Duck is a highly productive bird and not too demanding in care. Therefore, many summer residents and gardeners grow it. Of course, in order to get an excellent result, when breeding this poultry, you must follow some important rules.
Feeding
Which has its own characteristics and nuances, usually bred either to the tribe, or to meat. Feeding them in the early days of life is very similar to that at the same age. You can give crumbled yolk and all kinds of mixes. Animal feed begins to be fed on the tenth day. Usually it is fish or Sometimes you can give young and fresh fish. From the second week, boiled potatoes, as well as greens, are added to the diet.
Ducklings, the cultivation of which is not particularly difficult, should receive food in special troughs. Some poultry farmers use pallets or trays for this purpose. This is acceptable but undesirable. The fact is that ducklings will climb into them and trample the food. As for drinking bowls, they must be vacuum. Usually they are a bottle turned over a saucer.
It is best to place drinkers away from the feeders. Otherwise, ducklings, the cultivation of which has such a peculiarity, that they are fed six times a day in the first week of life, and four times after the second week, after each pecking they will run up to the drinker, while washing away the remaining food from the beak. As soon as the youngsters turn one month old, it will be possible to switch to a three - four-time meal.
Ducklings, which were grown with feeding dry fodder mixtures, as well as mixers, grow healthy and strong. If possible, it is necessary to arrange walking. Ducklings are not launched into the water until the fluff is replaced by a feather. This is the case if young animals are grown without ducks. If the female herself hatched the eggs and brings up the babies, the formation of thermoregulation in them occurs much faster. Therefore, they can start swimming with it without harm to themselves already on the fifth day of life.
Temperature mode
As for the first week, the air temperature at the floor in the barn should not be less than 28 and more than 30 degrees. Starting from the second, it can be reduced to 22 degrees, and from the third - to 16 degrees. Monthly ducklings, the care of which in this regard is also extremely simple, but requires the fulfillment of all the conditions indicated here, can withstand the temperature drop to 8 degrees without much harm to themselves.
Growing ducklings for meat and tribe
When grown for meat and tribe, it is exactly the same. If everything is done correctly and the owners will pay enough attention to their bird in this plan, it will be possible to kill the ducks already in 2 - 3 months. During this period, they have very high-calorie and tasty meat. The most important thing is to have time to do this before molting. Otherwise, plucking the pen will be very difficult, as hemp will appear. The most developed young growth is selected at the age of six months per tribe.
The most common breeds
Most often, in the homesteads of Russians you can see campbell, Indian runners, Peking and musk ducks. All these varieties are distinguished by endurance and unpretentiousness. Care of young growth of these breeds can be carried out according to the method described above. Only the cultivation of musk ducklings has some of its own characteristics. The fact is that in terms of lifestyle and anatomical features, this species is a cross between a duck and a goose.
With the onset of spring, many private farmers begin to think about raising poultry, since it is absolutely not difficult to care for it, it does not require large time and material costs, and at the same time, the occupation is quite profitable and can bring profit. For inexperienced poultry farmers, the question of how to properly grow and care for small ducklings is very relevant. After all, it depends on the conditions of detention and care how productive and healthy they will grow. This article will help you find answers to the most frequently asked questions and will be useful not only for beginner farmers, but also for experienced poultry farmers to refresh your existing knowledge.
Please note that it is best to buy ducklings in the spring at the age of one day. During the summer months they will grow stronger, grow and in the fall will be suitable both for slaughter and for further cultivation and breeding.
So, the first thing to take care of is a comfortable room in which little ducklings will live. They can be placed in an existing ducklings, while it’s good to wash and disinfect it first, or build a new one.
As a home for small residents, the most ordinary box is perfect. It can be plastic, cardboard, and some use an aquarium. The optimal size for such a volume is 45x65x45 cm. The box must be well insulated so that the ducklings do not freeze. Sawdust or old towels can be placed at the bottom. Make sure that they are always dry, as dampness is bad for young growth.
If it is cool outside and you are afraid that the young growth may freeze, put a hot water bottle on the bottom of the box and cover it with sawdust and towels. Water should be changed as it cools. The box must be put in a warm place where there are no drafts, as they are very dangerous for not yet mature ducklings.
Inside you need to put a bowl of water. It should be shallow, otherwise the kids will be able to get into it and drown. Be sure to change the water every day, as the chicks' stomachs are still very tender and dirty water can cause poisoning.
