How Much Do Ducks Cost In Stardew Valley?

Raising animals can be a very profitable endeavor in Stardew Valley. From chickens to cows, each animal provides useful items that you can use or sell. One animal that is a great addition to any farm is the duck. But before you fill your coop, you may be wondering – how much do ducks cost in Stardew Valley?

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the costs of owning ducks, from the initial price to the recurring expenses. You’ll learn what ducks provide, their profitability, tips for care, and how they compare to other animals.

How Much Do Ducks Cost In Stardew Valley?

Ducks in Stardew Valley cost 1,200g each, and can be purchased from Marnie. This is a one-time fee – you won’t need to continually pay for the same duck. You can buy as many ducks as you have space for in your coops.

Initial Costs

• Big Coop Upgrade: 10,000g ($250)
• Buying Ducks: 1,200g ($30) per duck

Hidden Costs (Feed, Coop Upgrades)

While the upfront cost for a duck is just 1,200g, there are some recurring expenses to account for:

• Feed – Ducks eat hay from silos and fresh grass. You’ll need a steady supply of these to keep ducks happy and productive.
• Coop Upgrades – The Deluxe Coop (25,000g) auto-feeds animals and increases space to 12 ducks.

Factor in these ongoing costs when budgeting for your flock. But the initial purchase price remains quite affordable in the early game.

In Stardew Valley, ducks are farm animals that live in a Big Coop and can be purchased from Marnie’s Ranch for 1,200g. Alternatively, they can be hatched by placing a Duck Egg into an Incubator, which takes 9,000 minutes (5 days 16 hours 40 minutes) to incubate, or 4,500 minutes (2 days 21 hours 40 minutes) if the player has the Coopmaster Profession. Ducks produce Duck Eggs every two days, which can be sold for 95g or used to make Duck Mayonnaise that sells for 375g.

Once the duck reaches sufficient friendship and happiness levels, it may produce Duck Feathers instead of Duck Eggs, which sell for 250g. Ducks can also be sold directly, with their price depending on their friendship level; a maximum-heart duck can fetch 1,560g, while a baby duck without any hearts sells for 395g. For more details, visit Stardew Valley Wiki

Requirements to Own Ducks

Before you can buy any ducks, there are a couple of requirements you need to fulfill first.

Unlocking the Big Coop

Ducks become available after you upgrade your basic chicken coop to the Big Coop. Constructing the Big Coop costs 10,000g ($250), 400 wood, and 150 stone. It takes Robin 3 days to complete the upgrade.

The Big Coop increases your animal capacity from 4 to 8, finally giving you room for those web-footed fowl friends. Make sure to save up the resources and funds ahead of time.

Where to Buy Ducks

All animals, including ducks, are purchased from Marnie’s Ranch. She stocks ducks regularly, but is only available during certain hours.s

Since Marnie has a habit of being unavailable, it’s best to arrive between 9AM – 4PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Catch her during these times to ensure you can purchase some ducks.

What Ducks Provide

So, what do you gain from owning ducks? Here are their main perks:

Duck Eggs

Ducks produce Duck Eggs every 2 days. These sell for 190g as normal quality or 285g for large/gold quality eggs.

You can also turn Duck Eggs into Duck Mayonnaise using a Mayonnaise Machine, selling for 375g each.

Duck Feathers

At maximum friendship, ducks occasionally leave behind Duck Feathers (sells for 250g). These are handy for crafting gifts and completing bundles.

Between the eggs and feathers, ducks produce valuable items frequently. They are very active animals compared to chickens.

You might also like our articles about the cost of realms in Minecraft, New World Asternum, or Robux.

Profitability of Ducks

How much profit can you really generate from ducks versus other animals? Let’s crunch the numbers.

