Raising Ducks - My Best Tips to Guide You Toward Successfully Raising Ducks Raising ducks is different than raising chickens, although you can be successful raising ducks and chickens together. Some modifications need to be addressed when raising ducks, and they add a new dimension to your barnyard. (Raising as many different animals and Poultry as we do, people often ask what is the best way to get started with a particular species. Many times the questions involve raising ducks. I … [Read more...]
Free Range Ducks Pros and Cons
Free range ducks are happy ducks! When we first started raising ducks, we didn't let the ducks roam the farm. We didn't feel that the property was set up for free range ducks. The poultry area backs up to woods. Woods, where raccoon, fox and an occasional coyote make their homes. Eventually we gradually began letting the ducks and chickens out of their pens for free ranging. Other property modifications were made to add safety for the free range ducks. Free Range Ducks I started … [Read more...]
Hatching Eggs and a Broody Duck
How do you survive hatching eggs and a broody duck? I had no idea what I was getting into the first time one of our ducks decided to brood a clutch of eggs. Here's a recap of the events as they unfolded a few years ago. Since then, every year, at least one of our ducks has decided to set a clutch of eggs. We have had a few successful hatches and quite a few heartbreaks from predators stealing eggs. It is quite an experience. Hatching Eggs and a Broody Duck For the past month our buff duck … [Read more...]
Using Hatching Eggs to Grow Your Flock
Using hatching eggs is one way to grow your backyard poultry flock. Hatching eggs are eggs from poultry that are suitable for incubating or placing under a broody hen. If you hang around chicken people long enough you will hear the term using hatching eggs being tossed around, as they consider which breeds to add to their flock. Increasing the flock can be accomplished a few ways. You can let your broody hen hatch eggs herself, if you have a rooster in your flock to fertilize the eggs. … [Read more...]
Adding Geese and Ducks to Your Flock
Have you been considering adding geese and ducks to your poultry flock? Don't ever say never, especially when talking about poultry! It all started in college. I had to visit many commercial poultry farms as part of the poultry production credits. I found the barns smelly and not very appealing. At the time, I said I would never raise chickens! Changing my tune about adding geese and ducks Fast forward a few decades and I not only raise chickens, but we also have guinea … [Read more...]
