RaisingWaterfowl

Philip J. Clauer and John L. Skinner

A3311

ContentsBreeds of ducks 2

Breeds of geese 3

Sources 4

Brooding & rearing ducklings& goslings 4

Handling geese & ducks 7

Sexing waterfowl 7

Selecting & preparing for market 8

Selecting & managingbreeder flocks 9

Incubation 11

Other concerns 12

Exhibiting waterfowl 14

To learn more 15

1

Ducks and geeseare popular animals.The unique personalities of these birds add to

their appeal. Ducks and geese easily become

attached to humans and make great pets. They

are relatively easy to raise, require minimum

attention, simple equipment and housing, and

are affected by few diseases and ailments.

There are several facets to raising ducks or geese.

They include managing a breeding pen, growing

a market flock or just keeping a few birds for

ornamental purposes. This publication will help

you get started raising ducks and geese.

Breeds of ducksThere are 16 “standard” breeds of ducksthat are divided into four classes: heavy,medium, light and bantam.Table 1 cate-gorizes the breeds of ducks into variousclasses and gives additional informationon different breeds.

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Runner

Pekin Rouen

Table 1.Duck breeds

Standard AverageClass/ Variety/ adult live # of eggs Special distinguishingbreed color weight (lb) per year* Fly Purpose features

HeavyAylesbury White 8–10 40–60 No Meat White skin & bill, large deep keel

Muscovy White, blue, 10–12 males, 60-12 Yes Meat/eggs White skin & bill, red warty face,(Pato) chocolate, 6–7 females males much larger than females,

black quiet voiceless hiss

Pekin White 8–10 100–180 No Meat/eggs Yellow skin, feet & bill orange

Rouen Grey** 8–10 40–60 No Meat/ornamental Yellow skin, large deep keel

Saxony 7–9 100-180 No Meat/eggs/ Only breed of duck with thisornamental attractive color pattern; tight

feathered, heavily muscled body

Silver Silver 7–9 80–150 No Meat/eggs/ Uniquely decorative plumageAppleyard ornamental and heavily muscled body

MediumBuff Buff 6–8 60–100 No Meat/ornamental Buff plumage

Cayuga Black 6–8 60–100 No Ornamental Beetle-green sheen

Crested Black, white 5–7 60–100 No Ornamental Ball of feathers on back of head

Swedish Blue 5–8 60–100 No Ornamental Blue plumage with white breast

LightCampbell Khaki 4–5 200–300 No Eggs Seal-brown plumage

Magpie Black & white, 4–5 30–60 No Ornamentalblue & white

Runner Black, buff, 3–4 100–150 No Eggs/ornamental Unique upright carriagechocolate, white, resembles a walking bottle.cumberlandblue, fawn & white,pencilled, grey**

BantamCall Blue, grey,** 1½–2 20–50 Yes Ornamental Small, round heads and bodies,

buff, snowy, loud quacking sound fromwhite, pastel females

East India Black 1½–2 20–50 Yes Ornamental Beetle-green sheen

Mallard Grey, snowy 2–3 20–50 Yes Ornamental Resembles common wild mallard

*If maintained under commercial management conditions

**Grey pattern same as wild mallard

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Breeds of geeseThere are 11 “standard” breeds of geese that aredivided into three classes: heavy, medium andlight.Table 2 shows the classes and characteris-tics of the different breeds.

Table 2. Geese breeds

Standard AverageClass/ Variety/ adult live # of eggs Special distinguishingbreed color weight (lb) per year* Fly Purpose features

HeavyToulouse Grey, buff 16–26 20–50 No Ornamental Massive, loose-feathered,

large dewlap

Embden White 16–26 40–60 No Meat Blue-eyed, large white geese

African Brown, white 15–22 30–50 May Meat/ornamental Knob at base of upper bill,distinctly dew-lapped

MediumSebastopol White 10–14 20–40 No Ornamental Reverse curling to body feathers

Pilgrim Sex-linked 10–14 20–40 May Meat Males white, females grey

American Buff Buff 14–18 20–40 May Meat/ornamental Attractive buff color

Saddleback Grey, buff 13–17 20–40 No Meat/ornamental Feathers of neck and back colored,Pomeranian giving the appearance of a saddle

Light Meat/eggs Noisy, large knob at base ofChinese White, brown 8–12 60–100 May /ornamental upperbill; long slender neck

