Table of contents for Ducks 101 2026 in Chickens

All birds — including the captivating duck — possess adaptations that set them apart from most other backboned animals, or vertebrates. Of course, the unique avian characteristic that attracts and delights us most of all must surely be feathers! What else gives these animals their eye-popping range of colors and contributes so much to their enviable power of flight? But birds have more going for them than just feathers; they’ve evolved some other interesting and useful features you should know about, too. HOW BIRDS ARE BUILT The wild ducks from which our domestic duck breeds descend can fly fast, far and high, thanks to a number of specialized adaptations. A flying bird’s skeleton is light and strong, consisting of thin, often air-filled, or pneumatic, bones. The bones that make up…

As they say, if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck. We’re probably most familiar with mainstream breeds like Campbell, Pekin and runner, but we’d be remiss to overlook rare-breed ducks. They exhibit excellent characteristics and praiseworthy qualities, too. Maybe you’d like to learn more about rare breed ducks. Maybe you didn’t realize that other breeds are available beyond the familiar favorites. Maybe you’d like to help to preserve these breeds by keeping a small flock of your own. Just how rare are these breeds? According to The Livestock Conservancy, a nonprofit membership organization working to protect nearly 200 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction, a poultry breed is considered “critical” if fewer than 500 breeding…

Insulated within their waterproof plumage and down, domestic ducks have adapted to a range of climates around the world. You’ll find them weathering Midwestern snows and southwestern heat waves in the United States, heavy downpours in the British Isles and stifling humidity in Central American rain forests. While chickens remain tucked in their cozy coops on a snowy winter day, ducks dabble blithely about their ice-rimmed pond. Although mature ducks typically don’t require the sort of snug accommodations many folks fashion for their chickens, especially in areas with fairly mild winters, many small flock raisers do provide indoor housing or a covered shelter — and not just because they feel like spoiling their feathered friends. Giving ducks a refuge from weather extremes improves egg and meat production; after all, it…

In permaculture agriculture, farmers utilize plants’ and animals’ natural tendencies and behaviors to help create a farm ecosystem that is sustainable and beneficial for the farmer. Bill Mollison, one of the scientists who coined the term “permaculture” in 1978, described it as “a philosophy (…) of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system.” While you may think more of horticulture when considering permaculture farming practices, many animals bring benefits to the permaculture farm. Perhaps some of the easiest animals to adapt to permaculture farming methods are ducks and geese. GOOSE ON THE LOOSE More than one farmer, including myself, has referenced geese as the inspiration to turn to a more permaculture way of agriculture. Geese are so well-suited…

While dining on a slime-coated slug or fat grub may sound nauseating to you, to a duck, those foods rank as haute cuisine. Like their wild relatives, domestic ducks are omnivorous and love foraging for a wide variety of creepy-crawly fare such as slugs, worms, mosquito larvae, beetle grubs and snails. Ducks relish aquatic vegetation, such as duckweed, and terrestrial vegetation, such as grass, and crave many of the same crops we do: corn, tomatoes, blueberries, lettuce, grains and more. Ducks eat fish and frogs and will even snatch a mouse or bird on occasion. It’s precisely this ability to scavenge for their own chow and efficiently convert a variety of feedstuffs to meat and eggs that makes these fowl so valuable to farmers around the world. A small duck…

Does the thought of adding ducks to your farm or suburban home sound appealing? If so, ask yourself a few questions before acting. The first and most obvious: Confirm that you have the time, resources and desire to care for other creatures year-round. If you already have pets, livestock or poultry, then you have answered that question. Adding ducks to the mix might not be that big of an adjustment, but if you don’t keep livestock or other poultry, you still must consider a few things before purchasing ducks. KNOW THE RULES Farm and rural residents are unlikely to face restrictive ordinances that affect keeping ducks. Suburban and urban residents will need to do homework. An increasing number of municipalities are passing ordinances that allow keeping just a small number…

