What Good Are Pasture-Raised Ducks to Whole Farm Systems?

The benefits of chickens in an integrated system are all but proven. However, ducks are a similar vertebrate bird that could potentially exceed the benefits from chickens. Ducks are hardier than chickens, do not require nighttime heating when fully feathered, are more resistant to diseases and produce more than 300 eggs per year that are more nutritious and command a higher price. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will examine the contribution that layer ducks on pasture provide to the soil health and weed and pest management of the Morning Owl Farm in Boise. Farm manager Mary Rohlfing will quantify the change in soil health, pest populations and weed populations in four 1,600-square-foot plots stocked with ducks. The project will encourage a sustainable agriculture system that provides economic benefits from selling the duck eggs. Rohlfing will share her conclusions with growers in and beyond the Treasure Valley of Idaho on her weekly radio show, by developing a website and hosting on-farm workshops.