Tufted Roman White 9–12 20–40 May Ornamental Tuft of feathers on head

Canada Eastern 8–12 10–20 Yes Meat/ornamental Like common wild goose

Egyptian Brown 4–6 10–20 Yes Ornamental Appear to have iridescent plumage,black patch around eyes

Brown Chinese

African

Embden

Standard Toulouse

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SourcesWhere you obtain your stock depends on whyyou are raising ducks or geese.Those raised formeat may be purchased from a commercialhatchery or local feed mill. Purchase breedingand exhibition stock from established breeders.Commercial hatcheries normally don’t deal inquality exhibition stock. Check local or statefanciers’ clubs, shows or poultry publications forthe names and location of breeders of purebredwaterfowl.

It’s usually better to buy stock from a localbreeder instead of ordering through the mailsince you can observe how birds are raised, theirhealth and ask questions. Shipping is costly andplaces stress on the animals.

Inexperienced people should not buy breedingstock at swap or trade days even though theymight attend these events to learn what birdsare available.Try to deal with breeders at theirplace of business.

The number of birds to buy depends on severalfactors, including available time, facilities andfinances. It is better to raise a few well-cared forbirds than to burden yourself with too manymediocre, overcrowded birds.Additional birds maybe purchased or raised as you gain experience.

Brooding andrearing ducklingsand goslingsArtificial broodingDucklings and goslings can be brooded muchlike baby chicks. Waterfowl require more floorand feeder space due to their rapid growth, butneed heat for a much shorter time than chicks.

Brooding houseDomestic waterfowl do not require specialbrooding facilities.The brooder system mustkeep young birds dry and clean and provideplenty of fresh air (without drafts). A concrete,wood, dirt or gravel floor is satisfactory if cov-ered with a thick layer of litter. Crushed corn-cobs, pine shavings, straw or other commerciallitters are satisfactory. Do not use fine litter untilwaterfowl learn to distinguish it from their feed.Otherwise, excessive litter consumption canresult in death.The litter should be changedwhen wet or dirty. Be sure litter is free of molds.

Use small-mesh wire (approximately 3⁄8-inch) ifyoung waterfowl are raised on wire. Do not raisebantam ducks or other small-legged waterfowlon wire as their hocks often drop through themesh and become trapped. Cover the wire or lit-ter with an old burlap bag or rags for the firstweek.To prevent leg injuries, don’t use newspa-per or any other slippery surface.

Floor spaceDucks and geese need plenty of room to grow.Crowding slows growth and increases mortality.Allow ½-sq. foot per bird for the first two weeks.Double the space provided every two weeksuntil four square feet per duck and six squarefeet per goose are available, or birds are placedoutside.

HeatingThe proper temperature must be maintained ina draft-free pen.The temperature should be90°F (at back height) during the first week.Determine the temperature at about three inch-es above the litter for ducks and six inchesabove the litter for goslings. A typical heatingarrangement is shown in figure 1.

Place young under the heat source when theyare first placed in the brooder. After ten days,reduce the temperature 5°F per week down to70°F. During extremely cold weather, reduce thetemperature gradually since any drastic changesin temperature may shock or stress birds. Birdsmore than six weeks of age do not usuallyrequire heat since most waterfowl are fairlywell-feathered and can care for themselves onoutside range by that time.

Good managers observe their birds closely.Once young birds learn the location of the heatsource, they will move to an area where theyfeel comfortable. Birds huddled tightly togetherdirectly under the heat source are too cool;those crowded near the outer areas of the penare too warm.

In floor pens, place an 18-inch-high cardboardcircle or hinged wood three to four feet fromthe edge of the heat source to prevent drafts,prevent birds from huddling in cold corners andkeep them near the heat for the first week.Remove the guard after a week.

Feeding and wateringAlways provide convenient access to feed andwater in the brooder. Chicken equipment (feed-er and waterers) can be used if openings arelarge enough for waterfowl heads. Increasetrough space frequently to avoid crowding asthe birds grow. A typical arrangement of thebrooding equipment is shown in figure 2.

Give young waterfowl only unmedicated feedsto avoid possible adverse reactions to sometypes of poultry medications. Use starter mashformulated specifically for waterfowl, if available.

Commercial starter, grower and breeder diets forwaterfowl are usually available from local feedmills. Pellet feeds are usually best even thoughthey cost slightly more than mash feeds.Waterfowl tend to waste feed, especially when itis finely ground.

