Duck keeping in the tropics

Source Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation

(CTA)
Keywords Poultry, ducks, duck keeping, livestock
Country of first practice Global
ID and publishing year 6953 and 2010
Sustainable Development Goals No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being
decent work and economic growth, and life on land

Summary
This technology describes management are found in the type of products for which
practices involved in successful rearing of these forms of poultry are kept. Ducks, like
ducks in the tropical regions. Advantages chickens, are good producers of eggs and
and disadvantages of duck keeping meat. Breeding is largely similar for both.
compared to chickens are provided along Ducks have approximately the same housing
with clarifications on the different types requirements as chickens, especially when
of breeds. Different processes of breeding they only require night shelter. If the ducks
and breeding stock are explained as well as are outside during the day, just like chickens
explanations on how to management them they will be capable of searching for a large
which include flock maintenance, culling part of their food.
systems, egg incubation, flock trait selection There are many advantages of ducks
and sexing. How to daily care for the ducks compared with chickens.
is also detailed as well as drinking water
systems, feed, a guide to the construction • Ducks are tougher than chickens; they
duck keeping systems, housing, night require less attention than chickens and
shelters, flooring and feeding troughs. are less likely to be sick than chickens.
• Ducks are larger than chickens, so if they
Description are reared for meat there will be more to
1. Introduction sell. Duck eggs are also larger than chicken
eggs.
About 700 million ducks are kept around • Ducks do not necessarily need
the world. The majority of these, more supplementary grain and maize.
than 500 million, are found in Asia. Despite Chickens normally do need
this uneven distribution, it is certainly also supplementary high‑quality feed. Ducks
possible to raise ducks in other parts of the eat more vegetable material and insects
world, including Africa and Latin America. than chickens. Ducks also eat snails.
Ducks can be reared for eggs and meat, for
own use or for sale. Other products from There are also disadvantages of ducks
ducks, which can also be sold, include down, compared with chickens.
feathers and fattened livers (foie gras). There
are many similarities between chicken and
• Both duck meat and eggs
taste different from those
TECA
duck rearing. The most obvious similarities TECHNOLOGIES
and PRACTICES
for SMALL
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AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCERS
 Livestock Production

of chicken. Not everyone likes the taste lighter than birds reared solely for meat
of duck. If the taste is disliked by a lot production (for fattening). They make up
of people it will be difficult to sell duck for their lack of growth and weight by being
products. Not only does duck meat taste better layers: on average laying ducks lay
different it also looks different from more eggs than ducks for fattening. Ducks
chicken meat. for meat (broilers) are generally larger and
• Chicken meat is white whereas duck meat heavier, and the number of eggs they lay is of
is red and dark. Lastly, duck meat is also less importance. If you consider an intensive
fattier than chicken meat. Although this production system with rapid growth, meat
is listed here as a disadvantage, it is not ducks are slaughtered before they have even
necessarily the case. In many areas, fatty reached the age at which they can produce
meat is considered a delicacy. eggs.
Ducks are water birds and need water to be Figure 1. Ducks near a pond of water

able to breed and grow well. A pool or pond

of water can take up a lot of room. A trough
of water can also be provided so that ducks
can bathe. If it is not possible to keep ducks
near water the whole day it is sufficient to
place a tub of water out for them in the
mornings and evenings so that they can
wash. Pools, ponds, troughs or tubs of water
all need to be kept clean and hygienic.
© FAO/TECA

Different sorts of ducks differ in their water

requirements. Muscovy ducks, sometimes
called Barbary ducks, have less need to
cool themselves and so have less need for In many forms of farming, especially
a constant supply of bathing water. Peking small‑scale farming, egg production as well
ducks come originally from colder climates as meat production will be important. A duck
and live near to water. These ducks need that is a good layer but also can produce
water to keep their body temperature at the a nice amount of meat is best for this kind
right level. of farming. As mentioned above, you may
not have a choice of breed. In this case you
2. Breeds and breeding. Breeds and choice simply use the duck breed which is easiest
of breed to come by. The advantage to using locally
When starting with duck rearing you need to available ducks is that you can always obtain
acquire ducks. This is when you will choose a them if you need to replace or increase
breed. numbers.
If there is a choice of breeds available Duck keeping is more common in Asia than
then you need to consider whether your in Africa or Latin America, which means that
production objectives are eggs, meat or there are more different breeds available
both. If you decide to rear ducks for egg there. Each breed of duck is well adapted
production then you need to have good to the conditions in the area from which it
laying ducks. These are usually smaller and originates.

