Positive aspects and features of duck breedingBirds can receive not only meat, but also eggs, down and litter as fertilizer. Virtually all breeds quickly gain weight, while it is not necessary to constantly feed them with special feed. If the bird has free range on the open water, the consumption of purchased feed is reduced by 30-40%, as they will be able to get their own food. Positive aspects and features of duck breeding
Duck meat has the following advantages:
- is superior in quality to chicken;
- contains a huge amount of useful and easily digestible trace elements;
- there are breeds with low-calorie dietary meat.
Another advantage of duck breeding is omnivorous, they can feed on both plants and insects. They quickly gain weight and are a clean bird. It is not necessary to build a house for livestock, as it can be kept in cages. As a result, they are easier to care for and clean. Another advantage of breeding domestic ducks is that birds perfectly purify water from excess grass in ponds. Due to this, not only improves the condition of the fauna of the reservoir, but also animals become healthier and more resistant to diseases, and also gain weight faster.
If ducks are kept only in a cage, their productivity can be significantly reduced due to a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Accordingly, the quality of meat deteriorates.
Poultry House
Before growing ducks, it is necessary to build a poultry house for them. A height of one and a half meters will be enough. For construction, you can use almost any material. The main thing is that they are environmentally friendly and safe, such as wood. One of the main conditions for breeding ducks - the room must be clean, dry and without drafts. Although they are waterfowl, they cannot live in dampness and dirt, especially since under such conditions there is a danger of an outbreak of infectious or viral diseases. The floor is made of wood or clay.
Humidity in a duckling should not be more than 65-70%, otherwise ducks begin to fall feathers, and immunity decreases.
The area of the house is calculated in such a way that no more than three adults per 1 m2 can be placed. Ducks do not need perches and other high devices. Everything should be on the floor or near it.
The floor of the house should rise at least 20 cm above the ground. This is necessary so that the rodents could not climb inside, as they not only eat food, but also are carriers of dangerous diseases.
A bed of straw, sawdust or hay should be laid on the floor in the house for keeping ducks. In winter, the layer is made thick, up to 40 cm thick, so that the bird can dig into it and keep warm. Change it as needed or once a week. In the summer, the litter is either completely removed or made thin. In winter, the temperature in the house should be above 0 ° C.It is very important that in the construction for ducks there is ventilation, for example, a window, since hazardous gases are released from the litter.
In winter, when the bird is in the house most of the time, it should be light at least 12-14 hours a day. Otherwise, they cease to sweep, and their activity decreases markedly.
In addition to ducks, it is possible to keep other birds( chickens, geese, turkeys) in the poultry house, the main thing is to divide them with a partition of at least 70 cm in height, otherwise the males will fight each other.
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The nest for ducks at home is made from 30 to 50 cm high, 50 cm wide and 50 cm deep. It is installed in a darkened place. Since ducks have short legs, they make the threshold no more than 8 cm high. One nest is enough for two or three individuals.
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For dry food, construct feeding troughs made of wood, and for wet mash from metal or plastic to make them easier to clean. Since ducks are sloppy birds and always scatter feed, in the middle of the tank should be rake or any other plank that does not allow them to climb on top of the feed.
For eating dry food, it is enough to allocate 6 cm per 1 individual, for wet mashes 15 cm. The main thing is that each bird can freely come and eat. If there is not enough space, then weak individuals will always stand aside and eat less food, which will slow down their development and growth even more.
For mineral supplements make different compartments. The drinking bowl should have such a depth that the bird can completely dip its beak, for example, 20 cm. The ducks drink a lot of water, so you need to constantly monitor its presence and freshness.
Where and how to make a walking and swimming area
Growing a domestic duck will be less costly and easier if the bird can walk outside the cage. In addition, it eliminates the likelihood of their obesity. Be sure to take a place for swimming. It can be done with your own hands, but in such a way that it is possible to change the water and clean the dirt. Even better, if the ducks have access to a natural reservoir, then they will be able to eat insects and grass. Bathing contributes to the rapid growth and development of birds.
During natural walking, ducks will be able to find and choose the food they need, which has a positive effect on digestion and health.
To prevent the bird from floating away, a fence is made in the open pond. In the water, it should be about 70 cm, and rise 50 cm above the water. If you do not make it, the bird will dive out and swim out of the enclosure. In addition, such a paddock will protect the flock from predators. It is better to place the open-air cage immediately at the entrance to the house on the south or southeast side of it. Enclose it with a net or a picket fence with a height of at least 1 m.
Read also: Diseases of chickens and their treatment5 m2.The manhole for exiting the plate is made square with sides of 40 cm. The valve for it is installed outside. You can not keep too many heads of birds in the house or in a cage, as this negatively affects their condition and health.
The video shows an example of how you can breed ducks at home in the winter.
Feeding ducks
In order for the ducks to get good nutrition and grow quickly, not only feed, but fresh grass, mineral supplements and wet mash must be present in their diet. Combined feeds can be purchased ready-made or do it yourself. For this, grain crops will be needed: barley, wheat, corn, as well as sunflower meal, fat, meat and bone meal or fish meal, salt, milk powder, premix and shells. Do not overfeed the bird, otherwise the meat will be too fat.
Feed should be poured as much as ducks can eat at a time.
In winter and spring, when it is too cold outside and there is no grass with insects, ducks at home are fed at least three times a day. In the morning and in the afternoon wet mash are issued, and in the evening a combined feed. If the ducks can already be fed on the run, it is enough to give out food 2 times a day, morning and evening.
If a sluggish bird appeared among the whole flock, it should be immediately separated into another cage and the cause of the weakness should be identified. After that, it is necessary to thoroughly clean and sanitize the piglet to avoid the spread of the disease.
What to feed the ducks - video