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corner guards

thermometerpapers

covering litter

hopper hopper

hopperhopper

chick guardwater

water

water water

24 “

FRONT OF THE HOUSE

HEAT

Figure 1. Brooder arrangement for the firstthree weeks.

HEAT

FEEDERS

WATER

Figure 2. Keep feeders and waterers a gooddistance apart for birds more than threeweeks of age.

For ducks, feed a starter ration during the firstthree weeks (table 3a) and then change to agrower. (Geese use a feed starter for the first sixweeks—table 3b). Birds four weeks of age canbe fed small leafy greens or allowed on limitedrange.To prevent digestive problems, feed somegrit a week before allowing access to greenplants.

Dip the bills of some birds in the water to helpthem find the water.Provide plenty of freshwater at all times.Water is essential to keepwaterfowl growing and healthy. Make sureyoung ducks and geese cannot get into thewaterers.The drinking area should be largeenough for birds to dip their heads into thewater (at least up to their eyes).

After two weeks, place the waterer on wire-cov-ered stands four inches high to help keep litterdry. Locate the waterers some distance from thefeeding area to prevent birds from transferringfeed directly into the waterers.

Keep young waterfowl dryDo not let young waterfowl swim or becomeexcessively wet for the first three weeks.Youngbirds that become wet chill easily, tend to crowdand may flip onto their backs resulting in death.

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Figure 3. Place waterers on wire-covered stands.

Table 3a. Nutrients recommended for ducks

After0–3 wks 3 wks

Nutrient Starter Grower Breeder

Metabolizableenergy (cal/lb) 350 1400 1300

Protein % 22 16 15

Calcium % 0.6 0.6 2.75

Phosphorus % 0.6 0.6 0.6

Table 3b. Nutrients recommended for geese

After0–6 wks 6 wks

Nutrient Starter Grower Breeder

Metabolizableenergy (cal/lb) 1350 1350 1300

Protein % 22 15 15

Calcium % 0.8 0.6 2.25

Phosphorus % 0.6 0.4 0.6

Handling geeseand ducksTo catch ducks or geese, slowly walk them into asmall area or corner. Do not chase them. Nevercatch or carry them by the legs, since their weaklegs are easily disjointed or broken.

Catch waterfowl by placing one hand firmlyaround the neck near the body.Then place theother on the bird’s back over the wings. Releasethe neck and gently slide the palm of your handunder the breast and abdomen, so the bird’sweight is supported on your forearm. Lift birdsunder your arm and hold their legs gentlybetween your fingers to prevent them fromscratching. Hold wings to prevent flapping.Medium and light waterfowl can be carried forshort distances by grasping the wings near thebody, but larger, heavier ducks or geese shouldnot be carried in this manner.

Sexing waterfowlVisual sexingDucks are usually easier to sex than geese. Maleducks have so-called “drake feathers” which curlforward from the tops of their tails. Femaleducks lack these feathers.The call of maturemales is soft and hoarse; females have a loud,distinct quacking sound.

Sexually mature grey (mallard-colored) drakeshave green iridescent feathering on their headsthat is lost during the eclipse phase of the moltin the summer. Females with grey color patternhave penciled feathers throughout their bodies.

Female and male Muscovy ducks have identicalplumage.The males lack curled drake feathers.Neither sex has a pronounced voice.The sexual-ly mature males show more and larger carunclesand their bodies are twice as large as females(Caruncles are the red, fleshy, wart-like tissuesaround the eyes.)

There are few differences in the voice orplumage of male and female geese. Male PilgrimGeese have white plumage and females havegrey and white plumage. Among breeds withknobs on the head, such as the Chinese andAfricans, males’ knobs are usually much larger.

Vent sexingVent sexing is usually the most reliable methodto sex geese.This method may also be used forducks.

Turn the bird on its back, preferably over a kneeor table top and place its tail back over theedge.Then place your hands on both sides ofthe vent and push against the sides of the ventwith thumbs while your fingers press the tailback. Apply some pressure directly below andon the sides of the vent to invert or expose theextremities of the sex organ.

The male organ in some birds is somewhat diffi-cult to unsheath. A bird may be a male even ifno corkscrew-like male organ appears afterapplying slight pressure. Only the presence of afemale genital eminence (rosette) positivelyindicates that a bird is a female.

