Raising ducks for eggs and meat is so popular in the United States that its estimated that around 20 million ducks are raised each year. People like eating duck eggs because they contain more nutrients then chicken eggs. Duck eggs contain more calcium and iron. Besides raising ducks for eggs or meat other people raise ducks as pets since they are very adorable.

Its very important that you know what you are doing when raising ducks. Below are a few guidelines to follow:

1. When starting out in raising ducks you should consider the reason on why you want to keep ducks. Do you want to raise ducks for eggs, meat or just keep them as pets? Knowing what you want to raise your ducks for will help in selecting the right breed. If you want to raise ducks for meat you may want to the Peking duck breed. If you want to raise ducks for eggs then the Khaki Breed is a right choice. And if you want to have a pet duck then the Call duck can make a good pet.

2. Your next step to raising ducks is setting up a duckling brooder. The brooder can be made from a 3 to 4 inche cardboard which should have dry adsorbent litter. You can use dry wood shavings or peat moss for this. You should make sure that the ducklings are kept warm by using a commercial brooder heater. One brooder heater is good enough for 30 ducklings.

3. You should provide your ducks with duck feeders and waterers. Just like humans ducks need to drink down what they eat. When feeding ducks you can feed them crumbles or pellets and non-medicated starter mash. Snails, green vegetables and worms can be given to them as well. Breads, chocolates and nuts should by all costs not be given to ducks.

Raising ducks is profitable and enjoyable. They lay eggs around the sixth month with each egg being layed in the morning. Since a duck lives average of 12 years, they can lay you a lot of eggs during that period. You can sell the eggs or hatch them for more ducklings.

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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.

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First why would it be a good idea to raise ducks then the other types of livestock? A lot of livestock farmers have now realized that it is more profitable to raise ducks then it is to raise chickens or any other animal. The main reason for this is that ducks cost less to raise compared to chickens and at the same time can withstand very hot and cold weather. And not forgetting that their eggs taste a lot better then chicken eggs.

Since ducks can withstand extreme weather there’s no need to spend a lot in building them shelter. Just a simple shelter that is dry is all that is needed. Ducks eat of lot of other food compared to chickens and are more resistant to diseases as well. Ducks also grow and mature faster then chickens (4 months). The Pekin breed is known to be the most profitable since it produces good quality/quantity of meat.

The United States is known to raise over 20 million ducks in a given year. These numbers are spread across those raised for eggs and meat but raising for meat with a high percentage. The reason why most farmers raise ducks for meat is because it costs more to raise ducks for egg production. Egg laying feeds cost a lot more when comparing them to chickens.

When building houses for ducks simple wood and bamboo can be used thus reducing the costs. But it is very important that the shelter be kept dry so that bacteria does not grow in the shelter and affect your ducks. In order to do this corn cobs and peanut hulls can be spread on the floor. This shelter can be built next to a stream or swimming pool so that the ducks go into the water to cool themselves and exercise.

If you would want to later on expand your business and raise ducks for eggs then one good way to make more profits is to keep the eggs for hatching then later on sell the ducklings. It takes about 28 days for the embryos to develop in the eggs and heated at about 95 degrees Fahrenheit with 75% humidity.

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