Ducklings, the cultivation of which has its own characteristics and nuances, are usually bred either for breeding or for meat. Feeding them in the first days of life is very similar to feeding chickens at the same age. You can give crumbled yolk and various kinds of mash. Feeds of animal origin begin to be fed around the tenth day. Usually it is fish or bone meal. Sometimes you can give the young and fresh fish. From the second week, boiled potatoes, as well as greens, are added to the diet.

Ducklings, whose cultivation is not particularly difficult, should be fed in special troughs. Some poultry farmers use pallets or trays for this purpose. This is acceptable but not desirable. The fact is that the ducklings will climb into them and trample the food. As for the drinkers, they must be vacuum. Usually they are a bottle turned over a saucer.

It is best to install drinkers away from the feeders. Otherwise, ducklings, whose cultivation has such a feature that in the first week of life they are fed six times a day, and starting from the second - four times, will run up to the drinker after each pecking, while washing off the remnants of food from the beak. As soon as the young are one month old, it will be possible to switch to three to four meals a day.

Ducklings, which were raised with dry feed mixtures, as well as mash, grow up healthy and strong. If possible, organize a walk. Ducklings are not allowed into the water until the down is replaced by a feather. This is the case if the young are grown without a duck. If the female hatched the eggs herself and brings up the babies, the formation of thermoregulation in them occurs much faster. Therefore, they can start swimming with her without harm to themselves already on the fifth day of life.

Daily ducklings up to two or three weeks of age are kept on a deep, periodically replaced litter when using electric brooderhouses, dry straw, sawdust, shavings, sphagnum (moss) peat are placed as litter. The best bedding is dry moss peat, which has almost 10 times its weight in moisture. Initially, the litter is covered with a layer of at least 10 cm, and then new litter is periodically added in such a way that it is dry and not very soiled. The air temperature in the brooderhouse during the first week is maintained at 20-22'C, and directly under the brooders 28-30'C. After that, the air temperature in the room is reduced to 16-18'C and maintained at this level until the end of cultivation. In the southern regions of the country in the summer, starting from about three weeks of age, ducklings can be kept in open, fenced areas with a hard surface. In the center of such a site, feeders or a mechanized feed distribution line are installed. At a distance of about 3 m from the feed line to the edges of the site, manure collection trenches are arranged, covered with a metal grate, under which drinkers are placed.

Fattening open areas must be equipped with canopies that protect young animals from the sun and rain. The density of the birds on the site is up to 5-6 heads. per 1 m2.

From the age of three or four weeks, the young are kept in fatteners.

Ducks are more sensitive to lack of oxygen and require more fresh air into the room (3-4 times more than chickens). Therefore, the room where they are kept must be well ventilated.

However, such increased ventilation should not create drafts and reduce the air temperature that is optimal for ducklings of a particular age. Ducklings do not tolerate high humidity, so it should not exceed 70-75%.

Lighting duration: in the first week around the clock, in the second week 16-18 hours, from the third week until slaughter for meat 10 hours. The intensity of illumination for the first three to four weeks is 17-20 lux, later it can be reduced to 7-10 lux.

Ducklings can also be raised without bedding in chicken cages. Compared to floor housing, ducklings in cages grow 10-15% faster. When grown in two phases, the planting density of ducklings up to 15-20 days of age is 30-40 heads, subsequently 10-15 heads per 1 m2 of the cage floor. Young animals are selected into each cage, aligned in growth and development.

Replacement young animals up to 7-8 weeks of age are kept on a litter or combined floor with 30% metal mesh and 70% litter. Mesh floor mesh size 20x20 or 30x30 mm. The floors in the poultry houses are concreted. When kept in typical poultry houses, mechanized equipment such as KRU-3.5 or KRU-8 is used. Upon reaching the specified age, replacement young animals are transferred to acclimatizing poultry houses. For every 100% of hens replaced, 115% of females are selected, and for every 100% of adult drakes replaced, 130% of replacement males are selected. When kept in acclimatizers, the normal stocking density for local bird populations is 3.5 birds/m2 and for heavy crosses 3.0 birds/m2. The specific front for feeding or watering is at least 3 cm. At the age of 21-22 weeks, young animals are transferred to poultry houses for adult birds. The length of daylight hours in poultry houses is 8 hours, the illumination at the level of feeders and drinkers is 30 lux. The air temperature is 14 C, relative air humidity is within 65-75%. During the transitional period of the year, an increase in relative humidity up to 85% is allowed, and in winter - a decrease up to 50%. During the warm period of the year, the air temperature in poultry houses is allowed up to 26 C and for a short time (no more than 4 hours a day) - up to 33'C. The minimum amount of fresh air supplied to the poultry house in the cold season is 0.6 m3/h, in the warm season 5.0 m3/h per 1 kg of live weight of ducks. The optimal air velocity in the poultry area is no more than 0.2 m/s in winter and 0.4 m/s in summer.

The maximum allowable concentration in the air of the house for ducks: carbon dioxide 0.2% by volume, ammonia 15 mg/m3, hydrogen sulfide 5 mg/m3. Noise level should not exceed 60 dB.

