The basis of the diet of ducks is cereal feed (barley, millet, corn, oats and their waste). A valuable product is precisely barley, which can be fed to both adult birds and young growth, since it contributes to the formation of feather cover. Oats are also included in the diet, as it not only makes the feather cover more dense, but also prevents biting. But for successful maintenance, not only high-quality feeds are needed, but also a comfortable room for birds.
In the article you will find all the necessary information about growing and feeding ducks at home, depending on the season. You will also learn how to choose the right breed for home breeding and equip a house for keeping livestock.
Breeding ducks at home for beginners
Note: When breeding ducks, eggs are also obtained, but because of the specific taste they are practically not used as food, but are actively used for breeding young animals.
For breeding birds, it is necessary to equip not only the house and the paddock, but also a small pond so that the ducks can independently earn their own food.
Divorce ducks at home
For this purpose, you can buy ready-made young animals and grow it to the right weight. In addition, at home they practice the maintenance of decoy ducks and the removal of young animals in incubators (Figure 1).
Note: In small chicks, it is difficult to determine the breed. Therefore, if you want to buy a bird of a certain type, it is better to give preference to specialized farms or shops.
Daily ducklings, unlike young birds of other birds, can be kept not in the brooder, but in the general house. To do this, you need to equip a separate corner with a clean litter, feeder, drinking bowl and heater. Chicks are very sensitive to temperature conditions, and in the first week the air should be warmed up to at least 33 degrees. In the future, the temperature is gradually reduced and already at the age of one month young animals can be released for a walk.
Technology
The technology of breeding and keeping ducks at home involves a certain preparation:
- The holding area may be small. An area of \u200b\u200b70 square meters will be enough for 150 birds. It houses a house, paddock and a small container of water.
- The premises for the maintenance (house) are built of durable materials with high thermal insulation properties. This is necessary, as little ducklings are bought or hatched in early March, and the room should be warm and dry.
- It is also necessary to purchase feed: grain, combined and mineral. Regardless of the time of year, birds need a complete diet for growth and development.
Figure 1. Features of breeding ducklings at home Feeding ration developed by breed and season. For example, in the summer, birds may not seek food on their own, and in winter, the lack of green grass must be compensated by mineral fertilizing.
Breeds of ducks for breeding (description of breeds)
The most common is the Beijing breed. However, its meat is high in fat and not suitable for everyone. Meat with a lower fat content can be obtained by breeding musky ducks (Figure 2).
Representatives of these breeds are characterized by high early maturity, and are ready for slaughter within 2-3 months after the start of cultivation. In addition, they have a fairly high egg production (about 100 eggs per year), and adult individuals are unpretentious in keeping and feeding.
Figure 2. Popular breeds for home breeding: 1 - Peking, 2 - musky, 3 - Mulard Another suitable breed for breeding at home, according to consumer reviews, are Mulardy. The weight of an adult can reach 6 kg, they acclimatize well in a new place, are undemanding to food, but their instinct for incubation is practically not developed. Therefore, young growth can only be removed in an incubator.
Feeding ducks at home
Despite the high nutritional value of barley, ducks do not eat it well when dry. Grain must first be soaked in water for 10-20 hours, and then issued directly in the water, from where they will peck the swollen grain.
Wheat waste is fed only to adult birds and only as a component of dry mash. Rye waste is included in the diet in smaller quantities and only three months after the harvest, since fresh rye and its waste can cause digestive upsets.
The main types of feed
From juicy feed ducks are very eager to eat chopped beets, potatoes, swede and turnip. Animal feed include buttermilk, fish, and reverse. To increase egg production in laying hens, it is necessary to include in their diet herbal flour, silage, carrots and baker's yeast.
Figure 3. Types of feed for ducks: succulent (left), 1 - barley, 2 - wheat bran, 3 - crushed shell for mineral feeding Mineral feeds include limestone, bone meal and crushed shells. In addition, ducks digest fiber relatively well compared to other poultry, but the proportion of feed rich in fiber should not exceed seven percent of the total diet (Figure 3).
