How To Start Duck Farming Business In Nigeria: A Complete Guide
The opportunity in duck farming is really worth your consideration, especially with the high demand for chemical-free foods in Nigeria. It will interest you to know that an article written on 10th December 2018 by punch newspaper termed duck farming, “the poultry of the future”. This tells you that the prospect of duck farming business in Nigeria is a positive one. In Nigeria, duck farming is one of the profitable poultry farming business.
Read: How to start layers poultry farming business in Nigeria
Although duck farming is not popular dues to the myths associated with duck in Nigeria, the stigma is gradually subsiding. Lots of people see ducks as cursed or dirty birds, hence the low rate of consumption. At this point in time, many people are starting to see the nutritional value of ducks. You should know that duck meat is a great and affordable source of animal protein.
This article focuses on providing you with the needed information on how to start duck farming business in Nigeria. One very good thing about duck farming is that you can rear the ducks in the same environment with your crops. This is because ducks do not destroy crops or flowers. In this article, you will be provided with information regarding the following:
- Duck farming guide for beginners
- The duck farming housing
- Duck farming in Nigeria
- Where to buy khaki dick in Nigeria
- Duck for sale in Nigeria
You can see that this article is fully packed to help you start a successful duck farming business in Nigeria. All you need to do is follow the guidelines listed here for you.
Read: How to start poultry feed production in Nigeria: A great business idea
Why You Should Start Duck Farming Business In Nigeria
The first reason why you should consider duck farming business is the high-profit potential and low startup capital. Ducks are so easy to rear in the farm as they are more resistant to diseases than most poultry birds. The prejudice against ducks is constantly being eliminated due to research in science and technology. It will also interest you to know that the nutritional value of duck meat is great.
In terms of feeding, ducks are able to digest fibre and protein more efficiently that other poultry birds like chickens. This helps to reduce the cost of conventional feeds for your duck farming business in Nigeria. Ducks are mostly reared under a free-range system. This means that you will not pay critical attention to these birds. Ducks can lay up to 100 eggs in a year, depending on the species and they start laying from 18 weeks old. You can start your duck farming business with as little as just 12 birds comprising of 10 females and 2 males.
Guidelines For Starting Your Duck Farming Business
Below are important guidelines for starting your duck farming business in Nigeria:
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Farm Area
Before venturing into duck farming in Nigeria, make sure you have a suitable area to start your business. If you have an already existing crop farm, you can combine it with your duck farming business.
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Your Duck Housing
Ducks generally do not need extensive housing and care to survive; however, you need to provide your ducks with optimal care. This will help you generate good returns on your investment. You need to know that though ducks can be reared on land, they need a pond within the environment in order to thrive. Rearing your ducks like other poultry birds will cause them to lay unfertilized eggs that can’t be hatched. This reduces your returns on investment in duck farming business in Nigeria.
Related: How to start quail farming business in Nigeria
Try to make the house construction low as ducks are not very good at climbing. You should make sure that the doors at the entry and exit is high enough for your ducks. Also, provide adequate ventilation for the ducks. There is the possibility of your ducks going blind without adequate fresh water to wash their eyes.
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Select Very Good Duck Species
When selecting your duck breeds, it is advisable that you select from the breeds that are eight weeks old. This will allow you to identify some important features like bird’s vision, movement, and health of the features. You should also look out for ones with physical defects. Another thing is that the breed you select is dependent on the purpose of your duck farming business.
For meat production, you should go for the Muscovy breed. If you desire meat and egg production, then the Khaki Campbell and Indian runners is your best choice. You should also put into consideration the breed that thrives in your location, this is very important. Don’t make the mistake of selecting your duck breed without considering the survival in your area.
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Duck Hatching
For your ducks to lay good quality and large quantities of eggs, they need to be well fed. Your ducks can fend for themselves but you need to supplement their feed with duck marsh, chopped tomatoes, etc. On a general comparison, good duck breeds begin to lay an egg within 18 weeks of age.
During the hatching period, you should sprinkle water on the eggs 2-3 times in a week. For commercial duck farming business, you should use incubators to improve hatching process and delivery. It takes about 4 weeks for an egg to hatch after it has been laid. The weight of an average duck is between 50-60g.
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Brooding
You need to use the brooding process to promote and improve the growth of the ducklings. Brooding is the process of providing the needed heat to regulate the body temperature of the ducklings. If you are into small scale rearing, the mother duck can provide the needed heat. But, if you are into commercial duck farming business, artificial brooder is very necessary and important.
Also Read: How to start a profitable poultry farm in Nigeria: All you need to know
In natural brooding, the mother duck can brood only 10-15 ducklings while an artificial brooder can be used to brood hundreds of ducklings. You need to know that the breeding temperature is dependent on the age of the ducklings. The older the ducklings, the lower the brooding temperature. You also need to observe the reaction of the ducklings to the brooding temperature in order to know if it is suitable.
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Marketing your Birds
You can sell your birds in the local market just like other birds. There is always a high demand for ducks during the festive seasons like Sallah, Christmas, and Easter. You can also sell the eggs to your customers.
You can see that duck farming business in Nigeria is simple, cheap, and very easy to start. Another very interesting thing about this business in the low startup capital and high-profit potential.
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