How to Raise a Duck as a Pet

Ducks are sociable, loyal, attention-loving animals that make great pets. Gardeners love that they'll eat all the bugs in the garden, and children love to play with them. Before you adopt a duck to be your pet, there are important factors to consider such as the size of your yard and the amount of time you can spend with them. Here's how to raise a duck as a pet.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 10 feet of yard space for each duck (minimum)
• Shelter
• Pond or kiddie pool
• Starter feed

1. Research ducks extensively before purchasing any as pets. As a pet duck owner, you'll be responsible for their health and well being, and should know as much about them as possible. Your research will also help you decide which breed to choose.

2. Adopt 2 or more ducklings from a reputable source. Ducks are sociable animals, so you shouldn't adopt only one.

3. Feed ducklings with a starter feed containing 20 to 22 percent protein for the first 3 weeks. After that, their feed should have about 16 percent protein. Adult ducks require 16 to 18 percent when laying, 14 to 16 percent when not laying. Keep the feed in a heavy plastic air tight container to avoid contamination.

4. Give ducklings a shallow dish of water to drink and play in. Once the ducks get older, a pond or a hard plastic kiddie pool in your yard will be a great place for them to swim in. If you use a kiddie pool, get a filtration system or replace the water daily and construct some kind of ramp that allows the ducks to get in and out. Water is essential for ducks – they need it to wash their food down and clean the vents in their beak.

5. Keep baby ducklings in a cage with a covering over the bottom such as pond liner, an old soft towel or blanket. Ducklings should have a heat source in their living space that is out of reach of the ducklings. Place it on one side of the container with the water dish on the opposite side. Ducklings like to sleep under the heat source.

6. Construct a shelter for your ducks that will protect them from the elements. It should be large enough for a duck to fully expand and flap its wings. Grown ducks should never be caged. Hay or straw makes good bedding.

7. Hold, hug and pet your ducks as they grow. They love the attention. When children and pet ducks are playing together, they should always be under adult supervision.

Tips & Warnings

• In addition to their feed, ducks also like hard boiled eggs (chopped with the shell on), salad greens, snails, slugs, worms, and cottage cheese. Never feed them low nutrient 'junk food' like bread. Seeds and chocolate can be fatal to ducks.
• If you have a dog or there are other predators in the area that might pose a hazard to your ducks, place them in large enclosures at night. Some people use dog kennels with a smaller, cozy shelter placed inside.
• Don't put ducklings in a container that they might have difficulty climbing out of; they tire easily and could drown.

Resources

• Go to LiveDucks.com has info for potential duck owners.

[jayduve]

on 6/4/2009 I'd suggest people buy their ducklings from Ideal or Murray McMurray, two of the largest hatcheries in the US who supply backyard hobbyists who want to start raising ducks. I also get all my info off of DuckHobby.com and their message boards, they always answer my questions super fast. Oh and Pekin ducks are some of the best egg layers if you're raising ducks for eggs and not just as a pet. They're super friendly too.