In areas with hot dry climates, breeding houses should have hard-surface sun decks with bathing grooves equal to the area of ​​the house. The depth of the grooves is not less than 25 cm, the width of the upper part is not less than 80 cm, the angle of inclination of the side walls is not more than 36'.

per diem

When breeding ducks, special attention should be paid to what to feed the day old ducklings, as well as how to care for the day old ducklings. Most often, day old ducklings, especially musk ducklings, cannot start eating on their own and because of this they have to be fed.

Therefore, they probably will not survive without food intake. To avoid this, you need to know how and what to feed day old ducklings. First you need to drink light pink potassium permanganate in solution using a pipette. Ducklings should start eating on their own for the first three days. Further, it is recommended to continue feeding the daily ducklings by pouring mixed porridge and boiled eggs onto a dark sheet of cardboard.

Also, ducklings need to be fed with food containing minerals, such as chalk, limestone, eggshells, shells. For the first time 15-10 days after birth, food based on minerals combined 1g. for each duckling once a day, later in 2-6 months the amount increases to 7-11 g.

In the first days of life

The most important condition for the fruitful cultivation of ducklings is the effective eating of feed from the very first days. Therefore, it is necessary, sparing no time and effort, to ensure that all babies begin to consume food and drink water immediately after they are brought home. Sometimes, in the case of a large number of young animals, it is necessary to additionally involve an assistant during feeding.

To draw their attention to the food, you should imitate the behavior of a duck, take the food with your fingers and, rubbing it, tap on the feeder. Such actions several times increase the interest of chicks in food.

Given the fact that the feed passes through the entire digestive system of the young in 3 hours, it is necessary to feed the ducklings up to 8 times a day.

Drinkers are placed near the feeders, but not closer than 3 cm. It is recommended to add ascorbic acid to the water at the rate of 1 teaspoon per liter of water at room temperature. This stimulates the appetite and activates the metabolism.

Weekly

From the 6th to the 15th day, ducklings are fed less often, namely 6-5 times a day. Now you can give wet mash. You need to knead them on yogurt or skimmed milk. You also need to make sure that the resulting composition is not sticky, pasty or too liquid. Such food will clog the ducklings' nasal openings and can lead to unpleasant consequences. The basis of the mash is crushed grain or bran, and in the warm season it is desirable to include greens and grass from the garden here.

But remember that greens can be given only from the 15th day of life and not earlier. As a green top dressing, well-chopped nettles, vetch, fodder cabbage, oats and peas are perfect. And finally, it is advisable not to forget to add concentrates of vitamins D and A, as well as fish oil, to the mash from the 6th day. This will contribute to the rapid growth of the chicks and good weight gain.

For menstruation

Feeding

Most of the vitamins and minerals needed by 1 month old chicks are found in green foods. Feeding ducks, like other birds, is not limited to her. Grains, vegetables and cleanings, as well as the remains of other food, are added to the bird's diet. And yet, ducks cannot do without green grass, as this is the most affordable and favorite food for them.

The diet of poultry should be balanced in all nutrients: calcium, phosphorus, sodium, fiber, crude protein and amino acids (lysine, methionine, tryptophan). Regarding compound feed, ducks are fed at industrial enterprises based on the calculation of 100 g per day.

Feeding ducklings usually always start with green food. Or grazing them in the meadow, because it is there that they get a huge amount of nutrients by eating grass. Ducklings are very fond of nettles. Very small chicks can be given finely chopped boiled eggs and green onions, and fat-free cottage cheese is also added to their diet.

Already at the age of one month, birds must be fed with mash (boiled root crops and grain). Adult ducks, swimming in reservoirs, get duckweed for themselves, which they eat with great pleasure. Fattening ducks is a very profitable business that does not require much hassle and money. They get eggs, meat, down, feathers. These products are highly valued in many markets.

Feeding ducklings must be 4-5 times a day. Birds are taught to free-range as early as two weeks of age. Released on open water bodies: rivers, ponds, lakes, and meadows. But the little ducklings must be watched by their mother.

With a free content, feeding can be 2-3 times a day.

Chalk, shells, etc. will do as mineral supplements. This is necessary to maintain the health of ducks. Feed supply (g/day) per head for ducklings up to two months old:

grain mixture - 15-50;
wheat - 20-30;
corn - 40-70;
millet - 8-19;
meat and bone meal - 5-6;
fish oil - 0.1-1;
fishmeal - 9-12;
chalk, shell - 1-5;
yeast - 4-6;
salt - 0.5-1.

A dry barn is great for keeping ducks, from which there is free access to grass. These birds do not need special care. Therefore, ducks are bred not only by farmers, but also by ordinary summer residents. For their feeding, special feeders and drinkers are needed. The first are small troughs, elongated. And drinkers are usually made in the form of an inverted bottle on a saucer. There should be a small distance between them.

Until the fluff is replaced by feathers, it is not recommended to let ducks into the water. This applies to ducklings without a mother. If the duck is involved in the upbringing of chicks, then they can be in the water from the fifth day of life. This is due to the fact that thermoregulation is formed in them earlier if they are with their mother. If little ducklings are surrounded by low temperatures, they will die from hypothermia. They must not be allowed to overheat. Birds at the age of 1 month are more hardy to cold. Therefore, they can survive indoor temperatures of around 8 degrees.

