How to care for ducks properly requires a basic understanding of what a duck needs to stay healthy. Discover the answers to frequently asked questions, including do ducks need a pond, what should I feed my ducks, and more.

Key Takeaways

• Ducks need constant access to clean water deep enough to dunk their heads to stay healthy.
• A pond is not required—stock tanks or kiddie pools work well and are easier to maintain.
• Feed ducks a balanced diet with added niacin, which is essential for leg and joint health.
• Ducks are often hardier than chickens, but still require proper care and predator protection.
• Provide a dry, well-ventilated shelter and a fully predator-proof coop at night.
• Ducks create wet conditions, so frequent coop cleaning is essential to prevent mold and disease.
• Free-ranging ducks should be closely supervised due to high predator risk.

How to Care for Ducks vs Chickens: Key Differences

How to care for ducks varies slightly from the basic care requirements of chickens. Like chickens, ducks require feed, water, access to pasture, and protection from the elements and predators. But their love of water is what really sets duck care apart from chicken care.

At a minimum, ducks need drinking water deep enough for them to dip their heads in to help keep their eyes and nostrils clean. Providing non-bantam breeds with a two-gallon bucket of clean water is the easiest way to help them stay clean and healthy without needing to allow them access to swimming water on a daily basis.

Are Ducks Hardier Than Chickens?

Yes, many experts believe ducks to be healthier and hardier than chickens. When kept in well-managed small flocks, fed a proper diet, and kept safe from predators, ducks are less affected by disease and parasites than other birds.

According to Dave Holderread, owner of Holderread’s Waterfowl Farm in Philomath, Oregon, and author of Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks, ducks are more adaptable and disease-resistant than chickens.

Holderread first became impressed with the duck’s hardiness while participating in a teaching and research program on poultry production in Puerto Rico. “We literally never treated a duck for anything internal or external parasites, or any disease in the four years I was there. The chickens were a constant fight.” Although he’s also quick to add that this doesn’t mean ducks never have health troubles, as they are more prone to leg problems than chickens.

How to Care for Ducks Without a Pond

Contrary to what many people believe, domestic ducks can get along fine without a pond. In fact, an improperly designed pond can be hard to keep clean and poses a health hazard for ducks if droppings accumulate.

Dirty water and pond banks aren’t the only problems domestic ducks face while on waterways. Other issues include predators and wild waterfowl.

While their wild cousins may not look like a threat to your flock, wild ducks and geese can spread diseases to domestic waterfowl and are also known to severely bully domestic ducks.

A good alternative to a pond is a stock tank or plastic kiddie pool. These swimming areas are easy to clean and move around to prevent mud and manure from piling up around the swimming area.

Expert Tip: To prevent mud buildup around the swimming area, Holderread suggests spreading a thin layer of pea gravel, followed by sand, and topping it with a covering of sawdust, which he replaces annually.

How to Care for Ducks: Feeding and Nutrition Basics

When learning how to care for ducks, a good place to start is understanding their dietary needs. Like laying hens, laying and pet ducks require a well-balanced layer feed enhanced with prebiotics and probiotics and made with North American-grown grains.

Laying and pet ducks also require free-choice oyster shell to lay healthy eggs. An interesting, often overlooked part of duck nutrition is that male ducks (called drakes) also require free-choice oyster shell.

When raising ducklings (including meat ducklings), feed a good-quality duckling starter/grower. Ducklings grow fast, so unlike chickens, who require a broiler feed, meat ducklings only require duckling feed to reach market weight quickly.

Ducks Supplements Explained

How to care for ducks includes knowing what supplements ducks require. While there are many excellent optional supplements, such as herbs, kelp, probiotics, and so on, there is one supplement that ducks simply must have.

Ducks require niacin (often in the form of brewer’s yeast) as a daily part of their diet. Both ducklings and adult ducks require fifty-five mg of niacin per kg of feed. This essential vitamin helps ducklings’ legs and joints remain strong throughout their rapid growth.

As adults, ducks rely on niacin for energy metabolism, bone health, and the prevention of leg injuries.

