Are Ducks Good Pets? Do They Fit The 'Bill' Perfectly?

A duck is a common waterfowl with a large bill and a short neck in the family Anatidae, which includes swans and geese.

These little aquatic birds are very friendly and approachable birds, making them popular both as pets and in poultry farming. Domestic ducks are usually raised for their eggs, meat, feathers, and manure.

Ducks are brilliant and seem to be docile birds that can live around 15 years or more if properly cared for. Around the globe, ducks have been raised for years and are prevalent in haute cuisine.

The domestic duck is featured in numerous children's stories, musical compositions, ancient wall paintings, and also in various ancient artifacts. Since medieval times, the duck has been eaten as food, especially Peking duck, a well-known dish from China. Keep scrolling to learn more.

If you like this article, please go through our other articles such as how long for duck eggs to hatch and how long do ducks live?

Can you keep a duck as a house pet?

Are you wondering if a duck the right pet for you? Domesticated ducks make good pets.

These little waddlers are cute and can be great backyard pets if you have the suitable space and environment to keep them. It's hard to resist these fluffy ducklings, which are adorably cute and cuddly, and are perfect for kids.

However, if you plan to add a duck as a house pet to your family, understand that it needs to live outdoors and is unsuitable for apartments or an indoor lifestyle.

Like dogs, cats, and other pets, a duck requires a proper setup, space, time, energy, and commitment to remain healthy and happy. Make sure you consider the below-mentioned factors before adopting ducks.

Ducks are curious animals and need sufficient space like a backyard or a garden to move around freely. They are social animals and need the companionship of other ducks, so never raise just one duck alone.

A pet duck requires access to clean water, generally a pond or deep water source to swim in and dip its head into at all times. If there are other pets in your house, like a dog or a cat, they might harm your pet duck, so make sure ducks are well protected from their predators.

Are ducks good pets?

Popular options that spring to mind for pets are dogs, cats, birds, fish, and rabbits. However, keeping ducks as pets has become more popular over the last few years. It has become a huge trend in many countries such as the United States.

Ducks make great pets because they are friendly birds, are entertaining, and they enjoy spending time with humans. Moreover, they have a natural charm and can be trained to play games, sit in your lap, and do tricks. It's fun to keep them as pets. In rural areas, like chickens, ducks are also mainly kept as poultry.

You need to remember that ducks are not dogs or kittens, or even chickens. Do not expect them to behave like a pet store bird and understand your commands.

However, if they receive constant training and attention, they can learn to play with toys, give kisses, and snuggle like any other bird.

Moreover, if young ducks are handled gently and trained early, they will become quite sociable with humans. Though it may take time, eventually, you could figure out the type of activities your duck enjoys, and thus, the more you interact with your duck, the quicker you will bond with it.

A duckling is smart and fun to watch. Ducks enjoy eating greens, and their food is comparatively cheaper than that of other pets.

Are ducks hard to take care of?

Ducks can adapt well to domestic life without great difficulty. Giving your duck plenty of care and attention will make your feathered friend happy and healthy.

Ducks require less maintenance than other pets, such as a dog, but their environment needs to be more spacious. They need minimal shelter but require outdoor space to move freely.

It's important that you have a pond for them to swim and bathe in regularly. In general, ducks live in a flock, so they need to be kept in pairs or groups.

Their basic needs are simple and relatively inexpensive. All you need to do is feed them well, keep their environment clean, and protect them from cold weather and predators.

Ducks usually will obtain food for themselves through foraging. Their tendency to forage throughout the day keeps their habitat clean; therefore, there's no need to change their bedding as often as you would do for a chicken.

Are ducks affectionate?

Ducks are pretty intelligent and have emotions just like humans or other pets. These little waddlers will quickly learn who their owners are and respond to their voices. With consistent training and interaction, your pet duck will slowly start to pick up on its name as other farm birds such as chickens do.

Pet ducks have a deep bond with their keepers and seek the love and attention of their human companion. The more you interact with your ducks when they are young, the better they accept being petted. Much like a dog, ducks regularly express affection to their owners.

The adorable duckling shows affection and attaches itself to its owners by following them around, cuddling them, and nibbling on their toes or fingers. Therefore, when properly cared for, a pet duck will be your best pal.

Are ducks friendlier than chickens?

Duck ownership comes with great responsibility, knowledge, and a lot of love. If you closely follow these duck rules and guidelines, they make for brilliant pets!

Like chickens, ducks also have been traditionally farmed for meat and eggs. They are highly intelligent fowl and can be domesticated.

Ducks tend to be less aggressive and friendlier than most chickens. They are pretty easygoing and won't engage in violent pecking behaviors as much as chickens do. Also, domestic ducks don't fly; thus, it is easier to handle them.

Benefits Of Having Ducks As Pets

Our feathered friends enjoy being pets being and cuddled by their owners. Each one is different in personality, and it is fun spending time with them. Here are some benefits of keeping ducks as pets.

A duck lays fresh eggs more regularly than a chicken. Their eggs are larger and rich in Omega-3. Ducks lay eggs all year round during their lifetime.

Ducks live 10-15 years when well cared for. Ducklings are cute and fit in your palm like a fuzzball with oversized, flappy feet. They build a strong bond with you. Pet ducks are quite amusing when they play around in the water, and you can sit back and look on for hours of entertainment.

Ducks are fierce pest hunters; they consume lots of weeds and insects without damaging your garden like chickens might do. Ducks produce a lot of manure for your garden. They poop a lot, and their droppings are high in nutrients, which can be beneficial for your farm or yard.

Things To Consider Prior To Adopting Pet Ducks

When it comes to adopting ducks, there are some things to be considered to keep them healthy.

Housing: Ducks do not do well in colder climates and also need sun protection. Preferably, fixed shelters should be built that will provide good shade.

Water: Ducks need a lot of fresh drinking water. Make water vessels 11.8 in (30 cm) below the surface of the ground and and change the water daily. A small pool is perfectly adequate for swimming and mating.

Food: Ducks are omnivores and eat available insects, mixed grains, milk mash, and whole grains, but due to high metabolic rates, they will consume 50-80% more feed than a chicken.

Protection: The pet duck needs to be protected and sheltered from predators because a duck is natural prey to many predators like foxes, coyotes, and dogs. Ducks need to be supervised because even cats and avian predators will try to pick up ducklings at every opportunity. Therefore, internal fencing is needed.

Noise: They are pretty noisy, especially when in need of something. Thus, your neighbors may not appreciate it.

Keeping And Caring For Ducks As Pets

When you have decided to adopt a duck, you need to consider the following aspects to take care of them.

Ducks need free access to a coop that meets their physical, social, and behavioral needs. Their enclosure should be roomy and insulated enough. Being a flock bird, they need the company of other ducks rather than being alone.

A duck needs fresh, clean water for drinking and a pool for swimming and should be fed unmedicated feed. You can feed ducks a diet of vegetables, wild bird seeds, insects, or live fish.

In the wild, ducks can escape to a body of water, but in your yard, you need to supply water for swimming, so make sure your baby ducks are in a safe, enclosed area as they are not strong swimmers.

They also need protection from getting too cold. Their coop should have a wide opening, and their bedding should be cleaned often.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for are ducks good pets then take a look at what do baby ducks eat or duck facts.