Lighting is important not only during the incubation period, but also during growth, as it affects the metabolism. The first 5-6 days, the daylight should be 20 hours, and then gradually reduce the duration to 15-16. Do not use too bright lighting, as it often causes ducklings aggression and cannibal habits.
Be sure to take care of the house, regularly clean the litter and all equipment.
Temperature
Properly selected temperature conditions are the key to successful growing children.
In a specialized store, you need to buy a lamp for a brooder, it is best if it has a power of 100 watts. With it, you can create the necessary temperature for ducklings. But be careful not to put the lamp very close to the young, as they can overheat, and in some cases get burned. From ducklings it is easy to determine whether it is cold or hot. If they shuffle everything together, then the temperature is not high enough, and if they each sit separately and at the same time breathe heavily, then this is a sure sign of overheating.
When they grow a little, the temperature needs to be reduced, just change the bulb to a less powerful one.
At the age of 5 days, the temperature should be high - about 30 degrees, by the 10th day it is necessary to lower it to 26, then by the 15th day to 24, and by the 20th to 22 degrees.
Make sure that the humidity is between 65-70%.
About Feeding
Ducklings grow very quickly and in two months they look like adult birds. But at the same time they are famous for high gluttony.
The first day after the appearance of the babies should not be fed, as they feed on the yolk from which they hatched. Then you need to slowly begin to give them food. It will be best if you purchase it in a specialized place. This food is balanced and contains all the necessary substances for the growth of babies. To make it easier for them to swallow food, the food can be slightly soaked with water, it can be slightly sweetened. They should have free access to food, as they often eat, but little by little. If the duckling refuses to feed, at first it can be fed with whipped yolk.
In the first weeks of life, protein should prevail in the diet, so it is useful to add cottage cheese, best low-fat, and boiled eggs.
Ducklings are very fond of a wet mixture of grain flour, eggs, cottage cheese and herbs. All this should be finely chopped. Nettle is best given as greens, as it is rich in vitamins necessary for growth. It is also very useful to give kids yogurt. It can be introduced both in pure form and wet food can be prepared on its basis.
If you want young growth to be strong, with good immunity, then do not forget to add vitamins and mineral supplements to the diet. After 12 weeks of life, ducklings can be safely transferred to adult bird feed.
Walking
If weather conditions allow and the air temperature is not lower than 20 degrees, then on the 5th day of life, little ducklings can be released for a walk. Young animals are allowed to the reservoir not earlier than the 20th day. Be careful not to let them swim in cold water, as this can cause a cold, and sometimes even death.
If they walk not far from the duckling, then build a canopy and a fence over the place of their walk. Such a canopy can save the kids from heavy rain or the scorching sun, and the fence will not allow them to scatter far.
Common mistakes
Without delving into the process of caring for ducklings, many inexperienced poultry farmers make mistakes that can greatly harm young animals.
Check out the most common.
- Many bred not only ducklings, but also other birds, such as chickens. And in order not to spend money on different feeds, give them the same food. This cannot be done, since the composition of the feed is different, and what is suitable for one can greatly harm others.
- Use processed feed. This food causes an upset stomach and causes irreparable harm to other organs.
- Add to the diet of the kids food that is not intended for them, for example, bread. You can sometimes add well-shredded vegetables or fruits to your food, but don't abuse it.
- Significantly extend the period of feeding.
- Young animals are released for walking in the scorching sun.
After reading this article, you began to understand how to properly care for little ducklings. The most basic rules are to observe the temperature regime, protect them from moisture and hypothermia, and choose a well-balanced diet. Observing these simple conditions, you can grow healthy ducklings.
Video “Growing ducklings”
The video tells about caring for the ducklings of the cross Mulard, how to keep the chicks so that they quickly grow and are healthy.
If a poultry farmer acquires eggs for hatchery in an incubator, or takes daily chicks, he should additionally find out how to grow ducklings at home, than to feed?
A well-formed diet is necessary for good weight gain, improved egg production and the prevention of poultry diseases. Daily ducks should eat:
- cereal crops;
- vegetables;
- succulent herbs;
- sand;
- animal feed;
- shells;
Females and males are given:
- crushed corn, legumes, crushed barley, oats, wheat;
- meal and cake obtained from oil plants;
- potato waste;
- beet cake;
- bran;
- water plants (elodia, duckweed);
- juicy greens: cut clover, peas, young nettle, alfalfa;
- combined silo (juicy herbs, pumpkin, beets, carrots are used for cooking);
- grated vegetables;
- fish and meat and bone meal;
- dairy products.
