Domestic ducks are not plentiful in the Solomon Islands but they are known to the people and can provide good supplies of eggs and meat with less work than kokorako.
The most common domestic waterfowl seen in the Solomons is the Muscovy duck, which is either white or black and white in colour. It is well suited to conditions in the Solomons because it likes to wander around and feed mainly on grass and plants. It also forages for the normal waterfowl foods like insects, shellfish, tadpoles and frogs as well as water plants. Muscovy ducks also benefit from prepared foods from the feed garden.
Many Pacific Island nations already have wild populations of Pacific Black Duck and they are sometimes tamed and kept in the village just like domestic ducks.
Muscovy ducks lay lots of eggs and are quicker to multiply their numbers. They have special teeth on their beak to help them eat grass different to chickens, which have no teeth.
Other breeds of duck were imported into the Government breeding farm at Tenavatu in 1996 and some were distributed to provincial areas after that time. However the remaining breeding stock of both chickens and ducks at Tenavatu was eventually lost during the Conflict.
One of those imported duck breeds, the Indian Runner is desperately needed in the planned breeding program because it is specially suited as pest controllers in village gardens. These ducks are not as big and heavy and do not damage the vegetable plants like Muscovies do.
Ducks will all need the same care and management as kokorako, some extra feeding, housing and protection from cats, dogs and pigs.
