Raising Call Ducks

The call duck is a lively and dynamic duck breed. It is small and could weigh at maturity to about 1.7 kg (1.8 lb) with a flabby bowl-like body. It is easily distinguishable from other breeds because of its wide, curved head, small, broad bill and stunted legs. It has a loud quack, and the females are more high-pitched than males. This breed comes in various colors such as blue, pale, gray, white, khaki, brown, caramel, and spotted. Thus, you should not lean on feather colors when you want to spot a call duck. A call duck can lay at least 30-80 eggs every year’

The call duck originated from Europe as a domestic breed related to the Mallard. It was first recognized as a duck breed in the 17th century. Although this breed is used for ornamental and domestic purposes, some raisers keep call ducks because they have large eggs.

To keep call ducks, you should first set-up a duck pen. This pen should have at least four square feet of space for each duck placed in the pen to ensure comfort and safety. If you live in a warm region, an open pen with a sturdy fence is enough. Duck raisers keeping call ducks in arctic regions should build or purchase a duck coop, which is enclosed and properly insulated to give a comfortable shade to the ducks during the cold season.

If you need to purchase Call ducks, you may buy ducklings or adult ducks that can produce eggs. Both of these can be acquired from any farm supply store. If you know someone who raises Call ducks, it is better to buy from them, since you can get them cheaper and they are properly raised in farms than in cages in a supply store. Also, Call ducks can be purchased from any hatchery. You can check any hatchery near your area. Normally, the price for Call ducks range from $3 to $4, depending on size and number.

If you have decided to raise Call ducklings, you can first start to brood them. If you started with mature Call ducks, there’s no need to brood them anymore. Ducklings need warmth to keep them healthy and to imitate the heat from the mother duck. You can hang a 250-watt light bulb and adjust its height until the coop is 95 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature. Lower the temperature weekly by at least five degrees until the ducks have grown and the bulb is not needed anymore.

Make sure to provide your flock with enough water supply. A duck water dish or a low sink is enoughyou’re your ducklings. You should place pebbles or marbles at the bottom of the sink to draw the ducklings and motivate them to drink. Juvenile or mature Call ducks should be a basin with a medium-level of water, enough for their heads to be submerged.

And for some additional nutritional feeding reminders; Call ducks should be given duck feeds free from medications intended for chicken. The duck feed should have at least 25% protein ingredient. Give the starter feeds to your ducklings in the first month before replacing with a duck grower feed with at least 15% protein mixture.

Once they grow into mature ducks, they will also hunt for small bugs and tiny grass and weeds in the pen or yard. You can also give them fresh vegetable chops composed of vegetable stalks and fruits.

Feeding Little Ducklings

When a duckling is at the stage where they would now be living under a brooder or a hen, you should ensure that they have quick access to food and clean drinking water, to do this, you will need special feeders and a water basin. Keep the containers clean, also make it a daily habit to clean and replenish their food and water dishes. You should find these items with a special design to avoid the ducklings from toppling over. If this happens, your ducklings can drown inside the basin as they are not yet accustomed to swimming.

Adult ducks use special oils when they swim in water. However, they can only do this skill when they are already about six months old. This special oil can be transmitted to the duckling from their mother, thus, if they are being brooded, they don’t have the means of getting this oil. Their feathers can easily get wet, and they can die because of pneumonia. Water containers with wire guards are also a great choice. Place the water containers over low, wire-guarded frames to keep them from getting inside. Also, this can decrease the mess they would make. Make sure to change the water containers with the suitable size as the ducklings grow.

In some farms, commercial producers have food pellets especially formulated for baby ducks. You should check with a supplier in your area for this. If the duck pellets are not available, serve your baby ducks with some chick starter first for at least 2 – 3 weeks. Place the food on egg container flats or any other dish with coarse materials: smooth surfaced materials can cause leg injury, as baby ducks are very active and they can always slip on the material when the surface is wet. After the starting period, you can give them duck pellets or chicken grower. You can also mix cracked corn and chopped vegetables. Always have food available to your ducks and give them grits as they grow.

Basically, ducks are easy to grow because they are durable and are not vulnerable to most typical bird diseases. The use of drug-enervated duck pellets is not necessary to boost their immune system. Very rare are additives that have been permitted for nutritional or medical purposes in duck pellets. Waterfowls such as ducks can be more sensitive to medications than other poultry. Improper use of specific medicated pellets designed for chickens can cause harm to ducks.

Most breed of ducks that are raised in the late spring and have access to green weeds in your yard basically are healthier. Although ducks are not as good foragers as geese are, they can eat some vegetables you may give and also, farm ducks are commonly permitted to roam the yard where they can find food. You can chop green feeds and give them to your ducks when they should be inside when there is a bad weather. Contrary to common beliefs, a water pond is not very important to raise ducks successfully.

Under marketing factors, Peking ducklings can be sold in the market when they reach 7 weeks. They can weigh 6-8 pound and have eaten 25-30 pounds of feeds. Rouen ducks kept under farm conditions can take at least 5 months to keep up with Peking duck weight. Muscovy ducks take rather longer.