It is necessary to equip the correct bird feeders, based on some recommendations:
- With a dry type of feeding, the length of the feeder should be calculated in the ratio of 4 cm per bird;
- The size of the drinker must be made so that one individual has 2 cm of distance;
- When feeding with wet agitators, the length of the feeder should be slightly longer. To prepare the mash, you can use the reverse, skim milk, food and grain waste, duckweed and tops.
From the video you will learn how to properly prepare various feeds for adult ducks and young animals.
Cereal
It is cereal feed that forms the basis of the diet. They contain many carbohydrates necessary for the normal functioning of birds. In addition, with the consumption of grain ducks quickly and stably gain weight.
For feeding, it is better to use corn, but wheat, barley and oats are also suitable. You can also feed legumes, which contain not only a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, but also protein.
Waste from the processing of agricultural raw materials
Such waste includes bran, oilcake and meal. From the point of view of compiling the diet of ducks, these feeds are very useful due to the high content of vitamins and minerals.
To replenish the diet with useful substances, bran or other processing waste is introduced into the menu, mixing them with grain feed or wet mixers. Also, birds can be given dry bread soaked in water.
Succulent feed and root crops
If there is a paddock with a pond on the site, the ducks will independently obtain green fodder for themselves, eating aquatic vegetation and grass. But for proper feeding, root crops must be added to the diet (Figure 4). For example, birds can be fed grated carrots or pumpkins, and in the wintertime they can give out silage and fodder cabbage.
Figure 4. An example of a diet containing succulent feed and root crops You can also harvest green plants (nettle, clover, alfalfa) and give them chopped directly to the pen.
Animal origin
In wild conditions, ducks eat not only aquatic vegetation, but also small fish and insects. Since at home it is problematic to obtain such food for birds, their diet must be enriched with animal feed.
The advantage should be given to fish and meat and bone meal. These products are stored for a long time, and to replenish the nutrient reserves in the body, it is enough to add only a few grams of flour daily.
In addition, dairy products can be given to birds. It is best to use low-fat cottage cheese, as fresh milk quickly sour and can cause digestive upsets.
Mineral supplements
Ducks need more mineral supplements than other types of poultry. Without such products, the process of digestion and assimilation of nutrients will go slower, and the egg shell will be too thin.
Shredded shell, limestone and eggshell are given as mineral top dressing. Also, small doses of table salt are added to the diet, but only if the birds do not eat salted kitchen waste. Tanks with large river sand or gravel are additionally placed on the paddock. It is necessary for grinding food in the stomach.
Summer feeding
In order for individuals to fully develop and be distinguished by high productivity, their feeding ration should be completely balanced and include (Figure 5):
- Carbohydrate feed, as a source of all nutrients, and primarily starch (oats, rye, corn, potatoes, beets);
- Protein feeds of animal and vegetable origin (buttermilk, reverse, slaughterhouse waste, fish and meat meal, as well as legumes, meal and meal);
- Vitamin feeds serve as a source of essential vitamins necessary for the full growth and development of young animals, as well as for the high productivity of adults;
- Juicy foods are an important component of the diet. In addition to beets, turnips, carrot tops and cabbage leaves, ducks also eat aquatic vegetation (for example, duckweed);
- Mineral feed is necessary for the formation of bones and eggshells (bone meal, eggshells, chalk, shells, salt).
Figure 5. Components of a balanced diet: 1 - carbohydrate feed, 2 - succulent feed, 3 - protein feed (meal), 4 - mineral feed (bone meal) All components of the diet should be balanced. For proper feeding, it is easiest to buy special industrial feeds that fully meet the nutritional needs of ducks.
Features
The easiest option for summer feeding is grazing birds on an open range with a pond (Figure 6). Under these conditions, they independently find food, which can significantly save on feed.
Note: If the ducks are on an open range all day, it is enough to give them food only twice a day.
Figure 6. Feeding in the summer For ducks that are constantly in the pen, a special diet should be made. In this case, feeding is carried out 4 times a day. Dry cereals mixed with mineral fertilizers are given twice, and wet mixes are made twice, which also consists of cereals, as well as chopped root crops and aquatic plants.
