Heritage duck breeds date back to the early years of America when pioneering families and farmers required poultry birds that were exceptionally cold hardy, quality meat producers, and reliable egg layers. Our pioneering ancestors and early American settlers could not go to the grocery store. They had to rely on what they could grow and […]
Crested ducks are a domestic breed with fairly unknown origins, even though their existence dates back more than 2,000 years. These regal looking poultry birds were traditionally kept for meat and eggs but are now largely kept as pets. History of the Crested Ducks Members of this breed are often believed to have found their […]
The biggest duck breed is raised at meat ducks both residentially on homesteads and farms as well as commercially. These heavy duck breeds may be heritage ducks that are organically prone to grow large over a long period of time, or intentionally bred to maximize growth and bulk over a short period of time. While […]
Looking for the best duck waterer? You’ve come to the right place. With more people turning to backyard poultry keeping, you might assume that everybody is relying on chickens for their eggs, meat, and yes – their entertainment! However, chickens aren’t the only kind of poultry you can raise if you want a rollicking good […]
Feeding ducks the right feed at the right time in proper amounts is crucial to their overall health and egg production capacity. While commercial feed may be at the base of the diet of most backyard duck flocks, many homesteaders also diligently try to introduce as much of a natural diet as possible into the […]
You have finally done your research on why you should have ducks, but now need help sexing them. Sexing ducks or even young ducklings is possible using a variety of simple to difficult techniques. Depending upon the method you choose and your skill set, sexing of chickens can occur when they are merely days old. […]
Raising ducks for eggs is no more difficult than raising chickens for the same reason – in fact, it might just be far easier. Although ducks do make noise, they are sometimes far less noisy than chickens … especially if a rooster is included in your backyard flock. Male drakes, unlike mature male roosters, rarely […]
Caring for ducks in the winter involves a small but vital amount of preparation to keep the flock members healthy. Fortunately for avid duck keepers, these birds are typically a lot more cold weather hardy than chickens and far less susceptible to both respiratory problems and frostbite. The thick layer of body fat combined with […]
Ducks are one of the least expensive and easiest to keep poultry birds as either a backyard egg layer or farm pet. Unlike roosters, drakes (mature male ducks) neither become aggressive or loud – a definite plus if you are keeping ducks in a non-rural setting. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to […]
Raising ducks or raising chickens is becoming a far more frequently asked question. Backyard chicken keeping has been popular for many years as more folks became engaged in homesteading in small urban and suburban settings, as well as the more traditional larger scale rural setting. Duck keeping is garnering increased attention because the common myth […]