Shelter and Predator Protection for Ducks

Ducks need shelter to protect them from the elements and predators. During the day, providing ducks with a small wooden three-sided duck house inside the run is often the only protection they need to keep them safe from the elements.

At night, ducks require a safe, completely predator-proofed coop to sleep in. While some duck owners have reported that their ducks prefer to sleep outdoors, this practice is not recommended, even if your flock is housed in a completely predator-proofed run.

How to care for ducks against predators is slightly more difficult than protecting them from the elements, but it isn’t impossible. House ducks in a coop or shed with a wooden or concrete floor to prevent predators from entering the coop via digging. Line windows, the run walls and roof, and any other opening or cracks larger than one-half inch anywhere in the coop or run with half-inch 16-gauge hardware cloth to prevent predators from entering the coop or run.

Deter digging predators from trying to enter the run by attaching half-inch, 16-gauge wire predator skirts around the perimeter.

Can Ducks Free-Range Safely?

Like chickens, ducks enjoy being able to waddle about the yard, looking for tasty bugs and plants to eat. However, free-ranging is not recommended for ducks (unless directly supervised by an adult), as they are easily picked off by predators.

Pro Tip: To ensure your flock’s ultimate safety, leave your smartphone inside to avoid distractions during supervised free-ranging.

Cleaning and Coop Maintenance

How to care for ducks includes dealing with their wet mess. Unlike chickens, who keep their bedding relatively dry, ducks are notorious for flinging water everywhere and creating a wet, marshy environment right in their coop. Because of their love of water, cleaning out the entire coop weekly is advised to help them stay healthy and reduce the risk of harmful molds.

When cleaning the coop, be sure to routinely check the floor and lower walls for signs of rotting or mold. Take care of problem areas immediately to keep your flock safe and healthy.

How to Care For Ducks Tip: If your coop has become a marsh, try placing water buckets inside Tuff Stuff two-gallon rubber feeder pans. The pans help to catch the splashing water and keep the coop noticeably drier.

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How to Care for Ducks: Common Myths Busted

Myth #1: Ducks can go without water overnight.

Unlike their chicken cousins, who sleep straight through the night, ducks are partially nocturnal. While no one knows exactly why ducks spend so much time awake at night, one of the reasons is that they can not go for long periods of time without water.

Withholding water for even an hour can cause unnecessary stress on a duck’s organs, eyes, and nostrils, so be sure to provide your flock with clean, fresh water in the coop overnight to help them stay healthy.

Myth #2: Ducks can live with chickens.

Despite popular belief, ducks and chickens should never live together. While some flocks can have multiple species coexisting peacefully, raising ducks and chickens together can lead to disease, injury, accidental drownings, and flock bullying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do ducks need a pond to stay healthy?

No, ducks do not require a pond. They only need water deep enough to submerge their heads. Stock tanks or kiddie pools are excellent, low-maintenance alternatives.

What do ducks eat daily?

Ducks need a balanced commercial feed formulated for waterfowl or layers, along with access to oyster shell for calcium. They also enjoy insects, greens, and forage when available.

Why is niacin important for ducks?

Niacin is essential for proper leg and joint development, especially in ducklings. A deficiency can lead to mobility issues and long-term health problems.

Can ducks live with chickens?

It’s not recommended. Ducks and chickens have different care needs, and mixing them can lead to disease transmission, bullying, and even accidental drowning.

How often should you clean a duck coop?

Duck coops should be cleaned at least once a week, though more frequent cleaning may be needed due to their wet habits.

Are ducks easier to care for than chickens?

Many people find ducks easier because they are hardy and less prone to disease, but they do require more attention to water and cleanliness.

Do ducks need water overnight?

Yes. Ducks should always have access to clean water, even at night, to prevent stress and health issues.

Can ducks free-range safely?

Ducks can free-range, but only under supervision. They are highly vulnerable to predators and should not be left unattended.

How to Care for Ducks: Final Tips for Healthy Ducks

How to care for ducks is relatively easy. With proper nutrition, access to clean drinking and swimming water, and protection from predators, ducks provide high-quality meat and eggs and make delightful pets.

This article about how to care for ducks was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines. Click here to subscribe.