Hi all,

Not sure where to post this. It's has not much to do with farming, so I keep it on smallholding. After all, it's about one duck.

Not sure if he's a she or she's a he, but I named 'her' Lady Duck anyway. She came flying in and decided to stay. I thoroughly enjoy her decision. Here is she (or he): https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152615511776589&set=vb.531961588&type=2&theater


As she is the first duck that lives on my property (can't really say she's mine, as she is free to go whenever she wants) I have no clue how to take care of her, or any duck. But ... looking at her fantastic feathery coat, I think she is pretty well capable of taken care of herself .... has the whole fish-pond to her ducky-self ... although has to share it with the tilapia, snails, craps, herons and some brave egrets (and probably some more wild life)
Does enjoy stealing the fish food, but doesn't value the given pieces of whole wheat bread much.

And there lies my question: can anyone tell me what a duck's favorite food is?
What do those who raise ducks feed their birds?

Thank you.

Mine prefer the fish food pellets to anything else.

I buy bags with '955' on the outside.

Tried many things, bird food, chicken feed, they want that flavour fish food.

They do like greens from your vegetables, chopped up small.

PS

One duck won't be happy, you need to find her a boyfriend.

Two ducks will spend their entire days and nights together.

Their natural food is the vegetation in and around the water and snails/slugs.. A lot of people who grow food also keep ducks as natural pest control.

Thank you, both for your replies.

Not sure about the boyfriend, but if she likes she can go fly of and get one herself. It may explain a bit why I often see some of the big birds very close to her .... and quickly flying of as soon as I come in the picture. Sneaky dirrrrrty birds!


Lots of snails in the pond, which is most probably the reason of her arrival and stay. Will start supplementing her diet with some of my greeny veggies, and give fish-food as delicious treats. Need to find reasons for her to stay and not find a better food source elsewhere.

As for pest control with all those dogs I'm more interested into keeping guinea fowls.

What about the eggs?

She will be laying 5 a week.

BF only costs about 100bht.

They don't fly off if they're happy.

Guinea fowl are gangsters, stick with the duck she looks nice.

They eat just about anything but love prawn shells from the market

But ... but ... but .. Guinea fowls eat ticks ... they say. And I REALLY like that idea.
You don't think that would be a great natural ticky-pest control in stead of spraying with some highly poisonous yukkie stuff?

And guinea fowls can not go together with chicken, you think? I'm not worried about Lady Duck, because she is not confined. She stays in and near the fish pond which does not have a fence around. The chicken are fenced in and so will be the guinea fowls.

As for eggs I'm not too worried. Birds not always need a male to be able to lay fertile eggs: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141219-spectacular-real-virgin-births If that happens I will change her name to Duckria.
It would be quite nice to have some ducklings playing in the fishpond soon, though. So, let me think about a bf.

Not sure about shrimp or prawn from the market. Aren't these full with heavy chemicals?
Someone else mentioned meal-worms and crickets. You will see that bastardo-duck is going to like these yukky-stuff most.

See, they have taken over my swing seat

They do eat all the bugs though and my dog never has ticks !

My bad boy turkey too, these are cool fellas...

Be aware Nienke---feed a duck---you have a friend for life

See, they have taken over my swing seat

They do eat all the bugs though and my dog never has ticks !

Seriously cool looking birds.

So you raise them yourself.

Is it easy to raise them? Special requirements? What kind of food do you give them?

Do you have a chick or two for sale? And if so, please, don't tell me you are at the other side of Thailand.

My bad boy turkey too, these are cool fellas...

And a turkey. Now you get me going!

Seriously cool.

How old can turkey, geese and guinea fowl get when well taken care of?

My bad boy turkey too, these are cool fellas...

And a turkey. Now you get me going!

Seriously cool.

How old can turkey, geese and guinea fowl get when well taken care of?

Goose live approx 20yrs, oldest recorded was 49yrs

Guinea fowl and Turkey approx 10-12 years.

Easy to look after,

just make a secure coop for them and give then clean water and food, they will be your best friends

I can send you some eggs, maybe your duck will get broody ?

Be aware Nienke---feed a duck---you have a friend for life

Too late Nienke---word has got out--here comes the family

http://www.wimp.com/stampededucks/

My bad boy turkey too, these are cool fellas...

And a turkey. Now you get me going!

Seriously cool.

How old can turkey, geese and guinea fowl get when well taken care of?

Goose live approx 20yrs, oldest recorded was 49yrs

Guinea fowl and Turkey approx 10-12 years.

Easy to look after,

just make a secure coop for them and give then clean water and food, they will be your best friends

I can send you some eggs, maybe your duck will get broody ?

Wow, thank you for the offer!

However, circumstances changed a bit and for the time being I have to put the desire for having another kind of (poultry) pet back in the drawer.

It's ok, 2 of my bantams are sitting on all my guinea eggs now Plus 1 duck sitting on 5 goose eggs, it's gonna get crowded again.. !