Farm Diversification

Requirements will vary depending on whether ducks are to reared intensively or free-range.  Government Codes of Animal Welfare set minimum standards in terms of floor space, water availability etc and these must be adhered to by all producers.  Brooders are required to keep the young ducklings warm (270C at day-old, being reduced gradually to 180C at 21 days). At day-old the ducklings should be given 24 hours of bright light (20 - 30 lux) to enable them to establish the presence of feeding and drinking areas.  Thereafter 23 hours of light gradually, decreasing the intensity to about 5 - 10 lux.

Stocking density: On litter floors the stocking density by three weeks of age should not exceed 7 ducklings per m2. On a slatted or metal mesh floor there should be no more than 8 birds per m2. Fresh drinking water in which the birds can submerge their heads to prevent eye problems or poor feather cover must be provided.  A drinking space of 0.5m per 100 ducklings should be available.  A feeding space of not less than 0.5m per 100 ducklings should be available.  Drinkers and feeders should be raised sufficiently to encourage exercise of the ducks’ legs.

For free range birds, runs must be grass-covered and stocking rates must not exceed 2500 ducklings per hectare (or 5000 ducklings per hectare if the run has a good grass cover).  Enclosed range areas should be used in rotation and flocks moved around before the land becomes contaminated.  The time taken for land to become heavily contaminated depends on the type of land and density of stocking.  Portable houses should be moved regularly to avoid continuously muddy conditions.  Drinking facilities should be moved every 1-2 days to avod the immediate vicinity becoming contaminated.  Shade and shelter from extreme weather conditions should always be available.

Flocks must be tended by an experienced stockperson.

Housing, if not already available.  Costs will be variable depending on design, size etc.

Day-old ducklings - £1.60 per chick

• Feed (broiler pellets) - £230 per tonne (each duckling will consume approximately 9.3kg of feed by 7 - 8 weeks of age). Check if feed is free of coccidiostat and if not, that the coccidiostat is not one harmful to ducks.
• Electricity,(heating & lighting), water, vaccinations - £0.60 per duck
• Other variable costs - £1.10 per duck
• Labour costs  -variable depending on enterprise size and type.

Meat-type ducks show a tendency to go off their legs. By raising feeders and drinkers to make the birds stretch on their legs rather than sit on their hocks to feed and drink, the problem can be reduced.  Vaccination against Duck Viral Hepatitis may have to be administered if the wild duck population is high around the unit, or if there has been a previous outbreak of the virus. Mortality from this virus can be as high as 90%.  The threat of avian influenza is a major concern, especially to free-range producers.

Slaughter: It is difficult to pull the necks of ducks which are more than three weeks old, so an alternative slaughter method is required.
If ducks are kept into the first moult, approximately 56 days, then they will be difficult to pluck and will have to be kept for another 5 - 6 weeks, during which the feed conversion becomes very poor (1:4.6 approximately).

Processing at 49 days prevents problems, but for a good carcass finish, it is better to submerge plucked birds in wax to remove the pin feathers and few remaining feathers. This helps to prevent skin tears. For a list of legislation affecting the poultry sector click here. 

These include:
Welfare of Livestock (Intensive Units) regulations 1978
Welfare of Livestock (prohibited Operations) regulations 1982
Various transport-related regulations
Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967 as amended by the Animal Health abd Weklfare Act 1984
Slaughter of Poultry (Humane Conditions) regulations 1984

Through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-2013 funding is now available for rural businesses throughout Scotland for diversification and renewable energy projects. Specifically, support is delivered through Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities which was launched in April 2008. For further information about what support is available see the Section on Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities.