Before the discussion of the cost of a duck, it is good practice to take an in-depth look on that type of creature.
Ducks are smaller than geese and swans. They are the dearest aquatic pet birds. Because of some natural similarities, ducks are misinterpreted as coots, grebes, gallinules, and divers.
Because ducks are commonly found around rivers, streams, and ponds gathering, they are generally called ‘waterfowls’. Spring, summer, or wet season is best for their breeding. They are very beatiful and it will not be expensive as others farm animals : Peacock cost, Pony Cost or Alpaca Cost.
Ducks breed only once a year. When the pet ducks hatched artificially, they don’t care about their eggs and neglect them. But the wild ducks show so much care for their eggs being an excellent mother.
There are more than 35 breeds of ducks, which are domesticated for years approximately. Mallard and Pekin are the most admirable and lovable breeds of pet duck among all duck breeds.
Ducks are mainly kept as pets for their eggs, meat, and feathers. Before buying ducks, you should know the fact that you have to buy them in pairs. Because the seller doesn’t buy them as one male or one female.
So you have to evaluate the cost by calculating them as a pair.
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How much does a duck cost?
The most popular duck breed Pekin costs you around $7 to $10, the Cayuga costs $8 to $20, the Call duck is being offered to you around $20 to $50, and the Indian Runner duck costs around $5 to $8. The white-crested duckling, welsh harlequin duckling, and silver Appleyard cost you more than $15. The mallard duckling costs around $10.
Domestication of a duck
4000 years ago in South Asia, the first domestic duck breed the Mallard and was farmed by the European and Romans.
Ducks are kept in nests in ancient Egypt. The Peking ducks and Mallards are forced to eat grains to make them bigger.
This was the significance of good genetic character. Almost all kinds of domestic ducks are derived from Mallards except the Muscovy breed. By domestication, the characteristics of ducks greatly changed. Generally, the wild ducks are monogamous, but the pet ducks are polygamous. Pet ducks also meet wild ducks and producing hybrid progeny.
Duck Farming
For thousands of years, the farming of duck is going on. Globally, approximately 3 billion ducks are killed for meat each year.
Duck meat is expensive as compared to chicken. As compared to duck meat, the chicken meat is more white and lean.
In China, duck farming is more popular and they spread a broad business of duck farming. For meat and egg, ducks are farmed. Besides these, the ducks are farmed to kill and collect their blood.
Because in some regions, the blood is used as an ingredient of dishes. Depending on their breeds, the color of their egg is slightly blue, green, and white.
Although ducks are water birds and love to swim in the water, they don’t need water to survive. Hens are sitting on their eggs and raising them, but in the case of pet ducks, this is untrue.
But the Muscovy duck and Rouen duck breeds care for their eggs. In farming culture, the duck owner puts the duck eggs under broody hens for hatching. Nowadays the incubator plays the role of hens. A hen can’t produce that much preen oil for the duckling to make them waterproof. After grown up od duckling, the sebaceous gland of mature duckling produced sufficient oil.
The cost of getting one Duck
The buying cost and the rising cost of a duck are so affordable. It is so hard to discuss the cost of a duck because there are a hundred numbers of duck breeds.
Generally, you have to pay a cost between $5 to $30 for any breed you want to get.
Ducks are so inexpensive. It depends upon the fact that where you buy from. If you buy them from your nearest local store, then you can easily save $5-$10. You are bound to purchase a pair of ducks. So you have to pay the double amount of the above-mentioned cost.
How much do ducks cost to keep?
In general, the monthly and also annual maintenance cost of ducks is very low as compared to other pet animals and birds. If you are aware of snatching the cheap deal, the annual maintenance cost is around $300 to $350, approximately.
Duck Feeding cost
Insects, amphibians, worms, seeds, crustaceans, pondweeds, and aquatic vegetation are the natural diet of waterbirds such as ducks.
The pet ducks have a different food as compared to wild ducks. Normally, the diet of a pet duck is birdseed, mealworms, grains, greens, chicken feed, vegetables, cracked corn, peas, etc.
The feeding cost of a pet duck is around $30 to $40 per month if you give this diet to your pet duck. Ducks also love to eat green vegetables like green bananas, ripe tomatoes, oats, carrots, pumpkins, etc. you can give them duck treats, which are healthy for them, and complete their diet.
Duck Veterinarian cost
If you are worried about the veterinarian expenditure of your duck, then relax. Because the veterinarian cost is very low as compared to other costs of duck buying to set up them.
Scarcely the pet ducks need a checkup. If you take care of your ducks well, then they never get sick.
Normally the vets don’t attain such aqua birds frequently. But if you want them to check up on your duck thoroughly, then it costs around $20-$30 per visit.
Water cost
Most people think that water is free and it is somewhere true but the access to water comes from electricity and the electricity is not free at all. The duck owner has to pay $4 to $5 for electricity as water costs.
