You’ve seen ducks quacking in a duck farm, or better yet, picking on breadcrumbs on the lakeside. The sight of those feathery fellows, especially their cute little ducklings, is really instigating you to start raising them in your backyard – be it alone or alongside your chicken. 

But … you’re still in two minds about it – should I, or should I not?

Well, that’s the purpose of this blog – to discuss why the decision to keep ducks is really gonna be a good one! So, here are the TOP FIVE reasons as to why you should start raising ducks.

Ducks are easy to care for – generally healthy, low-maintenance birds.

As a responsible poultry farmer (or poultry farmer-to-be), one of the most significant concerns in your mind is perhaps about your capability. More specifically -  whether or not you will be able to care for your ducks efficiently.

Well, got some good news for you; ducks are easy to raise, generally healthy, and low-maintenance birds. The cherry on the top is that you don’t need a very high budget or high-end resources to provide them with the care they need – they really are simple, happy (and cute!) folks.

Basically, all your ducks need the bare minimum: good food, clean water, and a well-ventilated place to sleep (giving them love and attention would be a bonus). They can make their own little spaces to lay eggs without a designated area, such as a nesting box.

Additionally, ducks have stronger immune systems and tend to contract diseases less easily. They don't catch fleas and ticks owing to the time they spend in the water. Plus, they have fast metabolisms and survive in different climates, ranging from hot to cold. 

Ducks suit urban and rural backyards.

Everyone knows ducks are great when raised in rural backyards, but they’re pretty adaptable to your urban backyard as well.

Ducks are decent little creatures and, unlike chickens, will not dig into your lawn and turn it into barren land. They don’t require dust baths – a small pool of water is sufficient for their showers. 

While ducks do eat any greens they see, that really isn’t an issue as it won’t distort the entire image of your lawn. In fact, their presence adds to the natural beauty of it. 

They're peaceful creatures.

Additionally, ducks are an excellent option for urban backyards because they make little to no noise – they'll rarely ever quack and will just peacefully… live. Hence, you’re less likely to receive disturbance complaints from neighbors and people passing by.

Ducks are beneficial for your lawn – another reason why you should raise ducks.

Ducks are a great way to keep your lawn healthy in the following ways:

They keep the pests away.

If you’re also farming plants and veggies in your lawn, you know how hard of a task it is to keep the pests away. In this regard, ducks will be your efficient little helpers.

Given the opportunity, ducks eat everything they get their bill on, including beetles, slugs, and snails. They not only attack the bugs they see but also often hunt down hidden ones. And they don’t let them go easily – as intimidating as it may sound: they chase them until they eat them.

They provide fertilizer for your garden.

Duck manure serves as an organic and natural fertilizer for your garden. It is packed with nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium. This, in turn, contributes significantly to the well-being of your lawn and the plants grown in it.

Hence, you're not only raising ducks for their other benefits but also getting a natural way to control pest growth and fertilize your garden. Kinda like ‘buy one get one (actually two) free’ deal, you know?

Ducks are friendly fellows.

To put simply, ducks are unproblematic birds. They warmly welcome any new additions to your flock, be it their babies or even other birds like chickens. (If that’s not news for you: hens even peck their own chicks before they get used to their existence).

Plus, they won’t ask for too much of your time to entertain them – they pretty much find fun in everything they do. Actually, it’s gonna be vice versa – ducks will entertain you and your family with their naughty little acts.

Ducks are a great source of meat and eggs.

The meat a regular person eats is contaminated with artificial substances such as antibiotics and other chemicals because of duck feed. But, if you raise your ducks yourself and monitor their feed closely, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that the meat you’re consuming is organic and free of chemicals.

The same goes for eggs – a chemical-free feed means chemical-free eggs.

Additionally, ducks lay eggs more often than hens and without supplemental lighting and heat. Duck eggs are also larger in size, yummier in taste, and more beneficial in terms of nutritional requirements as compared to hens’ eggs. 

If you wish to sell the eggs laid, quite a few bucks. This is because duck eggs are generally pricier than other types, with organic ones being even more expensive.

Finally, you can also let the eggs hatch into cute little ducklings that will never fail to melt your heart and make you smile. 😊

Conclusion

We hope that we've given you enough reasons to get you closer in favor of the decision to start raising ducks :)

In short, ducks are amazing little creatures and they do not require much in return. They'll bring you numerous benefits, including pest control services, organic manure, and fresh meat and eggs, amongst many others.

