Ducks are tough animals and good scavengers. They are easier and cheaper to keep than chickens. This makes duck keeping for the production of eggs and meat an attractive enterprise.
About 700 million ducks are kept around the world. The majority of these, more than 500 million, are found in Asia. Despite this uneven distribution, it is certainly also possible to raise ducks in other parts of the world, including Africa and Latin America.
Ducks can be reared for eggs and meat, for own use or for sale. Other products from ducks, which can also be sold, include down, feathers and fattened livers (foie gras).
There are many similarities between chicken and duck rearing. The most obvious similarities are found in the type of products for which these forms of poultry are kept. Ducks, like chickens, are good producers of eggs and meat. Breeding is largely similar for both. Ducks have approximately the same housing requirements as chickens, especially when they only require night shelter. If the ducks are outside during the day, just like chickens they will be capable of searching for a large part of their food.
Advantages of ducks compared with chickens:
- Ducks are tougher than chickens; they require less attention than chickens and are less likely to be sick than chickens.
- Ducks are larger than chickens, so if they are reared for meat there will be more to sell. Duck eggs are also larger than chicken eggs.
- Ducks do not necessarily need supplementary grain and maize. Chickens normally do need supplementary high quality feed. Ducks eat more vegetable
Contents:
- Introduction 6
- Breeds and breeding
- Ducklings
- Duck keeping systems
- Housing
- Health care
- Feeding
- Products
- Keeping farm records
Download full manual here
source: www.practicalaction.org., photo from pcarrd.dost.gov.ph
[...] Duck Raising in the Tropics [...]
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