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2.1 The Muscovy or Barbary duck 2.2.1 Khaki Campbell duck
This duck comes originally from Central The khaki (beige) coloured duck originated
America. The Muscovy duck is good for from England from and is a cross between
meat production. It is easy to recognize the Indian ‘Runner’ and the Rouen duck.
by the red, fleshy protuberances around The Khaki Campbell is well suited to a
the beak and eyes. It is important to know tropical climate. Under good conditions
that the Muscovy duck is originally a tree this breed is capable of laying up to 250 to
dweller and therefore can fly. In order to 300 eggs per year. In Asia the breed is used
prevent these ducks from flying away their for improving the productivity of local
wings need to be clipped. Use a pair of breeds.
scissors to cut most of the large feathers 2.2.2 Rouen duck
of one wing. A Muscovy duck used for
fattening can reach a weight of 3 to 5 kg. The Rouen duck originated from France
and is a reasonably heavy breed with good
The Muscovy duck does not grow very layers. The drake (male) is light grey with
quickly and its final weight depends on the a green neck and the female is light brown
way it is kept and the feed it gets. The meat like mallards (wild ducks).
of the duck is fairly lean. In areas where Figure 3. Khaki Campbell duck
fattier meat is preferred then it is probably
better to choose a different breed. The duck
starts laying eggs at about seven months.
There are two clear laying periods with a
break of 12 weeks. The first lasts 30 weeks
and the second 22 weeks. The duck hatches
and raises ducklings reliably, which makes
them valuable to small-scale farmers.
Figure 2. Muscovy duck
© FAO/TECA

2.3 Peking ducks

© FAO/TECA

A Peking duck is a completely white duck

that originally comes from cool climates
in China. This breed is a meat and egg
2.2 The common duck. Group of various producer like the Muscovy duck. The Peking
breeds duck grows quicker than the Muscovy duck.
This group includes various breeds, which One of the characteristics, which indicate
originate from Asia and have been imported that the Peking duck is good for meat
into Africa. production, is that it can reach a weight

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of 3 kg by the age of seven to nine weeks. • Nageswari (from India)
Drakes usually attain a maximum weight of • Chinese duck (from Indochina)
3.5 to 4 kg and females 3 to 3.5 kg. Peking • Java duck (from Malaysia and Indonesia)
ducks lay eggs from an age of five to six • Brown and White Tsaiya (from Taiwan)
months and can lay more than 200 eggs a Most duck breeds come from Asia and
year. Peking duck meat is quite fatty, unlike are kept for egg laying. These breeds are
that of the Muscovy duck. It is a quiet breed therefore generally not very large, the adult
that tends to walk rather than fly. Incidence weight being between 2 and 3 kg.
of brooding behaviour is rare.
Figure 4. A common cross
2.4 Cross-breeds
Breeds are regularly crossed in an
attempt to obtain a combination of good
characteristics of two different breeds.
Sometimes the results of cross-breeding
© FAO/TECA

are used for further breeding themselves,

sometimes new crosses are made each
time.
There are a number of standard 3. Breeding
cross‑breeds. Once you have obtained a number of ducks
of the selected breed, you need to consider
• A Peking drake is crossed with a female
how you will maintain productive ducks over
Khaki Campbell. This is a cross between a
a longer period. Choose one of the following
good meat producer and a good layer. In
three options.
this way the cross-breed should combine
good meat production with good egg • If you keep ducks purely to sell their eggs
laying. First and second generations and you buy ducklings whenever you need
(referred to as F1 and F2) are used quite them, you will only need female ducks.
commonly. Further generations are not • If you intend to breed your own ducks
generally used, as the improvements then you need drakes as well to ensure
obtained by crossing usually start to that you have some fertile eggs.
decline by that stage. • If you are keeping ducks for meat you have
• The mule duck is a cross between a to make sure that you keep enough adult
Muscovy drake and a female common ducks for laying eggs so that you have a
duck. As these are two different species supply of ducklings.
the resulting mule duck is sterile and does There are many advantages to breeding
not lay fertile eggs. The mule duck is a ducks.
quick fattener and is used especially for
this purpose. • You are not dependent on other suppliers
of young ducks.
2.5 Other breeds • You don’t have to spend money on buying
In addition to the breeds described above ducklings.
there are many more breeds and crosses. • You don’t import diseases with the
• Indian runner duck (from India) ducklings.