Raising domestic fowl, including hens and ducks, is a rewarding activity. In addition to the love your feathery fellows give you, you get a range of other benefits. These include having your own source of fresh eggs and meat.

But the story doesn’t end here. To make the most out of your backyard poultry, you must have some know-how of their necessities. 

This is important to make sure you attain maximum benefits. An example of this is monitoring and enhancing the production of eggs laid by your backyard birds, including managing ducks for egg production.

So, let’s discuss the top FIVE things that affect egg production.

Optimal Nutrition

Just like your diet defines your health, the nutrition you provide to your poultry outlines their general well-being and egg production.

This is especially true for the stage when your hens and ducks hit sexual maturity. When their bodies are forming eggs, they need a balanced and nutritious diet to ensure good health and maximum egg production.

Although there are other specific nutrients required by ducks, some of the more general yet essential nutrients you should incorporate into the diet of your poultry are:

Calcium 

Hens require comparatively less calcium before they hit maturity. Once they start laying eggs, their calcium requirements increase drastically. This is because eggshells are composed mainly of calcium.

Suppose this nutrient is deficient in their diet. In that case, the chickens will produce lesser eggs, and the egg q will deteriorate. Additionally, it will have adverse impacts on the hens themselves.

Amino acids

The 22 amino acids – commonly referred to as protein – are an essential part of poultry feed. Many hens and ducks cannot synthesize these on their own and hence require supplements in their diet to meet their needs.

With insufficient protein in the diet, hens and ducks are likely to lay lesser eggs with poorer hatchability.

Fat

Incorporating fat into the diet of your poultry enhances egg production. Some types of fat, when deficient, have adverse effects on the eggs produced, resulting in lower amounts and more inferior qualities. This is because fats serve as a source of energy.

Others

Additionally, your poultry needs Vitamin D, sodium, and salt. Each of these plays a specific role in enhancing the production of eggs.

Age

Generally, your hens will start laying eggs when they are 5 months old, while your ducks will begin a couple of weeks later, at around 6 to 7 months of age.

Egg production varies incredibly from bird to bird, but generally, maximum eggs are produced within the first 8 weeks. 

They continue laying eggs for a couple of years after that, but the rate isn't as fast as it is in these first few weeks. A major slow down in egg production is noticed at around 6 years of age.

(Accidentally) Neglecting Their Needs Can Affect Egg Production

Raising backyard hens and ducks sure is fun, but it comes with great responsibility. At times, you may overlook their needs or make mistakes while managing them. This, in turn, affects egg production.

Examples of this include forgetting to feed them on time or refill their water tubs. If they’re not getting either of these essentials on time, your hens and ducks will most likely reduce egg production.

Additionally, sufficient daylight (of around 14 hours per day) is essential for hens to lay eggs. It is thus vital for you to provide supplemental lighting during the shorter winter days. In this regard, ducks are pretty flexible – they barely ever need any additional light.

Lastly, hens also require a nice and warm temperature to survive and lay eggs. This would be an added bonus for ducks, though they tend to survive in both hot and cold climates.

Disease

As much as you want to protect your feathery fellows from medical emergencies, they may end up contracting diseases. These diseases play a significant role in affecting egg production.

Bacterial diseases affect egg production.

Diseases caused by bacteria are common among both hens and ducks. An example includes fowl cholera. This condition decreases egg production amongst other symptoms. It may even result in the unexpected death of many laying hens and ducks!

Fowl cholera is usually a result of poor hygiene and water-logged areas. Therefore, it is vital to monitor the physical conditions of your backyard to prevent this deadly disease.

Viral diseases also play their part.

If your hens and ducks are unable to fight the attack of viruses, they’ll catch what is known as a ‘viral disease’. An example includes avian influenza, with symptoms kinda like the cold you sometimes catch.

How it affects egg production depends on the severity of the disease. Mild forms are not a big deal, while more severe Mforms can drastically drop egg production.

You Might Not Be Considering These Things That Affect Egg Production

Apart from the reasons stated above, other less apparent reasons may be causing lower egg production. 

For example, there could be a handling issue, resulting in eggs breaking while you or someone else is collecting them. At times, hens may be pecking on and wasting eggs. Or perhaps, predators like skunks and rats may be feeding on them. 

You’d be surprised to know – but sometimes hens even attempt to hide their eggs from you!

So, you better keep an eye out for all of these factors to ensure you’re not letting any of the eggs produced go to waste.

