Keeping Ducks: Breeding

With about 22 million ducks being produced in the US every year, more and more small farm operations are now adding to the whole duck industry. Aside from being a pleasurable experience in your yard as pets, ducks can give a source of high-quality meat for the market as a source of income.

Before you prepare the duck pen or purchase the ducks, you should do some research. Study the different breeds of ducks available and find the breed that suits your purpose. Some breeds are good for meat such as the Peking, some are for laying eggs such as the Khaki Campbell and some are for ornamental purposes such as the Muscovy.

Before your purchase or acquire the ducks, you should build the duck pen first. A small duck shade will give heat for the ducks on winter and cold nights. A used chicken coop or a small pen will be sufficient.

If you can afford it, you can give your duck a pond. Whether it is located in your yard, or just using a small kiddie pool, the pond or any swimming area will give your ducks the opportunity to glide through the water, which will provide them the opportunity to develop their physical and mental features. However, you should not allow your ducklings to swim just yet. During the early age, they cannot survive in the cold water and they might get pneumonia, which can be fatal for ducklings.

You should order eggs or baby ducks from a reputable breeder. It will be the basis of your new flock of ducks and the brood they develop in the future.

You should establish your breeding flock. Each group will consist of one drake and several females. It is best to divide the ducks during the fall so they can become acquainted with each other before the mating season in spring.

Prepare the eggs for incubation. You should make sure to mark the laying date on each egg to keep track of the time you will need to incubate. Then, wash any waste smudges off the shells to keep the incubator free from bacteria that are infesting the droppings.

Place the eggs inside a room with a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit and with moisture at 60 per cent air humidity. Maintain the humidity of the incubator and turn the eggs at least two to three times a day and start incubating them before they are a week old.

Right after they hatch, transfer the baby ducks to a warm brooder pen as soon as they are dry. As they mature, you can slowly lessen the temperature. By the time they are about four weeks old, they will not need any artificial heat.

You can cover the floor of the brooder with old newspapers and change them constantly to maintain the cleanliness of the box. Remove any leftover or spilled water or feeds to avoid fungal inspection in your flock. Ducks are very vulnerable to fungal infection and some diseases can be fatal as a result of the infection.