The diet will depend on the time of year and on what purpose the bird is raised. The menu of laying hens is significantly different from the menu of ducks, which are fattened for meat or left on the parent herd.
But it is necessary to monitor not only that the nutrition is complete and balanced. It is important to deal with the conditions of the bird. The house should be warm in the cold season and keep cool in the summer heat. The egg production of females directly depends on temperature; the duration of daylight also affects it. The number of laid eggs is significantly reduced if you keep the females in moist and dirty rooms.
A litter about 30 cm thick is made on the floor in the house. For its preparation in the summer, straw, peat, wood shavings, sedge are prepared and dried well.
Ducks need space for walking: it is desirable that birds have the opportunity to swim in ponds. In the absence of such conditions on the ground, water containers are installed in which they will bathe. Aviary for birds is necessary not only in the summer, but also in the winter. In the cold, ducks are taken for a walk to the territories cleared of snow. You can prevent freezing of the paws if the ground is covered with a dense layer of straw.
During the walk on the street, poultry farmers clean and ventilate the house. Compliance with the requirements for care and feeding allows you to maintain a healthy duck herd, provide good weight gain and excellent productivity. If the poultry breeder decided to do fattening ducks for meat, it is important to correctly compose a menu from the first days of the ducks life.
How to make a diet for ducklings?
First of all, the poultry breeder must decide what exactly he wants to feed the appeared brood. It is allowed to use granular mixed feeds or a full-feed mixture from the first days of life.
Newborns need protein foods. They are given:
- boiled eggs;
- low fat cottage cheese;
- other dairy products.
On the first day, chicks are soldered with a solution of manganese or mild antibiotics. This is done to prevent mass deaths from common infections and to increase defenses.
Poultry farmers should understand that chicks purchased from the poultry farm will not eat well at home. It is better for them to give compound feed, otherwise it will not work to quickly feed such ducklings for meat. Chicks that were hatched at home, especially those that are kept with a brood duck, are given standard home feed from day one.
When drawing up the menu, it is necessary to take into account such nuances when feeding at home:
- during the first 6 days, food is given up to 8 times a day;
- from 7 to 15 days the number of feedings is reduced to 6;
- from 16 to 30 - reduce to 5;
- from 31 to 4.
When feeding with a special balanced compound feed, it is not recommended to give vitamin-mineral supplements separately. Feed is poured so that they always remain in the feeders after eating. This will be a guarantee that young growth is eaten plenty. Separately, sand, crushed shell, fine gravel, and chalk are placed in containers.
In the first 2-3 days, the farmer makes sure that there are no hungry chicks left. Otherwise, death of young animals from starvation cannot be avoided. Individuals who do not eat on their own have to be force-fed. Initially, they use a pipette to instill a weak solution of manganese. Near the place where starving birds are sitting, a crushed egg is poured.
Important! If the ducklings do not start to eat on their own, then experts advise the poultry farmers to dilute the yolk with milk to a mushy state. The resulting mixture is fed to hungry babies through a pipette. Usually, once is enough for the ducklings to start eating on their own.
Some experts recommend starting green feeds from 3-4 days, while others recommend waiting until they reach the age of two weeks. At the beginning of greens should be about 10-15% of the total amount of food. In this case, you should monitor the feces. With diarrhea, the menu is revised.
By two weeks of age, the diet is expanding. Chicks are fed what adults are. Only the amount of feed is different.
But it is not necessary to independently prepare mixtures for feeding. Many go the other way: they buy ready-made feed. It contains all the required trace elements, vitamins. Some feeds contain antibiotics and medicines designed to prevent many diseases.
With mixed nutrition, it is allowed to pour a mash three times a day, and in the evening - mixed feed. Herbs, grated vegetables, fruits are added between feedings. As succulent forages, weeds taken in the garden are used.
With the home method of feeding, it is recommended to add vitamin complexes to food. They give fish oil, concentrates of vitamins A and D. Purchased mineral supplements are replaced with crushed shells and chalk. An unbalanced diet and lack of vitamins leads to poor weight gain, the appearance of diseases.
