People may think raising ducks as pets is somewhat weird and that their purpose is only for meat and eggs
. But actually, they work as good pets. They reach the stage of maturity at about 7 months from hatching and they live for an average lifespan of 10 years. Feeding them is inexpensive too. The owner may opt to buy them feeds or may simply throw them leftovers and kitchen wastes. The best part is that they eat garden parasites.
Do you want a new pet for your backyard? If you are considering raising ducks then you must have a body of water nearby. Make sure that your garden also is also about 35 square feet wide. And the rest are fun and easy tasks. There are several tips worth following when raising ducks as pets. One is not to a duck alone. It get's lonely and it may manifest awkward, shy behavior. Always raise it with a partner. It is also advisable to have only one male and more than one female. During mating season, the males can get too active and one female cannot handle it.
Their shelter can be made from light materials like wood, as long as it is covered from rain and kept dry. The flooring may be spread with corn cobs and peanut hulls to keep it dry. A dry resting place helps them retain their body feathers waterproof. It is ideal to have the shelter near a body of water so that the ducks can exercise and swim. If the water body is moving, like a stream it is better. A paddle pool or a pond needs regular water replacement because their droppings can make it green and dirty in two weeks. In raising ducks as pets in the backyard, it is advisable to make a small paddling pool, not bigger than 10 ft wide and about 3 ft deep.
Common misconception has it that they are noisy so neighbors will not be happy if anyone decides on raising ducks as pets. They are actually "quacking" all day, communicating with each other but these are quiet quacks. One must avoid loud sounds or actions that surprise them because this will trigger irritating quacks. If you want the more silent type then you can go for the Muscow or Campbell breeds.