Advantages and disadvantages of domestic ducks
Ducks are kind of super-animals: they can walk (with extraordinary grace), they can fly (with incredible elegance) and they can even swim (but we can’t see them)!
But for us humans, what are the advantages of ducks, for example compared to chickens, geese or guinea fowl? There are three main reasons:
- The behaviour. They are friendly and easy-going animals.
- Resistance. They tolerate cold, heat and humidity well and are relatively insensitive to disease.
- Food. They eat a wide variety of things and are very effective in fighting crop pests (slugs and snails in particular)
Ducks are fun!
Ducks have fairly gentle dispositions towards humans. They are the least likely domestic birds to harm us. This is quite different from geese, for example, which can be aggressive.
They also have a way of being quite playful and pleasing to the eye and turn a body of water into an entertainment spectacle.
Finally, they can even attach themselves, like a dog. This differentiates them from chickens, which are more utilitarian, food-focused, and don’t show the affection that some domesticated ducks might.
A very practical bird
Varied productions
Egg and meat production
Duck egg production can equal that of hens. For example, Welsh Campbells and Harlequins breeds produce as much or more than the best breeds of laying hens: 275 to 325 eggs per year, with a larger size of 20 to 35% compared to hens of the same size.
As meat breeds, our dear birds transform on average about 2.6 kg of concentrated feed into 1 kg of meat.
feather production
Duck feathers are prized by fly fishermen, who use them to tie up the fly. They can also be of interest to artisans, who can incorporate them into their works.
A varied and useful diet
Household waste to feed the ducks
Ducks can eat just about anything we eat.
It also means that you must keep your ducks away from plants that have passed a certain stage and, especially, lettuces, spinach, choice and other green beans.
Management of insects and weeds
Ducks love to eat:
- mosquito larvae
- Colorado beetles
- Snails
- slugs
Ducks can feed on other pests, less common in France:
- THE japanese beetles (a terrible plague in the United States)
- Grasshoppers (let’s say we don’t have enough of them to be considered pests)…
They also feed on plants and can help maintain bodies of water by feeding on green algae, Lemna or even Curly Pondweed.
The resistance of domestic ducks
Finally, there is an important point when raising animals: we like that they do not die. Avoiding it can require considerable effort: vaccines, treatments, heating…
Ducks are fairly resistant to both the elements and disease.
resistance to the elements
For animals, there are essentially three elements that are problematic:
- humidity
- cold
- the heat
Moisture resistance
Mature ducks are almost immune to cold and humidity, which is logical: they live a lot, in principle, in ponds and other bodies of water. Thanks to their well-oiled oils and thick fur, a healthy duck can withstand high levels of humidity.
Note that Muscovy ducks and animals that are a little sick or whose plumage is damaged may need shelter.
This differentiates them from hens, which are not protected against water by their feathers.
Cold resistance
Ducks resist the cold well and can withstand temperatures falling below -18°C if their bedding is dry and they are protected from the wind. Unlike chickens or turkeys, they have down and feathers on their faces, which retain heat better.
Heat resistance
Ducks can handle the heat well if they have access to shade and cool water. Unlike chickens, they have a technique well known to humans: go bathing.
disease resistance
Ducks are also resistant to diseases, much more than, for example, quails, pigeons, chickens or even turkeys.
This obviously does not mean that they are immune to them: a farm must be treated against coccidiosis, mites and lice.