We’d like to thank you for your continued support in what can only be described as an interesting trading year.

Our workshop elves are as busy as ever getting houses ready to go before Christmas. The last order date is Wednesday 15th December and we’ll try our very best for a pre-Christmas delivery.

After that, our elves will be taking a well earned break with the workshop and office closed from 21st December to 4th January 2022.

Wishing you all a very Merry Chickmas and a Happy New Year,

from everyone at Jim Vyse Arks

Ducks are fascinating birds and one of our favourites. If you don’t already keep them, they make a great alternative to chickens, and you can also keep them in addition to your existing poultry.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a pond or lake for ducks to be happy. You simply need to provide them with a water source deep enough for them to get their heads under, as this is important for their health.

Here are our top 10 facts about ducks:

1. All types of duck are part of the Anatidae family of birds and ducks are found across the world in all continents except Antarctica.
2. Ducks are precocial which means that within hours of hatching ducklings are covered in down and able to walk and leave the nest.
3. Ducks are omnivorous and opportunistic so they’ll eat everything from plants to crustaceans if they can find them.
4. Duck quacks do echo!
5. There are over 40 breeds of domestic duck throughout the world.
6. The estimated number of ducks is thought to be 1.1 billion – with two thirds of those ducks being in China.
7. Ducks have been domesticated as pets and farm animals for over 500 years.
8. All domestic ducks are descended either from the Mallard or Muscovy breeds.
9. Ducks don’t just quack – their verbal communications range from squeaking to whistling and growling.
10. Although most duck species are monogamous for the breeding season they don’t mate for life.

Keeping chickens has undoubtedly become popular in recent years, but that isn’t the only option if you want some feathered friends to share your garden, and we love ducks just as much as we love chickens.

Here are our top reasons why keeping ducks could be the best thing you ever do:

Delicious eggs all year around
As tasty as chicken eggs are, duck eggs are usually richer and creamier, which is why they’re so popular with bakers. Plus, their eggs are bigger, containing more nutrients and goodness than chicken eggs.

Ducks also lay all year around, unlike chickens that stop in the winter, so you won’t need to buy eggs even in December.

They’re cheap to keep
Once you’ve had the initial outlay of a suitable duck house and other equipment you’ll need, ducks are incredibly cheap to keep.

Depending on how many birds you have, one bag of feed could last you for weeks and they’re experts at supplementing their diet with things they find in the garden. In fact, if you’re looking for chemical free pest control, a couple of ducks could be the answer!

Ducks are made of tough stuff
Ducks are extremely hardy and generally less susceptible to disease and infection than chickens. They cope well in harsh weather conditions and if they do become ill, they usually recover fairly quickly with minimal human assistance.

Your neighbours won’t notice you have them
Although most female ducks do make the classic “quack” noise they only do this when startled or frightened. The majority of the time ducks are silent or make quiet noises.

If you’re worried your neighbours won’t like the cackles and squawking that hens make, ducks might be a better choice. Just avoid the infamously loud Call ducks!

They don’t need that much water
Many people think you need a lake, or at least a large pond, in order to keep ducks but depending on which breed you keep that isn’t always the case. In fact, Indian Runner ducks are reportedly happy as long as they have enough water to dunk their heads in, although we’d recommend giving them more.

A child’s paddling pool, a sawn in half barrel or an old bath tub can all make suitable “ponds” for backyard ducks. As long as the water is deep enough for them to get their whole head under then your ducks will be happy.

Ducks are very sociable
Many poultry keepers can’t resist adding to their flock after a while and this can cause disruptions to the pecking order. However, ducks seem to accept new additions to their group more calmly than chickens, so if you’re expecting to expand your brood, ducks are a more likely to welcome them with open wings.

Ducks have great personalities
If you talk to anyone who keeps ducks they’ll tell you all about their individual personalities. Different breeds also have different personality traits, so it’s worth doing your research before starting your flock.

They make loyal friends
Dogs might be mans’ best friend but ducks come in at a close second. Sometimes it can take them a while to trust you, but once they’ve imprinted on you and see you as part of the group, you’ll have a friend for life.

When it comes to choosing housing for ducks the same basic principles to choosing a chicken house apply. However, there are a few differences between chickens and ducks that mean you’ll need to buy a house specifically designed for ducks.

You’ll get what you pay for

First things first, buy a quality house. We all like a bargain but when you realise you’re replacing your cheap house every few years you’ll wish you’d spent a little bit more money.

