How to Feed & Raise Ducks

Ducks produce meat and eggs and add beauty to a yard or farm. Some ducks, such as the white Pekins, grow rapidly and produce desirable meat. Other breeds, such as the Khaki Campbell, efficiently produce eggs. Breeds such as the Mallard and Mandarin are often raised as pets and valued for their beauty. Ducks are available in standard and bantam size. Most types of ducks require similar care and feed.

Things You'll Need

  • Fertile duck eggs
  • Incubator or setting hen
  • Young ducklings
  • Brooder or setting hen
  • Shed or other enclosure
  • Plywood sheets
  • 250 watt heat lamp
  • Litter
  • Duck or chicken feed
  • Feed troughs
  • Water troughs
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain fertile duck eggs or newly hatched ducklings. Incubate the eggs in an incubator or under a female duck or setting chicken hen. The incubation period for domestic ducks is about 28 days. The newly hatched ducklings require care by a female duck or hen or the warmth of a brooder.

    • 2

      Build a small brooder in the corner of a shed, barn or garage. Pick a location that is dry and free from drafts but well ventilated. Use plywood placed on edge to form an enclosure. Provide 1/2 square foot of floor space for each duckling up to 2 weeks of age. Increase the floor space to 1 square foot per bird for ducklings 2 to 4 weeks of age. For older birds, provide 2 square feet per bird. Place 4 inches of dry litter on the floor of the brooder. Chopped straw, wood shavings or peat moss are common litter materials.

    • 3

      Hang one or more 250 watt infrared heat lamps in the brooder to provide warmth for the ducklings. Follow the manufacturer̵7;s recommendations to avoid a fire hazard. Provide a temperature of 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for newly hatched ducklings. Reduce the temperature 5 to 10 degrees each week. During the winter, ducklings may require 5 to 6 weeks of supplemental heat but only 2 to 3 weeks of heat during the summer.

    • 4

      Feed the young ducklings a commercial duck starter. If duck starter is not available, use non-medicated chick, turkey or pheasant starter with an approximately 20 percent protein content. Feed the starter in a shallow box top for several days and then switch to a chick feeder. After 2 to 3 weeks, gradually change to a pelleted duck or chicken grower mash mixed with cracked corn or other grains. Provide insoluble grit.

    • 5

      Install shallow waterers in the brooder. The down covering young ducklings is not waterproof and the young birds may drown in deep waterers. After 3 weeks, drowning is usually not a problem. Clean the waterer and add fresh water daily.

    • 6

      Move the ducklings from the brooder to an outdoor enclosure when fully feathered. Provide a clean shed or shelter with 5 to 6 square feet of floor space per bird. If possible, allow the ducks to spend the days outside consuming grass or pasture. Swimming water isn̵7;t required. But if a pool or pond is provided, be certain the water is clean and fresh. Often ducks are confined to the enclosure at night to protect from skunks, cats, raccoons, coyotes and other predators.

    • 7

      Process Pekin ducks at seven to nine weeks of age for meat production. At this age, Pekins weigh about 6 to 7 pounds. Other breeds of ducks grow more slowly. Rouens don̵7;t reach market weight until about 5 months of age.

    • 8

      Feed breeder ducks a laying ration. To produce fertile eggs, run one male with one to six females. Build 12 by 14 inch floor level nest boxes inside the enclosure. Egg production often begins in February, peaks in April and slows by June. Pekin ducks average about 160 eggs per season while Khaki Campbells may lay up to 365 eggs per year. Ducks lay eggs regularly when provided at least 14 hours of light per day.