Kitchen Garden Forum

I am planing to cull my old stock of hens which will free up a run and and shed. The next residents will be ducks of which i have no experience of keeping,any advice on feed requirements, litter,roosting,nest boxes and what breeds are the right ones for eggs and meat or is there such a bird as a utility strain.

Hi darrenc

Nitpicking out of the way first. The word is kill, not cull. It's OK, I do it myself.

As for ducks:

Feed - same as hens, i.e. layers pellets and corn. They also appreciate access to plentiful grass and slugs/worms, but remember they do not scratch to find them, so let them into dug ground as and when you can.

Litter - same as you used for hens, but ducks shit more.

Roosting - they don't - they sleep on the floor.

Nest boxes - as above for roosting - they lay where they sleep. But unlike hens they tend to lay before you let them out in the morning.

The best for eggs are Indian runners


and Khaki Campbells

- one a day each in the long laying season.

Ducks need water deep enough to put their heads in - they have eye problems otherwise.

For further info:-

http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/Pou ... /index.php

Enjoy your ducks

Alan

Cheers Alan, have been on the link you posted and have a copy of the book on its way to me

You will find ducks a lot messier than chickens, with their webbed feet and runnier poo's. But they are a lot of fun to keep. When I had some I hatched them under a broody, and it was so funny watching this game little bantam, strutting around followed by 10 duck billed hooligans!

I had the Khaki Campbell x Indian Runner that are so popular for egg laying. they make a really nice back garden duck as well. Laying white shelled eggs slighly larger than a large hen egg.

Everything else as per Alan's reply. Dont be tempted to give them a pond, they dont need it, it can put them off lay and they do make a big mess! Come the wet weather they will find plenty of chances for splasing about in the wet stuff if they want to. Keep them fox safe at night, as Alan says they dont roost, so need a well fox proof shed.

Good Luck - You will have fun!