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Selecting andpreparing birdsfor marketSome people raise ducks and geese only formeat.Yet exhibition and breeding waterfowlmust be culled to remove excess and undesir-able birds.These culls are usually edible and canalso be marketed as meat birds.

Marketing for foodYoung ducks are usually marketed at 6 to 8weeks of age when they weigh about 4 pounds.Young geese can be sold at 6 to 12 pounds (8 to10 weeks of age). Be sure you accurately indicatethe weight, age and class of poultry you sell.

Most surplus waterfowl can be marketed byadvertising in local papers or shopping guides.Ducks and geese may be sold live or dressed.The owner usually will either slaughter anddress them or have them custom processed.Those who market many birds usually sell themto a waterfowl processing plant.

Waterfowl can be killed, dressed and picked asother types of poultry.They are harder to pickthan chickens but are easier to pick at certaintimes. Catch a few birds a week before you planto slaughter and pull out a tail feather and a fewbreast feathers. If the tips show signs of blood orare very soft and flexible, wait another 7 to 10days before slaughter. Feathers with hard tipsthat are easy to remove indicate that birdsshould be slaughtered as soon as possible. Birdsusually pick better in fall after their feathersmature.

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eyehead

earface

throat

capeshoulderback

saddle

wing coverts or wing bar

pinion coverts

rump wing secondaries

thigh feathers

fluff

shank foot

wing flight feathers

under tail coverts

tail featherstail coverts

body

nostrilbill

dewlapbean

neck

wing front

wing bow

breast

keel

toe nails

webtoes

Parts of waterfowl—Goose

Provide water but do not feed birds 10 to 18hours before slaughter. Withholding feed helpsprevent contamination during slaughter. Handlebirds carefully before slaughter to avoid bruisingflesh.The appearance of the dressed carcass isextremely important.The breast and legs shouldbe fully developed and free from defects.

Dressed birds may be sold fresh or frozen. Placedressed birds in closed, moisture-proof bags toprevent discoloration and dehydration.Refrigerate fresh-dressed birds below 40˚F forno longer than 5 days.

Marketing breeding stockBreeders of good quality stock frequently exhib-it their birds at shows. Contacts made thereoften lead to sales. Others depend on word ofmouth, reputation, customers’ successes, andadvertising to sell their quality stock. Clubs alsosponsor sale days or swap meets. Consideradvertising in poultry publications, over theInternet and in local newspapers.

Selecting andmanaging breederflocksWaterfowl selected for breeding stock shouldshow vigor and good size for their breed. Goodbreeding stock has well-placed, strong legs;proper carriage; adequate body depth andwidth; smooth feathers; and exhibits free andeasy movement. Keep additional males andfemales to allow for further culling, mortalityand injuries.

Breeders for market flocks should be selectedwhen birds reach market age. Make the finalselection when birds reach sexual maturity.Potential breeders of exhibition flocks should beculled for poor traits after they reach sexualmaturity. Exhibition birds should show thebreed characteristics illustrated in the AmericanPoultry Association’s Standard of Perfection.

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eye headear

face

throat

cape

shoulder

backsaddle

wing coverts or wing bar

pinion coverts

rump wing secondaries

thigh feathersfluff

shank foot

flight coverts

wing primaries

under tail coverts

tail

drake feathers

tail coverts

body

nostrilbill

bean

neck

wing front

wing bow

breast

keel

toe nailsweb

toes

Parts of waterfowl—Duck

General breeding managementDrakes will readily mate with almost any female.One vigorous drake can service five to sixfemales.

Most breeds of geese mate in pairs or trios,although ganders of some light breeds willmate with as many as five females. Canadageese usually mate in pairs and mate for life.Most ganders of other breeds also tend to pre-fer a particular mate.

Any well-lighted, well-ventilated, draft-free anddry shelter is satisfactory for breeding water-fowl. Provide convenient access to the outsideyard since waterfowl prefer to be outdoors dur-ing the day, even during cold weather.

Dry, clean litter helps eggs stay clean and alsoprevents birds’ feet from getting damp andfreezing during winter. Provide 4 to 5 squarefeet of floor space for each breeding duck and 5to 6 square feet for each goose.

