Duck Breeding Facts & Information

I have been raising birds for almost two years now and have learned so many things it is amazing. Ducks have got to be my favorite bird, closely followed by chickens, I also raise quail but I'm not much of a quail person, they are high maintenance.

Breeding ducks and hatching eggs has been a fun experience for sure and I have learned a few things I thought I should share so here are some duck breeding facts:

• Ducks breeding period is from late winter to early summer, although some breeds will lay all year.
• Mating can be violent and stressful on females, they can lose a lot of feathers and get injured during mating.Males bite down on the scruff of the neck causing painful marks, bruising and even cuts.
• More than one female per drake is recommended, I have just the pair of Welsh Harlequin ducks and my female is very sore and tired looking. 
• You may need to separate your males and females if mating becomes too stressful.
• Male ducks will try mating with other species, such as chickens, I have seen it.
• Most duck breeds produce an egg a day, which can be very exhausting so be sure to provide adequate food and drinking water.
• Not all ducks will become broody and hatch their own eggs, u may need an incubator if you want ducklings.
• Fertilized eggs can be eaten jut like chicken eggs, or sold to others to hatch. 
• Ducks can be a good way to make money, I sell my ducklings for $10 each, fertilized eggs for $2 each, and full grown for $25.  

All in all I love my ducks and all my birds, it has been fun learning with my kids and being able to teach them where their food comes from. I also love the fact that I am not supporting the giant egg factories where birds are kept in harsh conditions.