Thinking of Raising Baby Ducks? What You Need to Know

Raising baby ducks is a fun task, usually a little delicate the younger the ducklings are but the difficulty of taking care of them gradually lifts when they grow older.

After artificial incubating of 28 days, the ducklings now need a brooding spot. The brooding spot is a place with good conditions so that the baby ducks will live. It can be a corner of the barn or in the garage, as long as the area is well ventilated-not directly exposed to wind, and well lighted. The usual brooding nest is a cardboard box that is enough to house all the baby ducklings. It must be enclosed in a cage to prevent entry for predators, even dogs and cats.

The brooding spot is then kept dry by the beddings which is usually made up of hay. Wet spots on the beddings should be replaced. Do not use moldy or dusty beddings because they might affect the young ducks negatively.

The temperature of the brooding area should also be kept warm-warm not hot. This can be done with a single 50-watt reflector bulb for about 10 to 20 ducklings. A 50 to 100 incandescent bulb can also be used in heating. The important thing is to position the bulb at the right distance in the brooding area so that the ducklings can move towards it if they feel cold or away from it when they feel hot. In raising baby ducks for commercial purposes, more bulbs or with higher wattages are used.

Another important element in raising baby ducks is the food. They cannot digest whole grains yet so don't feed them with rice or corn. Don't give them bird seed and dry bread too. They may be fed with finely chopped fruits and vegetables. You may catch small worms for them too. 

Unmedicated chick or duck starter can be fed to them too. A special water dispenser should also be used so that a water height is maintained; so that the ducklings can drink without drowning if they jumped onto it.

Note that raising baby ducks can also be done in a contained environment, like an incubating system where the temperature, humidity and air can be easily adjusted, especially when they are 2-3 weeks old only.

Read More... Thinking of Raising Baby Ducks? What You Need to Know

Raising Baby Ducks Into Healthy Adult Ducks - All You Need to Know

Raising baby ducks will give you plenty of benefits. For instance, you can have sources of meat and eggs. You can also sell eggs, ducklings, fully grown ducks, or duck meat for profit. You will not need to spend much time and money for them either. In addition, they can make your yard better. They will eat dandelions, bugs, garden snails, and their poop will fertilize the soil. If you want to unwind and relax, you can play with your ducks too.

Raising baby ducks is also better than raising chicks for a variety of reasons. Ducks have stronger resistance against common avian diseases. Hence, they live much longer. They also do not require elaborate housing, and they can get through any kind of environment. They need shorter brooding periods and less rearing places. They grow very fast, as well. Moreover, they are not picky when it comes to food. They can eat almost anything, from plants to small amphibians. They can also eat bread, crackers, and store-bought feeds. You will even be able to reduce feed costs because ducks have the natural propensity to eat algae, fungi, aquatic weeds, insects, maggots, and legumes.

Anyway, when raising baby ducks, you must always remember the basics. For instance, you have to brood the baby ducks until they are one month old. You must keep the brooding spot dry with the use of beddings made up of hay. You must replace wed beddings immediately; and you must never use dusty or moldy beddings. The brooding area's temperature must also be kept warm but not hot. Also, you must not feed the ducklings with whole grains such as corn or rice. You must not give them dry bread and bird seed either.

The baby ducks will not be able to digest these foods; although you can give them some moistened pieces of bread, as well as worms, vegetables, and fruits. Raising baby ducks also entail breeding. The ratio of female ducks to male ducks is 5:1. So, for every five female ducks, there should be one male duck. The male ducks must also be one month older or of the same age as the females.

Read More... Raising Baby Ducks Into Healthy Adult Ducks - All You Need to Know