Common mistakes
Knowing the need to add animal feed and bread production waste to the diet, some breeders begin to give fish or bread in large quantities. But the fish is added to the feed not earlier than 5 days of life, and it is better to wait a bit with bread. It provokes fermentation in the stomach and can even lead to the death of young animals.
Bread provokes fermentation in the stomach of young animals
Some novice poultry farmers do not prepare mixers properly. They should not be pasty, too thin or sticky. When eating such mixtures, the nasal openings of the chicks can become blocked, and this is fraught with the appearance of unpleasant consequences.
You can avoid mistakes if you know how to properly expand the diet, to figure out when and how to feed young ducks.
Feeding chicks of different ages
If you feed the ducklings with compound feed, then there are no questions. It is enough to figure out how much to pour on the basis of each head.
- At the age of 1 to 10 days, 25 g of compound feed is enough.
- Ducklings aged 11-20 days give about 70 g.
- Chicks aged 21 to 30 days are supposed to pour 110 grams.
But many farmers are interested in the features of cooking homemade feed. The optimal composition of the feed mixture for ducklings is shown in the table.
An increase in weight indicates the proper feeding. So, by 10 days healthy ducklings should weigh 200, by 20 - 500, and by 30 - 800 grams. Fattening for meat lasts only 2-2.5 months. Aged individuals weighing 2 kg are killed.But for a good set, it is important not only proper feeding, but also bird care.Type of feed 1-10 days 11-20 days 21-30 days 31-60 days
Boiled eggs (up to 3 days of age) 3
-
-
-
Juicy greens (finely chopped) in the summer 15
50
90
90
Cottage cheese 3
-
-
-
Duckweed -
15
-
-
Silo (in winter) -
10
20
20
Food waste -
15
40
50
Boiled potatoes -
10
40
60-80
Wheat bran 5
10
30
40
Ground cereals (barley, corn, oats) 2
40
55
80-100
Curtain and oilcake 1
3
7
15-20
Grain waste (tear) -
20
30
50
Yeast 0,2
0,3
1
1
Chalk (shells) 1
2
4
6
Bone, fish meal 0,5
1,2
4
6
Salt -
0,2
0,4
1
Fine gravel -
0,5
1
1
Skim milk 5
15
20
-
Features of breeding and growing ducklings at home for beginners
Having received offspring from eggs or having bought diurnal ducklings, you should figure out how to keep them. The main requirement is to provide heat. If you keep the chicks in a box or basin, then litter should be made on the floor (you can put a piece of cloth or a disposable diaper). An incandescent lamp is hung from above so that the young can not get it. If the ducklings freeze, they will pile up under the light bulb.
In the first 5 days it is necessary to maintain the temperature at the level of 26-28 ° C, from 6 to 11 days it is enough 22-26 ° C, and by day 20 it is permissible to drop to 18 ° C. Monthly birds can live at a temperature of 16 ° C.
From the age of two weeks, ducklings can be bathed. They are not immediately released into open water bodies; they are put a container with heated water in which they will swim. But with long swims, the chicks can get too cold and get wet. Therefore, farmers are closely monitoring the time of bathing.
But worry about the kids who are with the mother hen is not worth it. The duck itself provides them with the necessary heating and leads to swim already from 3 days of life. The mother hen greases the wards with grease, which prevents them from getting wet. But it is advisable for the poultry farmer to ensure that only the hatched babies are in the water for no more than half an hour.
Video - How to Grow Healthy Ducklings
Poultry farmers should know the peculiarities of poultry rearing on free land and water range.
Fattening and keeping on free pasture without ponds
In the summer, many practice fattening birds for meat on land walking. On the fenced area, special canopies for young animals are installed. Beginning poultry farmers should deal with the recommended size of the fence: the fence should be a height of 1 meter or more.
Important! With land content, the organization of good water supply is required. Water should be available at any time of the day. If there is no water, then the appetite worsens, the rate of weight gain decreases.
It is also necessary to ensure that ducklings have the opportunity to hide from the scorching rays. In the absence of natural shade (for example, from trees), special shelters are made. Experienced poultry farmers are advised to do double walks - from the north and south. This allows young animals to find the coolest places for themselves.
The cleanliness and dryness of the places of detention are given special attention. Even in the rainy season, the birds are not allowed to have wet litter or get dirty in the mud. Otherwise, feathery feathers will be on the chest at the time of slaughter.