Shredded greens can be scattered around the corral during the day without restrictions. However, the plants must be thoroughly rinsed and ground before delivery.
rules
Particular attention when feeding should be given to the preparation of wet mash. They should be prepared immediately before delivery and in such quantity that the birds eat all the food at one time. This condition is necessary so that the food remains do not deteriorate and the digestive upset does not start in the birds.
Root crops are washed before delivery, all rotten or damaged fruits are removed, and ground on a grater.
How to feed ducks in the winter at home
In winter, birds do not have the opportunity to look for food on a walk. That is why the question of how to feed ducks in the winter at home is very relevant.
In order to maintain bird productivity and weight gain, it is necessary to correctly draw up a diet for the cold season (Figure 7). It should be balanced, and include all the necessary substances for the full growth and development of individuals.
What you need to know
The main feature of winter feeding is that food is not given out four, but twice a day. In the first feeding, a wet mash with silage is given, and in the second, a grain mixture with bran or other waste from flour milling.
Figure 7. Winter feeding ration The diet must include boiled potatoes, steamed hay and animal feed. This will save the productivity of birds and prevent loss of live weight.
Features
Features of the winter diet depend on for what purpose fattening is carried out. For example, individuals intended for slaughter for meat are given more feed containing carbohydrates (for example, cereals). This will increase body weight.
Laying ducks make up a more balanced diet. It must include mineral fertilizing, which will ensure the formation of a strong egg shell.
Feeding rules
Feeding ducks in winter depends on the type of individual. For example, laying hens are mainly given concentrates, while reducing the proportion of succulent root crops and roughage. Such a diet begins to be administered about a month before the start of oviposition.
Ducks intended for slaughter for meat begin to feed intensively immediately after birth. This is due to the fact that from the moment of birth to the slaughter takes only 3 months. During this period, birds must accumulate enough muscle mass. In the first few days, little ducklings are given boiled eggs mixed with low-fat cottage cheese. Subsequently, boiled potatoes, ground grain and mineral dressings are introduced into the diet. About two weeks before slaughter, the percentage of protein feed is increased. This allows you to accelerate weight gain. Fishmeal is excluded from the diet, as it leads to the formation of an unpleasant taste and smell of meat.
Keeping ducks at home for beginners
When planning duck breeding at home, it is necessary to provide conditions for keeping birds. First of all, it is necessary to build a strong house and equip a range with a pond.
Indoor are feeding troughs, drinking bowls, perches and nests. You also need to take care of the optimal microclimate. For little ducklings, it is necessary to install a heater, and when keeping adults, do the ventilation of the room.
Nesting
Nests are placed in the darkest corners of the room. It should be borne in mind that there should be free access to the nest for collecting eggs and changing the litter.
As the material for making nests, plywood is most often used. A small box with a height of 50 cm is made of it. Width and length are 40 and 50 cm, respectively. In the front part, make a small nut (no more than 8 cm) so that the duck can freely step over it, and the eggs do not roll out of the nest (Figure 8).
Figure 8. Drawing and photo of duck nests The number of nests is calculated by the number of individuals in the herd. The optimal ratio is 1: 3 (one nest for three ducks). It is important to consider that birds carry eggs mainly at night and in the early morning, therefore it is better to collect them at the beginning of the day.
Room requirements
If ducks are planned to be fed in spring and summer, they can be kept in light wooden buildings or under canopies. For year-round maintenance, it is necessary to equip more thorough buildings with a sufficient number of windows and external insulation. The poultry house must be dry, and drainage grooves must be dug around it to drain rainwater.
Figure 9. Drawing of the house and its equipment inside and out A solarium for walking with a fence of 0.6 meters is equipped in front of the house. If the climate is hot and dry, a small pond is also equipped in the solarium, and so that the birds can freely go to the area for walking, a special hole is made from the house, the perimeter of which is insulated. Examples of equipment for a ducklily and tanning bed are shown in Figure 9.
