Ducks - Food And Eggs

[patongphil]

Sorry but I am completely new at this so please bear with me.

we have 18 girl ducks and 3 boys. All the girls are Pekins as well as one of the boys. Anyway we get an average of about 16 eggs a day which I believe is pretty good. We keep them in their "house" most of the day and all night with a light on. They get about 2 hours a day for a paddle and scratch around the dam of about half a rai.

Feed wise we go through about 2 and a half bags of duck food - for egg laying ducks a month. Recently we have started giving them LAM mixed with water as well.

Well questions

1) Are we doing the right thing with a light on all night.

2) Can we reduce or replace the amount of feed as just gone up again to 490 baht per bag

3) Is LAM a good food for them.

4) Would it be better to let them out for longer each day

5) What about the ratio of boys and girls and the mix of only one Pekin and 2 who knows what but very nice looking black ducks who I often see doing the business.

Thanks for any help and/or advice

Phil

[cornishcarlos]

Can you post me some of your eggs

Just finishing off building my incubator now...

Personally, I would let them out to free range more. I like my birds to be out all day, don't like to keep them locked up. I never put lighting on but then I don't have laying chickens, mainly ducks, some geese and a mix of turkey and guinea fowl.

[shaggy1969]

I would also let them out,ducks are grazers and could find their own food during the day cutting the cost of your feed.

Do you have a pond there at your place?

Lam is a good supplement.

Edited February 9, 2013 by shaggy1969

[shaggy1969]

Can you post me some of your eggs

Just finishing off building my incubator now...

Personally, I would let them out to free range more. I like my birds to be out all day, don't like to keep them locked up. I never put lighting on but then I don't have laying chickens, mainly ducks, some geese and a mix of turkey and guinea fowl.

Carlos,did you make the incubator yourself?

[shaggy1969]

Phil,am not too sure about the light being on all night in the duck shed,but here is maybe an idea for you.

Have a look at the first photo,i think that they are black lights used by many Thais to catch bugs with,maybe it would an idea to use that light on a night time to catch bugs and insect for you ducks.......

Lashings of lum

Chokdee

Shaggy

[DonaldBattles]

Free ranging of ducks on a pond is much better and productive. Duck food is expensive but not sure the lam does anything for them as it has no nutrition and is mostly carbon. My ducks will not eat corn meal which is a lot cheaper. The duck food is mostly to enhance their laying. One of my new ducks lays eggs in the water and any place she feels like dropping them. Generally ducks are not very smart as compared to geese.

I pay 500 Baht for duck food and it is hard to find in Chiang Rai. I only know one place that sells it.

I see no purpose on turning the light on at night as it tends to inhibit there rest and sleeping.

Geese lay eggs only once per year and are very clever. Unfortunately their meat is tough and not very tasty. Ducks are more valuable for their meat than for their eggs.

[cornishcarlos]

Can you post me some of your eggs

Just finishing off building my incubator now...

Personally, I would let them out to free range more. I like my birds to be out all day, don't like to keep them locked up. I never put lighting on but then I don't have laying chickens, mainly ducks, some geese and a mix of turkey and guinea fowl.

Carlos,did you make the incubator yourself?

Making... Just looking for a thermometer and an old thermostat now

[DonaldBattles]

Would appreciate knowing he details of the incubator and the cost to build. I know that you can buy one commercially in Thailand but they are very expensive. Digital control thermometers are not so difficult to find from electrical equipment suppliers.

[DonaldBattles]

I am trying to locate a source for Mallard baby ducks if anyone knows one please let me know.

[Mosha]

Free ranging of ducks on a pond is much better and productive. Duck food is expensive but not sure the lam does anything for them as it has no nutrition and is mostly carbon. My ducks will not eat corn meal which is a lot cheaper. The duck food is mostly to enhance their laying. One of my new ducks lays eggs in the water and any place she feels like dropping them. Generally ducks are not very smart as compared to geese.

I pay 500 Baht for duck food and it is hard to find in Chiang Rai. I only know one place that sells it.

I see no purpose on turning the light on at night as it tends to inhibit there rest and sleeping.

Geese lay eggs only once per year and are very clever. Unfortunately their meat is tough and not very tasty. Ducks are more valuable for their meat than for their eggs.

I think geese are regarded more as pets. I've never seen the meat for sale.

[DonaldBattles]

I raised a lot of geese in Chiang Rai and used the meat for Christmas Buffets at Don's Mall in Phuket. The meat was not satisfactory even though I had boiled and baked for a long time. In China they are grown for their liver which is expensive. I have never seen the meat commercially available in Thailand.