To ensure dryness helps the correct installation of drinkers. They are best placed behind the grid so that the birds had to stretch their heads through the holes. This will prevent water splashing in walking areas.
Ducklings are fed free-walking at least 4 times. They are recommended to pour mixes on whey or yogurt. Also, in separate containers there should always be shells, fine gravel. The menu for young animals with free land maintenance does not differ from the menu for chicks who have access to swimming pools.
Fattening and keeping on a free range with a reservoir
Experienced poultry farmers recommend in the summer to provide ducklings with access to water. But water enclosures should be fenced 50 cm up above the water level and 70 cm down. Underwater fencing is necessary so that ducks do not have the opportunity to dive and swim away. They build fences from metal nets, rails or even fishing nets.
The size of land and water walking is approximately the same. On the land part canopies are placed. Their length and width is determined based on the amount of poultry contained.
In the area where streams flow, walks are organized near them. You can fence the plots and put fences on both sides of the stream. Thus, a double walk is formed. But the feeders are placed on one shore, the other side is intended for resting birds.
As well as with the land content of mature ducks, they are fed 3 times with mash mats. In the evening feeding pour grain. Intensive feeding and the right conditions allow them to be slaughtered for meat at the age of 50-70 days.
Feeding meat ducks at home
From the first days of life, ducklings should properly compose a diet. With a competent approach, in 2 months they gain at least 2 kg of weight. Young animals at the age of 2-3 months are distinguished by excellent taste characteristics, so most of the grown ducklings go to slaughter.
In the early days, the chicks are given protein food: boiled eggs, cottage cheese. Poultry farmers need to check the freshness of the products, because the digestive system of young animals is sensitive.
To feed the herd, adhere to the standard diet for young animals. An approximate diet of young ducks, which are grown for meat, is displayed in the table.
When breeding ducks, it is necessary to understand in advance how and what to feed the poultry.
When breeding ducks, it is necessary to understand in advance how and what to feed the poultry.
It is especially beneficial in homestead farms to grow ducklings for meat. Ducks are viable, they pay well for meat, they are very early. So, if at a daily age the live weight of a Peking breed duckling is 50-60 g, then from 50-60 days it is 2.0-2.5 kg, i.e. increases by 40-50 times. Duck meat has a high calorie content, excellent taste and can be successfully used for cooking first and second courses.
When growing ducklings for meat, an amateur poultryman should know some biological features of this type of tire. One of them is molting (juvenile and age), during which there is a complete change of operemia. Juvenile molting begins immediately after the end of the plumage growth at the age of 05–70 dienes and usually lasts about 2 months. During molting, the ducklings lose weight, and the resulting hemp (the beginnings of new feathers), which are very difficult to remove, worsen the presentation of the carcass. Therefore, ducklings grown for meat should be slaughtered before molting, i.e. at the age of 50-60 days.
We must not forget that every extra day overexposure of ducklings during rearing entails a sharp increase in feed costs. So * if up to 50 days on
Approximately 2.7-3 kg of concentrated feed is spent per 1 kg of ducklings growth, then from 50 to 60 days it’s already 5-5.5 kg, and from 60 to 120 days -25 kg, i.e. almost 8 times more.
For growing, ducklings of normally developed, firmly standing on their feet, mobile, with a well-drawn in umbilical cord and without traces of bleeding on it are selected. Ducklings! blind, with and curved beak and other defects should not be taken for cultivation. Such a selection can be made both when purchasing daily ducklings at night 6 and the poultry station * and when hatching under hens. Ducklings, as well as juveniles for other species of poultry, can be raised with brood hens and without them, but in the latter case, artificial heating of the young is necessary. The first 10 days of ducklings can be grown in heating boxes (elevozs) or on the floor, heating them using conventional electric heaters, which can be purchased in specialized stores. They are easy to use and well heat young l.
In the premises where ducklings are located, the temperature should be maintained within 18-20 HP. In cages and elephants, where ducklings are kept from I to 10 days of age, the temperature at a height of 5-8 cm from the floor should be 26-25 ° C, and for ducklings from II to 20 days of age - 22 -2 O'S. The best indicator of proper heating is the behavior of young animals. If the ducklings are peppy, running or sitting without getting bored, then the temperature in the premises is normal. At high temperatures, ducklings breathe heavily, their beaks are open, they refuse to feed. At low temperatures, ducklings freeze * write, get bored, stronger individuals at the same time crush the weak.