Selling Eggs and Feathers

Here are the selling prices for ducks’ main products:

• Duck Egg – 190g (normal), 285g (large)- 190-285g ($4.75-$7.15)
• Duck Mayonnaise – 375g- ($9.40)
• Duck Feather – 250g- ($6.25)

Ducks vs. Chickens

For comparison:

• Ducks produce eggs every 2 days while chickens take every 3 days.
• Duck eggs sell for more than chicken eggs – 190g vs. 50g (normal).
• Ducks have higher friendship requirements for quality gifts like feathers.

Early game, ducks provide more frequent income than chickens. But chickens cost much less upfront. Evaluate your needs.

Raising and Caring for Ducks

To keep your ducks healthy and productive, make sure to care for their needs:

Feeding Ducks

Ducks eat fresh grass or hay from silos. Keep them well-fed to produce quality eggs regularly. Hungry animals won’t be as active.

• Hay: 50g ($1.25) per piece from Marnie
• Silo: 800g ($20) per silo
• Grass Starters: 20g ($0.50) each

Silos with auto-feed reduce daily work. Replant grass often.

Duck Housing Needs

Upgrade to the Deluxe Coop (12,000 wood, 5,000 stone, 25,000g) to house more ducks comfortably. The auto-feeder keeps them fed without daily effort.

Friendship and Happiness

Pet, feed, and keep ducks indoors during bad weather. High friendship means more valuables like feathers. Letting animals outside in rain or storms will lower happiness.

Proper care leads to better production over time. It’s worth the extra effort.

Gameplay Tips and Strategies

Here are some useful tips to make the most out of raising ducks:

Optimal Time to Invest in Ducks

Wait until mid/late game (year 2 or 3) to buy ducks – funds are limited early on and the Big Coop is expensive. Chickens can bring income sooner for lower cost.

Maximizing Duck Returns

Focus on artisan goods (Mayonnaise), minimize outdoor time in bad weather, and select the Rancher profession to boost animal profits. Ducks compliment an animal-based farm well.

Related Topics and Game Mechanics

To fully understand ducks, here are some related Stardew Valley elements:

Marnie’s Ranch Details

Marnie sells animals and hay. Open M/W/F/Sa/Su from 9am – 4pm. Closed on rainy Tuesdays. Located south of the farm.

Coop Animals Overview

Chickens, ducks, rabbits, and dinosaurs can all live in coops. Each has advantages (egg frequency, sell prices, happiness needs).

Artisan Goods Comparison

Duck Mayonnaise sells for more than basic Mayonnaise (265g). Cheese sells for even more (400-500g).

Final Words

Ducks are absolutely worth their 1,200g price tag in Stardew Valley for players invested in animal farming. Their high-value eggs can become profitable artisan goods, and feathers provide rare gifts for community bundles.

However, the Big Coop upgrade and ongoing feed costs are an obstacle early game. Hold off until funds allow. Chickens cost less initially for basic egg income. But ducks will outproduce them over time.

For late game farmers with upgraded coops and steady resources, a flock of ducks is a must. Their frequent eggs and feathers will turn a solid profit and diversify your artisan goods production. Just be ready to put in the work to care for these fowl properly!

Answers to Common Questions

Do ducks need to be near water in Stardew Valley?

No, ducks do not need to be near water in order to survive or be happy in Stardew Valley. As long as they have a coop to live in and are fed regularly, ducks will remain perfectly healthy and content, even if there is no lake or river on your farm. Proximity to water does not affect duck behavior or production.

What is the best use for duck eggs Stardew Valley?

The most profitable use for duck eggs is turning them into duck mayonnaise using a mayonnaise machine. Duck mayonnaise sells for 375g, compared to just 190-285g for the eggs themselves. Mayonnaise is one of the best artisan goods for profit. Of course, selling extra raw duck eggs can provide income too.

Do ducks lay eggs every day in Stardew Valley?

No, ducks do not lay eggs every day. Their egg production cycle is every other day. So you can expect each duck to lay one duck egg every 2 days on average. This makes them more frequent egg producers than chickens, which lay every 3 days instead. But it still isn’t daily egg production. With multiple ducks, you’ll get a good supply, just not from each one every single day.