Here is a cool story about Joe the Truck and Frank, his pet duck. Joe offers the very insightful tidbit, “As stupid as it sounds, maybe if everyone had a duck in their life, people wouldn’t be so mad at eachother.”
Ducks are thrilled that they are now allowed in Huntington, NY
A few weeks ago we explained a legal battle where Huntington, NY duck owners Nina Tam and her daughter Ava Post were battling local regulations to allow them to keep their small, domestic flock of birds. Like many duck owners across the country, they utilize their egg laying ducks to provide them with a safe and healthy alternative to chicken eggs. Nina Tam has a food allergy to chicken eggs, and duck eggs have offered the perfect nutritional solution.
We are happy to report that this brave duo succeeded in going through the appropriate legislative channels to have their local regulations changed such that up to 8 ducks can now be owned in the town of Huntington, NY. Through the use of social media such as a Facebook page and an online petition, Nina Tam and Ava Post were able to garner enough support to form a cohesive argument as to why their flock is not a nuisance, and should be allowed to remain.
This victory follows a rising trend of legalizing backyard poultry.
We at FowlBlog.com would like to congratulate Nina and Ava for opening the door for so many to enjoy this environmental and engaging hobby.
The Duck Amendment will be announced at a Town Hall Board meeting at 7pm on January 12th at 100 Main St. Huntington, NY.
Many avid gardeners consider their vegetable and flower patches as more than just hobby level agricultural endeavors. Rather, one’s garden is a reflection of one’s natural self. Thus, just as you don’t want to use harmful herbicides and pesticides on a large scale as it is unsustainably damaging to the environment, you likewise do not want to use the same practices in your own garden.
Pesticides are bad for a lot more than pests
How then can you control harmful weeds and pests from destroying your prized herbs, flowers, and vegetables without employing the very practices which you may be opposed to on a large scale? One innovative solution is to keep ducks in your garden. That’s right, ducks….quacking, waddling, goofy yet adorable waterfowl. Ducks will literally take your garden pests and nuisances and convert them to natural fertilizer and eggs (which by the way are suitable for human consumption).
Gardener Amy Grisak of Grit.com wrote a piece on how she received such wonderful help and valuable work from her feathered friends. She writes -
Ducks will eat just about any pest. Grasshoppers, which can decimate a garden in short order during heavy infestation years, are quickly gobbled up when in reach of a hungry duck and so are Japanese beetles, June bugs, grubs and even mice. Ducks will also chase and catch flies, and root their larvae out of fresh manure and decaying vegetables.
Using ducks as an environmental and low cost gardening and farming aide is nothing new. Chinese farmers have herded Pekin ducks by the hundreds through their rice paddies for thousands of years. These avid foragers would seek out and consume any pest or weed they could find, yet leave the more mature rice crop alone. Furthermore, their droppings would serve as fertilizer for the plants and soil. A recent episode of The Amazing Race featured a challenge where contestants were to herd large amounts of Pekin ducks, as an homage to this ancient practice.
Ducks are best used in your garden when there aren’t any sprouting seedlings, as they will likely tear up the ground enough and prevent the seedling from taking root. Ducks should be allowed to forage when the plants are mature enough that they can survive some physical movement and won’t be hurt by some disruption in the soil. Ducks essentially use their beaks as plows, and will actively seek out even buried pests and weeds.
Also, ducks can serve as a wonderful alternative to a bug zapper. Simply keep a light over their water supply and it will attract countless insects at night, which the ducks will gladly eat out of their water. Thus, you will have a natural, environmentally sound, and fun alternative to an unsightly blue light and power consuming device.
Which breeds of ducks make the best for this innovative and green gardening solution? eFowl.com recommends four key types -
A type of avid foraging duck, the Black Indian Runner
Khaki Campbells are avid foragers and prolific egg-layers
Cayuga Ducks are great for pets and great for your garden
Daffy Duck is modeled after a Black Swedish Duck
What are you waiting for? Get some ducks and take green gardening to a whole new level!
Ducks are only good house pets as long as you can keep them comfortable in a large box or cage. As the ducklings mature to about 6-8 weeks of age, their care demands will change such that they need access to water, will become a bit messier, and will require more space.
Ducks are not meant to live in houses, despite some owner's best efforts.
Generally, we consider the 6-8 week old mark to be “pond ready”, when ducks can be released as primarily yard or pond ducks. Granted, they’ll still need some type of duck housing, but their domain should move to a more natural environment at this age.
Now there are certainly exceptions to these guidelines as there are for nearly any bit of pet waterfowl care knowledge. We receive many testimonials of pet duck owners who keep their friends primarily indoors, but most breeders and experts will agree that they need to be more of a yard pet.
While it may be uncommon for a dog and a pet duck to get along, it isn’t unheard of. Check out the video below for some cuteness…