Ducks and geese: a plan, step by step

1. What you want from waterfowl

First decide what you need. Species, breed, housing and the amount of feed all follow from that.

1. Slugs in the garden — Indian Runners eat slugs, grubs and insects. Let them into the garden outside seedling season.
2. Eggs for the house — The light layers are Runners and Khaki Campbells. A laying duck gives roughly 180 eggs a year. Ducks lay early in the morning, so keep them shut in until 9 am.
3. Water for dipping — They need water deep enough to dip the whole head. A pond is optional, a dipping tub is not.
4. Geese for grazing — Geese live almost entirely on grass: 300–500 m² of grazing per adult goose for the season. They are on grass for 5–7 months, and slaughter runs from Michaelmas to Christmas.

Why: Ducks are for eggs, slugs and quick meat. Geese are for grazing, meat, fat, feathers and guarding the yard. But waterfowl are not "hens that swim": they need water to dip the whole head in and ground that copes with mud.

• If this is your first time, start with three to five laying ducks or with three or four goslings for autumn meat.
• Bring in a breeding flock with a gander in the second year, once one season has taught you water, mud, grazing and fences.

2. Duck breeds

Domestic ducks descend from the wild mallard, and the Muscovy is a separate species from South America.

1. Indian Runner — Upright, walks and runs, does not fly. Weighs 1.6–2.3 kg (3.5–5 lb), lays roughly 150–250 eggs a year, rarely goes broody.
2. Khaki Campbell — Calm and a very good layer: 2–2.5 kg (4.5–5.5 lb), roughly 200–280 eggs a year. Rarely goes broody.
3. Pekin and Mulard — The Pekin is white and fast-growing; table hybrids are ready in 7–8 weeks. The Mulard is a cross for meat and is sterile.
4. Muscovy — Quiet, flies and is an excellent broody: sits for 35 days. The drake hisses instead of quacking. Clip the flight feathers of one wing on the females.

Why: A light layer, a table duck and a Muscovy broody do three different jobs. Hybrids grow fast but are not for breeding. For eggs and hatching your own, look for pure breeds or farmyard ducks from a breeder.

• Many smallholders keep two or three Muscovy ducks purely as broodies; eggs from ordinary ducks can be slipped under them too.
• A Muscovy drake mates ordinary ducks, and the young are sterile Mulards.

3. Goose breeds · Locked

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4. How many birds, and who is the male · Locked

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5. Buying healthy birds · Locked

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6. Ready before the first bird · Locked

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