Ducks on duty

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