Waterfowl

Ducks can be used in the garden to control pests (but this must be done carefully to avoid crop damage). Ducks, particularly Muscovies, eat large numbers of flies and can help reduce fly problems in barns and around manure piles. Geese graze, keeping the grass low around yards and in orchards, and are sometimes used to weed crops. Geese also act as watchdogs, sounding the alarm whenever a person or animal approaches. And, most importantly, waterfowl are raised for food. Muscovy, Mallard, Pekin, Cayuga and Rouen ducks are raised for meat; Indian Runner and Khaki Campbell ducks provide rich eggs at the same laying rates as most hens. Geese are usually raised for meat, and the eggs are sometimes eaten or sold in the spring. .

Establishing a feeding plan

Both ducks and geese are avid foragers. Ducks supplement their diet with insects and vegetation; geese graze consuming large amounts of fresh grass. Ducks and geese grow rapidly, and require feed with high levels of protein, vitamins and minerals. Farmers who are raising a large number of waterfowl can consult with Homestead Organics to obtain specific feeds for waterfowl. Otherwise, chicken feed is suitable for small or foraging flocks in order to simplify feed storage and management.

Ducks

Feed duck starter for the first two weeks after hatch. After two weeks of age, feed duck grower until they are mature, often at 7-9 weeks old. Feed chicken layer mash to any ducks that are laying. At all times, the feed can be provided free choice. To achieve rapid growth rates, ducks require high levels of protein. They can however be fed chicken feed (with lower protein levels than duck feed) and they can compensate for the low protein diet through their foraging.

During the first week of life, a duckling will eat about 45 g (0.1 lb.) per day. When almost fully grown, the young duck will eat 250 g (0.55 lb.) per day. Mature ducks eat 170 g (0.37 lb.), and laying ducks eat 375 g (0.83 lb.) per day. In confined pens, white Pekin ducks can reach a live weight of 3.4 kg (7.5 lb.) in 8 weeks, eating a total of 9.7 kg (21.5 lb.). Muscovies eat less feed and forage more. They grow more slowly than Pekin, Rouen, Cayuga and other Mallard-derived ducks. Muscovies often take 16-20 weeks to mature. At this time, the females weigh around 2.3 kg (5 lb.) and the drakes weigh approximately 4.5 kg (10 lb.).

Feeding program for ducks

Based on data from Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9^th Ed. National Academy of Sciences. USA 1994. Based on data from white Pekin ducks fed high-protein diets in pens. Foraging free-range ducks fed an organic diet will likely eat less and grow more slowly.

Geese

Geese can be fed either chicken or duck feed. Organic farmers usually allow the geese to graze. The pastured birds take longer to mature than penned birds but are less expensive to raise due to the lower feed consumption. Whereas penned birds may reach market size at 10 weeks of age, it may take pastured birds 24 weeks to reach market size.

Feeding program for geese

Based on data from Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9^th Ed. National Academy of Sciences. USA. Based on data from Embden geese fed high-protein diets in pens. Note that free-ranging organically fed birds will have both lower rates of feed consumption and slower rates of growth.

Copyright © 2003 by Homestead Organics Ltd

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