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There are also disadvantages to breeding and let them go their own way. This is the
ducks. most simple and natural way of ensuring
• You have to incubate eggs, which cannot that you will have ducklings. If you have
be sold. You have to spend time and the possibility and time, then you could
money on incubating eggs. consider making separate sections in
• The effort of incubating eggs may be shelters, so that you can put one drake
wasted if they don’t hatch. together with four to eight ducks so that
• Although you want only eggs, you will they can mate.
have to keep and feed unproductive drakes 3.2 Breeding stock
(males) as well, in order to obtain fertile Breeding stock are ducks with desirable
eggs. For small-scale farmers it is more characteristics which you like to see in the
profitable to breed ducks themselves ducklings. For example you may choose to
especially if the numbers of ducklings they combine a drake that grows well and has a
need are small. good amount of meat, with a duck that is a
3.1 Two ways of breeding good layer. Bear in mind, however, that not
3.1.1 Free breeding all characteristics are passed on from the
parent duck to its offspring, but generally
If you keep the female ducks and drakes speaking the chance of breeding good
together then getting fertile eggs or ducklings is greater if good parents are
ducklings will usually be no problem. The used. Characteristics that you are looking
drakes are free to mate with any duck they at can be production characteristics or
want. However, in this way, you will have external characteristics.
no idea of which drake has fertilised which
ducks. 3.2.1 Production characteristics
3.1.2 Directed breeding Most of the characteristics which are
related to production are about quantity:
You can also direct the process yourself the number of eggs, the weight of meat,
so that you combine the ducks with the etc. An important feature of these
most desirable characteristics. In this way characteristics is that the environment
you keep ducks especially for producing influences them. These you can influence
ducklings. These are known as breeding yourself as duck keeper. A duck which is
stock. The extent to which you can bred for high meat production will only be
determine which drake pairs with which able to achieve high production levels if it
duck depends on how you keep your gets enough food.
ducks. If the ducks are only kept inside at
night but are allowed to wander around If you want to increase your production
freely at daytime in search of food then it levels you should first look carefully at
is very difficult to even know which duck your food supply, sickness levels and
has paired with which drake. housing. Once you have made sure that
If you keep ducks in this way it is not worth you have the best food available, and that
spending much time trying to determine your ducks are healthy and have good
partner choice. The best thing to do is to housing, only then you can start breeding
put a number of good drakes into the flock for a better production.

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 3.2.2 External characteristics not necessary for Muscovy ducks as these
External characteristics may also be are originally tree-dwellers. Remember that
important, such as foot quality. If a sitting water can also be a source of disease.
number of ducks in a flock have bad feet 4.1 Maintaining a flock
it is better not to use them for breeding There are two ways of obtaining and
as they can pass this characteristic on to keeping a flock of ducks with the best
their young. External characteristics are possible features. Both methods should be
not influenced by the amount of feed or practised at the same time.
housing. A duck will either have straight
feet or not, or brown colour or not, so • Selecting ducks and drakes for breeding
it is easy to use this kind of criterion for (see above)
selection. • Culling (removing) unhealthy ducks or low
producers.
4. The management of female ducks and
drakes Culling means removing from the flock.
To ensure that you have enough fertile eggs, Dispose first of ducks that are so sick that
a good ratio is one drake to six female ducks you can no longer treat them or that are
in meat-type ducks. In egg-type ducks you not worth treating (see section 6 for more
can put drake the chance of fertile eggs information on health care). It is also worth
increases, but less than four female ducks getting rid of ducks which have already
per drake is not recommended. A relatively gone through several laying cycles and are
large number of drakes in a flock makes the not so productive any more. They make way
whole flock restless. It also means that you for younger ducks.
have more drakes to feed. Sell them as soon Once this has been done, further culling
as they are grown up. will be of ducks that possess undesirable
In Muscovy ducks, introduce drakes into characteristics such as those that do not
the flock about a month before you require produce enough. Do not breed with ducks
fertile eggs. This ensures that enough pairing that have bad layers or do not fatten well,
has taken place for the ducks to lay fertile as there is a chance that they will pass
eggs. In common ducks like Peking ducks you these characteristics on to their young.
have to make sure that males and female The decision when to cull, especially older
keep their sexual behaviour. Therefore, they ducks, will depend largely upon when new
have to be kept together from three weeks ducklings are available. There are three
of age. different ways to practice culling.

