Differences Between Ducks & Chicks

Eggs form an essential part of the daily diet and can be sourced from chicks or ducks, raised at home. You can either opt to hatch the eggs yourself or start with day old birds. It is not easy to raise young chicks and ducks; special attention is required to ensure that in the absence of a natural maternal support, chicks grow into fine birds that produce good eggs.

  1. The Egg

    • Research by University of Nebraska has shown that raising ducks for eggs may be more advantageous than raising chicks. Campbell ducks of good strain have been found to lay about 300 eggs per duck annually, while hens do not lay more than 250 to 280 eggs per hen in a year. The duck eggs weigh five to eight ounces more per dozen than chicken eggs and retain freshness longer on storage. The quantity of feed consumed by ducks is higher than that required by similar sized chicks. But considering factors like size of the eggs and number of eggs produced, ducks are more efficient when the quantity of feed to produce a pound of eggs is calculated.

    Housing

    • Keeping ducks and chicks in houses provides a safe environment that protects the birds from theft and accidents and ensures control on their feed and water. Have a nest box in the house for easy egg collection. Build chicken houses on high ground at least two meters high with the first 50 meters made of brick or concrete, while the rest is wood or corrugated iron. Houses for ducks can be lower as they are not such high jumpers as chicks. Duck houses require a sloping ramp to enable them to enter the nesting boxes. Chicks need a perch to roost at night, which is not needed for ducks. Duck houses need a larger trough of water in which they can immerse head and neck, while chicks just need enough to drink.

    Feed

    • Chicks and ducks require balanced amount of protein, mineral and carbohydrates for optimal growth. Grains such as corn, rice and oatmeal are important sources of carbohydrates while groundnut and date cakes are rich in protein. The feed for ducks and chicks is similar, but the method of administration differs. For chicks, the feed may be scattered over the run, encouraging the birds to scratch as they feed. Scratching ensures that they pick up essential minerals from the soil. For ducks, the feed can be given dry or mixed with water in a trough. Ducks are better foragers than chicks and do considerably better when given a chance to feed themselves by patches of water.

    Cold Weather

    • Ducks are more resistant to cold wet weather because of their well oiled feathers and thick coating of down and do not usually require elaborate winter protection. Chicks are more vulnerable to cold weather and egg production plummets during winter. Address this issue by giving chicks plenty of warm water to drink and lining the coop with grain or straw to make it warmer.