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 Ducks for tick control?		  New Topic  Reply to Topic
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LouisvilleMom
True Blue Farmgirl

246 Posts

Kathryn
Louisville KY
USA
246 Posts
Posted - Jul 30 2011 :  4:59:15 PM  Show Profile
We are buying acreage that back a large stream/small river and will be within a couple hundred feed of a pond. There are deer flies and tons of ticks out there so we have thought about getting some Muscovy ducks to eat up those nasties. Are they hard to keep? What type of house would they need? Do they stay in one area or do they wander? Do they get along with chickens or do they need their own "playground"?

We also want to have a few chickens (as in 5 or less) to see how well we do before we commit to a larger flock.

Thanks so much for your knowledge ladies!

SAHM mom to four great boys.

http://ksfarnsworth.blogspot.com/

oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl

1511 Posts

tina
quartz hill ca
USA
1511 Posts
Posted - Jul 30 2011 :  7:13:38 PM  Show Profile
Muscovy ducks are great for flies, that I know from experience, alot of the people in this are that have horses have them for fly control (I don't know about ticks, as we don't have them here), but I know that guienna hens are good for all insects. Muscovys are great for meat (more meat and less grease than comman ducks) and eggs, they are great mamas and both sexes are very protective over their flocks, I never mix waterfowl and poultry for many reasons, and would not recomend it, as far as wandering, they are territorial and with water and food around them, I would think they would be fine. I usr barrels laying on there sides for my ducks and geese for nest boxes, and if you are worried about predators, do the nest barrels inside of an enclosed pen, including the top to house them at night...

"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad"
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl

1108 Posts

Jen
Tonopah AZ
USA
1108 Posts
Posted - Aug 01 2011 :  7:31:57 PM  Show Profile
Muscovies are notoriously easy to keep, they don't need more than a dog house. I'd probably get some to keep if I wasn't worried about them cross-breeding with my egg ducks.
My research led me to believe ducks are more efficient than chickens for eggs as they lay longer during their lives, egg breeds of ducks lay more eggs per year than egg breed chickens, and ducklings are hardier to start than chicks. Then my ducklings arrived and I went duck crazy. I love my DuckDuck girls!!

"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers
Edited by - Dusky Beauty on Aug 01 2011 7:36:04 PM
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