If you anticipate keeping your ducks inside continuously during severe weather, providing each bird with eight to 15 square feet helps keep bedding reasonably dry and sanitary. When ducks are housed only at night, a minimum of three to five square feet of floor space per duck is recommended. I’ve never kept ducks though. Ducks are great for raising as a source of meat, especially Pekin ducks. This post gives a simple guide and my six recommendations for keeping ducks in the backyard like: eating and drinking needs, habitat requirements, sociability, and general care. While we are technically in the “city,” we are still lucky enough to be surrounded by wildlife, and racoons, bears, and cougars all roam our area. Keeping ducks in the garden or on a smallholding means that you will need to consider birds that are flightless or have their wings clipped. They can grow to be 10+ pounds in a matter of 3-4 months. While most ducks do well in cold weather, it’s a good idea to choose a type known to be hardy in your particular climate. I have a large backyard garden that they’re very content to roam about. Keeping ducks as pets when there are dogs in your house, is not a very good idea, as dogs can chase and harm your ducks. For more detailed information on predator protection, housing, feeding and much more, I recommend starting with the comprehensive and newly revised Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread, Storey Publishing, 2011 edition. The water container needs room enough for the ducks to splash and wash themselves and thus minimise mud clinging to feathers. I’ve got a flock of 4 hens in the city. Let’s look at … Further Reading on Keeping Ducks. My darn hens haven’t figured out that slugs are a treat though. Ducks need a shed or shelter that has a predator-proof yard or house to keep them safe at night and provide protection from the weather. I’m thinking about getting a duck to join with my flock since I’ve heard they’re excellent slug catchers. Other things to keep in mind about keeping ducks in the winter are similar to considerations for other poultry types: housing, feed and water. Some good duck breeds for beginners Renew the bedding every couple of days. Growing vegetables and fruits in our backyards, canning to preserve fresh food for later, cooking from scratch and raising small flocks of backyard chickens are coming back into … Just as it has become increasingly popular to keep chickens in America's backyards, more people are raising goats on city and suburban lots. Move over chickens, and make way for the goats. 6 Farm Animals Perfect for City Living Whether you want to keep urban farm animals as a hobby or to make some extra money, these breeds are the ones you need to consider. Which, come to think of it, is a perfectly good reason to start keeping ducks. It does not take long to have a viable meat source . A single duck can … However, if the ducks and dogs, or even cats, have been together for a long time (since infancy), they may get along with each other. As a city homesteader for the last 23 years, I couldn’t be happier about the current trends aimed at a healthier lifestyle for ourselves and our families. Dry straw or a similar bedding is necessary for the ducks to sleep on and lay in. They can grow to be 10+ pounds in a matter of 3-4 months. He constructed a very strong duck house with ventilation ports for our ducks and with the help of friends moved it out beside our shed and built a coop around it to keep them safe. In case of dogs being around, you can protect your ducks by keeping them in large containers. Some people may not realise that ducks are as easy to keep as chickens but to ensure this special breed of poultry is kept happy in the backyard there are a few measures which need to be taken (and maintained). Ducks can travel a fair distance on the wing, and if they decide to move on, that will probably be the last you'll see of them!