Generally speaking you can expect to pay around £150 – £300 for a high quality duck house. Obviously you might find yourself shopping during sale periods and get a cheaper house, but be prepared to increase your budget for a better house.

Appearance isn’t everything

Your ducks won’t care what their house looks like so you can have a duck house that is as simple or as elaborate as you like. As a bare minimum the house needs to provide your ducks with adequate shelter from the elements and as much protection from predators as possible.

When choosing a duck house, you’ll need to ask yourself the following questions:

Is the house easily moveable?
Does it provide good ventilation?
It is quick to clean and simple to maintain?
Does it provide a high standard of welfare? Consider space per duck, nest boxes, doorways etc.
Is it made of top quality materials?
If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions then you should have a house that is practical, safe, and that will have a long working life.

The exits are here, here, and here

Ducks have a tendency to rush out of the house as a group in the mornings and they aren’t very good at forming an orderly queue! This means that you’ll need to choose a house with a wide enough door to prevent injuries when entering or exiting the house.

You’ll also need to provide your ducks with a ramp if the house isn’t at floor level. They can’t negotiate steps or ladders like chickens can so giving them a ramp into their house ensures they can get in and out safely.

Runs and enclosures

If you don’t have the space, or you don’t want to let your ducks have access to your whole garden, you’ll also have to think about the run or enclosure they’ll be in.

How big the run is depends entirely on how much space you have but the bigger the better. They’ll need room to waddle around, forage for food, stretch their wings, and of course, room for their pond.

You could choose a single unit run and house, like this bantam duck ark designed especially for small breeds, or you could opt for a large enclosure that contains their house. As long as the house is safe, and as predator proof as possible, your ducks will be happy.

If you’re struggling to find a duck house that suits your needs you could also look into bespoke options.

Keeping chickens has undoubtedly become extremely popular in recent years but that isn’t the only option if you want some feathered friends to share your garden…have you thought about ducks?

Here are our top reasons why keeping ducks could be the best thing you ever do:

Delicious eggs all year around
As tasty as chicken eggs are, duck eggs are usually richer and creamier, which is why they’re so popular with bakers. Plus, their eggs are bigger, containing even more nutrients and goodness than chicken eggs.

Ducks also lay all year around, unlike chickens that stop in the winter, so you won’t need to buy eggs even in December.

They’re cheap to keep
Once you’ve had the initial outlay of a suitable duck house and other equipment you’ll need, ducks are incredibly cheap to keep.

Depending on how many birds you have, one bag of feed could last you for weeks and they’re experts at finding their own food in the garden.

In fact, if you’re looking for free pest control, then a couple of ducks could be the answer.

Ducks are made of tough stuff
For some reason, and I’m not enough of an expert to know why, ducks are generally less susceptible to disease and infection than chickens. They cope well in extreme weather conditions and if they do become ill, they usually recover fairly quickly with minimal human assistance.

Your neighbours won’t notice you have them!
Although most female ducks do make the classic “quack” noise they only do this when startled or frightened. The majority of the time ducks are silent or make quiet noises.

If you’re worried your neighbours won’t like the cackles and squawking that hens make, then duck might be a better choice.

They don’t need that much water
Many people think you need a lake, or at least a large pond, in order to keep ducks but depending on which breed you keep that isn’t always the case. In fact, Indian Runner ducks are reportedly happy as long as they have enough water to dunk their heads in, although we’d recommend giving them more.

A child’s paddling pool, a sawn in half barrel or an old bath tub can all make suitable “ponds” for backyard ducks. As long as the water is deep enough for them to get their whole head under then your ducks will be happy.

Ducks make friends more quickly
Many poultry keepers can’t resist adding to their flock after a while and this can cause disruptions to the pecking order. However, ducks seem to accept new additions to their group more calmly than chickens so if you think you’re likely to expand your brood, ducks are a more tranquil option.

Ducks have great personalities
If you talk to anyone who keeps ducks, they’ll tell you all about their ducks individual personalities. Different breeds also have different personality traits, so it’s worth doing your research before starting your flock.

They make loyal friends
Dogs might be mans’ best friend but ducks come in at a close second. Sometimes it can take them a while to trust you, but once they’ve imprinted on you and see you as part of the flock, you’ll have a friend for life.

If you’ve been convinced that ducks are a great idea then it’s time to get shopping for the duck house of your dreams!

Photo credit: Ziwani Poultry, Pinterest, Wikipedia