Give ducks access to water. Ducks are water 4.2 Culling systems
birds and they can keep themselves clean 4.2.1 Continuous system
(and therefore healthier) if there is water in In this system a few new ducklings are
which they can bathe. Brooding ducks that added regularly to the flock. The ducks are
can keep themselves clean are better able not separated into age groups as there are
to maintain the right level of humidity for no clearage groups. Besides watching for
the eggs. It is often thought that mating can sick ducks you also have to keep an eye on
only take place on the water. But access to the older ducks and remove them once
water does not improve fertility. Bathing is they become unproductive.

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 4.2.2 All-in-all-out close watch on the temperature. It requires
The whole flock is renewed at regular technical equipment, which has to be used
intervals. In this system you do not have to accurately. Unforeseen occurrences such as
check which ducks have become too old an electricity failure or running out of fuel
as all ducks are the same age. You should can lead to disaster. For this reason, you
still check for sick ducks and remove them need to consider carefully the advantages
immediately. If you use this system you and disadvantages of natural versus
will often have different groups of ducks artificial hatching as well as what the costs
at different stages of production. This are in terms of money and time and what
way you avoid being a situation where the expected returns are.
you have no ducks, and therefore no 4.4 Incubating eggs the natural way
production, at all. Intensive productions Hatching eggs the natural way means
systems use age groups. that they are incubated by a duck. The big
How many ducks you can cull will depend advantage to this method is that the eggs
on the number of ducklings you can raise require little time and attention. The most
with each laying cycle. You have to be important requirement is that the duck that
careful that the number of the flock does is going to incubate the eggs is sufficiently
not decrease too much if you want to broody. Being broody means having the
maintain your production at a constant urge to stay sitting on the eggs until they
level. If you remove more breeding hatch. You can tell whether a duck is broody
animals than you can replace your or not by how long she remains sitting on
production will go down. the eggs. The eggs cannot be left alone for
4.3. Ducklings more than 15 minutes as they must not cool
down too much. The ducklings then cannot
Since the production period for meat is develop. Most ducks will sit on their own
short and the growth is fast, you need a eggs. However, it is also possible to let one
secure supply of ducklings. You may buy duck from the flock sit on eggs which have
day-old ducklings on the market that are been laid by other ducks. In this way about
hatched in an incubator. Or you may have 12 eggs, which were laid at the same time,
ducks that become broody easily and hatch can be incubated by one duck.
the eggs of your own flock.
The Muscovy duck has good broodiness and
If the duck is going to incubate the eggs maternal instincts. It can therefore be used
herself, the nest needs to be ready in for incubating the eggs from other types
time to give the duck a chance to get of duck. The Muscovy duck is also larger
comfortably installed on it. She will take than many other types, so it can incubate
care of the eggs and you don’t have to more eggs at once. You will have to see how
worry much because the duck will make many eggs fit underneath a Muscovy duck,
sure that the circumstances are right for the but 12 to 15 should fit easily. Chickens can
eggs. also be used to incubate duck eggs and vice
If you have to raise the ducklings from an versa. Because duck eggs are larger than
incubator in a brooder, you need to have chicken eggs a chicken will only be able to
it ready in time. You then need to keep a incubate 8 to 11 duck eggs at most.

