Ducks eat grass, corn, insects, worms, slugs, snails, crabs, shrimp, barnacles, tadpoles, and frogs. It really depends on the type of duck. Mallard ducks (the males have green heads) eat seeds, mosquito larvae and mayfly nymphs. Merganser ducks (these are larger ducks with brown heads, white bodies and thin bills) prefer minnows, trout, and some amphibians. Domestic ducks have even been known to eat mice.
Did you know? Bread is bad for ducks. It makes them feel "full" and then they don't eat healthy natural items critical for their nutrition and survival. Overfed or malnourished ducks are sluggish and can't escape from predators.
Typically, a domestic duck lives 10-15 years. Wild ducks can live up to 20 years, but the oldest living duck was a Mallard drake that lived for 27 years! Unfortunately, domestic ducks released into the wild aren't so lucky. Those ducks only live around 3 years.
When most people imagine what a duck looks like, they think of the Pekin Duck. It isa white duck with an orange bill, legs and feet. The Pekin ducklings are bright yellow and are commonly seen around Easter. It is the typical domestic duck. It has an even temperament and makes a good pet. The most famous Pekin Duck is...Donald Duck!
A duck will lay approximately 9-11 eggs. Those eggs take 28 days to hatch and they will hatch within 24 hours of each other. Muscovy ducks (large ducks with fleshy faces) usually lay 12-15 eggs. The ducklings are precocial, which means they are able to swim and feed themselves immediately after hatching. The mother duck will protect her brood from predators like raccoons, turtles and snakes until they are old enough to fly, around 5-8 weeks.
Farmers use ducks for eggs, meat and feathers (down). The Eider duck (a large sea duck) plucks down from her breast to line her nest and cover her eggs. Once the nest is abandoned, the eiderdown is gathered and these feathers are used as stuffing for quilts and pillows. Eiderdown is extremely rare, and is the softest, lightest and warmest down in the world.
Red Barn Farm has been home to a variety of ducks, but typically Pekin ducks are favored.
Do you know? The Pekin drake will have a curled feather on its tail while the Pekin duck will not.
