Ducks

Farm-fresh duck eggs are creamy, and delicious, and are typically more durable than the thinner eggs laid by chicken hens. Raising ducks for eggs is not any more time-consuming or difficult than raising chickens for the same purpose. In fact, I truly believe it is actually easier to raise ducks for eggs – or even … Read more

Pekin ducks are one of the most popular breeds kept in the United States both in backyards and on homesteads across the country. Pekin is a multi-purpose breed, meaning it has traditionally been raised both for egg and meat production. The fuzzy and completely adorable little yellow ducklings you see during “Chick Days” events at … Read more

Welsh Harlequin ducks are a relatively new breed when compared with those top meat and egg duck varieties that have been around for centuries. Their newness to the marketplace, and somewhat difficult to find nature has not hampered the ability of Welsh Harlequins to become an incredibly popular breed. Members of this duck breed are … Read more

Incubating and hatching duck eggs is vitally important if you want to keep your flock growing should the breed you are keeping be excellent layers, but lousy sitters. Some duck breeds both lay and sit their eggs well, but that’s definitely not always the case… In such circumstances, investing in a quality incubator and learning … Read more

Indian Runner ducks are perhaps the easiest of all breeds to identify due to their unusual body style. Watching these attractive poultry birds run about while free ranging can be quite entertaining. They look like colorful penguins rushing around the barnyard. In fact, when members of this duck breed were first imported to America they … Read more

How much water does the average duck drink every day? It can vary depending on the breed and age of your ducks (as well as the time of year), but on average, each mature duck in your flock will consume roughly 0.25 gallons (1 liter) of water each day. Water isn’t only necessary for hydration, … Read more

Silver Appleyard ducks are sometimes a little difficult to find, but are an eagerly embraced meat and egg breed by both amateur homesteaders and commercial keepers. Members of this breed are classified as a dual-purpose or multi-purpose type of duck. Silver Appleyard ducks are also categorized as both Large Appleyards and Miniature Appleyards, based upon … Read more

You may have started out with just a few ducks, but at some point you will probably decide to add more. So if you keep ducks and you need to add new ones, you may wonder whether they will be accepted and not be bullied by existing members of the flock. The main thing you … Read more

Magpie ducks are among the most beautiful and docile of all domesticated breeds. Even though Magpies are not as highly kept as some other well-known breeds, the duck keepers who breed them and collect their eggs are highly devoted to preserving these enigmatic poultry birds. Ducks of this breed are multi-purpose birds. They are equally … Read more

Cayuga ducks are a beautiful and wonderfully docile breed. They were once the most popular meat duck in both the United States and England. Sadly, these docile and lovely poultry birds were classified as “threatened”, but have improved their population numbers to the point where they now have just a “watch” designation. Finding Cayuga ducks … Read more

Ducks need water – ducks love water … it is just that simple. Whether or not they need a pond is the one question most asked by potential newbie duck keepers. These cute egg birds are a great addition to virtually any homestead. This begs the question: do ducks really need a pond? No, ducks … Read more

Buff Orpington ducks have an extensive history of being both high quality meat, and egg birds. These hardy beauties cannot fly away and can thrive both on large homesteads and in small town backyards. Ducks of this breed are affable, docile, and bond well with their keepers. In addition to being used just for their … Read more

Caring for ducklings in the winter is not necessarily a difficult task, but does require the following of some specific husbandry techniques. Ducklings are, of course, baby ducks. And like all babies, they are fragile, vulnerable, and depend entirely on the help of grown ups (either feathered or human) for their survival. Both ducks and … Read more

Ducks are far easier to care for during the winter months than chickens, according to my years of personal experience. If you start preparing for the coming months of frigid cold in the fall, just as you do for firewood and hay bales, keeping your duck flock safe, healthy, and laying eggs will be a … Read more

There are pros and cons to raising any animal, ducks included. But, from my many years of personal experience, the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to duck keeping. Ducks, like chickens, can be kept not only on spacious rural homesteads, but in suburban or urban areas as well. A small flock of … Read more

Buying ducks can be an exciting, rewarding, and fun experience. But, keeping ducks might just not be for everyone. While duck keeping may involve a bit more space than keeping chickens, these egg and poultry birds can be kept not just on large rural homesteads but in the small-town backyards, suburbia, and sometimes even by … Read more