How To Raise Friendly Ducks

Ducks are one of my favorite birds to raise, I'm really not sure if there is anything cuter then their sweet little bills and webbed feet. Honestly, it gets me every time! We just added three more little cuties to our flock so we thought we'd share with you some tips on raising friendly ducks, in case you know you end up at your local feed store like we did... 

How To Raise Ducks That Like To Be Handled

• Hold them a lot as soon as possible! Whenever you have a free moment where you could possibly handle them do it! Moments you are watching TV or working on your computer can double as moments when you are working with your ducklings. 

• Feed them by hand. You can remove the feeder for a few hours and then feed them by hand before returning it to the brooder. Also feeding them treats by hand like peas, mealworms or sardines in water will get them used to being handled and they will begin to recognize that people mean treats are on the way!

• Talk to them whenever you are near them, this will get them comfortable with your voice and they will recognize it as safe.
• Never chase or allow your ducks to be chased, this is the quickest way to break trust with your ducks and undo all the work you have been doing.
• I like to start my ducklings off in the house, so they get used to being around humans, plus they can hear us throughout the day, and I don't have to go trekking around the backyard in the middle of the night so I can hold them while I work on my laptop.
• Have other people handle them as well, and give them treats so they won't just come to you and scatter when anyone else is around.

Have you ever raised ducks? Did we miss anything? Tell us your tips in the comments!

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Keeping Backyard Ducks

Ducks are one of my absolute weaknesses, I love their sweet little faces. The ladies at our local feed store always chuckle when they see me because they know I have the will power of a bubble in a hurricane and if I even look something fluffy or fuzzy is coming home with me. I know, I'm horrible but honestly ducks are so much fun to keep, and they are so easy to take care of. They are actually super smart and have so much personality!

• Pen  Most domestic ducks are bread heavier than their wild counterparts so they are unable to sustain flight, the ones that can generally stay near food and water. Your ducks will need about 4' of inside space and 10' of yard space. They won't need a completely enclosed shelter (as long as you have a predator-proof pen) as they are very hardy birds, just something to keep them out of the elements and tall enough that they can stretch their wings. If you have a small number of birds a large dog house will work. It will need to be well-ventilated, ducks create lots of moisture when they breath so air flow is important. Cover any ventilation holes with hardware cloth to keep out unwanted critters. Ducks also don't perch so you don't need a roost like you would with chickens. They also can't climb so keep your shelter low to the ground.
  

Ducks aren't super particular about where they lay their eggs, a 16" box will work perfectly.

Because ducks are so hardy, they don't need a heat source in their barn. It can be insolated but doesn't have to be. We found that using a light in the winter helps to keep up egg production. You can use either straw or wood shavings in the barn and run.

• Food  Adult ducks can be fed regular layer feed or sometimes feed stores carry a special feed for them. Full grown ducks eat about 4-6 ounces of food a day (more in the winter). Use a wide bowl that isn't easily tipped to feed them. Wet food should be discarded. 

Ducks will also eat all kinds of scraps and greens, ours love sardines. They also love to forage and look for bugs, but they aren't as hard on your yard. They will also need access to GRIT.

• Water  Ducks don't have to have a big pond (domestic ducks aren't as good swimmers as the wild ones and can easily drown) but they will need access to clean water that they can submerge their whole heads in. Water bowls should be cleaned regularly and sanitized. We use two 5 gallon water bowls for ours. If you want to add a pool to their pen a kids wadding pool is easy to clean and would work great.

• Cleaning Coop Change the bedding in the coop regularly, and remove any bits of wet bedding. You should also sanitize your coop area several times a year. 

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Our New Coop Area

We undertook the massive two-day project of rebuilding our duck coop and moving around our coop area last weekend. After lots of sweat, several pinched fingers, a mild sunburn and lots of prayers to keep the sun behind the clouds everything is in its new spot and the animals are safe and sound in their new homes. 

