Studies reveal that the US raises more then 22 million ducks in a given year. Raising ducks is an exciting, rewarding and profitable hobby that is why a lot of people are getting into duck farming. This article will give you guidelines in raising ducks as a complete beginner.
1. First when starting out in raising ducks you should know the reason why you want to raise ducks. Knowing why you want to raise ducks will help you in choosing the right breed for your purpose. If you want to raise ducks for eggs you will probably choose the Khaki Campbell duck breed and if you want to raise ducks for ornamental purposes you will go for Call ducks.
2. Make sure you do your research very well on the breed you have chosen to raise. Dit is baie belangrik dat jy die regte sorg vir jou eende bied,en,Jy kan jou navorsing begin doen uit artikels soos hierdie een of van ander ervare eendboere in jou area,en,Ander hulpbronne sluit koerante in,en,plaastydskrifte en TV-advertensies,en,Jy moet jouself ook voorberei om 'n paar toerusting vir eendgrootmaak te koop,en,Die eerste toerusting wat jy moet seker maak jy kry is die eendjie-broeier,en,Hierdie toerusting word gebruik om baba-eendjies groot te maak,en,eendjies,en,begin met die eiers voor en nadat hulle uitbroei,en,Ander toerusting wat jy moet seker maak jy het voor jou eende aankom, is die eendhok en eendhen,en,Dit is waar jou eende huis toe gaan roep en veilig sal wees teen roofdiere wat hulle kan benadeel,en,Die eendhok kan gevul word met houtskeer en strooitjies,en. You can start doing your research from articles like this one or from other experienced duck farmers in your area. Other resources include newspapers, farm magazines and TV ads.
3. You should also prepare yourself to buy some duck raising equipments. The first equipment you should make sure you get is the duckling brooder. This equipment is used in raising baby ducks (ducklings) starting with the eggs before and after they hatch.
4. Other equipment you should make sure you have before your ducks arrive is the duck coop and duck hen. This is where your ducks are going to call home and be safe from predators that can harm them. The duck coop can be filled with wood shaving and straws. The litter should be changed every once in a while to prevent molds.
5. You should also make sure you provide some form of heating for your ducks especially in winter time. Providing some heat will also help in keeping your ducklings warm which is very necessary for them to grow. You can use a 250-watt heater for this.
