THERE IS AN ADVANTAGE TO THEIR ANXIOUS NATURE: THEY TEAM UP TOGETHER AND ARE EASY TO HERD BACK TO THEIR YARD. THEY BEAT CHOOKS HANDS DOWN HERE!
Ducks are a gardener’s best friend. They’re energetic, inquisitive and very resourceful. And they can eat as many slugs and snails as they like without adverse effects, a luxury denied to fowls, as gastropods are an intermediate host of tapeworms in chooks.
There’s no searching for eggs with ducks; laying is usually done and dusted before 9am! The egg supply often continues over winter, which is a real bonus.
When you keep ducks you have a crew of active watchdogs and, being insomniacs (because they can see at night), they’ll alert you when kids sneak in late or there’s an intruder around.
All this could be code for noisy. There is often much loud quacking at night and the noise travels far on clear evenings. Trouble may result if neighbours don’t share your love of ducks.
The females are the troublemakers. They quack loudly and frequently; the drakes are quiet by comparison. It’s only Ms Muscovy that doesn’t quack loudly, so if you’re a townie and desperate to keep ducks, this is your most appropriate choice.
If you’re not familiar with the different breeds, decisions can be difficult but we have a couple of suggestions we’ll discuss later.
DUCKY DIFFERENCES
Ducks differ from chooks. Gender differentiation is one example. Drakes have a curl in their tail which females lack, but the vocalising is a handy clue, too: ducks quack, while drakes emit a soft throaty sound.
Denne historien er fra Good Organic Gardening 12.4-utgaven av Good Organic Gardening.
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Denne historien er fra Good Organic Gardening 12.4-utgaven av Good Organic Gardening.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Glamour girls
EVERYONE LOVES A HARDWORKING ISA BROWN BUT GET A LOAD OF THESE CHIC CHICKENS AND FEATHERED FASHIONISTAS
FRIED VEG
IT’S POSSIBLE TO ENJOY A FRY-UP IN A DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY WAY BY TURNING TO SOME FRY-FRIENDLY PLANTS
BEYOND BIG RED
TOMATOES COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND COLOURS, SO NOW’S THE TIME TO EXPLORE THEIR INFINITE VARIETY
EVEN MORE TROPPO
ANOTHER SENSATIONAL SIX TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GARDEN — OR YOUR FRUIT SALAD
LET'S STALK RHUBARB
JUST AS TOMATO IS A FRUIT USED AS A VEGETABLE, RHUBARB IS A VEGETABLE COMMONLY CONSUMED AS A DESSERT
FOOD OF THE GODS
THE FLESHY FRUIT OF THE FICUS WAS MUHAMMAD’S FAVOURITE AND BUDDHA FOUND ENLIGHTENMENT UNDER A FIG TREE
MAKING GOOD BETTER
THE IRREPRESSIBLE TV PRESENTER WRITES ABOUT HOW SHE, WITH HUSBAND ANTON AND DAUGHTER FRIDA, TURNED A STEEP HOBART BLOCK INTO A PRODUCTIVE GARDEN
True lily
MANY PLANTS ARE CALLED LILIES BUT IT’S THE MEMBERS OF THE GENUS LILIUM THAT ARE THE REAL DEAL
SALTY BUDS
THE CAPER BUSH PRODUCES TWO DISTINCT BUT EQUALLY DELICIOUS, TANGY MORSELS: CAPERS AND CAPERBERRIES
Ducks on duty
BUSY, VIGILANT, HARD ON GARDEN PESTS AND GENEROUS LAYERS — YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE A DUCK!