Note: It is important that ducklings are very afraid of sudden rain. They do not run away from him, but simply stand with their beaks open. After the rain, the chicks must be dried and warmed up.
Ducklings intended for slaughter for meat in the summer can be grown on limited water ranges. A canopy is installed near the pond to protect the chicks from rain and sun.
Heating and airing the chicken coop
Adults do not need to install additional heating appliances. To maintain the optimum temperature in the house, it is enough to make it from durable materials, insulate and lay out high-quality litter. Little ducklings need heating, so incandescent lamps are installed above the place of their maintenance.
Note: If ducks are kept in winter in a region with a harsh climate, it is still worth installing heating equipment. To do this, you can put stove heating in an adjacent room or use any other available heating method.
Ventilation is a necessary condition for the normal development of birds. Therefore, in the chicken coop, they make windows that open in the summertime. It is also necessary to install supply and exhaust ventilation, which will provide an influx of fresh air into the room.
Feeders and drinkers for ducks
Poultry equipment should be made of durable materials that can be easily washed and disinfected with special hot solutions (creolin or soda ash).
Note: For wet mixes, metal feeders are used, and for dry and mineral feeds, wooden.
Due to some features of eating food, duck feeders should be filled no more than a third. In addition, they need to be made in the form of a gutter or trough so that birds do not spread food during meals.
Drinkers are equipped in a holding room so that birds have access to fresh water around the clock. So that the drinkers are not contaminated with droppings and litter, their edge should be done at the height of the backs of adult birds. Ducklings younger than ten days of age should have such a depth that the chick can completely immerse its beak in water and rinse the nasal openings.
Figure 10. Feeders and Duck Nests In the house, nests for eggs are obligatory equipped, the bottom of which is covered with a clean soft litter. It is also important to ensure a stable temperature regime, high-quality ventilation of the premises and the correct duration of daylight hours. The equipment options for nests and duck feeders are shown in Figure 10. In addition, you will learn detailed instructions for making duck feeders and drinkers from the video.
Ducks Mularda: breeding at home, reviews
The breeding of Mulard ducks at home is worth considering in more detail, since they have practically no developed instinct for hatching, and it will not work to get young animals naturally.
Note: The breed is a mixture of musky duck with Peking. Like most hybrids, the Mulard lost the instinct of reproduction, so they are bred exclusively by artificial means.
According to reviews, the breeding of this breed is beneficial because of the rapid growth and low fat content in meat. However, for fattening poultry for meat, it is necessary to buy young animals in specialized farms, or to breed independently in an incubator. Most poultry farmers prefer to buy chicks, since self-breeding is associated with certain risks and often does not lead to the desired result.
Many young naturalists, just beginning to study the inhabitants of the wild, often feed the bread of ducks swimming in the nearest pond. However, most of them do not even realize that instead of caring for the birds, they inflict irreparable harm on these waterfowl. After reading this article, you will learn what ducks that live in the wild eat.
Habitat
Since mallards are considered the most common in our country, then we will speak about them. Those who want to know the name of the grass that the duck eats will probably be interested in the conditions in which these birds live. The traditional habitat of wild mallards is considered shallow open water bodies of artificial or natural origin. It can be stakes, rivers, lakes or ponds around which grow or shrubs.
Wild waterfowl ignore the rocky and bare shores, since there is no place suitable for arranging nests. In winter, mallards migrate to regions with a warm climate. However, they can live peacefully throughout the year in non-freezing ponds.
Lifestyle features
Before moving on to what wild ducks eat, you need to understand the basic nuances of their lifestyle. These live in northern America, Europe and Asia. In October-November, birds that have strayed in huge flocks fly off to warmer climes. Favorite places for wintering are countries such as Italy, Greece and Spain. Mallard colonies that arrived in the southern ponds often stretch over several square kilometers. The sound made by such a flock of flies vaguely resembles the sound of a sea surf.
In February or March, wild ducks go to nesting sites in northern and temperate latitudes. Interestingly, mallards rarely appear in open water. Most often, they try to hide in the thick of aquatic vegetation. These birds love to wander aground and delve into the mud. The mallard has excellent sensory organs. These cautious, smart and cunning birds are able to adequately assess the circumstances and are quite easily domesticated.