Provide at least one nest for every 4 to 5 layingfemales. Nests are easy to build. Duck nests canbe made by constructing 12- x 14-inch parti-tions every 12 inches along a 6-inch board(back). Nail a 2-inch board along the lower front.Place the nests against a wall and add straw orshavings to encourage the birds to lay in thenests. Similar nests for geese should be propor-tionately larger. A barrel open on one end is alsosatisfactory. Block the sides so the barrel can’troll. Ducks and geese like to cover their eggswith bedding. Gather eggs daily to encouragecontinued laying and delay broodiness.

Waterfowl normally start laying eggs in lateFebruary. Egg production usually peaks in Apriland declines rapidly during June. Ducks laymore consistently and over a more sustainedperiod than geese.

To bring mature waterfowl into production dur-ing fall and winter, gradually increase the lengthof the lighted period to 14 to 16 hours daily.Supply light 3 to 4 weeks before the desiredstart of egg production.The males must beplaced under light 2 weeks before the females.

Provide grit to breeders at all times. Limestoneor oystershell should also be available beforeand during egg production.

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IncubationThe incubation period for waterfowl eggs varies.

� Most ducks—28 days

� Muscovy (ducks)—35 days

� Most geese—28–30 days

� Canada and Egyptian Geese—35 days

Since waterfowl tend to lay eggs early in themornings, collect eggs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. andagain later in the day.

Use warm water to wash (but do not soak)excessively dirty eggs. Water that is slightlywarmer than the egg opens pores in the egg,making the egg “sweat” and thus helpingrelease dirt. Eggs which are slightly dirty may becleaned gently with sandpaper, steel wool or adamp cloth.

Store the eggs in a cool, damp area in a base-ment or fruit cellar where temperature is about55˚F and relative humidity is around 70 percent.Store eggs with the air cell up. Quality andhatchability decline if eggs are stored for morethan 10 days. Eggs kept for more than 10 daysshould be stored on their sides and turned daily.

Natural incubationand broodingMost domestic waterfowl lack the instinct toincubate or brood eggs properly, but some peo-ple report good success using the Muscovyduck as a “foster” mother.

Waterfowl eggs can also be placed underbroody chickens.Turn large waterfowl eggsunder a hen three times daily since the eggs aretoo large for the chicken to turn. A chicken hencan usually cover 7 to 10 duck eggs or 4 to 6goose eggs. A duck or goose can usually cover 8to 13 of her own eggs.

Waterfowl eggs typically hatch best in nestslocated on damp soil or where eggs can bemoistened in some way. It helps to sprinkle theeggs daily with warm water. Remove any earlyhatching ducklings and goslings from thebrooding mother as soon as they are dry.Otherwise, the hen may leave the nest beforehatching is complete.

Place the female and her brood in a weather-proof coop and provide feed and water. Do notlet the young out in tall or wet grass.

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Artificial incubationFollow the incubator manufacturer’s directionsand recommended operating procedures.Machines have different temperature andhumidity scales. Waterfowl eggs generallyrequire more moisture during incubation thaneggs from other fowl. It is best not to incubatewaterfowl eggs with eggs from other birds.

Start and check the incubator before use andmonitor temperature for at least 24 hoursbefore setting the eggs. In a still-air incubator, athermometer placed so its bulb is level with thetop of the egg should read a constant 101˚F. In aforced-air incubator (one with a constantly run-ning fan), the temperature should be 99.5˚F-100˚F. Eggs should be at room temperaturebefore they are placed in the incubator.

Eggs lose some moisture during incubation butthis loss should not exceed 15 percent of theoriginal egg weight. A pan of water in the incu-bator helps maintain humidity levels.The panshould be about as large as the tray of eggs. Asponge in the water increases the surface areafor evaporation.

Try to maintain relative humidity at 55 to 65 per-cent during incubation. Increase relative humidi-ty to 70 percent at hatching time. Low humiditywill cause death if the shell membrane sticks tothe young during hatching. Misting eggs withwarm water twice daily also helps maintainhumidity.

If you hand-turn the eggs in your incubator,mark one side of the egg with an “X” and theother side with an “O” to keep track of the turn-ing schedule.Turn eggs three times daily. It isbest if eggs in automatic incubators are turnedevery 3 hours. Eggs are turned less frequently byhand to avoid excessive cooling when the incu-bator is opened.

Candle eggs after about 10 days of incubationand remove those rotten or infertile eggs thatare totally dark or totally clear. Handle eggs gen-tly. Avoid excessive temperature change duringcandling, and don’t remove eggs from the incu-bator for more than 10 minutes.

