HERITAGE DUCKS
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In November of 2021 we started rearing an American heritage breed of ducks, the Cayuga–a cold-hardy and quiet duck breed that lays light slate grey to almost-black eggs and who also tend to be able to rear their own young. Our original goal was home egg production and providing eggs to our local community. We raise our ducks on pasture and certified-organic, non-gmo, coy-and-soy-free whole-grain feed from Scratch & Peck. We are either going to start breeding our Cayuga in the Spring 2023, or get a breeding pair of another heritage breed hopefully the Silver Appleyard but potentioally Welsh Harlequin and start providing hatching eggs and ducklings. **Watch for our updated listings in early 2023, follow us on Facebook for farm news, or e-mail us for availability.
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An herbalist-veterinary technician farming duo with a college-level degree background in Organic Farming, Regenerative Agriculture, and Permaculture Design, we raise our animals (and plants) as holistically and naturally as possible mimicking natural ecosystems and promoting low-impact, regenerative land management practices in tune with natural cycles. We do allow for conventional veterinary interventions when required for our animal’s livelihoods, otherwise we adhere to beliefs and practices of holistic, natural prevention and management of pests, disease and illness in garden and stable. We use no chemical sprays, herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides in our market garden, only plant organic seeds or organically-grown plant starts, and use low or no-till methods. We have our livestock on rotational pasture grazing and occasionally take our goat herd off-site for chemical-free browsing forage for low-impact land clearing, and supplement our quail, ducks, and goats with Certified-Organic Non-GMO grain feed and hay/alfalfa. Whenever possible we use whole-grain feeds instead of pellet or crumble feeds. Though we are not Halal or Organic-certified, we adhere to Halal and more-than-organic standards of animal rearing, butchering, and farm management.
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Please see our other listings for our quail, heritage-breed ducks, and our goat herd.
Ducks and quail do not receive vaccinations or medicated feeds. Our goats only receive medicated feed when required by veterinary direction, and receive partial vaccinations (currently only CD&T). Unless necessary for acute animal health, we rely on herbal dewormer regiments for all livestock. Our goat herd is tested yearly, and our milk is tested monthly. Sick animals are quarantined, and poorly-performing animals are culled from our breeding stock. In our quail we breed for good egg production and large meat birds for small-scale home meat production. In our ducks we breed for maintenance of heritage breed lines, good egg production, and friendliness. In our goats we breed for friendliness, parasite resistance, good milk production and conformation for packing. We also do not disbud our goats and our herd is horned. Bucklings can be castrated, but we do delayed castration for genito-urinary health.
Herbal (1)-Conventional (10) 1-10 Scale: 3
Parasite Protocol: Unless necessary for acute animal well-being, we rely on herbal dewormer regiments and pasture-rotation to control parasite load for all livestock. We do periodic fecal tests on our goat herd to study parasite load, gut flora, resistance, response, and elimination in response to herbal dewormers, probiotics, and other holistic herd management practices. This information, including the herbal regiments given and considerations for human milk consumption during acute deworming, is available upon request. Any animals that must be treated with pharmaceutical medications such as antibiotics or chemical dewormers have their milk withheld from customer or Herdshare consumption.
Vaccination Protocols: No Vaccinations