Duck vs chicken: Which is lucrative?

Ducks swim at Nyansiongo water dam [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Ducks are aquatic birds that prefer freshwater life. Their distant cousins include geese, pochards, and teals. In Kenya, duck rearing for meat is not common as few people have a preference for their dark and tough meat. The most common breeds include Peking, Muscovy, and Rouen which belong to the Anatidae family. Rouen and Khaki are beautiful and are highly looked for, majorly kept as ornamental. Their fertilised eggs hatch in 28 days into lovely ducklings that are left to roam in the compound.

A mature adult goes from Sh1,500 to Sh2,000. Geese also belong to the duck family but are larger in size and mature in two years. They entirely feed on grass. According to last year's edition of OECD-FAO Agri-outlook, growth in global consumption of meat proteins in the next decade is projected to increase by 14 per cent, driven largely by population growth. Of this, poultry meat is projected to grow by 17.8 per cent, the highest of all meat proteins. This demand can only be attributed to lower prices, good poultry meat consistency, adaptability, and higher protein and lower fat content from this type of meat. But what are the challenges of duck meat production in Kenya and how can our farmers take advantage of intensive duck production?