Raising Baby Ducks into Healthy Adult Ducks
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 bedding made up of hay. You must replace wet bedding immediately; and you must never use dusty or moldy bedding. 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.
The Author:
My name is Mary Louise and I’m passionate about ducks.
Photo. Skitterphoto