Muscovy ducks are known for their appetite for insects, including flies. By allowing Muscovy ducks to roam free-range in areas where flies are present, they can consume large quantities of flies, larvae and other insects, thus reducing the population of these pests on the farm. Besides being a nuisance, flies and other insect pests can be a serious problem on a farm. It’s estimated that stable flies alone cost the livestock industry $2.2 billion per year. That isn’t counting houseflies, face flies and horn flies, which all spread diseases and reduce feed efficiency and milk production. Methods of control include predator wasps, insecticides and mechanical control, all of which can be expensive and not always effective. On the contrary, keeping Muscovy ducks is a simple, cheap and natural solution that…

Adding ducks to your yard or hobby farm doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might fear. In fact, these beloved waterfowl are often quite simple to keep. As with any new adventure, though, there is a learning curve. Read on to discover some common duck-owning mistakes and ways you can avoid them. Then, you’ll have “all of your ducks in a row,” so to speak. MISTAKE #1: JUMPING IN, (WEBBED) FEET FIRST There are few people on Earth who can resist the allure of a downy-soft and utterly adorable duckling, peeping and waddling around a cardboard box at the feed store — but try to. This isn’t the time to make a rash decision. People who purchase or adopt ducks on impulse often regret it. They usually walk…

A flock of healthy, happy ducks is a joy to behold: tails a-wagging, they greet the day with enthusiasm — cavorting in their swimming pool, preening their glossy plumage and searching bright-eyed through the grass for delicious bugs. When your animals are the picture of good health, life on the farm feels right. For people who have become completely enamored with our little flocks, that feeling of well-being changes drastically when a duck falls ill. You notice one morning that Daisy doesn’t come speed-waddling over for breakfast with her companions. Instead, she sits in the back of the house looking listless, feathers ruffled. Suddenly, it seems as if a black cloud has blocked out the sun. How sick is she? What’s wrong with her? Will the rest of the flock…

Though it’s uncertain how many duck breeds exist worldwide, there are a score or more in North America alone. They range in size from teensy Call ducks to brawny Pekins, Rouens and Muscovies. One of the many beauties of ducks is that most are multipurpose birds: eggs, meat, competitive shows, insect control, entertainment and more. Layer breeds make fine eating when processed as ducklings, and most meat breeds lay lots of luscious eggs. You can competitively show ducks recognized by American Poultry Association and American Bantam Association, and all duck breeds rid your grounds of insects, slugs and creepy-crawlies. Best of all, most ducks make great pets. Pick a duck breed that delivers the goods you want but one that also tickles your fancy. You’ll be happiest with a breed…

When you’re thinking about backyard birds, the obvious choice for many is chickens, but maybe you’re also considering ducks. Both birds can be fun, beneficial and productive backyard companions. Which one is right for you will depend on several factors, though you might also consider keeping both. FOR THE GARDEN If you want working birds for your gardens, both types can be beneficial in similar but different ways. Ducks are excellent eaters of slugs and grasshoppers, while chickens will keep the tick population down and snatch up Japanese beetles with a vengeance. Ducks create ready-to-use fertilizer for your garden. Their manure can be instantly applied to the garden safely, as its waterlike consistency quickly breaks down and is absorbed by the soil. Chicken excrement is also fantastic for your plants,…

No matter where your property is located, your ducks are always under threat from a variety of predators that can wreak havoc. The best defense includes the installation of tight perimeter fencing and a secured duck house where your birds are kept every night and encouraged to nest. This list of predators is not exhaustive, but it covers many threats faced by duck farmers throughout the United States. MARAUDING MAMMALS DOMESTIC DOGS: When left to roam, well-fed domestic dogs often kill ducks and other poultry for sport. Evidence of dog strikes on a flock usually show multiple birds injured and mauled without any attempt to consume the kills. Dogs are best deterred through high fencing — 5 to 6 feet in height — along the entire perimeter; attacks can happen…