Backyard Ducks and Geese: A Practical Guide for the Enthusiast and the Smallholder

Backyard Ducks and Geese: A Practical Guide for the Enthusiast and the Smallholder

There are many reasons for keeping ducks and geese. Not only are they lovely to look at, they will entertain you with their antics and make perfect 'pets' for adults and children alike. Ducks will eat troublesome slugs and snails and they also produce abundant eggs for eating or decorating and supply you with meat for the table. Geese on the other hand are excellent lawnmowers, superb watchdogs for isolated places and are intelligent, individualistic and sociable. Both ducks and geese can be exhibited and 'showing' is a pastime which is growing in popularity.
More and more people seem to have a few birds on the back lawn, on the ornamental pond or on the smallholding. As long as you choose the right breed for your requirements, domestic waterfowl can be ideal birds in any situation. Less troublesome to keep than chickens, they are hardy and suffer from fewer ailments than other types of poultry.
Topics covered include: selecting the right breeds housing, grass runs and ponds feeding, breeding, hatching and rearing health and hygiene showing and exhibiting ornamental waterfowl