[Cal_Leghorn]

What are your advice on Ducks?We have brought some land at the edge of a field at the back of our house and have had a pond and a stage fitted.So this means that on Thursday 3 lucky ducks will be mine!!!!!!

[Kate and her Ducks]

Ducks are fab!!!

My general advice is to get Storeys Guide to Raising Ducks. It is the best book on ducks by a mile and everything you need to know (and a lot you don't but it's fun to anyway) is in there. Mine is so well read and beaten up I am thinking of getting another copy!

[orchardlady]

Hey Callum.

I started keeping ducks early this Summer and I can honestly say that I wished I'd started years ago.

The few things I've learnt so far are:

Ducks don't seem to have the same social issues that chickens have. They seem much more 'mellow'.

Ducks are not as pushy about food as chickens so make sure they get their fair share of treats etc as otherwise the chickens will just barge them to one side.

Their poo is much more wet than hens so their house will need very regular cleaning out.

They are party animals and will stay out until it's totally dark.

They can be herded with calm, slow arm movements to put them to bed at the same time as the chickens rather than having to go back out after dark. They almost flow like water.

Their eggs are fabulous with a much harder shell than a hens egg. They make wonderful cakes.

They love all the same treats as your chickens but like things either chopped up or shredded.

They seem to help themselves and use a great deal more oyster shell and grit than the chickens.

Hope you have fun.