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 4.5 Some info on hatching in an incubator it must not be too high. This is because
An incubator is a box with trays inside on part of the moisture in the egg needs to
which the eggs can be put. An incubator evaporate, otherwise the embryo will
must be able to take the place of a female drown in the egg fluid. If it is too low at
duck. It must keep eggs at a constant later stages it may result in eggs becoming
temperature, right humidity and proper too dry.
ventilation. Incubators come in many Figure 5. A small incubator
different shapes and sizes, and it is possible
to make a small‑scale incubator yourself.
Making and using incubators is described
extensively in Agrodok 34 ‘Hatching eggs
by hens or in an incubator’. Although the
Agrodok is mainly about chickens, much of © FAO/TECA

what is written also applies to ducks. The

text indicates where ducks have different
requirements. Figure 5 shows an example of
a simple incubator. 4.6 Length of incubation
The temperature needs to be about 38°C Nearly all types of ducks take about the
(see Table 1). If the temperature is lower same amount of time to hatch their eggs.
or higher the duckling will not develop Generally, duck eggs need to incubate for
properly. At best the ducklings develop too between 25 and 28 days before they hatch.
slowly but will hatch. In the worst case, You can expect most breeds to take about
the ducklings die before they hatch. When 28 days. Muscovy duck eggs take longer to
ducklings hatch they need a temperature hatch, about 35 days, and Mule duck eggs
of about 30 to 32°C. In colder areas you can usually take about 32 days.
reduce the temperature by 1°C each day 4.6.1 Advantages of producing eggs
afterwards. artificially
Table 1. Artificial incubation of duck eggs • A lot of eggs can be incubated at the
same time. May be even enough to allow
Number you to sell day-old ducklings to others.
Day in
of times to
incubation Temperature 4.6.2 Disadvantages of producing eggs
turn per
per period artificially
day
01 - 24 38 5 • Investments are needed to buy or build
an incubator.
24 - 26 38 5
• Time is needed to vigilate the process, to
26 - 28 37.5 0 make sure the temperature and humidity
Source: FAO 2010 are at the right levels and that nothing
An incubator needs good ventilation and goes wrong with the heat supply.
must be able to maintain humidity. The • In case you choose an electrical heat
air humidity must be quite high, although source, power cuts can easily result in a
at the beginning of the incubation period disaster.

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 • Artificial incubating requires experience, 4.8.2 Voice
especially in the beginning the risk of There is a clear difference in the noise
eggs not hatching or ducklings dying is made by ducks and drakes. This is
very big. noticeable from about four to six weeks of
If you do not incubate more than 100 eggs age. A female duck makes a clear ‘quack’
at a time (one production cycle) it is sound, while a drake makes a deeper and
not worth risking so much effort and more hoarse sound.
investment. In most cases you make the 4.8.3 Tail feathers
best of things letting the female ducks The tail feathers of most fully-grown
do the job they are very good at, which drakes have a clear curl at the end. Female
is incubating their and other’s eggs and ducks do not have this. The only breed
taking care of the ducklings. Artificial that does not show this distinction is the
incubation can best be left to professionals Muscovy duck. However Muscovy drakes
to market ducklings and day‑old are much bigger than the females, so it is
chicks. They can turn to Agrodok 34 for also easy to determine sex in this breed.
information on incubator construction and
management. 5. Caring for the ducklings
4.7 Selection in flock traits Ducklings, which have been hatched
naturally, require sometimes protection.
The time of hatching is an important The duck that hatched them will look after
moment for selection in your flock. By them until they are old enough to look after
selecting eggs you determine the traits of themselves. But the duck cannot deter all
your future flock. predators. Sometimes duck and ducklings
Eggs from good layers will in general must be kept enclosed during the first weeks
produce good layers. Broodiness, feather for protection against predators.
colours and body traits will inherit also. Day-old-ducklings you buy (hatched in an
Good layers will not be broody very incubator) need extra attention. You need
often. If you make use of the difference to pay attention to warmth, water/feed and
in broodiness of different strains or ventilation. Newly hatched ducklings cannot
individuals, you will breed more layer maintain their own body temperature so you
ducklings in the end. You select eggs from have to keep them warm.
the best layers, or other traits, and replace
the eggs of the broody hen by them, as The most favorable time for raising ducklings
soon as she sits permanently. is during the rainy season. During the first
10 to 14 days ducklings are kept in several
4.8 Methods for sexing at a later stage baskets with about 5 cm of rice husks or
If you want to rear the ducklings until they straw at the bottom of the basket. This is
have been fattened and then sell them, you changed frequently to keep the ducklings
can also use other methods. dry and comfortable. The basket is covered
4.8.1 Watching the colours of the feathers with a loosely woven jute bag to protect the
Ducks and drakes of some breeds have ducklings from cold at night. The ducklings
different colours which makesit easy to tell are kept at about 28 °C for the first 10 to
them apart. 14 days. Ducklings start eating one day after