We actually moved the chicken coop earlier this year before we got our ducks, but we wanted to make this area a little more cohesive and in the long run, make more room for our raised beds as we expand our garden (more on that to come!). 

I noticed that the bottom of our duck run was beginning to rot out so we decided to rebuild it before the weather gets cold and wild critters to get more desperate for something to eat. In the end, Mr. Cottage decided to double the coop room so they have some more wiggle room and access to more grass. We'll be adding a small pool eventually but for now, I think they like their new home. 

We'll be painting in the run and coop to match the hen house soon, adding handles and building nesting boxes for the barn. 

I think the hens are liking all the new grass they are able to get at! To add a touch of fall we placed a big grapevine wreath and buckets of mums on the coop.

Eventually, we'll be adding some landscaping around the coops and planting some flowers that will give it a pop of color- in the colder months. Right now these potted mums will do the job!

What do you think? Tell us in the comments and pop by Instagram for behind the scenes pictures of everything happening at the Cottage.

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Ducklings For Beginners

Last week Mr. Cottage and I stopped by our local feed store (a very dangerous thing in the spring) to get some stuff for the raised beds we've been working on- and ended up coming home with 3 ducks. I regret absolutely nothing and Mr. Cottage has sworn off taking me to the feed store (just kidding, he's as bad as I am). I admit it, I can't resist their adorable little faces! I just love them. So here we are the proud owners of three baby ducks, two Pekin one Welsh Harlequin.

Ducks have a bit of a bad rap, people accuse them of being messy, loud and smelly, which is true they are all three of those things- but they are so much more too. They also have the most personality of all the birds I've had, their probably my favorite too (shh don't tell the chickens). They are more disease resistant than chickens. They are great foragers and help to cut down on mosquitoes. They are reliable layers, depending on the breed they can lay between 100-300 eggs a year. Their eggs are higher in protein they chicken eggs, and only slightly higher in cholesterol and fat. They are hysterical to watch and super easy to care for.

Ducklings eat the same food as chicks but make sure you buy the nonmedicated feed because ducklings eat WAY more than chicks and they can overdose on the medications. You'll want to find a food that is high in protein to support their fast growth. At around 3 weeks they really begin to grow and you'll want to switch their feed to a lower protein feed (16 -18%) if you can't find a lower protein feed mix in raw oats to replace 25% of the food. Ducklings can't climb so keep their food and water low to the ground.

Related Article: Raising Chicks

Ducklings require a deeper water dish than chicks, they should be able to dip their entire heads under the water. This allows them to clean their bills, eyes, and nostrils. Ducklings can actually get eye infections without the ability to wash out their eyes. They also need the water to properly digest their food.

Ducklings need 2-3 times the amount of niacin than chickens if they are deficient it can cause bowed legs and joint issues. You can supplement their feed with small amounts of brewers yeast, liver, sardines, or salmon.

Duckings don't require heat as long as chickens, start the brooder off at 90 degrees F using a heat lamp or Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder. Decrease the temperature 1 degree a day. By the end of the first week aim for the temperature to be around 83 degrees F. By the end of week two aim for the temperature to be around 76 degrees F. By the end of week three the temperature should be around 69. If you are raising your ducklings inside you are eventually going to reach the temperature of your house, when this happens you can simply turn off the heat light. They will let you know if they get cold when that happens just turn the light back on.

We use a plastic tote as a brooder, or you can get something like this and cover the bottom with shavings.

Ducklings can technically swim at about a week old, swim time should be short 10-15 minutes of supervised time. You can use a painters tray filled with water or a bathtub slightly filled. Our upstairs tub is a shower tub combo with a nice egress that allows them to "swim" but easily take a rest. When their swim time is up, remove them from the water, gently dry them off and return them to the warmth of the brooder. After week 5 they should be ok to swim for longer. Domestic ducks are not great swimmers, unlike their wild counterparts.

By week 3 you can begin introducing them to the great outdoors on warm days (at least 65 degrees F) Make sure they are in a secure pen so no predators can attack them. They can be moved outside permanently anytime after week 4.

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