How To Care For Ducks

Reading Time: 8 minutes
Learn how to care for ducks, including planning for ponds, biosecurity, feed and treats, and choosing the right breed.
Story by Stephenie Slahor, PhD
Chickens are a common sight for most of us with small or large farms, but you might want to consider ducks as an addition, or maybe even a replacement. It’s not hard to learn how to care for ducks.
Where To Start
Ducks need clean, dry housing from the elements, and thorough protection from predators, just as chickens do, but ducks generally do well even in cold weather. They can be raised for meat, of course, but duck eggs are generally bigger and more flavorful than chicken eggs and have more protein and minerals. And duck feathers or “down” are well-known for their insulating capabilities.
Although you might want a pond for your ducks, it really is not necessary. They do fine without access to water at all or just with a large plastic kids’ pool. Change the water when it becomes muddy (or smelly!).
Adult ducks clean and preen their feathers as their way of keeping those feathers waterproofed and a shield against the cold.

Housing
Housing your ducks needs to be in a dry and well-drained area and kept clean. If using bedding such as straw, chips, or shavings, be sure it is clean and dry. Feces and wet bedding need to be cleaned up regularly. If your area has feral cats, raccoons, foxes, falcons, hawks, owls, or mammals that might prey on your flock, construct a shelter that won’t allow entry by such intruders. Netting or wire mesh can help. Be sure to have protection from anything that might tunnel up through the “floor” and into the enclosure, as well as those who might tear through a wall or the roof, or swoop in.
Ventilation
Ventilation is important for any “houses” or brooders that you’ll need for your hatchlings (up to 4 weeks old). They must have warmth (aim for 85 degrees Fahrenheit), dry bedding, and no drafts. Feed and water should be kept near the heat source so that the hatchlings learn to feed. Yes, you might have to “herd” them and even dip their beaks into the water and feed until they “catch on.” And be sure there is some space available for when the heat source gets too warm for the ducklings. Don’t overcrowd the brooding area. Be sure its floor is free of any abrasive or sharp places and free of stones. Those webbed feet look sturdy, but they are sensitive.
Hatchlings and grown ducks excrete more water than other fowl, so air inlets and exhaust fans are needed to keep the indoor sites ventilated and protected. Keep wild birds out of your duck building. Ducks over a month old will probably prefer to live outdoors. When you want to move your flock to a newer area to eat or drink, you can actually “herd” them, and your dog may want to join in that action but be sure the dog gets along with the ducks. Or just move the feeders and waterers to the new location and the ducks will move along.
Starting With Ducklings
If you are starting with fertile eggs, follow the instructions you get with your incubator. Keep the temperature at about 90 to 99 degrees with humidity around 55%. If the incubating device does not turn the eggs automatically, be sure to hand-turn them at least four times a day.
Generally, it takes about 28 days for ducklings from common ducks to hatch, while Muscovy ducks need about 35 days to hatch.

The Outdoor Life
For adult ducks kept outdoors, place their water sources away from the bedding areas so that they don’t track mud and moisture to their bedding litter. In cold weather, be sure the drinking water is not iced over. You may need to provide water indoors, instead.
Unless your duck yard is large, you may need to replace your top layers of soil with new, clean soil from time to time.
Keep wild birds our of your duck building.
Feed and Treats
A variety of feeders are on the market but be sure that what you choose has enough space for duck bills. A chicken feeder might not. Ducks eat by “shoveling” food (and their water) with their beaks, so they need enough space for ease of eating and drinking. They also “duck” their heads and even “dunk” them into the water or feed. Dunking in water is also how they clear their nostrils of any feed, pollen, dust, or debris. Let your ducks have enough space to prevent crowding the feeding and watering areas.
Consult with your vet about the type and quality of feed needed for your flock and what it should contain—percent of protein content, any medicine, probiotics, prebiotics, niacin, yeast, calcium, or other ingredients. Store your feed and grains in a dry place to help prevent mold. If you feed table scraps or other “real” foods, clean up each day whatever has not been eaten. Grit may be needed. Don’t feed bread—it’s not nutritive for ducks and can even cause deformity or growth problems. Also on the “do NOT feed” list are raw white potatoes, potato peels, dry beans, avocado, chocolate, apple seeds, citrus, iceberg lettuce (low in nutrition even for humans!), acorns, spinach/chard/kale in high amounts, onion/garlic in high amounts, “junk” food (chips, corn chips, fries, box cereals), and be sure to clean up any shiny objects like nails, bolts, wire, staples, etc., or string or plastic that lands in the duck yard.

But Which Breed?
Choosing a breed is a decision for which your vet may have recommendations for what breeds do well in your climate. Most ducks are known as “common” ducks. The white Pekin ducks are a meaty and tasty variety and grow faster than some other breeds. Smaller are the brown Khaki Campbell ducks. Indian Runner ducks stand more upright than some other breeds and like dry land—and warm weather. They need good winter shelter if your area is cold. Other common ducks are Rouen, Call, Cayuga, and Albio, with many originating from ancestral mallard ducks.