Conclusion

To make the most out of the eggs laid by your feathery fellows, it is essential for you to closely monitor all things affecting egg production. The main reasons, as stated above, are optimal nutrition, age, and disease.

Hens are fun to farm – they entertain you, give you fresh eggs, eat the pests in your garden and provide you with some great fertilizer. If kept well, they form a part of your little feathery family that brings life to your otherwise lonely backyard.

But before you delve into the joyful part, you need to know the secret behind raising a successful flock: the health of hens. That’s not too much of a big deal, though – hens are easy to maintain and as long as you know the basics of keeping your hens happy and healthy, you’re good to go. 

So, without further ado, let’s get right to the point and discuss steps to keep your hens healthy.

Monitor your hens’ feed – keep it healthy

Ever heard the saying ‘you are what you eat’? Well, that pretty much applies to your hens as well.

Being omnivores, your hens will eat anything they’re fed. But it’s important to monitor the diet you give them; it should meet their nutrition requirements according to their age group.

Generally speaking, you should use a commercial poultry feed that contains most of the nutrients required. This type of feed contains grains and vitamins required for optimal growth. Additionally, you can feed them fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, bananas and apples.

When first born, hens are started off with a starter feed. When they turn 8 eight weeks old, this is then transitioned into a grower feed. When hens start laying eggs, they are to be given layer feed which contains the calcium they need to form the shells of their eggs.

Avoid certain feeds

Hens eat everything they get their beak on, but you shouldn’t actually feed them everything. 

You should avoid giving your hens feed that is high in sodium chloride or fat. Eating garlic and onions can alter the flavor of the eggs they lay, and avocados can make them ill. Additionally, you should not give them chocolate – you love it, but your hens don’t.

Provide clean water

Cleanliness of water is an important factor that contributes to their health. Often, pathogens enter the bodies of hens through the contaminated water they drink. 

Therefore, you should make sure you provide your hens with clean drinking water daily, so they're not only hydrated but also safe from germs. In the long-run, this is an essential step to keep your hens healthy.

Let your hens dust-bathe

Just like you need your daily shower with water, your hens need to bathe in dust. For this purpose, you should provide accommodating areas, such as a small patch of loose dirt in your backyard or a pot filled with dirt.

Use natural supplements when needed

At times, your hens may show symptoms of deficiencies. You can rectify these lacking nutrients by giving them dietary supplements, some of which include:

Give them space … clean, dry space

It’s natural to give your hens less room when you’re keeping them in your backyard. But really – that larger coop is worth the investment.

The trick to keeping diseases away from your hens is to give them a large and clean space to live in. Smaller spaces can lead to hens fighting amongst one another for room and resources. Dirty places can attack their respiratory systems, and wet coops encourage the growth of fatal germs.

Therefore, regularly cleaning droppings from the coop and maintaining cleanliness is an important step in keeping your hens healthy. If possible, provide them with a larger area to live in, and use sand as bedding to ensure the area is dry.

De-stress your hens to keep ‘em healthy

Humans aren't the only ones who tend to get stressed – your flock can too. When stressed, hens will refuse to leave their coop and reduce the production of eggs. In worst-case scenarios, stress can prove fatal … and no one would wish that on their feathery family.

There are several things you can do to de-stress them, such as:

Steps to keep baby hens healthy

At one point, the eggs laid will hatch into chicks, and you’ll find yourself monitoring the health of baby hens. 

When you do have chicks to look after, you should ensure they have access to food and water at all times. The waterers used should be shallow to avoid the risk of your baby hens drowning. Additionally, you may want to keep your chicks away from adult hens to prevent the latter from picking on the former.

Use supplemental lighting when needed

The life cycle of hens depends on the amount of light provided. To lay eggs, a hen needs around 14 hours of sunlight. 

When natural daylight is deficient, you can use supplemental lighting such as LED bulbs. This is usually common during winter months when daylight does not exceed eight hours. 

However, you must take care that your youngsters do not receive too much daylight; this may cause them to attain sexual maturity too soon and lay eggs when their bodies aren’t ready for it.

Conclusion

Raising a flock of hens in your backyard is a rewarding thing to do, but you must pay close attention to the health of your hens, ensuring they receive everything they need. This includes optimal nutrition, clean water, sufficient daylight, clean spaces and stress-free environments.

If you manage to keep a check on all those factors, you’ll be raising a happy and healthy feathery family that will keep you entertained for good!