A few words about nesting
Those who want to figure out what ducks eat do not hurt to find out that the birds that arrived at the nesting place are divided into pairs. Mating on the water is accompanied by loud screams. Females lay eggs in a secluded dry place. Simple nests constructed from dry leaves and carelessly twisted stems are covered with duck down.
One female lays from eight to sixteen oblong eggs of a grayish-white hue, which do not differ in appearance from the eggs. It takes 24-28 days to hatch. Females selflessly hatch their offspring, leaving the nest only in case of emergency. Hatched chicks literally the next day go to the water. Young growth is growing quite quickly and already by the age of six begins to fly.
What does a waterfowl diet consist of?
Those who are interested in eating ducks will not hurt to find out that the weight of these birds directly depends on the amount of feed available to them. As a rule, they are forced to independently take care of their food. The basis of their diet is small amphibians, insects and aquatic plants.
It should be noted that ducks eat the same appetite of frogs, worms, small fish, snails, grasshoppers, duckweed and sedge. Often they make night raids on nearby farming fields, where cereals are grown. As for the amount of food, females hatching offspring require twice as much food. It is worth noting that in the summer, the basis of the bird's diet is vegetable feed. At this time, they feed on the fruits, leaves, and stems of plants.
How can wild ducks be fed?
Waterfowl, living in the immediate vicinity of human habitation, are often fed by people. In order not to cause irreparable harm to the health of waterfowl, it is important to know what geese, ducks and other inhabitants of natural and artificial reservoirs eat. Those who really want to help the birds need to remember that they can be fed with grated cheese, oatmeal, soft vegetables and fruits. All these products are especially useful in the spring, when females hatch chicks.
In addition, there is another list that includes the so-called neutral products, not able to harm ducks, but also not bringing them special benefit. These include small fish, cabbage and potatoes.
What can not be fed wild ducks?
Paradoxically, it is strictly forbidden to feed feathered birds with white bread. It does not contain any ingredients that are valuable to the bird. This product fills the bird's stomach, creating a false feeling of satiety and forcing the duck to give up the search for more wholesome food. If, despite the prohibitions, you still want to treat the ducks with bread, leave it on the shore. Otherwise, you risk polluting the reservoir and causing the death of some of its inhabitants. Also, the list of non-recommended products includes milk, peanuts and any food that contains saturated fats.
Those who don’t know how much ducks eat will be interested in not giving too much food to the birds. This is due to the fact that the feathered inhabitants of water bodies, accustomed to regular feeding, begin to partially lose the food search instinct. In addition, such birds refuse to fly away to the warm regions in a timely manner and often die in winter cold.
How to feed wild ducks in different conditions? The question is really relevant, because free-living birds are adapted to slightly different food than their domesticated counterparts.
About food cravings and abilities of any animals speaks of their oral apparatus. Ducks have a flattened beak. Using it is convenient to filter the water. Ducks in ponds dive to a shallow depth, capture mud or algae, and then filter it all through their beaks. On land, a flat beak allows pecking young shoots of grass, pecking soft fruits.
In the wild, ducks feed on algae, plants, and small fish.
Thus, in nature, ducks usually feed on:
- small aquatic organisms from insect larvae to small fish;
- seaweed;
- aquatic and coastal flowering plants;
- roots and rhizomes;
- fruits of land plants, etc.
This list means that ducks, despite their specific oral apparatus, can be called omnivores.
How to feed a wild duck at home
The food of wild ducks living at home must necessarily consist of plant and animal components.
If we summarize all the diets, then feed mixtures for wild ducks can be prepared from the following ingredients:
- cereals: corn, wheat, barley, oat;
- different types of flour: alfalfa, grass, sunflower, whole wheat, legumes, bone as a source of animal proteins;
- sprouted grain of wheat, rape, peas;
- oilcake, bran or meal from sunflower, rapeseed or soy;
- brewer's and baker's yeast (a good source of vitamins B);
- cooked vegetables: beets, potatoes, carrots;
- fresh chopped vegetables.