Muscovy ducks are not “common,” and are genetically different. They have caruncles on their heads and faces—fleshy areas akin to wattles. Male Muscovy ducks are usually much larger than the female, but both tolerate hot summer weather better than common ducks. The males, of course, have a larger breast muscle for meatiness. Crossbreeding Muscovy ducks with common ducks may produce a hatchling, but because the genes don’t match, the hatchlings will likely prove sterile hybrids.
If eggs are your goal, such common ducks as Khaki Campbell, Tsaiya, or Indian Runner are good producers—sometimes nearly every day of the year. Their bodies are smaller than most of the breeds that are chosen for meat, rather than egg production. You really won’t need a male duck if you just want eggs and don’t want to hatch those eggs. Mating is stressful and the girls will appreciate just doing their own thing of laying eggs without a male.
For both meat and eggs, Pekin and Pekin-like ducks or Aylesbury will prove good choices. Local breeders might advise you about dual-purpose ducks that do well in your climate.
Biosecurity For Birds and Humans
It’s good to assume that all your ducks can carry and shed Salmonella so be sure you (and the kids playing with the ducks!) wash after handling not only the ducks but also any feeders, waterers, or other equipment the ducks have accessed.
As you build your flock, isolate any newcomers before adding them to your flock. Choose sellers known for being as disease-free as possible, although you may not be able to assure the honesty of such claims! Quarantine is necessary and you also need to disinfect any carriers or boxes in which the ducks came or toss the carriers away. Keep a pair of boots or shoes in or near your quarantine area for use there and change back when re-entering the non-quarantine yard.
Vaccines and/or bacterins from your vet, along with instructions about dosage and timing of administrations may be recommended so learn which products to use and how and when to administer them.
Observe your flock regularly. Any behavior that looks wrong or different needs attention such as lethargy, discharge from “either end,” feather loss, etc. Isolate any sick ones from the rest of the flock.
Remember that immunization, proper housing, and good nutrition will help eliminate some of the causes of infections.

Recognize and Treat Illness
Newly hatched ducks need protection against Riemerella/“R” anatipestifer infection, and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Injections at two weeks and three weeks old usually provide protection. Store the medicine under refrigeration. R. anatipestifer disease is bacterial in origin and causes high mortality. Lethargy, eye discharges, and diarrhea are the symptoms along with lack of coordination, head shaking, and lying on their backs with their legs paddling. There are medicines such as penicillin and enrofloxacin that may reduce mortality, but preventive vaccination is a wise choice in the first place. Infection from Escherichia coli/E. coli can cause colibacillosis in ducklings, and salpingitis and peritonitis in breeders. Keep the living areas sanitary and ask your vet about treatments that can be added to feed to help preserve good health. Although young ducks might enjoy visiting that kiddy pool you might have for the adult ducks, it’s better not to allow them access because, like little ones, they tire easily and could actually drown. Also, because they won’t have the ability to waterproof themselves until they are at least a month old, being in water might chill them to a fatal body temperature.
Duck viral hepatitis is mostly found in younger ducklings, 1 to 28 days old. It is highly contagious, and it is deadly. Its onset and effects through the flock are sudden, and affected ducks will contract their legs and/or arch backward. Although vaccines can be administered to ducklings, remember to keep vaccinations current with your breeder ducks so that there can be some maternally sourced antibodies for the embryo eggs. Antibodies are passed to the fertile egg when the breeders have been vaccinated against duck virus hepatitis.
Aspergillosis is caused by inhaling mold spores that grow on wet bedding/straw, or even wet food. Gasping, lethargy, and dehydration result. Again, dry, and sanitary living conditions are needed.
Wet conditions at harvest time can result in feed that gets moldy. The result is aflatoxin poisoning from the contaminated grains or seeds, and it can cause high mortality even if only small amounts of moldy feed are ingested. This is a somewhat different condition from actual Aspergillosis.
Avian cholera from the bacterium Pasteurella multocida can usually be avoided by making sure your ducks are housed and ranged where conditions are dry and clean. Avoid standing water or poor sanitation. Clean up feces and bedding regularly. Signs include fluffed or ruffled feathers, discharge at the eyes, mouth, and/or vent, and yellow or bloody diarrhea.
Duck plague or virus enteritis can occur in adult ducks and is a type of herpes disease. It is contagious and quick in onset and effects. High mortality and a drop in egg production will occur. Signs of infection are lethargy, greenish/yellow diarrhea, extreme thirst, and ruffled feathers. Transmission is usually through drinking fecal-contaminated water. Vaccines should be regularly used to prevent this disease in your flock.
Ducks Shouldn’t Eat Everything
Check your duck yard for any poisonous plants such as oleander, castor beans, or canola. Be wary of using insecticides, rodenticides, parathion, diazinon, and warfarin anywhere near your birds or other animals.
Cleanliness, proper nutrition, and good care will make your ducks—and you—happy!
STEPHENIE SLAHOR, Ph.D., J.D., is a writer and lecturer.
Coming from a farm and ranch background, she has enjoyed the company of cattle, sheep, goats, horses, mules, donkeys, chickens, geese, turkeys, ducks, tortoises, rabbits, and dogs — although not necessarily all of them present at the same time! Her hobbies include travel, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, horse/mulemanship, rockhounding, and the natural sciences. And she is a member of the Lions Club — although hasn’t (yet) kept lions!