Cultivation of meat and breeding ducks. These birds do not have any special differences in nutrition. If all the rules for feeding and keeping ducks are observed, then at the age of two to three months they can already be slaughtered. The meat will be with good taste and high-calorie. It is recommended to slaughter the bird before it starts to molt. Because it will be very difficult to pluck due to the formation of stumps. Breeding ducks are formed by 5-6 months.

Duck is a fairly common poultry in the rural courtyard. It can often be found in rural areas, especially if there is a body of water. Ducks are raised for meat. By the age of one month, the young have a mass of up to 2.5 kg. An adult drake weighs about 4 kg. In addition, ducks lay up to 120 eggs during the year.

In this article we will talk about breeding and raising ducks at home for beginners. In addition, we will learn how to properly feed ducklings at home, what mixers, compound feeds are, what composition they have.

Growing and breeding ducklings

An interesting point is that duck eggs can be placed under a chicken or turkey, and they will incubate the eggs, mistaking them for their own. But a duck or a goose is unlikely to want to do the same with other people's eggs. So, as a hen, choose any of the three poultry - chicken, duck or turkey. Of course, it is better if it is a duck.

Up to 15 eggs are usually laid under the duck if the brood is planned to be obtained in the summer and up to 12 if in the spring. This is due to the ambient temperature. Naturally, more eggs are placed under the turkey, which is explained by its large size, and less under the chicken. The main thing is that all the eggs in the clutch are under the hen in order to evenly heat them with the body of the hen.

For the hen, a wreath-shaped nest is made of straw so that the eggs do not roll in different directions. The remaining components (for example, feathers) the mother hen will add herself. On the bottom of the nest, if it is located on the floor, put sawdust and chaff.

It is better to make a nest on a small hill and away from direct sunlight, in the darkest place of the house. There is no need to artificially shade this place. If it seems uncomfortable to you, make an impromptu partition. This will separate one nest from another and create a feeling of additional comfort.
The first brood is obtained already on the 27th day after the start of incubation.

After 1-2 days, all chicks should hatch. So that the mother hen does not hush them up, the ducklings are taken into a separate box immediately after birth. To do this, you can take a cardboard box lined with straw and floor. The normal temperature for them at this time is 30 degrees. Therefore, if the brood turned out in the spring, take care of an additional source of heat.

Keep the box, crate, or basket containing the ducklings dry.

After all the ducklings are born, they are returned to the hen - the duck. It is better to do it in the evening. Make sure that the mother duck takes them in, because during this period the chicks especially need warmth.

How can I raise ducklings in an incubator and how long does it take?

The main advantage of growing ducklings in an incubator is the ability to get a brood at any time convenient for you. In addition, you do not need to take care of the hen, and you can make an incubator with your own hands. Modern home incubators are equipped with temperature and humidity controls. Therefore, you just have to follow the process, turn the eggs over (if this is not automatically provided for by the design of the incubator) and occasionally open the device for a small short-term cooling of them and to remove accumulated gases.

Before laying, the incubator is heated, setting the temperature 1-2 degrees higher than necessary for the incubation of eggs at the very beginning of the process. Besides, it is recommended to make high humidity. To do this, several trays of water are installed on the pallet.

Due to the fact that the shell of duck eggs is stronger than chickens and they are larger in size, somewhat different in chemical composition, the brood appears later.

Duck eggs need more care than chicken eggs and require high humidity.

In the first week after laying, the temperature in the incubator should be at 38 degrees (the first 3 days - 38.2, the next 4 - 37.8). Humidity needs to be kept at 60%. After two weeks of eggs in the incubator, it is worth opening the incubator door twice a day for 30 minutes, lowering the temperature to 32 degrees. Then the temperature regime is resumed.

If there is an ovoscope, you need to check the eggs for the presence of embryos after 9-10 days. Do not allow a sharp drop in air temperature. Chicks appear on the 27-28th day within one or two days. Humidity is maintained at 55%. After the chicks dry, they are transferred to a box, basket, box, after putting dry sawdust, chaff, straw on the bottom.

Install an additional heating source so that the ambient temperature at the bedding level does not fall below 28 degrees and the air humidity does not fall below 80%.

Proper maintenance and care

In the first 20 days of life, ducklings need increased attention in relation to compliance with the temperature regime. If they are next to a duck, you should not worry about an additional source of heating - the duck itself is able to protect them from low temperatures. In the first week of life, the temperature should be maintained at the litter level of 27-30 degrees; in the second week - 23-26, in the third - 19-22. Then they get used to the natural air temperature.
As it was said before, bedding must be dry. Otherwise, the ducklings freeze and get sick.

The length of daylight hours at the beginning of life should be at the level of 20 hours with a gradual decrease to 12 hours at the age of one month.

Ducklings with a duck in the morning and afternoon are released for a walk after five days of age. In the evening they close in a room with additional heating if the air temperature is below the above marks. And after three weeks of age, you can leave them outside the room around the clock.

The presence of a reservoir is very good for raising ducklings. With an adult bird, they are released into the water after three weeks of life. Independently - after a month. You can keep ducklings in cages for the first two weeks. Then they are given more freedom. That is, partially walk. Monthly young animals are transferred completely to the contents of the paddock.

