As a flower farm, we utilize different forms of pest control. My favorite type of pest control is ducks. Ducks are excellent free rangers and can provide you with ample eggs.
We started with ducks in 2020 with a small flock of five. While we didn’t have any experience or a coop, but we caught on pretty quickly. Ducks are extremely friendly and come in many different breeds, but when you receive them as ducklings, oftentimes, they are not separated into male and female. We ended up with three males and two females. Most flocks only need one male for every five females. Our little flock has changed throughout the past five years and has grown to thirteen
Why ducks? They are consistent layers, have quirky fun personalities, and are excellent pest control. We receive eggs daily from our females. They love the water and a freshly filled kiddie pool. When we let them out, they stay together when free ranging. We always supervise when they are out, but you really don’t have to worry about your plants because ducks don’t scratch like chickens. They burrow their beaks into the ground to look for slugs, snails, grubs, and other insects. The only drawback to ducks is that they can be messy and they love the mud so water has to be plentiful and is replaced often. Other than that, I think they’re perfect for people with gardens who would love additional pest control.
While you can probably find ducklings in the spring at your local feed store, if you’re looking for a particular breed or gender, you may want to order them. We have had great luck ordering from Murray McMurray Hatchery. You can select the week you would like to receive your ducklings and the local post office will call you when they’re ready. It’s really a simple process and we have had great success adding to our flock in this manner.