Add ducks (optional)
Ducks lay well and forage for slugs, but they are messier and need water to dip their heads. Keep them as a flock, never alone.
How
- Keep at least two ducks, or ducks with other poultry: RSPCA Australia notes they are flock animals.
- Indoor house: at least 1 m2 (about 11 sq ft) per 1 to 2 ducks, with 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) of litter that is topped up or changed daily.
- Provide shallow water 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in) deep for dabbling and head dipping, plus a separate clean drinker. Keep feed several metres from bathing water.
- Feed a duck ration, not chicken feed, matched to age. Lock ducks in at night against predators.
- Drain dirty bath water onto garden beds or into the compost area, not near wells.
- Give constant access to clean drinking water: Cornell's duck research lab advises at least 8 to 12 hours a day, and in hot weather keep water available into the evening or overnight.
Sources
- How should I care for my pet ducks?. RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase, accessed 2026-11
- Duck nutrition (Duck Research Laboratory). Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, accessed 2026-11