How to feed ducklings: compound feed, mash and do-it-yourself vitamins

The scheme for feeding ducklings at home for beginners is simple. Young growth quickly gets used to receiving food at one time. Therefore, you do not have to accustom them additionally to a specific diet. In ducklings, growth and weight gain is fast. At the age of three weeks, it weighs about half a kilogram, after six weeks its weight averages one and a half kilograms, and at 2.5 months it can already be slaughtered, since its weight reaches two and a half kilograms.

But it is better to kill them before the onset of frost, since in summer and autumn the main diet of ducks is greens and everything that they themselves find on the pond. That is, you have to spend a little on food.

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Feeding in the first days of life

Feeding ducks at home in the first week occurs 6-8 times a day. You can make a schedule so that the first feeding is early in the morning, the last before dusk. Finely chopped boiled eggs, fat-free cottage cheese, and other milk-based products are the main diet of ducklings during this period.
It is advisable to give food from narrow troughs, since wide dishes in the form of a brazier contribute to the fact that the ducklings simply trample the bulk of the food. Drinkers should not be placed next to food, since the latter quickly becomes wet, and the water becomes dirty.

The fact is that the duck is a waterfowl. At a very young age, she shows an instinct to eat food that is either in water, or to drink it immediately after falling into her beak. Thus, if the drinker is placed away from the food, the duckling, by the time it reaches the drinker after eating, will already swallow the bulk of it. Thus, clean water can be preserved. By the way, it is recommended to dilute a little potassium permanganate in it, but in such a dosage that it cannot color the water pink.

After five days, they begin to prepare mash for ducklings from the above products with the addition of ground corn and wheat turd.

As always, it is required to ensure that the water in the drinkers is fresh and clean. This is important because dirty and stagnant water is a carrier of many diseases.

What food to give to individuals from one to three weeks?

How to feed small ducks at home? After a week of life, ducklings are accustomed to greenery, because in the future it will become the main food in the diet of this bird. At this age, the duckling eats about 40 grams of various feeds. Gradually reduces the proportion of boiled eggs and dairy products, replacing them with large portions of wheat and corn grist. Feed of animal origin is added to the diet: fish and meat and bone meal.

By the age of two weeks, the duckling needs about 60 grams per head. By this period, a boiled egg, cottage cheese and other dairy products are completely excluded from the diet. Instead, more greens are given. Ideally, if it is duckweed. This bird eats it with pleasure in almost unlimited quantities. At the same time, intensive growth and mass gain begin.

It should not be forgotten that a growing duck eats much less. After 20 days of age, the ducklings are released into the pond along with the mother duck.

You can use "dry" feeding, in which the main diet will be purchased compound feed for ducklings. In this case, their cultivation will be more expensive, but ducklings grow faster.

Mixers are prepared immediately before feeding the birds, as moist pre-cooked food quickly turns sour.

How should ducks eat from one month before slaughter?

How to feed ducks at home in a month? Dirt of various grain crops, millet, meat and bone and fish meal, shells, chalk, sunflower cake, fodder yeast and greens - these are the components that make up the diet of young animals during this period of life.

In addition, grazing them on a pond diversifies food and reduces the cost of maintenance by about 2 times. The total part of turd in the diet is 40%, greens - 30%. If the duck has the opportunity to eat duckweed, then the component of greens in the diet is increased by one and a half times.

How to keep adult ducks at home?

An adult duck (drake), depending on the breed, can weigh from three to four kilograms. The most common breeds of meat ducks.

• Beijing: grows and gains weight quickly, tolerates winter well. Two-month-old young animals have a live weight of about 2.5 kg. An adult duck - up to 3.5 kg, and a drake - up to 4 kg. Egg production - up to 110 eggs per year. The meat is delicious.
• Bashkir color: meat of excellent quality, adapts well to new conditions, low fat content. Productivity is high.
• Black white-breasted: weight of an adult duck - 3-3.5 kg, drake - up to 4 kg. The meat is delicious. A distinctive feature of this breed is increased egg production - up to 130-140 eggs per year.
• Moscow white: the weight is the same as that of the black white-breasted. The meat is very tender and tasty. Egg production is high - up to 160 pieces per year.
• Gray Ukrainian: the live weight of drakes is 3-3.5 kg. Ducks - up to 3 kg. Egg production is very high and sometimes reaches 220 pieces per year.

Among the meat-egg and egg breeds, the following can be noted.

• Khaki Campbell- meat and egg breed of ducks. Has a calm personality. The average egg weight is 75 g, egg production is up to 330 pieces. The weight of a drake is up to 3 kg, ducks - up to 2.5 kg.
• Indian runner- egg breed. It got its name because of its high mobility. Egg production and weight similar to Khaki-Campbell. The meat tastes like chicken.

To decide on the choice of breed, you need to decide for yourself for what purposes you undertake to breed them. Meat breeds weigh more, egg production is less, in meat-egg and egg breeds - on the contrary. White and French ducks are also good for growing.

The room should be well ventilated, moderately bright and warm. An adult duck tolerates winter well, but it is better that the temperature in the room during this period does not fall below 5 degrees Celsius. For 1 sq. m area bred 4 ducks.