Duck babysitting cost
It is impossible for a person to always be there for ducks. If you have a family member to take care of them, you need not hire someone.
But in the case, there is no one, then you have to hire a person as a babysitter for your ducks. It may be for full-time or appoint a part-time babysitter, depending upon your necessity.
A part-time duck babysitter may charge you around $10 to $20 per month. This is the cost that you have to experience every month. But some other cost like ‘one-time cost’, is terminated.
Diaper cost
It is awkward or uncommon to hear that, ducks also wearing diapers. But yes this is true. If you keep your pet ducks indoors most of the time, then it is thoughtful to wear diapers to ducks.
The diaper of ducks costs you around $30 to $40 and more, according to the duck need. But you can avoid the expenses by permitting them to move around the yard.
One-time cost
The requirement for buying a duck or to raise it is under the one-time cost. Brooder, waterer, feeder, bedding, housing, and nesting box are one-time investments.
Duck Housing cost
Through the above decision, we all know that to buy ducks and raise them is so cheap but to make a duck-friendly house for pet ducks is a bit expensive.
Nesting box, bedding, additional floating, ventilator, and brooder must be included in the duck house.
Including all the above elements there should be an exit door also. Including all the housing elements, it costs around $100 approximately.
The house must be enclosed and the floor must be water absorbent. To make the floor water-absorbent, you have to put softwood chips or recycled paper.
Feeding and water pot cost:
To give a super deluxe lifestyle to your ducks, it is compulsory to give them waterers and feeders.
The basic feeder costs you around $30 to $40 and the waterer costs you around $30 to $50 approx. It is trouble-free to drink and eat from a commercialized waterer and feeder. But if you don’t want to invest this much amount, then you can also buy the container pots.
Brooder cost
It is the critical period for the ducks when their feathers are not fully grown. By this time they need a brooder for the stabilized environment.
Before you buy a brooder, you have to make sure that the brooder is two in one or not.
Because the two in one brooder helps to heat up or cool down the environment. As an owner of ducks, it feels that the cost of two in one brooder is costly.
it costs you about $120 to $300 and more. It is a bit expensive but as you know it is a one-time investment, so you should buy one.
Nesting box cost
The main purpose of the nesting box is to comfort the ducks to lay and guard their eggs. Besides these, the nesting box is useless.
If it is not the breeding season, then you can avoid buying a nesting box for some time.
It is compulsory to install a nesting box, some days before the breeding season arrives. You can buy a nesting box online also. The online price of a nesting box is around $28 to $35.
As an owner of a cheap pet, you need not buy expensive accessories for ducks.
They have only basic requirements like clean water, food, and a clean place to roam around. In the first month of buying duck might be heavy on the wallet for you, but from the next month, you are in profit.
What should you know about the ducks to raise them?
Before buying ducks, you should know about something besides the cost of buying and raising.
Ducks need water
The ducks need lots of water as they are aquatic birds and the water should be cleaned regularly.
It is not necessary that they have to be in the water in the shape of a stream, pond, or river.
They just need as much as water that they can cover their head. For this purpose, a bathtub, kiddie pool, and sinks are enough for the pet ducks.
When the domestic ducks are in the water, they have to be supervised by someone.
Food of ducks
The food of a duckling and a matured duck is the same. All age group of ducks is hardy.
They can eat chicken feed also but the chicken feed must not be medicated. To the ducklings, you should feed them, chick starter, for a few weeks, then modified feed but less protein.
When they matured, you can switch their food to chicken feed. During the maturity period of ducks, they should not eat high protein food.
Because a high amount of protein can cause the speed up of aging and in the worst case, the duck may suffer from critical leg issues.
So the food of duck must be upgraded after a particular age with a less protein diet.
You have to keep your eyes on your male duck: The male duck must be monitored because of the safety purpose of the female ducks.
They are generally become aggressive, whenever around female ducks. Appearance-wise, you can’t identify the male and the female one but the sound of the ducks and their behavior helps to identify them. You can identify the male ducks by their quackless sound and aggressiveness.
Enclosed yard
When the ducks are not in the duck house, they love to play freely in open areas. So you have to provide them a safe open area, which can be your yard.
When they are in the yard, you have to supervise them because the predators or meat-eaters find the ducks very fascinating. You should cover your yard with electric wire and a hawk net.
Conclusion
If you want to buy ducks, then go for it without a second thought. Because they don’t need high maintenance and to raise them, you have to invest a low budget.
Before you go to buy ducks, you have to know some important things about the little, strong, and hardy bird extremely. From the above discussion, hope you find some good pieces of information and come to a conclusion to buy a duck.
Around $150 to $200 is the expenditure of a pair of ducks for the first month. After that, you have to pay a maximum of $50 to $70 for their raising. They lay eggs more regularly than chickens and it is healthier too. So this is a profitable business.
