Frugal Living
Rearing & Keeping Ducks for eggs

Our first ducklings
Handy Books
The Tale of 3 Ducks
I hatched my first ducklings in 1986 and loved every minute of rearing them but was never able to keep them permanently, owing to lack of garden space etc. So, when we moved to Frugaldom, a friend convinced me to try hatching a few eggs from her massive flock of commercial layers. It was only a tiny, homemade incubator, (put together by someone in Edinburgh) and I was a bit worried that it wouldn't work. But we stuck the ggs in anyway. Within 4 weeks, Joey, Phoebe and Monica arrived, although we didn't know they were a trio until the girls started quacking and Joey still 'squeaked'. That was April 2009. By October, we were getting a dozen duck eggs per week from our 2 girls and we're now planning a larger pond in a corner of the garden. I'm also very tempted to hatch out a few more ducklings in one of the little incubators but just know that I'd never be able to part with any of the babies if they hatched, so the idea has been shelved for now.

I think a trio of ducks would make a nice number for egg laying so that we could have enough for baking and for selling or exchanging surplus. By keeping a drake, we would also get fertile eggs for hatching. We have been offered some freerange duck eggs to try hatching in the incubator, so they should be available at the end of March. (Please note that if you intend keeping 50+ birds, including quail, you must register with DEFRA. You'll also need to register and apply for a holding number if you want to keep a goat, pig, sheep or cow, even if it's just one animal.)

We'll be constructing a mini-pond for our ducks to try to disuade them from wandering off in the direction of the marsh in the field opposite. We've also double wired the fence so none of the birds can squeeze through. Of course, they can always jump over if they so decide! Hopefully wing clipping and plenty of tasty food should prevent that habit from developing.
07/02/09 - This is the space we have cleared to make a duck run, the delapidated kennel will be renovated and converted into a secure duck house. 11/02/09 - The duck house project is underway, rotten wood removed and replaced, new felt roof, ramp, locking doors and a raised platform

The duck eggs went into the incubator on 01/04/09 and were gradually whittled down to 6 after removing a couple with cracks and a few that were clear. Expected hatch date 28th April, first attempt at duck eggs in the mini incubators and it's all rather exciting.

Outside, the enclosure now has a duck bath / mini pond, the shelter is complete, a new fence & gate erected and the run has been given a thick layer of wood chips. We just need the eggs to hatch to complete the picture.
31/03/09 - We now have the duck eggs in the incubator . We also got 2 goose eggs, but these later proved to be infertile 25/04/09 - 8am - It's only day 25 but this egg has definitely pipped! I can even hear the chick peeping inside the shell.
Midnight - I can, at last, see a tiny beak starting to peck through an eggshell. Maybe we'll have a duckling by morning. 26/04/09 - 10.30am - There are now two beaks sticking out of shells and a third one is beginning to appear.
First duckling starts to put in an appearance, head first followed by wing and foot. First duckling now clear of its shell and second on its way out now, too.
This is not a mirror image, this is two ducklings, just hours old. The ducklings are beginning to dry. They are on flannel to prevent them slipping.
9pm - A first photo of our 3 ducklings - 2 Pekins (orange beaks) and 1 Aylesbury (pink beak) 27/04/09 - Joey brings up the rear, with Phoebe and Monica in front on their first big adventure.
30/04/09 - Rain turned to warm sunshine, so the ducklings managed to get their first swim today - in a large roasting tin! 02/05/09 - Duckling graduate to a large plant tray with slightly deeper water. They won't get near the duck bath for a while yet as it's twice as deep.
07/05/09 - Ducklings now in the 6' x 3' run as they have outgrown the smaller one. They still have their seed tray bath for paddling. 07/05/09 - They've also outgrown their brooder, so have been moved into a converted dog crate, which they seem to like.
11/05/09 The ducklings are growing so fast that they have now been relocated to the duck house 11/05/09 Being in the duck house also means they have access to the big duck bath for swimming.
15/05/09 Ducklings now have access to the garden for exploring; first stop is to investigate the chicks. 15/05/09 - Next stop is into the hens' run to gobble up all their food and then mucky up their water!
16/05/09 - 3 weeks old tomorrow and the ducklings are already completely at home wandering about the garden all day with the hens, regardless of the rain! 16/05/09 - The Pekin cockeral has a constant following of squeaky, waddling, wet, mucky duckys who would love to get into the vegetable patch just as much as he would.
26/05/09 - One month old today and one's started to quack. Let's hope another follows suit very soon. 26/05/09 - The ducklings are the heavyweight feathered marauders of our garden.
31/05/09 - Now we know! Meet Phoebe, Monica and Joey. We have 2 quackers (ducks) and a whistler (drake), so all will be staying. 31/05/09 - Joey, AKA Drake Ramorez, took his time working out how to get into the paddling pool but he got there eventually..
15/06/09 - Yes, this is the same little duck bath that all 3 ducklings were swimming in on 11/05/09 28/09/09 - The very first egg from our 'home hatched' ducks :)
05/01/10 - Joey still isn't too sure of the snow but Monica and Phoebe are still laying eggs. See his little curl in his tail? He is so cute! 28/01/10 - The trio like to help with any jobs about the garden, but eat everything in site! This is where the extended square foot garden is going.
18/05/10 Our first black Indian Runner duckling to hatch and it certainly isn't black! So much for buying in eggs! 19/05/10 - 5 assorted ducklings now fluffed up and in their brooding box. I'll never can decide what to sell and what to keep!
 
19/05/10 I quite like this one but can't decide what colour it's going to be.  

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