[cornishcarlos]

Would appreciate knowing he details of the incubator and the cost to build. I know that you can buy one commercially in Thailand but they are very expensive. Digital control thermometers are not so difficult to find from electrical equipment suppliers.

Just google DIY egg incubators, loads of various designs on there.

I am using a polystyrene cool box and just recycling anything I can find.

Although I did spend 30 baht on a couple pieces of glass for windows, but that will be for 2 incubators.

Old light I had lying around, a BBQ grill for the floor inside, a bowl for water, for small jam jars as supports/heat sinks. As I said, just looking for a thermometer and a thermostat now.. Should really order a combined digital thermometer/hydrometer from Amazon but will try just with a temp gauge 1st and hope the humidity is ok

Will try to find a small fan too, maybe from a junk shop with computers in...

I will post some pics when I am done..

[patongphil]

Phil,am not too sure about the light being on all night in the duck shed,but here is maybe an idea for you.

Have a look at the first photo,i think that they are black lights used by many Thais to catch bugs with,maybe it would an idea to use that light on a night time to catch bugs and insect for you ducks.......

Lashings of lum

Chokdee

Shaggy

Thanks for all the replies. Apparently the light is for security to stop duck egg thieves!!!!,

Will try letting them out longer but I think they are so used to staying inside they make their own way back after about 2 hours. Would have to probably keep the door closed to keep them out.

We do let them into the veggie garden once most of the veggies are collected and they love this. When the water is higher in the pond the pak boong is also a favorite.

[cornishcarlos]

Pig food for all my birds... No. 700 on the sack, just 350 baht.

Except the small ones, they get some nicer stuff

Got a Muskovey sitting on 8 Khaki eggs at the moment, this will be my first new burns hopefully !! 20 days to go..

[DonaldBattles]

What is the nature of the pig food you use and who is the maker? I am still looking for some Mallards if anyone has any.

[patongphil]

Just an update. Egg production dropped to 13 or 12 a day once I let them out onto the dam most of the day. This had me a bit stumped until I managed to "catch" 2 eggs in my throw net when after some fish for the missus - mystery solved.

Well it is back to the pen for most of the day for you lot.

[DonaldBattles]

Still trying to locate some baby Mandrain or Mallard ducks. Anyone know a source?

[cooked]

Pig food for all my birds... No. 700 on the sack, just 350 baht.

Except the small ones, they get some nicer stuff

Got a Muskovey sitting on 8 Khaki eggs at the moment, this will be my first new burns hopefully !! 20 days to go..

I have the impression that our ducks will eat almost anything, they gobble up any extra stuff from the garden. Otherwise we buy chicken feed for ฿450./ the 20Kg sack, supplemented with rice which we have plenty of.

[cornishcarlos]

Pig food for all my birds... No. 700 on the sack, just 350 baht.

Except the small ones, they get some nicer stuff

Got a Muskovey sitting on 8 Khaki eggs at the moment, this will be my first new burns hopefully !! 20 days to go..

I have the impression that our ducks will eat almost anything, they gobble up any extra stuff from the garden. Otherwise we buy chicken feed for ฿450./ the 20Kg sack, supplemented with rice which we have plenty of.

Yup, anything pretty much..

They love prawn shells, we get them free from the market in the mornings.

Left over rice for sure and smashed up snails.

Had to get a different brand of pig food last time and none of the birds liked it that much !!

Back to Betagro No. 700 now and they are happy campers again...

[DonaldBattles]

I am still looking for some Mandarin and Mallard ducks if you know anyone who might have them.

[Pond Life]

Just an update. Egg production dropped to 13 or 12 a day once I let them out onto the dam most of the day. This had me a bit stumped until I managed to "catch" 2 eggs in my throw net when after some fish for the missus - mystery solved.

Well it is back to the pen for most of the day for you lot.

Do your Pekins lay thru the day ?

My Khaki Campbells always lay very early in the morning, about 5-6 am.

If you can figure out when they lay, you only need to pen them for that period.

Mine often lay either in the water or the egg rolls in there afterwards.

[DonaldBattles]

I am still trying to find Mandarin and Mallard ducks. If anyone knows where they might be.

My young ducks are laying in shallow. Ducks are stupid as compared to geese.

[patongphil]

Just an update. Egg production dropped to 13 or 12 a day once I let them out onto the dam most of the day. This had me a bit stumped until I managed to "catch" 2 eggs in my throw net when after some fish for the missus - mystery solved.

