Keeping Ducks As Pets

I own an extremely characteristic duck called Jub Jub and he has a huge personality for such a little fellow.

I only keep the one duck as Jub Jub doesn't mix well with other ducks, a very uncommon trait for a duck. It is advised you keep two or more ducks so they don't get lonely. Jub Jub was a rescue duck and has been abused so was quite wary of me at first.

But with patience he has become a chirpy little fellow who will run out to me in the mornings for his food and he is forever amusing me with the way he cocks his head to the side and looks at me.

There are many benefits of keeping a duck for a pet. If you have females they will lay delicious eggs, they arent much work to look after and they even eat the weeds in your garden for you.

Jub Jub is a Buff Orpington Duck, which is a breed of domestic duck. Obviously if you are considering getting a duck as a pet you have to remember that they are not house pets. Hopefully you would not want to keep them in house anyway as it would be difficult to toilet train a duck!

Jub Jub eats pellets and pelleted mash and vegetables. He enjoys finely cut lettuce, scrambled eggs and cracked corn. Don't feed your ducks bread, it is not actually good for them!

Ducks live outside and are very inexpensive to care for. They are very hardy and adapt to all weather so they can live outside all year but they will need a shelter to retreat to at night times. If you get a duck think about what predators would possible hunt it (for example, neighbourhood cats) and place the shelter in a good, hidden area where your duck will be safe. If you have a good fence around your garden and no other pets that would attack it, the duck can roam freely in your garden and it will learn fairly quickly where it's shelter is. You can use hay or straw for the bedding, which would need to be changed weekly.

Ducks need water. A medium sized bowl of drinking water is fine, as long as it is deep enough for them to submerge their head. I take JubJub out of his area around 4 times a week and he goes in our paddling pool, which he loves. He also has access to a small pond area.

A duck can make a great pet. Once you gain their trust they are friendly, funny and believe it or not, Jub Jub even likes to play with toys. Male ducks can sometimes be aggressive and can peck you. The pecking doesn't hurt but it does mean that a duck probably is not a good pet for a child. Although Jubby trusts me, he will still peck me if he in his reclusive mood (which is shortly after he's eaten!)