock
Having kept Silver Appleyards for a turn of eld , I can say he more than achieved his finish . This gorgeous , hushed duck’s egg is easily turn back . It ’s a sodding example of a dual - purpose stock , as drakes make excellent tabular array hoot , full of flavor .
For those with limited space there is even a smaller replica available — the Miniature Silver Appleyard !
Marina_Saw_it/Shutterstock
This is a rare duck in the U.S. but well worth essay out . These ducks the skilful layers of the small breed and have quiet , friendly nature — possibly the best duck for a backyard . you may expect around 150 large eggs a year .
Little Black Duck
The beginning of this keen small duck’s egg , the Black East Indian , is shroud in enigma . What we do know , however , is that it ’s a very quondam strain , described inThe Poultry Bookback in 1853 . It ’s strikingly beautiful , with a bright green shininess that really has to be seen to be believed .
This footling fella can be slenderly queasy and would certainly benefit from having its wings clipped . It makes an splendid forager , too .
It ’s another consummate duck’s egg breed for those miss quad . deplorably , it is n’t notable for its laying ability . One could anticipate only 10 to 15 eggs a year .
Lee Connor
The Penguin
Reflecting its risible , good position , this duck’s egg evolve the nickname — the Penguin Duck . It ’s more correctly sleep with as the Indian Runner Duck , though .
This erstwhile breed has been found depicted in centuries - old temple rampart carvings in its country of origin of Indonesia . In 1876 , the captain of a Camellia sinensis ship brought this distinctive duck’s egg to Scotland , where it was thirstily distribute amongst his sodbuster friends .
Hens are first - class layer , and its prolific eggs - laying abilities brought the breed global renown . you’re able to expect up to 275 eggs per twelvemonth .
Indian Runners are extremely alive . If they ’re able to forage for most of the class , they ’ll wander far and all-embracing picking up most of what they need .
The Champion Egg-Layer
The Khaki Campbell , a duck’s egg breed known all around the world , is far-famed for its prolific eggs - set ability . practiced strains can lay an astounding 300 eggs a year !
It was named after its Jehovah , Adele Campbell of Gloucestershire , England , who developed it in the late 1800s as a top egg producer . She was n’t too concerned about its looks .
hone for the founding father , ducklings are hardy and easy to rear and , if manage from an early age , get fabulously meek .
Read more : duck’s egg eggs are the honest refreshful eggs !
The All-American
The Cayuga is named after Lake Cayuga , New York . Another blackened duck that has an almost unbelievable iridescent green sheen to its feathers , the Cayuga is incredibly hardy , an first-class forager and a moderate layer . Marina_Saw_it / Shutterstock
New proprietor are often surprised by the presentation of a black ballock ! This usually occur at the showtime of the season , after the first dozen or so eggs are laid . They slowly get whiter .
This is another rarified breed that can be unmanageable to track down , but it ’s well worth the effort and deserves more admirer . They ’re quiet and , although large and want a reasonable amount of distance to scrounge , adaptable and uncoerced to put up with modest quarters than most light stock of duck .
A Quackless Breed
Hailing from Central and South America , Muscovy duck make almost no noise except for a gentle hissing . However , that does n’t make these ducks perfect for a backyard . The reasons are that these powerful birds are excellent flyers and great male person can sometimes be aggressive .
However , if you have some state , this duck ( the only reclaim breed not derived from the Mallard ) make an fantabulous pick . Lee Connor
Prized for their succulent flesh , the Muscovy isprized as a table bird . The female make marvelous broodies , and both sexes are enthusiastic forager .
Another vast welfare of this duck’s egg is its power to hoover up bugs ! If it creeps or crawls , this duck will eat it . They can repose 30 to 40 eggs a class .
Housing Help
Ever since my tragic departure of Donald , I have been passionate about birds being house right . My duck are penned in trapping made from recycled plastic as I find it easy to clean : A quick cat valium wash make them as good as new ! Fox - proof wooden housing is just as good . All duck houses , whatever they ’re made from , need to be designed with a threshold that allow promiscuous human access .
Maintaining hygienics is vitally significant in duck’s egg - keeping . These are mussy shuttle , and bedding will postulate alter ( and nest boxes necessitate cleaning ) at regular intervals . It ’s full of life that the house is also well ventilated . The buddy-buddy feathering of waterbird is all they need for protection from the low temperature .
Unlike most chicken , duck wo n’t obediently put themselves to bottom . I ’m certain my neighborshave had many a jest watching me shepherdingmy duck into their planetary house for the dark . A littletip I ’ve learned that gain this job a fiddling well-situated is to place the house in a street corner of their penitentiary .
For bedding , I employ wood shavings from untreated woodwind . Some disprove of their use , citing potential digestive problem if the ducks eat it . But I ’ve never see this .
Do n’t use hay . It ’ll get damp and get molding organisms and fungal spores to form .
Laying ducks should be keep open in their star sign until 9 a.m. This will ensure most egg are set in the house alternatively of around the garden or even in their swim pool !
Acouple of duck can be kept in a decorous - sized backyard , but the succeeder of this will to a great extent depend on your weather and soil . The idealistic earth for duck - retention is a free - draining , arenaceous soil . The very tough is a heavy clay .
However , two or three laying ducks can still be kept , regardless of your soil type , if you pen them on a gravel surface . The gravel needs to be of the large and quiet type . This wo n’t wound their touchy feet and will forbid the snort from turning the surface area into a clay bath .
It will also allow their reeking dung to wash down into the footing .
If you combine this all - weather playpen with lots of free - range time ( when the atmospheric condition is dry ) on the backyard lawn or rooting around the garden / veggie eyepatch , you should have some very goodish , felicitous and fertile duck !
More Information
Many of us look increasing economic difficulties , which make acquire our own food even more appealing . One valuable generator of protein amount from the humble bollock .
Chicken egg are , of course of instruction , the most democratic . But duck’s egg orchis are unremarkably larger , weighing about 3 ounces or more . They also have a slenderly higher fat contentedness and are far fertile in relish .
The duck’s egg egg also hold in a lot of albumen ( egg white ) , which have them highly sought after for bake . A Good Book of word of advice , however : Duck eggshells are highly poriferous , so always make indisputable you maintain a scrupulously clean nest box !
I ’ve found the good solid food for my backyard ducks get in the form of formulated pellets , preponderantly made from a wheat berry / soja mix alongside many other essential minerals and touch ingredient . Of course , if they can scrounge , your birds will find a surprising amount of food for themselves .
duck are fantastic at getting free of pest , such as slugs . In Thailand , rice farm employ thousands of duck to free their paddy fields of harmful pests . On a far smaller graduated table , your shuttle will do the same in your backyard or parcel of commonwealth .
However , peculiarly during the frigid , unretentive days of wintertime or when wench are in full lay — supplementary feeding with pellet is essential .
The birds also enjoy wheat . I often throw a couple of fistful of grain into their pool . They thoroughly bask dabble under body of water , and it has the append benefit of washing their eye and keeping the grain safe from sparrows .
This article originally appeared in the November / December 2022 issue ofChickensmagazine .
