Purchasing livestock is an exciting part of farming, starting a self-sufficiency journey, or just producing your own fresh eggs in your backyard. Whether you are buying from a neighbor or from an auction, there are a number of things to look out for when purchasing your animals. While this article will focus on ducks, many of the same principles can be applied to other fowl or even other types of livestock.
Focus on the Eyes
Healthy ducks will have bright, alert eyes. Pay attention to the ring around the eye. Are there feathers missing? Are there crusties (absolutely a technical term...) built up under or around the eye? Ducks that have eye problems were most likely kept in unsanitary conditions or did not have access to deep enough or fresh enough water to wash their face. Many eye infections are treatable, but you are starting off putting additional money into your livestock purchase or hoping the problem goes away on its own. What if it doesn't? Then you are facing potential recurrent infections, spreading infections to your own stock, or even a blind animal down the road. No bueno.
These birds were recently publicly listed as a consignment in an auction. Both of the ducks in this photo have eye issues. These birds also have ragged plumage.
2. Plumage Problems
A bird's plumage serves a number of functions, including regulating temperature, attracting a mate, and, of special importance in the case of ducks, waterproofing. A number of factors affect the quality of a bird's plumage, but nutrition, environmental conditions, and parasite load are all controllable factors that can lead to serious declines in the quality of plumage if left unchecked. A duck's plumage should be smooth, flat, and appear continuous. If it is patchy, worn, crusty, or appears messed up, take note and proceed with caution. It is possible that a molt is coming up and worn feathers will soon be replaced, or perhaps a female went through a particularly rough mating season. Drake-on-drake aggression can also be a factor with plumage. Whatever the case may be, know that healthy plumage is an indicator of a healthy bird.
These birds were recently listed for sale on a public forum. Notice the ragged plumage as well as the bald patch around the eye of the drake.
3. Fancy Feet
Foot health is a fantastic indication of the conditions in which the bird was kept. The underside of feet should be smooth without abscesses or injuries. When birds are kept in unsanitary conditions, bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Pseudomonas can damage the foot, and any nick or cut can become an infected mess and impact a duck's ability to move around. That's not to say that perfectly healthy ducks do not occasionally damage the bottom of their feet; it happens. But proper management calls for treatment of injuries and mitigation of environmental conditions that could worsen injuries or infections.
An abscess on a duck's foot. While this particular injury is obvious upon inspection, other injuries or infections could be more subtle. A thorough exam is always a good idea. Photo credit: pearltheduckandfriends.wordpress.com
4. Grounded
Take a look at the ground of the first two photos. The ducks are living on muddy floors. Ducks are marsh animals, so mud shouldn't be a problem, right? Wrong! Muddy housing can be a petri dish for infectious conditions. Bacteria can proliferate, and anything living in its own feces is prone to sickness. Ducks should have access to dry, clean floors at least part of the time. Fresh pasture, deep bedding, or other methods to provide sanitary conditions is a necessary part of animal husbandry.
These ducks were recently listed for sale in the Springfield area, and this is a good example of proper husbandry. Notice the wood shavings and organic matter on the ground. This substrate can alleviate many of the problems that can arise when conditions are too muddy. From the photos, these ducks appear healthy, alert, and active.
5. Source Stock
Are you wanting to establish your own breeding flock? Then make sure you are buying from a breeder who has more than one drake and more than one hen. The larger the flock you are buying from, the lower the chance that you end up with full siblings as your foundation stock. While farmers will sometimes utilize line-breeding, which is breeding parents to offspring in successive generations, breeding full siblings is not a great idea. There is just too much genetic similarity between siblings, which can result in deformities or disease that would usually not be a problem with more genetic diversity. Decreasing genetic diversity can also lead to smaller body size and decreased laying ability. It is a good idea to ask your breeder what they are doing to maintain genetic diversity and how they are working on the particular attributes of the breed.
Ducklings from this breeding trio were recently posted as for sale. Any ducklings purchased from these birds will be full siblings, which would not be conducive to starting a laying flock. If the buyer is interested in laying ducks for eggs only, then these may be a good option; these birds have bright, clear eyes and clean plumage. A closer inspection of feet would be a good idea.
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