Freddy Cross, a duck farmer who moved to the Klein Karoo with his partner Nina Cronjé - both semi-retired - says after a lot of reading and a bit of research, they decided to choose duck farming as their new venture. 

Cross and Cronjé farm with free-range Pekin ducks in Barrydale.

Duck farming has very low start-up costs, and from Cross’s experience, the incubators are the most expensive.

Ducks are hardy animals that adapt quite well to environments and conditions that they are placed in, and therefore makes it a great choice if you’re located in areas such as the Karoo – just make sure they have adequate water to drink and to swim in.

Choosing free-range has its benefits but also its negatives. Predators are always an issue and in a bid to keep them out and the ducks and their eggs safe, Cross has placed fences in the areas where the ducks move.

Ducks are an intensive type of farming as you have to make sure they have enough feed and enough freshwater while monitoring them throughout the day.

In terms of making a profit, Cross shares that farming with ducks is a good cash flow business, and advises prospective farmers to do thorough market research in order to establish who they need to build business relationships with.

Cross also explains that they have found during their research that there is a big demand for ducks in South Africa, even though they have not been promoted as much as they should be. 

They also found that a lot of the restaurants that use duck said that inconsistent delivery of the meat was an issue for them.

Listen to the full interview here: 

OFM News