At home, wild ducks are fed cereals, oilcake, boiled vegetables. All these mixtures can be prepared in different proportions and options. The main condition is the presence of water near the feeder. After all, the duck needs to drink water all the time and rinse the food in it.
Animal proteins can be given separately from plant-grain mixtures, and can be included in their composition. Usually at home ducks are given various insect larvae (bloodworms, maggots), earthworms are well suited. You can grind non-fibrous meat and fish fillets through a meat grinder.
Cereals in mixtures usually make up 80%, grass and vegetables - about 10%, animal components - at least 10%.
In summer, the duck must provide the opportunity to swim in the ponds and graze in coastal meadows. If this is not possible, then finely chopped grass should be included in the duck's diet.
How to feed ducks in a pond and in ponds
Before you start feeding them, you need to think - is it worth it? If ducks live in a good natural body of water, where there are a lot of fish and shallow water with mud and aquatic plants, then these birds will feed themselves.
Ducks that live in water can be fed with berries and fruits. Another thing is if there are too many ducks per unit of water surface, and the shores have lost their natural vegetation. In this case, artificial feeding is indispensable.
If the ducks settled somewhere in a pond or in a lake away from urban crowds, then you can feed them with the mixtures described above. If it is not possible to provide such feeding, ducks will have to be fed directly in the water.
In the pond, in addition to bread, you can give:
- grated hard cheese, which does not immediately sink, therefore almost all is selected by ducks;
- thick oatmeal (roll the balls and throw or serve directly into the beaks);
- boiled vegetables in small pieces;
- fresh berries and fruits, cut into small pieces.
However the best option is a special combined feed for ducks. They are produced in granules, so when they get into the water, they do not immediately dissolve.
In the winter in the city, when the ducks refuse to spend energy on flights, the townspeople take care of feathered “patriots”. And they’re doing it right, because in the ice-free sections of city rivers, lakes and ponds, ducks cannot naturally feed themselves. Their two-thirds feed consists of what people give.
In winter, ducks must be fed. In order for the ducks to live safely until spring and fly away to arrange their personal lives, they must be fed a variety of foods. Of particular importance are animal feed. In this case, you can grind the fish fillet, mix it with compound feed, sprouted grain, oatmeal or porridge, and then roll this mixture into small balls. Any waterfowl overwinter on such balls.
How to feed wild ducks in winter
Feeding ducks in winter differs from other seasons in that the birds are not able to peck green grass or catch any living creatures in the pond. A person must replace them with missing vitamins and animal protein. At home, the basis of the winter diet is a mixture of cereal and bean grains.
Combined mixtures are prepared from the following ingredients:
- Corn. Universal food for many species of birds. It is better to use varieties with yellow grains. They have more vitamins.
- Wheat. It is characterized by a high content of protein and vitamins E and B. It is better to use wheat, designed specifically for pet food.
- Legumes Most often, poultry is fed with peas; beans and beans are quite suitable for ducks. However, not all birds can peck large grains as a whole, so they will have to be crushed.
- Oats. It contains up to 5% fat and a lot of amino acids. For winter conditions this is especially true.
In winter, wild ducks are fed with a special grain mixture. Attention! Mixtures of grain can be given in dry whole form, can be soaked. Necessarily part of the grain needs to be germinated. So you provide your ducks with vitamins, replacing the green grass.
If wild ducks have to be fed by the method of throwing in water, then it is better to choose peas from all grain crops. He swims for a long time on the surface of the water and is quickly picked up by ducks. However, in any case, it is necessary to resort to feeding with special compound feed. There is already everything that domestic and wild ducks need.
Found a chick - how to feed him
This usually happens in the second half of summer or autumn. This greatly simplifies the task.
The subtleties of fattening a youngster depend on his age:
- The duckling is still very small, yellow, from the cover there is only fluff. At this early age, you need to feed your baby with cool boiled and finely chopped eggs. As it grows, dry cottage cheese and crushed grain are added to the feed.