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hatching and they grow rapidly. They are fed feeding, they are allowed to forage in safe
boiled rice, broken rice, rice bran, oil cake, water areas. They are brought back to the
chopped earth worms, snails, fish, green house before dark. A small quantity of feed is
vegetables or water plants and crushed given before putting them inside the house.
wheat. Feeding is done in a separate (single) This encourages the ducklings to return
basket. After feeding they are put on a dry home with their caretaker.
jute bag or on a layer of husk or straw in a Figure 6. Sexing ducklings
separate basket until they have dried off.
They are then returned to their original
baskets.
As an alternative to the basket you can
choose a circular chicken wire floor covered
with straw and an external heat source.
You can keep them close to the heat source
by bending a flexible board around the
ducklings in a circle (see Figure 7). Elevate
the wire floor from the ground to improve
© FAO/TECA

ventilation and to remove manure. The heat

source can be a stove with slow burning
sawdust or an electrical lamp shining in a
clay pot or an infra-red lamp as in Figure 7. Figure 7. Reaction of ducklings to light
You can tell whether the ducklings are too
warm or too cold by how they behave.
Figure 7 illustrates how ducklings react to the
warmth of a lamp. When they huddle close
to each other they feel cold, the heat source
is not close enough. When the temperature
is too high the ducklings will try to get as
far away from the heat as they can. If the
ducklings move freely throughout the cage
© FAO/TECA

then the temperature is right for them.

From about two to four weeks the ducklings
are kept on rice husk or straw with plenty
of fresh air and sunlight. During the day 5.1 Drinking water
they are kept confined and provided with The presence of drinking water is very
a mixture of feed and clean drinking water. important for ducklings. There must be
Simple bamboo containers are used for sufficient, clean water present, otherwise
feeding and watering. From four to eight the ducklings will become sick. You have to
weeks the ducklings are provided with make sure the ducklings do not try to swim
0.30 m x 0.30 m floor space per bird. In the in their drinking water. This not only makes
morning they are given clean water and the water dirty, but it can also make the
a mixture if feed. After some minutes of ducklings sick. Adult ducks have a layer

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 of fat over their feathers which prevents In a free-range system, ducks are only kept
the feathers from getting wet. In a natural enclosed at night. During the day the ducks
situation a mother duck will also rub fat are free to roam outside in search of food.
into the feathers of the ducklings that They are brought inside at night by putting
she has hatched herself. The feathers of some extra food in the shelter. The ducks
ducklings from an incubator do not have fat only require night shelter and nests for
over them to begin with. Ducklings cannot laying eggs. Ducks will stay around the place,
rub fat into their own feathers until they provided you treat them well. An advantage
are about three weeks old. This is not a of this system is that the ducks go to the
problem as long as they do not try to get feed and harvest it themselves. This way,
into water. You can stop them from sitting in nutrients become available that the farmer
the drinking water by putting stones in the cannot reach otherwise. Some farmers in
bowl or putting chicken wire over the top. Asia herd their flocks to graze large areas
5.2. Feed after the rice harvest.
Newly hatched ducklings need special feed. In a confined system, ducks are kept
You can buy this or prepare it yourself. enclosed permanently, either in a covered
shelter (indoor system) or with a run in the
6. Duck keeping systems open. The ducks stay in the same place. It
There are many ways in which you can keep is easy to keep and eye on them and check
ducks. In practice farmers can adapt these them. An outside run makes it easier to give
types to their own needs and the materials the ducks access to water, as a pond can be
available. put in the open run area.
Duck keeping combines well with other Figure 8. Free range housing system
forms of farming. In these systems the
different forms of production complement
each other and the farmer will have better
production and more profit.
• Waste and by-products are used. For
example duck manure is used instead of
wasted. In fishponds it is directly used
© FAO/TECA

for fertilizing the pond which increases

fish food; in rice fields ducks eat harmful
insects and snails, this is a help for the
rice and at the same time the ducks get An indoor system is used large-scale duck
nutritious food. farms, where the production is mechanised
• Certain inputs are used more efficiently. to reduce labour costs. The system requires
For example a fishpond is used for fish and more investment than the other two systems
for ducks at the same time. Ducks grow of housing. Not only do you need to build the
better if they have access to a pond. shelter, but you also have to provide all feed
• The farmer spreads risks. For example if and water and clean it regularly. If properly
the rice yield is low there is still a yield of managed, growth can be fast and production
eggs and duck meat. cheap.