Walking way for this bird is better. But it depends on the possibility of doing such a walk and the presence of a reservoir. In this case, it is better to split the livestock into small groups - 10-15 heads each, separating them with low partitions. Of the reservoirs, shallow rivers and lakes are preferred. Walks are surrounded by a low fence. They can be made adjacent to poultry houses so that ducks can hide in a covered room if they wish.

The food is the same as for the young. Emphasis is placed on grain crops and corn, with more corn in the composition. Do not give ducks bread crumb, which negatively affects the bird's digestive system.

It is also forbidden to give not fresh mash. In general, if there is suspicion about the quality of the feed, it is best to refrain from feeding it to the bird. Do not forget to give green mass or let it out for pasture if there is no reservoir nearby. If there are bets or a lake nearby, drive them there. On it, ducks will find the bulk for their food.

If you feed ducks with non-purchased feed, then their composition may be as follows:

1. 40% of mixed grain crops, of which at least half is corn;
2. 30% green mass;
3. 10% grain waste;
4. 7% cake and meal;
5. 7% animal feed;
6. 6% shells, chalk, fodder yeast, vitamins, other mineral additives.

It is very important to give vitamins to ducklings and adult ducks, especially in the autumn-winter and winter-spring period, when there is not enough sunlight and there is no greenery at all. If it is problematic to buy vitamins, you can use brewer's yeast, which contain a lot of proteins, carbohydrates and fiber.

There is nothing difficult in breeding ducks. The main thing at the initial stage of their cultivation is to be attentive to the feeding processes, give balanced food and find a place for them to walk and a pond. Then not only will your family have tender and tasty meat, but you will also be able to more than cover the cost of keeping this bird by selling excess products.

Their maintenance does not require large territories and luxurious poultry houses. Due to their chic plumage, they are able to withstand almost Spartan conditions of existence. Most of the time they spend on the street, and in the absence of a reservoir, a trough with water is suitable for them. Of course, in a village, especially if it is located on the banks of a river, it is much easier to keep them. But in the suburban area, this is quite a doable event.

By the way, many note that with free swimming in reservoirs, the taste of duck meat subsequently deteriorates. The meat has a marsh flavor. But this fact is unverified. Maybe it's just a subjective feeling.

Benefits of breeding ducks

The products obtained from the rearing of ducks are the same as from other poultry. It is kept to receive

• meat,
• fluff,
• fertilizers.

As you can see, waste-free production is obtained. It is profitable to keep a bird. Let's look at each type of product separately.

Meat

For the sake of getting it, ducks are most often bred. In comparison with chicken meat, the dietary properties of this product are lower. It is fatty, hard, coarse-fibre. But the taste is more intense. And if you choose the Mulard duck breed for breeding, you can fatten them up for fatty liver, which is used to make the French delicacy foie gras. The direct translation of this French word means “fatty liver”. If you find a market, for example, in restaurants, you will get a solid income.

Eggs

They are large. The taste is peculiar. Many people don't like it. They are rarely used for food, although they are used in industry, for example, for the production of mayonnaise. But for the reproduction of the breed, as an incubation material, they are valued.

fluff

Its quality is very high. It is very warm and waterproof. This is due to the fact that, unlike the chicken, the duck is a waterfowl. And nature provided precisely such properties of her feather and down. It goes for stuffing pillows and feather beds. Previously, no girl could marry without such a dowry. Therefore, keeping ducks and geese was a matter of vital necessity.

Litter

Duck waste goes to fertilize the soil. They are especially appreciated by summer residents and gardeners. It is believed that it is better than the droppings of other birds.

To make breeding ducks as profitable as possible, you need to choose a breed that is suitable for your purposes.

Experienced poultry farmers usually opt for

• on Peking ducks;

• on musky ducks or otherwise indo-ducks;

Depending on the results you want to get, choose the breed of ducks.

Beijing

It is considered a meat duck. Meat yield - 65%. This is a very high figure for a bird. The meat, like all ducks, is tough. Peking ducks are grown until the first molt, which occurs at the age of two months (60 days). At this time, they usually weigh two and a half kilograms. After molting, the marketable weight of the carcass worsens, as a new feather begins to grow and stumps appear.

Indians

Privateers liked them. Therefore, they are most often found in home courtyards. But this is understandable. Their meat is more tender than that of Peking ducks. On the plot they do not create noise and shouting. They only hiss. They are also called "muteers" in another way. True, they grow more slowly. They reach a commercial weight of two and a half kilograms only by the age of three months. They have high immunity, rarely get sick. But they can fly far, which causes trouble for the owners. To avoid this, they need to cut one wing. Details about breeding indouts at home are written in the article of the same name.

Moulards

Hybrid species of ducks. It turned out as a result of crossing Peking ducks and Indo-ducks. Inherited their best qualities.

• The early maturity of Peking ducks.
• Tender and lean indoutok meat.

They have one drawback - they are not able to produce offspring. Therefore, they must be grown by farmers specializing in the production of meat. You will learn about the features of the breed and tips for breeding them.

After choosing a breed, you need to decide on their place of residence. In the poultry house, ducks will be at night and during frosts. If you already have a poultry house, then they can live with another bird. They do not require special conditions that are different from other birds.

