When most people think of animals for their back yard they quickly think of chickens. And while there is good reason so many people think to raise chickens, there are also reasons why ducks may be the preferable livestock for your backyard farm.
Ducks don’t crow
Not everyone starting their homestead has 15 acres in the country. Some may have less than an acre with neighbors right next to them that don’t share their passion for raising animals and growing food. Keeping this in mind, it is not hard to think of how a rooster could degrade the relationship one has with the neighbors. Ducks, on the other hand, don’t crow, and don’t cackle loudly after laying an egg, or when in preparation to lay an egg.
>>>What the Heck CBD?
Ducks don’t destroy everything
It’s true that ducks will eat all the grass available if they are confined, just as chickens will. But they can be allowed into an established garden without causing total devastation. Ducks do not kick and scratch the way chickens do which will destroy the roots of plants and ruin mulch. Plants will recover from losing some leaves a lot faster than they will if they are uprooted and kicked into the path.
Ducks are better at egg laying
Ducks do not decrease egg production in the winter the way chickens do. The eggs they do lay are more nutritious and have a taste that is often preferred over chicken eggs. With a thicker shell and membrane, they also last longer than chicken eggs do.
You may already have a flock of chickens in your yard now and may be skeptical of replacing birds that you have come to appreciate. But as your chickens become chicken dinner you might want to make some room in your flock for some different birds and give ducks a try too, if it doesn’t work out you can always have roast duck instead of fried chicken.
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