In fact, ducks from some of the top egg-laying breeds lay for years, outperforming chickens by far.Ĭhickens, on the other hand, usually taper off after year two or three.ĭucks lay eggs that are much larger than chicken eggs. Laying Cyclesĭucks tend to be productive while laying eggs for much longer than chickens. While there are some people who are allergic to both, this is quite rare, and you won’t usually find a person who is allergic to duck eggs but not to chicken eggs. In addition, people who are allergic to chicken eggs can often eat duck eggs. They will eat a variety of foods like slugs and snails and also perform better in rainy, wet conditions.Īs a result, their laying ability will remain consistent in these climates while you may find that a chicken’s tapers off. If you live in a climate that is better-suited to ducks, such as the northwestern portions of the United States, you are actually going to find that ducks are better adapted to the climate.Īs a result, the best-laying duck breeds outperform the best-laying chicken breeds each and every time.ĭucks have the unique ability to free-range on foods that chickens can’t. However, ducks are equally good layers and, in some cases, even better.

Many people assume that chickens are better egg producers than ducks simply because we are so accustomed to seeing chicken eggs lining the grocery store shelves. Here are all the factors that go into raising both types of birds to help you figure out which species might be best for your small homestead. If you’re having trouble deciding whether chickens or ducks would be best for your homestead, ponder no more. Would be worth your time to raise ducks, too. World of raising backyard poultry – you may have asked yourself whether it While – or even if you haven’t and are looking to get your feet wet in the

However, if you’ve been raising chickens for a It produces tons of eggs, can be raised for meat, and also does an excellent job of keeping all the bugs down.

Known as the “starter animal” for most small farms or backyards, this animal is one of the most versatile creatures you can keep. If you have a homestead, you probably already have chickens.

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