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This is a revised edition of Nyiri Murtagh.s popular book, For the Love of Ducks, but with colour photographs of the duck breeds. It covers all aspects of duck husbandry, from selecting a breed and buying ducks to housing, breeding, feeding and health. It includes a description of each of the duck breeds.
"Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through grade three, this book introduces ducks to young readers through leveled text and related photos"--Provided by publisher.
With just a little land and available water, you can raise a variety of domestic fowl, from friendly ducks and characterful geese to guineafowl, dainty quail, placid turkeys or even peafowl. Illustrated with the author's charming watercolour paintings, this book is packed with practical tips on keeping domestic fowl and selecting the right breed for your circumstances. Covering 65 domestic breeds of ducks, geese, guineafowl, quail, turkeys and peafowl, the book gives an insight into the individual personalities and attributes of each kind of bird. The breed profiles are written in engaging text and include the history and place of origin, colour combinations, differences between male and female birds, the appearance of hatchlings and the numbers of eggs to expect. As well as selecting an appropriate breed, you need to consider your neighbours, the kinds of bird you can and should keep, whether you want them for eggs or as pets, and whether you want to breed them. The book offers helpful advice on all these issues and also on housing, the provision of water, feeding and the noise and impact your birds will have, as well as preventing and treating common ailments. Whether you are starting out as a smallholder, are interested in raising a few ducks or geese in a suburban or rural setting, or are simply a devotee of domestic fowl there is plenty to captivate you in this book.
With in-depth information on feeding, housing, behavior, and health care, this comprehensive guide also provides proven strategies for creating a profitable business plan and marketing your products. Whether you’re about to acquire your first ducks or are interested in experimenting with rare breeds, Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks will help you achieve your duck-raising goals.
This insightful book covers all aspects of backyard duck raising from selecting a breed and buying ducks to housing, feeding, and health. It includes a description of the common breed suitable for any backyard. The peculiarity of each breed, their egg-laying capacity and their potential as table birds are critically examined. It also contains a comprehensive section on incubation of eggs both natural and artificial methods. You will also learn how to protect your flocks from predators. Backyard duck homesteaders and hobby farmers will find this book an enjoyable and useful resource; it will make your duck raising adventure a profitable experience.
Written by hobby farmer Cherie Langlois from Washington state, Ducks is a fantastic overview of these entertaining and adaptable waterfowl. The author begins by asking "What do these water-crazy birds have that make them as much an asset to farms as landlubbing poultry?" She provides many answers that defend the virtues and versatility of ducks and argues that the duck is superior to the ubiquitous chicken in many ways. As a zoologist, Langlois has a gift for elucidating the details of the waterfowl's anatomy, traits and behavior, all revealed in the first chapter "Meet the Duck." She proceeds by leading readers through the process of choosing the right ducks for their hobby farm, considering the various domestic breeds (from bantams to heavyweights) as well as the sex of the birds and number of birds/breeds ideal for beginning a hobby-farm flock.The book offers advice on housing these very adaptable birds that thrive in various climates and regions throughout the world: space requirements, ventilation, flooring, feeders, and fencing. Naturally, ducks need water to thrive in the form of an existing lake, a manmade pond or simple duck pools, all discussed in the housing chapter. "The Duck Diet" chapter discusses the nutritional needs of the flock and various feeding options farmers and ranchers can consider. Seasoned duck aficionados interested in getting into the business of ducklings will find much information in the breeding chapter, which catalogs methods for hatching, incubators, mama duck and baby care, and more. The health of livestock is always a major consideration for the hobby farmer, and the chapter "Flock Health and Handling" offers a mini course in disease prevention, proper hygiene, recognizing symptoms of illnesses, and dealing with common maladies.The advantages of duck farming;the superior quality of duck eggs, down, and meat--are the focal point of the final chapter "Harvesting the Rewards," likely the first chapter the dubious duck farmer will read prior to taking the dive into ducks. The book concludes with appendices of endangered duck breeds and duck diseases, resources, a glossary of terms, and a complete index.
Have you considered rearing ducks but have been unable to do that because you don't have the right information on how to go about it? Well, if you've not yet settled on any particular duck, then you should probably try Indian Runner Ducks and you'll never regret it. Whether you are a beginner or you already have some prior experience in keeping ducks, you will have to know how to raise strong and healthy ducks. So many people often give up on ducks before they can even succeed, especially after discovering that rearing ducks is different from chickens. When you read this book, you will learn all you need to know about caring for Indian Runner Ducks to ensure that they are happy, healthy companions. Of course, you may not compare them to a lap dog or a cat but they are affectionate in their own quirky way, can be easily trained and are a pure delight to have around. In many ways, the Indian Runner Duck is the perfect farm or backyard pet. If you want to start a journey that you won't quit, this book will help you to do just that. It will guide you through the entire process in detail so that you know what to do at what time when raising the ducks. If you follow the steps as they are explained, then there would be no reason for failure in your journey. Included in this book: Breeding Care Characteristics Common health problems Daily care Eggs Feeding Handling Hatching Health History Housing One or more? Personality Pros and cons Sexual behaviour The right environment What to know before you buy ........and much more!