- If the bird already has a few feathers, it can process more coarse food. Now the duckling can be fed with crushed grain and finely chopped grass.
- About 10 days after the fluffy lump has come to you, the chick can be fed boiled potatoes and chopped herbs. Perhaps a combination with other boiled vegetables. The food should be fed semi-dry, as the duckling is not yet able to clean the beak after the sticky mass.
- After the chick has completely replaced the down to feathers, it can be fed as an adult duck.
Little wild ducklings need a special diet. You need to feed the little ducklings every two hours. After 10 days of life - every three hours, then you can limit yourself to three meals a day. If you are going to raise a bird indoors, it should always have fresh water for drinking. Periodically, the duckling needs to be fed chopped duckweed and algae.
Can wild ducks be fed bread
Ducks wintering on frost-free city ponds are forced to eat bread in large quantities. This is the simplest food that citizens can offer birds. If birds have no other source of food, then they end up in an extremely unhealthy situation. This is called "plant on bread and water."
Of course, even arthropods or small fish can swim in bodies of water even in winter. This can save ducks from vitamin deficiency and digestive problems.
With a bread ration, birds develop fermentation processes in the intestines. The more ducks eat bread, the more they experience hunger. It is formed from vitamin deficiency and dysbiosis. This leads to the fact that birds with great greed fill their stomachs with the same bread.
Experts do not recommend feeding wild ducks bread. Note. Such birds can survive until spring, but they will be more weakened than their relatives, arriving from distant countries, where they waited for the winter in natural conditions.
What you can not feed wild ducks and chicks
Ducks cannot be fed bread. Moreover, any and in large quantities, especially banned are muffin and brown bread. You can’t feed ducks at any age with fatty foods. Under the ban are roasted seeds, peanuts, fatty dairy products. Curd is given only to small downy ducklings.
And even more so don't throw everything you eat into the water. Ducks can pick up a product that is obviously harmful to them. Moreover, food in the water quickly deteriorates, as a result, birds eat foods infected with fungus or putrefactive bacteria.
Feeding ducks, a person believes that he helps these birds in difficult times. However, this is not always the case. It is necessary to feed correctly not only domestic, but also wild ducks. Otherwise, your care may cause the death of birds.
Among poultry, ducks are considered unpretentious and very independent pets, but it is impossible to achieve good productivity only with food obtained on a walk. How to feed ducks so that they show their best sides as quickly as possible, grow up healthy and hardy?
In nature, waterfowl consume juicy plant foods, do not disdain insects, small fish, roots and cereals. The menu necessarily includes crushed shells, sand and pebbles. The diet of ducks should be equally varied at home. At the same time, the poultry breeder must take into account that the purpose of the cultivation is to feed a well-fed livestock, achieve high egg production and obtain viable strong ducklings. Therefore, the feeding of ducks in the conditions of the economy is plentiful, balanced in nutrition and energy value and more satisfying.
What to feed a domestic duck: crops
The main rate in compiling the ration of ducks in a private compound is made on cereals. The grains of different cultures contain:
- a lot of carbohydrates that provide the bird with enough energy;
- proteins, which are the basis of the structure of muscle mass;
- cellulose;
- vitamins and mineral salts.
On feeds with a predominance of cereals, ducks quickly gain weight and grow, and correctly selected grain is easily digested and is liked by both young and adult birds.
Out of the whole variety of cereal crops, experienced poultry farmers prefer corn, which contains a little fiber, but easily meets the energy needs of ducks and contains carotene. Compound feed for ducks may include up to 50% of the grains of this culture. If the mixtures are prepared for young animals, then the corn content is reduced by about 10%.
In wheat, the second most popular and valuable crop, there are more proteins and a lot of B vitamins. When fattening ducks, the poultry farmer can devote about one third of the bird’s food to this cereal.
Not only crushed wheat grain is used, but also coarse flour. It is better to add it to wet mixers.
Barley is no less valuable than wheat, but the shell of the grains of this crop is extremely poorly digested and can cause ducks to be unhealthy. Therefore, ducklings are recommended to give crushed and peeled cereals, and in the diet of older ducks it is useful to include germinated grains, the usefulness and nutritional value of which is much higher.
