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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Duck Farmer

💰 $28,000 - $60,000

AgricultureLivestockPoultryDuck FarmingFarm Management

🎯 Role Definition

As a Duck Farmer you will be responsible for the daily management and long-term productivity of a commercial or boutique duck operation, including animal husbandry, hatchery and egg production, feed and pasture management, biosecurity, facility and equipment maintenance, regulatory compliance, and direct-to-consumer or wholesale sales. This role requires hands-on work with waterfowl, strong farm management and recordkeeping skills, the ability to diagnose health and environmental issues, and the capacity to lead seasonal staff or a small crew. Ideal candidates combine practical experience in poultry or waterfowl operations with sound knowledge of welfare, food-safety practices, and sustainable farm practices.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Farm laborer or general farmhand on a poultry/duck operation
  • Entry-level poultry technician, hatchery assistant, or egg packer
  • Agricultural vocational program graduate or apprenticeship in animal husbandry

Advancement To:

  • Farm Manager / Poultry Operations Manager
  • Hatchery Manager or Production Supervisor
  • Owner / Operator of a boutique duck or mixed livestock farm

Lateral Moves:

  • Waterfowl or poultry nutrition specialist
  • Poultry health technician or veterinary technician (with additional training)
  • Agribusiness sales, farm-to-table distribution, or farmers market operations

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the daily care and welfare of duck flocks, including feeding, watering, sheltering, monitoring behavior, and ensuring proper environmental conditions (temperature, ventilation, humidity) to maximize flock health and production.
  • Develop, implement and monitor feed programs and feeding schedules tailored for breeding, growing, layer, and market-ready ducks; maintain feed quality and inventory controls to minimize waste and cost.
  • Perform routine health inspections and early detection of illness, injury, parasites or abnormal behavior; isolate and triage sick birds and coordinate with a veterinarian for diagnostics, treatment plans, vaccinations, and recordable medications.
  • Plan and operate hatchery and incubation processes: collect, grade, store, set, and monitor eggs; calibrate incubators, manage hatch timings, and ensure biosecure transfer of ducklings to brooding areas.
  • Execute breeding programs and genetic selection strategies to improve flock productivity (egg production, growth rates, feed conversion) and maintain pedigree records where applicable.
  • Implement and maintain strict biosecurity, sanitation, and disinfection protocols across barns, equipment, transport vehicles, and worker hygiene to prevent disease introduction and spread (including avian influenza precautions).
  • Oversee water management for waterfowl: maintain ponds, pools, and water troughs, ensure clean, recirculating or fresh water sources, control algae and debris, and manage water quality and drainage systems.
  • Schedule and supervise processing operations for farms that handle on-site slaughter or butchery: humane handling, processing line oversight, evisceration and chilling standards, packaging, labeling, and cold chain management in compliance with food safety regulations.
  • Maintain accurate production records including flock inventories, mortality logs, feed usage, egg counts and weights, hatchability rates, medication and vaccination records, and sales transactions for traceability and regulatory audits.
  • Coordinate seasonal production planning: set production targets, schedule hatches, align grow-out cycles with market demand, and adapt production during peak seasonal fluctuations.
  • Monitor and control predators, pests and vermin through humane and compliant methods: secure fencing, netting, traps, deterrents, and routine perimeter inspections to protect flocks.
  • Operate, maintain, and repair farm infrastructure and equipment—tractors, loaders, feed systems, ventilation systems, pumps, vehicles, and small engine tools—and plan preventative maintenance to reduce downtime.
  • Ensure compliance with animal welfare laws, state and federal agricultural regulations, environmental permits, and local ordinances; prepare for and participate in inspections by regulatory agencies.
  • Manage feed and supply purchasing, vendor relationships, and on-farm inventory to optimize costs and ensure continuity of production inputs (feeds, vaccines, bedding, packaging materials).
  • Implement and maintain food safety and quality programs such as HACCP or equivalent processes for farms selling meat or eggs, including traceability systems, sanitation schedules, and employee training.
  • Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise seasonal and permanent farm staff and contractors; establish clear SOPs for husbandry, biosecurity, and equipment operation and conduct routine performance and safety briefings.
  • Develop and track budgets and cost-of-production metrics; identify opportunities to improve efficiency through feed conversions, labor optimization, and waste reduction.
  • Facilitate direct-to-consumer sales, farmers market participation, wholesale customer relations, and contract supply agreements; manage order fulfillment, packing, and transportation logistics.
  • Lead pasture and land management practices that support rotational grazing, soil health, water retention, and integration of duck-flock ecological benefits (e.g., pest control, weed management), while documenting impacts for sustainability initiatives.
  • Oversee egg collection, grading, cleaning, storage, and packaging operations; manage egg quality control measures, date-coding, and cold storage to maintain freshness and comply with retail or wholesale standards.
  • Maintain emergency response preparedness for extreme weather, disease outbreaks, utility failures, or mass mortality events, including contingency plans for evacuation, on-call veterinary escalation, and carcass disposal.