After taking the ducklings for growing, the main task of the poultry breeder is to feed and drink as early as possible] to feed ducklings of any age in moistened mashrooms, and also to feed them in separate feeders. E about - deyu, rdesty, hornwort should be grinded before karmliyaip, risk and whole form give young growth from 3-5 days of age.
Breeding ducks is a useful and profitable occupation for a family with a small plot of land. A little knowledge, experience and a couple of months of economic work allow you to get the necessary annual smell of meat and a significant income. Ducks - birds are hardy, unpretentious in care, quickly gaining weight. They get along with all kinds of birds in a rural compound. Breeding ducks is meat, eggs and fluff. Everything that can be converted into money or usefully at home.
Duck Breeding Goals
We can cultivate ducks with the following goals:
- Getting natural meat. It is darker and fatter than chicken, has larger fibers, a rich taste;
- Egg picking. They are larger than chicken (the weight of one is about 90 g), great for making mayonnaise, baking, salads;
- Getting fluff. Pillows and blankets are made from it.
All these derivatives can be dealt by resellers, if they are in excess. An additional “bonus" can be considered duck litter, which is a better fertilizer than that produced by other domesticated birds.
Site preparation
If the chicks were purchased before the onset of heat, it is important to buy a special lamp that will warm them. As the temperature in the street grows and rises to a minimum of 18 ° C, ducklings can be taken out into the yard by constructing a shelter from a fishing net or a netting in a sunny place. From above it is also necessary to cover it, because around it is full of feathered and fluffy hunters for game. At the bottom of the grid, it is important to ground them down or arrange the boards so that there are no gaps through which the chicks can exit.
For winter maintenance, you need to build a full-fledged insulated barn, providing it with artificial lighting. Productive duck breeding is possible only indoors without drafts and dampness. The latter significantly increase the chances that the birds will begin to get sick.
Inventory
Caring for ducklings at home implies the presence of a feeder and drinking bowl in their habitat. The watering hole should be checked regularly, as chicks and adults drink and spill a lot of water. It is always important to monitor its purity, otherwise there is a risk of bacterial infections.
The feeder should be made in the form of a gutter so that the chicks do not trample the food, thereby making it unfit. If a place is arranged for adult birds, it is important to take care of nests abundantly lined with straw. For 3 layers one nook is enough.
Breed selection
Almost all domesticated birds are divided into egg, meat and universal meat and egg species. Breeding ducks at home for beginners is possible only after choosing a breed that satisfies its characteristics. The most popular among farmers are the following species:
- Beijing
- Musky or Indy;
- Black-breasted;
- Gray Ukrainian;
- Moscow White;
- Bashkir color;
- Blue favorite;
- Indian runner;
- Khaki Campbell
- Mulard.
They all gain weight at different speeds, and eggs at different frequencies. These breeds differ in their behavior, taste characteristics of meat, the possibility and characteristics of breeding. For example, mulardi, being a hybrid, are not able to reproduce.
How to choose healthy ducklings
Successful rearing of ducklings at home for beginners is possible provided that they purchase a full litter with a high survival potential. To do this, at the poultry farm or specialized poultry house, select the chicks according to the following criteria:
- Shiny eyes without opacities;
- Smooth legs without defects;
- Uniform plumage, exclude ducklings with “bare” tummies;
- Clean butt without traces of diarrhea;
- Healthy appetite. Check this by raising the ducklings hand with food;
- Mobility, noisiness and curiosity of chicks.
Breeding conditions
- Balanced diet;
- Warm and dry "housing" without drafts.
Dampness and cold air are the causes of paw diseases and weak immunity of birds. Growing ducks will become impossible due to their mass mortality or poor mass gain caused by the banal neglect of the conditions of immature chicks.
Walking ducklings is necessary, but only after they reach a weekly age, subject to a minimum street temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. It will be good for them to build a pond from any trough, but only birds that have reached a month of age are allowed to it.
Duck food
Feeding ducklings at home for beginners consists in acquiring a balanced dry food. It contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and even antibiotics. If you want to save or feed young animals only with healthy food, include in their diet:
- Boiled eggs;
- Fresh herbs, in particular nettles;
- Algae, for example, duckweed;
- Cottage cheese;
- Cereals and legumes, in the form of ground cereals and bran;
- Meat and bone meal;
- Vegetables,
- Fish fat;
- Fodder yeast;
- Vitamin supplements.