Stop turning eggs 2 to 3 days before hatching,and place eggs on their sides in a hatching area.Do not open the incubator again until the hatchis complete, except to add water or adjust theincubator. Make sure the brooder is ready forthe ducklings and goslings when they hatch.Birds which hatch after the usual incubationperiod are usually weak and should not besaved for breeding stock. Hereditary factors maybe partially responsible for non-vigorous, latehatchers.

Remove the young birds from the incubator 6 to12 hours after they hatch.Their down may notdry in an incubator with high humidity levels.Their down will dry after they are placed in abrooder with lower humidity.

Other concernsFlight preventionAll bantam ducks, Muscovy ducks, Egyptian andCanada geese can fly.

Mature adults can be confined to prevent themfrom flying. Pinioning waterfowl (removing thelast segment of one wing of day-old birds) alsoprevents flying. Other flight-prevention meas-ures include clipping the flight feather of onewing or using a wing brail. Clip the primaries ofonly one wing.This procedure must be repeatedat each molt.

LamenessDucks and geese have very weak leg and thighjoints. Lameness can be a problem if birds arehandled improperly or mismanaged. Avoid sud-den movements near the flock, and never chasewaterfowl or grab their legs.

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Newly hatched waterfowl are weak-legged andunsteady, especially during the first week, sodon’t place ducklings or goslings on newspa-pers or other slippery surfaces. Putting them ona paper towel, piece of burlap or cloth on thefloor during the first weeks increases tractionand will help prevent spraddled legs. Spraddledlegs can sometimes be corrected by looselytying the legs together above the hock jointsuntil the young bird can stand normally.

The most common cause of lameness in adultwaterfowl seems to be “bumblefoot,” an infect-ed callus on the foot pad. Bumblefoot occurswhen waterfowl walk on very hard packed anddry surfaces such as concrete floors, hard-packed ground and gravel. Once the foot paddries out and cracks, bacteria infect the foot anda pus-filled callus forms.This problem is moreprevalent in larger and older birds.

To prevent bumblefoot, cover hard surfaces witha deep layer of dry, fluffy, clean litter or keepbirds in grassy areas. Ducks and geese free toswim in fresh water have few problems withbumblefoot.To treat bumblefoot, remove thecore or pus from the pad, wash the area thor-oughly and clean it with a bactericide. It alsohelps to place an infected bird alone in a quietarea, with clean, dry litter and easily accessiblewater and feed until it gets back on its feet.

Other lameness can be caused by thorns, sliversor cuts in the foot pad. Remove any dirt or sliv-ers and clean pad thoroughly.

BlowoutsBlowouts occur when part of the cloaca andoviduct are forced out the vent, usually whenyoung females lay oversized eggs or when over-weight breeding females come into production.

To treat, gently wash the protruding tissue andpush the tissue back in the bird as her musclesrelax. However, blowouts tend to recur andmany birds will die soon after a serious blowout.Some mild blowouts may heal. Since the ten-dency toward blowouts is thought to be inherit-ed, eliminate females that show this ailment.

Twisted wingTwisted wing occurs when the primary featherson one or both wings grow away from the bird’sbody.The problem seems to be caused whenvery rapid growth and development of the pri-mary feathers means wings become too heavyto be properly supported.Twisted wing occursonly in domestic waterfowl. Decreasing the pro-tein content of the feed and feeding morefibrous greens can help alleviate the problem.Since twisted wing may be an inherited trait, donot keep affected birds for breeding stock.

Twisted wings can sometimes be corrected iftreated early. Align the feathers properly and tieor tape them in the normal position. Releasefeathers after 3 to 4 days. Repeat the treatmentif necessary. However, trying to realign feathersis not always successful, so it’s probably best toslaughter affected birds.

Diseases and parasitesDucks and geese are seldom affected by diseaseand parasites, in part because most people raiseonly a few birds and provide plenty of range.However, with the recent concern with avianinfluenza (AI), it is important that you discourageany contact between your birds and wild water-fowl. Wild waterfowl have been identified as anatural host of the avian influenza virus. Since1998, hundreds of thousands of migratory birdsand waterfowl have been tested for AI in theUnited States. All tests have so far been negativefor the“Asian strain”of H5N1. During the comingyears, the U.S. Department of Agriculture WildlifeServices plans to test more than 100,000 wildbirds along all migratory flyways as an effort tomonitor wild bird populations.

