How to Grow Rice for Ducks
If you have ducks at home as pets or if you own a duck farm, feeding them appropriately should be your topmost priority because ducks do not eat whatever you give them. However, ducks do love rice and if you can grow this crop for ducks, you can surely save yourself from a lot of headache. Rice is extremely rich in carbohydrates, which is the reason why experts recommend owners to feed ducks with rice, as it helps them grow and remain healthy.
Things Required:
– Shovel or tiller
– Compost
Instructions
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1
Time of plantation
Most rice varieties that are grown in the US have a 120-day maturation period; therefore, if you are looking to grow rice for your ducks, you must plant the impoundments in the first week of June to ensure that the food source is ready in the early duck season. -
2
Select the right place
You should now select the right place in your house or farm where rice can be grown. Keep in mind that a place, where fresh supply of water is not a problem, will be perfect for growing rice. Rice can also be planted within the upper limits of beaver ponds, pond edges and shorelines. -
3
Prepare the soil
Having selected the right place for plantation, the next step is to prepare the soil. You need to use a shovel or a tiller to soften up soil on the surface. Consult an agriculture expert in your area to know if you will need to use compost to prepare the soil or not. -
4
Rice seeds
Purchase rice seeds from a local nursery and make sure that they are of a good quality. The seeds need to be soaked for about 24 hours before you drain them and let them rest for another day in a warm place after putting them in a burlap sack. -
5
Plantation
Rice should be drilled into a nicely prepared seed bed no more than an inch deep. The benefit of these types of fields is that they can be flooded immediately after germination, which ensures that there is no weed competition. Keep in mind that the field should be flooded to around 12 inches for the best results.