Secondary Functions

  • Support farm-level marketing efforts: create product descriptions, collaborate on social media content, provide farm tours, and participate in producer networks to raise brand visibility and farm sales.
  • Assist with implementing recordkeeping software or farm management systems and contribute to digitalization initiatives (e.g., inventory tracking, production dashboards).
  • Contribute to long-term farm strategy by piloting new breeds, feed trials, or pasture-based systems to increase profitability and sustainability.
  • Provide training and mentorship to apprentices and interns, offering hands-on instruction in duck husbandry, hatchery best practices, and farm safety.
  • Investigate and recommend grant, subsidy, or certification opportunities (organic, animal welfare, sustainable agriculture) and prepare documentation to support applications.
  • Coordinate with extension agents, veterinarians, and industry associations to stay current with best practices, disease alerts, and regulatory changes.
  • Participate in community outreach and educational programs such as on-farm workshops, school visits, or cooperative extension demonstrations.
  • Collect and report environmental data such as nutrient runoff, water usage, and waste management metrics to support environmental compliance and sustainability reporting.
  • Support ad-hoc operational tasks such as fence repair, greenhouse maintenance, packing for markets, loading/unloading deliveries, and small construction projects on the farm.
  • Help evaluate new equipment and technology for automating feed delivery, egg collection, or environmental monitoring and provide feedback for procurement decisions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Animal husbandry expertise specifically with ducks and waterfowl: lifecycle care, brooding, moulting, layer management, and behavior recognition.
  • Hatchery and incubation management: egg handling, incubator calibration, hatch monitoring, candling, and brood management techniques.
  • Biosecurity and disease prevention protocols: quarantine procedures, sanitation cycles, PPE use, and regulatory reporting (e.g., avian influenza response).
  • Poultry/veterinary care fundamentals: vaccination schedules, administration of medications, recordable drug use documentation, and coordination with veterinarians.
  • Feed formulation knowledge and feed management: understanding of duck nutritional requirements, feed conversion ratios, ration adjustments, and feed storage.
  • Food safety and processing skills: HACCP principles, safe on-farm slaughter practices, carcass handling, chilling, packaging, and labeling for retail.
  • Farm equipment operation and maintenance: tractors, loaders, irrigation pumps, feed systems, and small engine repair with routine preventative maintenance scheduling.
  • Water system and pond management: filtration, aeration, algae control, water circulation, and drainage best practices for waterfowl health.
  • Recordkeeping and farm management software competency: production logs, inventory systems, financial record tools, and digital traceability platforms.
  • Environmental compliance and waste management: manure handling, composting, nutrient management planning, and appropriate carcass disposal methods.
  • Egg grading, candling, storage and packaging standards for retail and wholesale customers.
  • Basic construction and electrical skills for on-farm repairs and infrastructure improvements.

Soft Skills

  • Strong observational skills and attention to detail to quickly detect health, behavior, and environmental changes in the flock.
  • Leadership and supervisory skills to recruit, train, and manage seasonal crews and contractors effectively.
  • Problem-solving mindset with the ability to troubleshoot production, equipment and health issues and implement practical solutions under time constraints.
  • Time management and prioritization for balancing daily husbandry tasks, emergency response, and administrative duties.
  • Clear written and verbal communication for maintaining records, reporting to regulators or veterinarians, and managing customer relationships.
  • Customer service and sales acumen for negotiating with buyers, representing the farm at markets, and growing direct-to-consumer channels.
  • Adaptability and resilience to work outdoors in varying weather and to adjust production plans to market or environmental disruptions.
  • Commitment to animal welfare and ethical farming practices, conveying trust and credibility to customers and auditors.
  • Data literacy and willingness to adopt digital tools for production tracking, budgeting, and traceability.
  • Collaboration and networking skills to work with extension services, suppliers, and community stakeholders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent; demonstrated hands-on experience on a farm or in a poultry/hatchery environment is typically required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or certificate in agriculture, animal science, poultry science, agricultural business, or related technical program.
  • Certifications in animal welfare, HACCP/food safety, or small-scale farm management are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Animal Science
  • Poultry Science
  • Agricultural Technology / Farm Management
  • Sustainable Agriculture
  • Agricultural Business / Agribusiness Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years working in poultry, waterfowl, or general livestock production; may include hatchery, brooding, or processing experience.

Preferred:

  • 3–7+ years of progressive responsibility in duck or poultry farming, hatchery operations, or small-livestock farm management; demonstrated experience supervising teams, running a hatchery, managing biosecurity, and handling regulatory compliance is highly desirable.
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