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The following practices are also recommendedas preventative measures:

� Do not introduce adult birds into your flock.Bring in new stock through hatching eggs ofgoslings to prevent introducing potentialdisease carriers into your flock.

� Raise waterfowl on well-drained soil.

� Keep bedding and laying areas clean.

� Keep feed dry.

Signs of disease include weak and listless move-ment, loss of appetite, inactivity, ruffled feathersand sudden mortality.

Matted eyes can occur if waterfowl are notallowed to submerge their heads in water toflush out their eyes. Disinfect the waterers, sepa-rate infected birds and carefully remove thecrusty or sticky pus from around the eyes.Provide fresh, clean water so birds can dip theirheads well over their eyes. Providing plenty ofclean water so waterfowl can clean themselveswill prevent infestations of lice and mites.

Ducks and geese may ingest nails, pieces ofglass, wire or other objects that can cause inter-nal bleeding, suffocation or loss of balance.Remove small objects or shards from the pensand ranges of ducks and geese.

If mortality or unusual symptoms occur, isolateaffected birds and contact your state diagnosticlab, a veterinarian or university poultry laborato-ry to help diagnose diseases or ailments.

ExhibitingwaterfowlRaising waterfowl for exhibition can foster pridein your flock. Many poultry fanciers establishclubs or sponsor shows. Consider the followingfactors when exhibiting poultry.

Raise show-quality birds, purchased from areputable breeder known to be breeding forconformation to the standard. Know the stan-dard for the breed as described in the AmericanPoultry Association’s Standard of Perfection andunderstand the judging system.

Select birds which best represent thestandard for both breeding and exhibiting.Exhibit birds and talk to other breeders andjudges to learn more about showing and breed-ing. Enter several birds that you feel best repre-sent the standard.

Ask breeders about area shows, poultry clubsand poultry publications. Poultry Press maga-zine lists shows and provides other valuableinformation (see references).

Preparing waterfowl for show is relatively easy.Birds raised in clean pens and with access toplenty of fresh water will keep themselves clean.Place birds in a special grassy pen with freshwater for 2 weeks before the show so they willclean themselves.Their feet and bills mayrequire additional cleaning with a damp cloth orsoft brush.

Transport waterfowl in sturdy and well-ventilat-ed wire cages, wood or cardboard boxes, whichprovide ample space to avoid injury and keepbirds clean. Use plenty of fresh litter in the trans-port coop so birds remain comfortable andclean. Carrying cages may be purchased ormade. Avoid drafts during transport and nevertransport birds in the trunk of an automobilesince they may suffocate or die due to exhaustsystem fumes. Exhibition is a learning experi-ence and an enjoyable aspect of waterfowlbreeding.

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To learn moreAmerican Standard of Perfection. American

Poultry Association, Inc.Pat Horstman,PO Box 306, Burgettstown, PA 15021www.amerpoultryassn.com/

Duck and Goose Raising, H.L. Orr, Publication 532.Ontario Department of Agriculture andFood, Parliament Building, Toronto, Ontario,Canada

Guide to Better Hatching, Janet Stromberg, 1975.Stromberg, Pine River, MN 56474

Poultry Extension Resource site:http://Poultryextension.psu.edu for addition-al management, hatchery, organizations andExtension informational resources

Poultry Press, www.poultrypress.comP.O. Box 542, Connersville, IN 47331(National monthly newspaper for exhibitorsof poultry and waterfowl)

Sex Determination of Geese, Thomas H. Canfield,Bulletin 403. Cooperative Extension Service,University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55101

Successful Duck and Goose Raising, DarrelSheraw, 1975. Stromberg, Pine River, MN56474

The Merck Veterinary Manual: A Handbook ofDiagnosis and Therapy for the Veterinarian,Merck and Co., Inc. Merck Publishing Group,P.O. Box 2000 WBD-120, Rahway, NJ 07065.www.merckvetmanual.com/mum/index.jsp

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Notes

Authors: Phillip J. Clauer is a senior instructor for 4-H and specialty poultry in the Department of Poultry Science atThe Pennsylvania State University. John L. Skinner is professor emeritus with the College of Agricultural and LifeSciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension.

© 2007 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved. Send inquiries about copy-right permission to: Cooperative Extension Publishing, 103 Extension Building, 432 N. Lake St., Madison, WI 53706.

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Raising Waterfowl (A3311) R/3/2007