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 Figure 9. Confined housing system 7.1 Night shelter
Housing for small-scale duck keeping
should not require too much care and
maintenance. A night shelter should be
sufficient and does not require much space
per duck: 1 m2 is enough for five to six
ducks. If the ducks are going to make use
© FAO/TECA

of the shelter during the day as well, then

they need more space. In that case 0.5 m2
is needed per duck. It does not matter
Figure 10. Indoor housing system what kind of material you use to make the
shelter. Bamboo, wood or chicken wire are
all fine as long as the holes are small, so
the ducks cannot go through. The shelter
must be well ventilated when the ducks
are inside. Fresh air is important to prevent
the ducks developing respiratory problems.
© FAO/TECA

Diseases which are spread through the

air can be prevented by good ventilation.
Air circulation in the shelter makes the
6.1 How to choose the system that fits best temperature lower. The temperature should
in your conditions? not be lower than 10 to 15°C for Peking
Your objectives will determine which system ducks or 20°C for Muscovy ducks and other
you choose. It is recommended that you ducks from tropical climates.
start with a small flock and test the system Figure 11. Night shelter for 20 to 25 ducks
of your choice and the potential of the
market. In a free range system you may lose
your ducks easily to predators or thieves;
while in an indoor system financial inputs
may be substantial.
© FAO/TECA

7. Housing
When you choose to keep ducks, you have to
provide some kind of shelter for them. Ducks 7.2 Separate laying area
lay their eggs during the night and in the
It is very convenient to make a separate
early morning, within three hours of sunrise.
laying area within the night shelter. Ducks
By keeping ducks inside at night you can
prefer to lay their eggs in a dark, protected
ensure that they lay their eggs in a confined
space. Nesting boxes offer ducks a sheltered
space. Nesting boxes are not necessary, but
place to lay their eggs. The eggs laid in
if you provide them the ducks will use them.
these boxes are easier to collect.
An advantage of nesting boxes is that they
are easy to clean. Eggs laid in nesting boxes Ducks prefer to lay at ground level so you
will be cleaner, and eggs which look clean are can place the construction on the floor. It is
easier to sell than dirty ones. best to attach the construction to the back

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wall of the night shelter. In this way the cleaning the shelter easy and it fertilises the
ducks can sit quietly, away from the rest of pond below. If you cannot build the shelter
the flock, when they are laying. over a pond then the floor does not need
When building nesting boxes you need to to be slatted. You will have to clean out nest
make one box for every three to six ducks. material and manure more often to prevent
A simple construction is one with side walls diseases from spreading.
of 30 cm x 35 cm. Assemble these at a 7.3.1 Deep litter system
distance of 33 cm from each other. Attach On a closed floor the litter may sit for
them to each other at the back by means some time while a new lot is spread every
of a raised edge 15 cm high. Attach a raised day. Litter prevents dirt and dampness
edge of 5 cm height at the front. Place from forming a hard layer on the floor.
straw in the nesting boxes and clean them Straw or rice chaff make good litter.
regularly. Sawdust can also be used for litter, but
Figure 12. Nesting box you must make sure that there is no
paint in the sawdust as this can poison
the ducks. It is best in combination with
longer fibre. Any fibre will do as long as it
is dry and organic. The litter must be kept
clean by replacing it regularly, especially
in the nesting boxes. Litter that is damp
and moldy not only causes sickness in
the ducks, but damages the eggs so that
they rot or do not hatch. Ducks are very
sensitive to mold in litter. Use this litter in
© FAO/TECA

the compost heap.