Walking place

It has its own characteristics, which consists in the fact that there must be a large container with water. To some extent, it is able to replace the presence of a reservoir. Also, the space for walking should be fenced, and if small ducklings have hatched, then it is necessary to pull the net from above to protect them from the raid of feathered predators.

In winter, polycarbonate greenhouses are often used for walking. Then they install feeders and drinkers there. You can practice winter walking only when the air temperature is not lower than minus ten degrees.

parent flock

The herd is formed so that there is one drake for 5 ducks. Moreover, it is desirable that he be from another herd.

Selection nuances:

• A bird of the same age, the same in weight, is selected.
• With a single formation of a herd, July and August ducklings are left. And with multiple ducklings born in January, May and September.
• They are selected according to external signs - the most mobile and strong.
• Ducks keep good egg production for three years. Then they need to be changed.

Breeding ducklings

The choice of breeding method depends on the breed of ducks. Not all of them have a well-developed hen instinct. For example, Indo-ducks are excellent hens and mothers, but Peking ducks are not. Therefore, the former themselves can bring out the chicks, while the latter cannot do without an incubator.

incubation

A duck ready to incubate eggs is determined by the following features of its behavior.

• She sits in the nest for a long time.
• Rakes up the bedding.
• He plucks his own fluff.

From all this, she insulates the nest. To check the correctness of your conclusion, put a snag under it. If she remains sitting on dummies, then replace them with real eggs that have been prepared for incubation. The number of eggs should be such that the mother hen could cover them well, but not more than twenty.

The nest for incubation of eggs should be deeper than usual and located in a dark place. Nothing should distract the duck from this important process. Indians are born after 35 days, and Pekinese - after 28 days.

Incubation

For artificial breeding of chicks, the same incubators are used as for any other bird. During the incubation period, it is important to maintain the correct temperature at all stages of embryo development.

The first twenty days the temperature is maintained at thirty-eight degrees. In the following days it drops to 30 degrees. The terms for monitoring the stages of embryo development are as follows.

Control time	Egg changes
Eighth day.	A bloody mesh is visible. This means that the embryo is alive and the circulatory system is being formed.
Twenty-first day.	The embryo is clearly visible.
Day twenty-five.	The duckling is almost formed.

Rejected eggs identified during the inspection are removed from the incubator.

Selection after hatching and maintenance of young animals

When the ducklings hatch, they need to be given some time to dry out. Then identify all viable chicks; unfortunately, you will have to get rid of others. Healthy chicks look like this:

• they have bulging, shiny eyes;
• soft tummies;
• wings fit snugly to the body.

If the ducklings do not walk with a hen, then for the first month of life it is better to put them in a brooder. It should have no more than twelve heads per square meter of area. In the first week, daylight hours should be 22 hours. Then they begin to reduce it and bring it up to 14 hours.

Temperature regime

Optimal room temperatures at different stages of development of young animals are summarized in the table below.

At the age of one month, ducklings can be sent for grazing. Until that time, they should not be allowed to enter the water. Since their coccygeal gland does not yet produce the fat that lubricates the feathers and protects them from getting wet. Ducklings are grown until they reach a marketable weight of two and a half, three kilograms.

Feeding

Ducklings quickly get used to the feeding regimen. Therefore, it must be strictly adhered to. The feeding schedule is:

• the first fifteen days are fed five to eight times a day;
• up to three months of age adhere to four meals a day;
• after three months of age, a three-time diet is established.

They should receive food in a wet, but crumbly form. Dilute it with water or milk.

They should be given clean and fresh water to drink. If there is a lot of milk, then it can be given in a separate bowl.

Feeding an adult bird

Adult ducks need to be fed three times a day. Their diet should consist of moist crumbly mash and grain. To reduce costs, some of the grain feed is replaced with boiled waste from your kitchen. It is necessary to adhere to such a sequence of distribution of feed.

• In the morning (6-7 hours) - wet mash.
• In the afternoon (13 hours) - the same thing.
• In the evening (before sunset) - soaked grain.

The daily menu of a laying duck should consist of:

• oats - 80 grams;
• barley (preferably sprouted) - 75 grams;
• bran - 60 grams;
• fodder beets - 40 grams;
• vegetable protein feed - 15 grams;
• chopped green grass - 40 grams;
• animal feed - 11 grams;
• crushed bones - 4 grams;
• chalk - 9 grams;
• table salt - one gram;

In total, one adult duck should eat 340 grams of various feed per day. Meat breeds of ducks should consume more feed.

As you can see, effective duck breeding is only possible with a vast and varied body of knowledge. It is impossible to present all the necessary information in one article. Therefore, it only introduces the initial stage of this exciting and profitable activity.

The most important advantage of breeding any kind of poultry is their wastelessness.

After all, not only meat and eggs bring benefits, but also their fluff, it is possible to earn big money by selling young animals.

Today we want to understand in more detail how easy or difficult it is to breed domestic ducks, since this bird allows you to get not only excellent tasting meat, but also an excellent liver.

Let us focus on the necessary conditions for keeping these birds, feeding them, obtaining young offspring, their further rearing and caring for them.

Domestic ducks - how useful is this bird? Understanding the pros and cons of breeding

Of course, no matter how simple the breeding of poultry may seem, there are still a number of conditions and obligations that the poultry farmer will definitely have to comply with.

