An absolute beginner's guide to raising backyard ducks

As the title suggests, this helpful resource is aimed at providing all the information necessary to raise ducks, whether for eggs, meat, showing, or as pets. Each topic, from behavior to feeding to breeding, is covered succinctly and illustrated with attractive color photos. Especially helpful and complete is the section on different breeds and types of ducks, with each major breed getting a full page of easy-to-reference information on everything from its utility (eggs vs. meat) to whether it flies to how many eggs it lays per year, and much more. While the section on raising ducks for meat covers best breeds, when to slaughter, and even how to cook duck, the topic of how to kill, pluck, and prepare a duck for eating is not included. Sprinkled between the advice are short "duck tales" that provide anecdotes from the author's own life with ducks. VERDICT Buy where there is an interest in backyard poultry.--Eva Mitnick