Would it be easier to raise Ducks or Chickens?
Image by Peter Baer
This is one of the bags of feathers from when I was in high school and raised ducks and geese. Sadly it was left at the farm and mice made a nice home of it.
Question by : Would it be easier to raise Ducks or Chickens?
Which is easier to raise free range and in pens?
Which is reproduces offspring more?
Which is more likely to get away from predators?
Feel free to answer in the comment section below
5 Responses to Would it be easier to raise Ducks or Chickens?
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i had both ducks and chickens chickens are a lot easier to raise. in pens is the best you need a fenced area to let them rome and scratch. all the animals ate my ducks.i am going to say chickens are better they are more motherly but be aware that the ones that you have in there with her will kill them they killed mine a couple months ago.well chickens will like squawk and unless you have flying ducks.i think chickens is better.but remember it is your pick not mine hope it helps.
nic
August 12, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Chickens.
Kat
August 12, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Chickens do good any where, and can have chicks at any time of the year. It depends on what breed to get away from pedators(some are faster etc.). But chickens are way easier to feed, they will eat just about any thing and they dont need a big pool of water to swim in either.
kico
August 12, 2012 at 6:07 pm
I’ve kept ducks and chickens over the years and chickens are much easlier, they don’t need a pond for a start and they take themselves in to roost on their perches before dusk. Ducks have to be rounded up and chased into the coop usually and don’t go in until its really dark this can be 11pm in the summer if not later.
Ducks dabble and make mud out of their pen very quickly. They poop big splats everywhere too and you have to clear their pond out twice a year at least – yukky job.
Neither of them will “reproduce” really unless you get a male of the species obviously (remember roosters are noisy and crow all day long not just the morning) and then you need a hen or chicken to go broody. This rarely happens with most breeds so you would need an incubator to hatch eggs.
Whatever you choose to have they cannot “get away” from predators, they need a secure pen with 6ft high fencing (1ft into the ground to prevent foxes burrowing in) and as wooden coop/shed to sleep in at night, this must be waterproof/windproof and have perches for chickens and nest boxes for them to lay eggs in. Wood shavings is the best bedding I find (not sawdust or straw).
Duck eggs are delicious and I miss duck eggs but I don’t miss the ducks.
Trust me I'm a Doctor ♥
August 12, 2012 at 6:45 pm
I guess it depends on the breed and where you live. Ducks are generally hardier in the cold, although since most breeds have had flight bred out of them, they can’t get away from predators so easily. Although there are also some breeds of chickens that tend to get killed often(like silkies and polish).
Then again, neither chickens nor ducks would be in danger of predators if you take steps to protect them. It’s not that hard to set up a closed run(make sure to use strong wire, not chicken wire) and cover it, then also make sure the birds are locked inside at night.
I am surprised to learn that people have trouble getting their ducks inside. I have a flock of 6 ducks of varying breed, but they always go inside at sundown all on their own. They’re usually in before the chickens! I guess it’s all a matter of coop training them properly.
Chickens require less cleaning than ducks. However, while ducks are happy and loved splashing in the rain, you’ll want to be mindful of your chickens getting too wet. Chickens are a bit more susceptible to illness, and so a windy, rainy day is not good for them. Always keep their coop dry, and you’ll still have to rake up their bedding about 2-3 times a week or so, depending on how many chickens you get.
Certain duck breeds; Campbells and old-style Indian Runner ducks can lay more eggs in a year than any chicken. In my experience, they also seem to lay into the cooler months. I have 6 ducks and 8 hens, but the ducks are all laying, and only 4 of the hens are.
For free range, I would suggest selecting a chicken, and look for breeds that are good foragers and perchers; like Hamburgs or game birds. Breeds like Silkies and Orpingtons make good mothers. Ducks don’t tend to nest as often as chickens do; usually they’ll just deposit their eggs anywhere. I have one who just drops off her egg on the first step to her coop in the morning, then goes about her day.
If it’s your first time getting either bird, go with chickens. If you’re looking for a different experience, and want lots of eggs, try ducks. In either case, good luck. I personally love both, but if I had to chose, I think I would go with the chickens.
Little Bee
August 12, 2012 at 6:52 pm