To begin with, let's figure out what advantages and disadvantages the process of growing domestic ducks has. Therefore, let us turn to the experience of poultry farmers who have been raising ducks for a long time and know a lot about this business.

Advantages of domestic ducks and the advantages of their breeding

If you prepare all the necessary conditions for these birds in advance, they will give you a very large amount of their products. Almost everything is very gaining weight well, without requiring abundant feeding - they are able to extract most of their diet on their own (especially if there is a reservoir nearby).

Duck meat has a variety of virtues:

• a special delicate taste, unlike any other species, surpasses even the curtain in quality;
• a large number of trace elements that are easily absorbed by the human body;
• the meat of modern breeds contains a very low percentage of fats, making it dietary;
• one individual of a meat breed can produce about 2.5 kilograms of a good product.

Also, do not forget about the existence of special breeds of ducks, which are grown exclusively to obtain high-quality liver used to prepare the well-known delicacy of foie gras. At the same time, the weight of the liver of one adult duck can reach 0.5 kilograms.

Enterprising poultry farmers sell it to popular restaurants, earning big money. You can also sell duck eggs, which also have significant value in the household: they are large, very high-calorie, with a hard shell. However, many do not like their not quite familiar smell, although in general it is easy to get used to it.

Among the others virtues breeding ducks at home should be called:

• Ducks are practically omnivorous, they consume and digest both food of plant and animal origin without any problems. With water content, these birds also take on the role of natural water filters.
• They are one of the most productive and early maturing bird species.
• Of great importance is not only direct production in the form of duck meat, eggs and down, but also the droppings of these birds. It is one of the best fertilizers for garden beds.
• Ducks are clean, do not stain their feathers and down, which allows it to be realized.
• Ducks can even be grown in cages, which quite saves space, mechanizes the processes of supplying food and water, and collecting eggs. In cells, it is much easier to maintain a sanitary and hygienic environment.

Cons that accompany duck breeding

Although we have referred the cellular method of keeping ducks to the advantages above, however, it has a negative effect on productivity. After all, the best way to breed these birds is to have natural walking areas with ponds.

Without such conditions, meat breeds can begin to lay large amounts of fat, which also affects the quality of their egg-laying.

It is believed that the cell content affects the quality of duck meat. With regard to nutrition, you will also have to fully comply with such requirements as quality, nutritional value and freshness.

We build a comfortable poultry house for keeping ducks

The room for ducks does not need to be built very large. Firstly, the birds themselves do not require this, and secondly, the smaller the room, the easier it is to heat or insulate it in the winter.

An important role in this is played by the fact that ducks lead an exclusively "mundane" way of life, they do not need high perches or special climbing poles, like chickens or turkeys.

In this regard, it is quite enough to build a house with a front wall of 1.8 meters, and a rear wall of only 1 meter. Yes, and the density of placement of ducks per 1m2 can be quite high. On such an area there will be enough space for 3 individuals.

It is very important that in the cold season there is a lot of bedding in the room. She is not only able to insulate the house, but helps the birds to hide and keep warm, to build a nest for themselves. For one adult duck, the litter should be approximately 6 kilograms.

You can use hay or straw. When it becomes very warm outside, it is better to remove the litter altogether: after all, the birds will sweat from the heat in the summer, dry grass will absorb moisture (sweat), dampness will develop in the house, and various diseases will follow it.

Features of the microclimate necessary for ducks and their offspring

• Temperature requirements. Adult ducks are quite able to endure cold temperatures, but by no means frosty ones. Therefore, the house temperature must not be allowed to drop below 0°C.

  During the laying period of ducks, it is optimal to maintain the temperature at the level of 18-20 ºС, which will have a very favorable effect on their similar activity. When keeping small ducklings that have just hatched from eggs, the temperature should be maintained at a level between 29-32 ºС.

  Every week it gradually decreases to 20 ºС acceptable for adults.

  You can determine the need to increase the temperature by the behavior of birds. If they begin to constantly huddle together, eat less, lose weight - this means that they are cold. In this case, be sure to insulate the house by any means.

  When the heat is very high, the birds will have rapid breathing, they will walk with outstretched wings, they will drink a lot. In this case, it will be necessary to improve ventilation.

• Required level of humidity in the house. Ducks tolerate moisture very problematic, although they are aquatic birds. It is better that it does not exceed 65-70%.

  Too high humidity is bad for how birds gain weight, and they may also begin to lose feathers. At very high humidity, the immunity of ducks is greatly reduced. It is also impossible to allow very sharp drops in the described indicator, ducks are very sensitive to this.

• Room ventilation is one of the main aspects of duck breeding. It is very important to make the poultry house in such a way that in late autumn and early spring fresh air can always enter the room, and dirty air comes out.

  In winter, artificial ventilation with the supply of warm air currents will be needed. And in hot weather, the birds will constantly be on walks or in aviaries, so they will have enough fresh air.

• Artificial and natural lighting of the poultry house. Natural lighting should not be too plentiful, since this will have to make large windows - direct sources of cold. But if you want your birds to lay their eggs better and longer, it is very important to provide artificial lighting in the house.

