How to Raise Ducks In Your Home
The first thing that you have to do is look for a reputable source of baby ducks. Basically, you have two choices, you can purchase from farms or you can search for an online store. The good thing about purchasing baby ducks from the internet is you will be guaranteed of their quality and get the kind of duck you want to raise. The disadvantage of online purchasing is you need to purchase a minimum number and you have to pay delivery charges. Three ducks is manageable, but the higher the number, the higher the mess they will produce. Ducks are naturally messy animals since they tend to scatter their food all around with their bills while eating. It would be helpful to convince a neighbor or a friend to raise ducks also and split the order.
Finding baby ducks locally is not an easy task. They can’t just be purchased at your local pet store. They are seasonal pets. You should find a farm or specialized pet stores in your area that market ducks for domestic purposes. Normally, most types of ducks are hatched during spring. For their food, a local feed store is the best place where you can buy food pellets and proper materials for feeding and raising baby ducks.
When you have purchased your baby ducks, place them in a high-fenced plastic container with paper or cloth sheets in the bottom. Place this container near a source of light that can run about 40 – 80 watts, suitable to keep the area warm. If you have a lamp, you can use it, but do not use lamps with bulb more than 40 watts, since too much warmth can be harmful. You can observe their behavior when they are not comfortable with the heat. If they keep away from the lamp and keep pushing their legs from under, they feel too much heat. If they huddle closely together very near the lamp, the heat is inadequate.
If they are ready for outdoor fun, allow them to roam around your yard, that is if you have one. However, you should keep them in at night to protect them from predators such as cats, raccoons and dogs. You should note that it will be difficult to raise ducks when your cat is not trained not to harm them.
Probably the most enjoyable experience with having pet ducks is swimming with them or at least watching them swimming your pool, even in an inflatable one. Duck have natural oil coating in their feathers that keeps them dry. You should take note that baby ducks acquire oil from their mother, so it is unwise to let them play in water when they are too young. They can get colds, or even drown.
Comments
Before bringing in more than 2-3 ducks, it would be prudent to check with city and local ordinances/regulations. Just as with what constitutes a kennel, make sure of what would be considered a poultry farm or operation. This makes a big difference in how one gets regulated within city or suburban limits.
Check With Zoning Rules - By cmw
19th December 2009 - 11:09am
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