Well it is back to the pen for most of the day for you lot.

Do your Pekins lay thru the day ?

My Khaki Campbells always lay very early in the morning, about 5-6 am.

If you can figure out when they lay, you only need to pen them for that period.

Mine often lay either in the water or the egg rolls in there afterwards.

Not sure what time they start but usually collect about 12 to 13 eggs at around 7 am and then if I leave them in their house until 9am get another 2 to 3 eggs. This is now the plan going forward. Now let them out for an hour or so but once we get a bit of rain and more water in the pond this may increase. Pond water is now very green from the duck poo nitrogen which is great for the tilapia but probably about as green as it can get before fish start dying due to lack of oxygen.

[Pond Life]

I am still trying to find Mandarin and Mallard ducks. If anyone knows where they might be.

My young ducks are laying in shallow. Ducks are stupid as compared to geese.

Don, do they have to be 100% Mallard or would Khaki Campbells with strong Mallard traits be ok ?

[DonaldBattles]

I have one half breed Mallard now and I don't like. Want to wait until I can find the real things.

Thanks.

Don

[jayci]

Sorry for the ignorance, But how do you stop the ducks from flying/buggering off when you let them out to freerange?

I think having some ducks around a pha nin pond as been adventitious. duck poo in water, water go green equals happy fat pha nin.

Not only that, but fresh duck eggs and meat would be awesome.

[shaggy1969]

Sorry for the ignorance, But how do you stop the ducks from flying/buggering off when you let them out to freerange?

I think having some ducks around a pha nin pond as been adventitious. duck poo in water, water go green equals happy fat pha nin.

Not only that, but fresh duck eggs and meat would be awesome.

Ducks will usually only 'bugger off' in search of food,if they know they have food in their enclosure then they normally stay around that area and will come back to their enclosure when it is time for their evening meal.

[samuijimmy]

I don't know much about ducks.... but my neighbour kid wants some of these.... apparently you can eat the eggs... (I guess not all duck eggs not for eating????)

He's spied this type of duck and wants some ! But every time we go by there is no one to ask if they are for sale! They don't seem to be common here on Samui!

Question! what type of duck is it? Other than a quacking duck!

[Pond Life]

Sorry for the ignorance, But how do you stop the ducks from flying/buggering off when you let them out to freerange?

I think having some ducks around a pha nin pond as been adventitious. duck poo in water, water go green equals happy fat pha nin.

Not only that, but fresh duck eggs and meat would be awesome.

As Shaggy says, if they are happy they will not bugger off.

Give them a pond & food (or access to free range food) & they will stay.

If they have a pond they can escape dogs, but if there are dogs around they will not venture away from the pond to feed.

Samuijimmy,

All Duck eggs are good to eat, but some produce more eggs than others.

Thats probably a Khaki Campbell, which produces lots of eggs.

For a pet you would be better off with Muscovy type.

Theyre big, usualy a mixture of black & white colours with red skin on the face.

Very friendly, they dont need a pond & produce a batch of 10-15 eggs every few months.

[samuijimmy]

Sorry for the ignorance, But how do you stop the ducks from flying/buggering off when you let them out to freerange?

I think having some ducks around a pha nin pond as been adventitious. duck poo in water, water go green equals happy fat pha nin.

Not only that, but fresh duck eggs and meat would be awesome.

As Shaggy says, if they are happy they will not bugger off.

Give them a pond & food (or access to free range food) & they will stay.

If they have a pond they can escape dogs, but if there are dogs around they will not venture away from the pond to feed.

Samuijimmy,

All Duck eggs are good to eat, but some produce more eggs than others.

Thats probably a Khaki Campbell, which produces lots of eggs.

For a pet you would be better off with Muscovy type.

Theyre big, usualy a mixture of black & white colours with red skin on the face.

Very friendly, they dont need a pond & produce a batch of 10-15 eggs every few months.

Thanks Pondlife! .... Very helpful....

I've heard this type is more available on the mainland, Surrathannii.... so will try to get my landlord to pickup some ducklings next time he's over with the truck... I showed him a pic last night and seemed to know where to get!

The kid has got Muscovy ducks already, just this type I pictured is what he wants too, .... These would be for selling eggs, not pets!!! so perhaps the meaning of he was trying to say, he wants is the extra eggs with less effort !!!!

I can see ducks in my garden pond now! .... I'm going to go quackers! (or build him a pond)