Mature chicks can be mixed with food waste from the kitchen. Uninterrupted maintenance and breeding of domestic ducks is possible only with their full nutrition. Make sure that birds do not eat spoiled food. We are talking about wet mashrooms that stood for several hours in the sun.
IMPORTANT: For very young chicks who refuse to eat from a common feeder, a mixture of raw yolk and milk is forcibly pipetted. This allows you to increase their survival.
Winter duck keeping
Experienced farmers know how to keep ducks at home in winter and get an early spring brood. To do this, it is important to observe the following rules:
- The temperature in the barn is not lower than 5 ° C;
- Artificial lighting, providing daylight for up to 16 hours;
- Three meals a day;
- Daily pouring dry flooring, such as hay or sawdust, so that dampness does not increase.
Walking in the winter season is allowed if the temperature in the street has not dropped below 10 ° C, there is no strong wind. It is recommended to remove snow near the barn. Year-round cultivation of ducks is impossible without proper care for them in the winter.
Disease prevention
Proper care of ducks at home implies taking care of their immunity. On the first day you need to drink them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Chicks are quite resistant to various types of infections, but still they are better given an antibiotic. You can choose grisin and breed it according to the instructions. Weekly ducklings should be drunk.
Offspring
The knowledge of how to breed ducks at home can be gained by gaining many years of experience or right now. Begin by selecting a bird for the tribe. You need to choose moving ducks of the same age and weight. Only healthy birds will bring quality offspring.
Egg selection
Growing ducks at home for meat does not exclude that several adults will remain to receive young animals. Eggs must be selected carefully, excluding everything with a deformed shell. They must be stored until planted under a duck at room temperature for no more than 10 days. The eggs in the refrigerator are not good.
Natural incubation
How to breed ducks with minimal participation in this process? It is enough to collect the eggs and put them under the duck at the right time. It is simple to determine the brood hen: it starts to keep apart, in a chosen place it equips its nest, pulling out its own feathers. No more than 20 eggs should be placed under it. Depending on the breed, their brood will hatch 28-35 days.
Provide her with a feeder and a drinking bowl inaccessible to other birds. When the ducklings begin to hatch, take them into the boxes so that the hen does not press down. Only when all shells are left from the eggs, return the chicks to the mother. Provide dryness and temperature from 24 ° C in a shed with young growth.
Incubator use
After collecting a sufficient number of eggs, they must be placed in an incubator. It depends on its functionality whether you will need to turn the eggs over, independently check the temperature and humidity level, and ventilate the container. When mastering the cultivation of ducks at home for beginners, keep in mind that the offspring from the incubator are weaker, more poorly fed, and the overall birth rate is lower.
Before laying, the container must be warmed up. All the subtleties of changing the temperature and humidity levels for hatching ducklings of a particular breed must be found out separately from the breeder so as not to spoil the eggs or get a weak brood.
Offspring
The ability to carefully select strong chicks will allow you to become a specialist in the matter of how to grow ducks at home. Young growth is evaluated by the following criteria:
- Brilliant eyes;
- Wings pressed to the body;
- Soft belly;
- Non-bleeding umbilical cord;
- Fluffy uniform plumage;
- Weight is from 50 g.
Growing young
If the ducklings have sat in the brood hen, then they remain with her in a dry and warm house. The duck herself knows when to heat the chicks, and when it is already possible to lead them to the water. If young growth was purchased or obtained by incubation propagation, then it must be kept in a daily cleaned box at an air temperature of at least 24 ° C.
For each square meter of the area used by the fence should be no more than 20 ducklings. Otherwise, they will crush each other and there is a risk that the weakest will be trampled to death. If the box is too large, then the ducklings will become cold, which is also harmful for them.
Proper cultivation of ducklings at home for beginners implies compliance with the nutritional rules of this species of bird. You should know not only the diet of young animals, but also that the frequency of their feedings in the first week should be maximum - 7-8 times. Transfer them to a normal diet when they get stronger.
Any household starts up for a specific purpose. Therefore, before buying a bird, decide whether you need it for meat, eggs or the sale of chicks. It completely depends on which ducks it is better to breed at home specifically for you. Meat breeds do not need a winter shed - they are slaughtered when the required mass is gained. Other ducks will have to pay attention year-round. In any case, this is an absolutely justifiable occupation.
Viable offspring are the key to further successful breeding of ducks.