7.4 Feeding troughs
7.3 Floor Ducks kept in a free‑range system do
The type of floor depends on where you not need much equipment for feeding.
place the night shelter. If you build a night Scattering the correct amount of feed on a
shelter above water, the floor can be made clean spot each evening is sufficient. If you
of open slats using wood or bamboo. It is decide to feed the ducks when they are
not a good idea to use chicken wire or a in the night shelter then you need to use
metal grate as these do not give the ducks’ containers for the feed. This way the food
feet enough support, and can damage their stays clean and the ducks do not trample on
feet. Floor slats should be 2 cm thick and it. Ducks are very messy eaters. If you put
5 cm wide in order to be strong enough. food in containers you must make sure you
Leave about 1 cm between the slats. These can clean the area around them easily. A
gaps will ensure that there is sufficient large bowl with a flat bottom or a hollowed
ventilation at night. Another advantage of out tree trunk as shown in Figure 13 can
these gaps is that spilt food and droppings be used for feed. To prevent spillage you
will fall straight into the water, whereas can use a feeding trough like the one in
the eggs will stay in the shelter. This makes Figure 13. The anti-waste lip prevents a

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 large amount of the food being spilled. during the day. It is very important that
You can adjust the sizes of the trays to the ducks always have access to clean drinking
size of the bird. Sometimes wild birds will water. Young ducks that do not get enough
eat out of the feeding troughs. To prevent water will not grow well and will become
this food waste, place a low roof over the sick. Adult ducks that do not have enough
feeding trays. Wild birds will not usually go water will lay fewer eggs. A serious water
under such a low roof. shortage will kill ducks (and ducklings)
Figure 13. Feeding troughs
quickly. As with the feed trays, put water
in shallow bowls that do not tip over if a
duck stands on the edge. Check the water
bowls once or twice every day to make sure
that there is enough water and that it is
© FAO/TECA

clean. Figure 16 shows some types of water

container that prevent the water from
becoming dirty quickly. It is important that
Figure 14. Troughs with ant-waste lip the ducks cannot immerse themselves in
their drinking water, as that makes it dirty
very quickly. However, the water must be
deep enough for the ducks to be able to put
their heads under water. They need to do
this to clean their eyes. If they cannot do
this, dirt becomes caked around their eyes.
© FAO/TECA

In extreme cases this can lead to blindness.

Ducks also use their drinking water to clean
food remains off their beaks.
Figure 14. Drinking systems
7.6 The importance of water
Give ducks access to water for cleaning in
the form of a pond or a puddle of clean
water, or even just a large container with
water in it. If it is not possible to keep ducks
near water the whole day it is sufficient
to place a tub of water out in the form of
a drained stone or slatted floor for them
in the mornings and evenings. This will
allow them to keep themselves clean and
therefore healthier. Avoid putting water on
© FAO/TECA

top of the litter without draining what spills,

as the litter must remain dry as possible.
Different sorts of ducks differ in their water
7.5 Drinking water systems requirements. Peking ducks need water to
Ducks need water day and night. By making keep their body temperature at the right
a pond, or putting down a bowl of water level. This is not necessary for Muscovy
you solve the problem of access to water ducks as these are originally tree-dwellers.

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 Some types of duck also need access to • Give fresh drinking water.
water to mate. Remember that water can • If there is no pool of water, put out fresh
be a source of disease and vermin. Pools, bathing water.
ponds, troughs or tubs of water all need to • Clean the shelter and repair if necessary.
be kept clean and hygienic. • Sell the eggs if you wish.
8. Daily care of ducks 8.2 Evening
When the housing is arranged well, including • Scatter fresh straw or rice chaff if litter is
feeding troughs, drinking water equipment wet.
and access to bathing water, you can then • Give ducks fresh drinking water.
acquire ducks. In the chapters before, choice • Feed ducks.
of breeds, breeding and raising and caring for • Shut ducks up for the night.
ducklings have been treated. Also different 9. Agro-ecological zones
systems have been discussed and you must
have chosen one. Following on from this • Tropics, warm
chapter you find information on health care, • Subtropics, warm/mod cool
feeding and the products. The overview 10. Objectives fulfilled by the project
below provides a short summary of daily 10.1 Women-friendly
care in order to give you an idea of things The technology is not labor intensive can
that need to be done. therefore be adopted by women.
8.1 Morning
• Let the ducks out of the shelter.
• Collect the eggs.

TECA
TECHNOLOGIES
and PRACTICES
for SMALL
15/15 AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCERS