Ducks - ducklings, brooding, the mess and the eggs - and answering the big question.. Have you been Abduckted?

Have you ever brought a duck INSIDE your house to live?

Do you have ridiculously cutesy names for every one of your ducks?

Do you refer to yourself as a duck person?

Then you've been AB-DUCK-TED.

Ducks. How could anyone resist adding adorable, fuzzy, ducklings to their poultry flock? Whether for meat or for eggs, ducklings are pretty adorable.

But...ducks grow up. Into messy, smelly, adult ducks, who need water and an overall wet place to live. Aust's short experience at his homestead with ducks has prompted him to give ducks a firm thumbs down.

Or has it?

In this episode of Homesteady, we sit with Aust's friends Lauren and Joe or "Pac-man," and hear the story of Little Foot Farm, and their "Ab-duck-tion". Despite warnings to the contrary from Aust and Kendra...Lauren and Joe are Duck People. The are passionate about their ducks at Little Foot Farm, and have some sage advice to get the most enjoyment out of your ducks.

If you're deciding to get ducks, prepare. Things turn out much, much better. Don't just jump in! Lauren and Joe tell us how if you set up the appropriate housing and environment for the ducks, there are very good reasons to enjoy ducks and the value they add to your homestead.

Little Foot Farm is on Instagram. Are you a duck person? Share your picture with them, and hashtag it #schmuckswithducks

A big shout out to Square Globe Studios for their help with the segment with Lauren and Joe! Check them out here.

Sometimes this ab-duck-tion process begins with fair warning.

Other times this ab-duck-tion can happen suddenly... out of nowhere.

Roy Sharp is a ski bum, a professional chef, a Homesteady pioneer...and a duck person. The head "Ducklehead" of The Ducklehead Ranch, his duck farm, to be exact. He happened to live on a farm the day a duck was unexpectedly was left by the front door of his restaurant job. "Ruby" came home with Roy...and the ab-duck-tion was completed. Want to follow the current happenings on The Ducklehead Ranch? Visit them on Facebook!

Are these duck enthusiasts changing your mind about ducks yet? Not convinced? Are you concerned with having access to very high quality food?

Nutritionally, duck eggs are a more nutritious food than chicken eggs. Denise from Core Nutrition shared these compelling duck egg facts:

1. Duck eggs improve your ph.
2. They are full of Iron. 4 mL per serving!
3. These eggs have anti-inflammatory properties, including nutrients like choline
4. Allergies! Can't eat chicken eggs? Duck eggs may be an option for you.

Learn more about Denise and hear approach to health eating at mycorenutrition.net, and receive bonus duck egg frittata recipe if you sign up for the email list!

Ab-duck-tion stories are not all the spontaneous love stories we've presented so far. Some people really do plan out their duck acquisition! Aaron and Susan von Frank from Grow Journey, one of our Homesteady partners, love their ducks. (See a picture of them with one of their feathered friends right here!) At Tyrant Farms, they researched ducks for six months before adding them to their livestock. After their research, they have found that ducks are both excellent producers and wonderful pets. They share their top four reasons to add ducks to your homestead:

At Tyrant Farms, they see a duck as "A Small dog that poops eggs." Who wouldn't want that?

Tyrant Farms has a fantastic blog with an entire duck archive, where you are able to benefit from their research and experience. Find the duck archive here!

Don't forget to check out the GrowJourney Tip of the Month!

But do the profits of ducks cover the "bills?" What does Accountant Mike have to say? Accountant Mike is unswayed by cuteness or mess. It's all about the profit. Are the profits there? Step out of the way, chickens, because Accountant Mike's money is with the ducks! This Tyrant Farms infographic lays out the facts for the Ducks vs. Chicken debate.

From the Suburban Escapee

Despite the fact that this episode could be called "Ducks: A Love Story," I am still resisting ab-duck-tion. I am slightly swayed by the nutritional and flavor accolades of the duck egg, but overall, I am not convinced.

I laughed out loud when Lauren admitted in her interview with Pac that she didn't like animals. I don't like animals, either, and having stinky, smelly ducks does not appeal to me. I have a current rule about animal acquisition and my family: nothing that needs its poop cleaned up can come live inside or our home or in our yard while I still have a child in diapers.

I have chickens, and cleaning up after the chickens is easy. The Country Boy wants ALL the animals, and has tried to sell me on ducks numerous times. This episode left out what is, to me, the major deterrent of ducks: the water. If you have to build a pond, this comes with major financial, maintenance, and drainage implications. Creating a body of water also requires you to check in with your homeowners insurance policy as well, as you will likely need to add coverage.

Do you have ducks? Did you love them or leave them? Share your experience in the comments.

Are you a duck person, and want to tell the world? Check out our "abduckted" t-shirt!

Win a T-shirt! Share this episode with the hashtag #abduckted to be entered to win.

COMING SOON: The LIVE Recording of Homesteady with YOUR Questions!

What burning homesteading questions do you have? Email them to [email protected]. The live event is an INVITE-ONLY web broadcast for Pioneers, with Aust and Accountant Mike. If you want to be invited, click to become a Pioneer today!