  In particular, with the help of it, it will be necessary to extend daylight hours in winter, reaching it up to 12 hours (additionally including morning and evening). It is worth starting to turn on the light from the end of December to the beginning of January, which will stimulate the loss of feathers in birds and improve the process of accumulating live weight.

  In spring, abundant artificial lighting stimulates the sexual activity of drakes well, so the daylight hours are extended by 2-3 hours.

We organize the optimal space for walking ducks: what to do if there is no reservoir?

The best option for keeping ducks, and the best for both the birds themselves and their owners, are free ranges near natural reservoirs. For birds, this is good because they get the opportunity to access almost natural habitat conditions.

The reservoir will provide them with the necessary food - duckweed, various insects and small fish. Also, in the water, these birds just love to cool off on very hot days. The advantage of this method of keeping is marked by the fact that such conditions stimulate very rapid growth of young animals and their entry into puberty.

Adults are also much better at gaining mass, while ducks are not even obese, as they get the opportunity to move a lot.

Why walking near water bodies is beneficial for poultry farmers? Yes, if only because in the summer you don’t have to build special pens for birds and bother with how to provide them with the necessary amount of clean water and food.

By the way, it is also very good to save on feed - almost 5 times. With natural walking, the birds themselves select the necessary diet for themselves, which is very well reflected in the digestive processes. Also, in this case, birds do not have to build special canopies under which they could hide from the hot sun.

Your only task is to let them out of the house in the morning and drive them to the pond, and in the evening give them some food and close them back to the house.

If your yard is small and there are no reservoirs, then all the necessary conditions will have to be created artificially. The most important thing is to build something like a pool or a small pond that can be constantly cleaned and replenished with fresh water.

Ducks will definitely need to be provided with plenty of natural food, especially duckweed.

The corral itself should be large enough so that the birds can roam freely without interfering with each other. Ideally, if the corral is placed right next to the exit of their house.

Duck diet: what is the best food to give to achieve rapid growth of birds?

Ducks are best suited for a combined type of diet, when it combines not only compound feed, but also greens, wet mash, and mineral components. This makes the food balanced, has a positive effect on the digestive process of birds.

You can directly include:

• Various grains - wheat, corn or barley (or all in turn).
• Cut off the wheat.
• Meal of soybean or sunflower origin.
• Peas (porridge from peas).
• Bone, feather, fish and meat and bone meal.
• Inedible fat.
• Powdered milk.
• Shells, trusted salt and premixes.

What feeders should be installed for birds?

Duck feeders can be placed directly on the floor as they are a type of bird with very low legs. In this case, it will be very convenient for them to eat. However, to prevent ducks from scattering food around, Don't put too much food in the feeders at one time., but exactly as much as the flock will be able to eat at a time.

Also, among all the birds there are often one or two individuals who like to climb into the feeder with their feet, trampling food and preventing other relatives from eating. Therefore, it is important to make something similar to a handle above the feeder, which would prevent the ducks from climbing inside.

Requirements for duck drinkers

The role of a drinking bowl for these birds can also be performed by a reservoir, but they also need to be installed in a dwelling.

It is best to choose wooden, with narrow walls. Ideally, if the water in them will flow through, that is, constantly fresh. For little ducklings, it is convenient to install vacuum drinkers.

Young offspring of ducks obtained through incubators and through hens

Ducks can be bred without problems both naturally with the help of brood hens and using an incubator.

Both of these methods are quite effective, however, when using an incubator, ducklings will not have a mother and will have to be monitored and looked after very carefully.

But the incubator is that it allows you to get the largest possible number of offspring.

Indeed, when a duck hatches eggs, the hatchability of young animals will depend solely on the manifestation of its maternal instinct.

Also, the larger the brood of ducklings you want to get, the more hens you will have to purchase.

How to raise duck young: feeding and living conditions in the first month after birth

Only ducklings that are born are fed boiled and mashed eggs. On the third day, cottage cheese is allowed to be added to it, and a day later, various boiled cereals. From the fourth day, you can already add greens and meat waste to the mixture.

In the second decade, ducklings can already be given boiled potatoes, but they will also have to be chopped. It is best to provide ducklings with wet mash, which will make it easier for them not only to swallow, but also to digest.

Little ducklings from the very beginning need to be taught to eat food. This problem is especially acute when young offspring are born with the help of an incubator. To do this, food should be brought directly to the beak so that the duckling grabs a little and feels its taste.

It is very important that the room for keeping ducklings is as spacious as possible. After all, if they get very crowded, the strongest will take food from the weaker ones, thus slowing down their development even more.

They can be released for walking on the fourth day of life. However, be careful that the ducklings do not get stuck anywhere, do not get lost and do not get into the teeth of a dog or cat. Gradually accustom them to water.

How to care for ducks to prevent obesity and disease

• Be attentive to the diet of your pets, try to make it as varied and nutritious as possible. Add minerals to it regularly.
• Provide the birds with as much space as possible to roam. This rule must also be observed in winter, since birds are especially prone to obesity at this time.
• The behavior of ducks is the most important symptom of the onset of diseases. Therefore, if you notice lethargy in birds, or vice versa, incomprehensible activity, immediately carefully examine the individual, protect them from possible interaction with the flock and proceed to treatment.
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