You can add oats to duck food. This culture leads in the content of fat in a grain, there are a lot of vitamins and amino acids of proteins in it. But in order to benefit from such food, the poultry breeder needs to take care of cleaning the grain from practically indigestible shells.
Legumes are famous for their high protein content, which, for example, is about 20%. However, ducks are relatively indifferent to such a feed, therefore, it is introduced into the menu in crushed form and not more than a tenth of the total portion size.
How to feed ducks at home? What besides grain will benefit livestock?
We must not forget about meal and meal. They contain a lot of oil, potassium and phosphorus remaining after processing the seeds, as well as protein necessary for the growth of ducks. in the menu of poultry, these products from a wide variety of oilseeds can account for up to 10% of the volume of cereals given.
From the age of three weeks, ducklings can be given carbohydrate-rich beet pulp. Cheap and useful bran. This product contains a lot of proteins, but since the bran base is coarse fiber, it’s important not to overdo it. Its excess in the diet of ducks leads to digestive problems.
From 10 days of age, ducklings add yeast to the ducklings. They, like dried and then soaked in water bread, are a wonderful source of B vitamins.
Juicy duck feed
Green duck feed is a favorite food of all kinds. In nature and on summer walks, the bird is especially eager to eat juicy aquatic vegetation containing a lot of trace elements, proteins and vitamins. How to feed ducks if they do not have access to a natural body of water?
The birds are offered pre-harvested duckweed and other crops, and also do not forget about the benefits of herbs, which is always on almost every site. It:
- nettle, which before feeding domestic ducks must be doused with boiling water;
- tops of peas, alfalfa and other fodder legumes;
Ducks are happy to eat juicy vegetables, for example, rich in carotene and carrots, as well as almost all types of cabbage, lettuce and green onions.
Melons and roots when feeding ducks must be crushed. If the menu includes potatoes and sugar beets, then they are pre-boiled.
Animal feed for ducks
At home, duck feeding is not possible without the addition of animal products. It is an excellent source of protein, calcium and other elements indispensable for the proper development of poultry. The inclusion of fish and meat and bone meal into the diet is well perceived by waterfowl. You can add minced meat from frozen fish, shredded and heat-treated meat waste to the menu.
From the first days of life, ducklings are given skimmed cottage cheese, then other fermented milk products are included in the diet. They provide the body of chicks with calcium and easily digestible protein.
Mineral supplements in the diet of ducks
Calcium is vital for all types of poultry. This is not only a building material for the skeletal system, but also an element, in a huge amount consumed by layers, to form a strong shell. How to feed domestic duck to replenish these expenses?
The bird is offered:
- crushed eggshell;
- a shell carefully ground and added to the mixers;
- bone meal.
If salted feed is not included in the diet of ducks, then sodium chloride, which is a source of sodium and chlorine, is given separately.
In addition, coarse, washed sand or fine gravel must be offered to poultry as an indispensable mineral supplement. These seemingly inedible menu components are extremely important for ducks, as they provide quick digestion of roughage and grain.
Minerals are not mixed with duck feed, but are poured into separate containers, the filling of which must be constantly monitored.
Feeding domestic ducks according to season
From the middle of spring, throughout the summer and most of the fall, the feeding of domestic ducks is as diverse as possible. If the bird has access to a reservoir, then it independently extracts to the required daily amount of feed.
However, this does not remove liability from the poultry farmer. Dokorm is still necessary. How to feed ducks returning home from grazing?
The ducks kept in the pens eat four times a day. Two feeds are wet feeds combined with greens, and two more meals are grain mixes and compound feeds for ducks. A bird that obtains part of its food on its own must get cereals and protein components of the diet.
The peculiarity of summer duck feeding is strict monitoring of food rationing. Servings are calculated so that after one approach, the feeders are emptied, otherwise acidifying residues will cause serious infections among the livestock.
With the onset of the cold season, the list of "dishes" in the menu of domestic ducks is significantly reduced. What do ducks eat in this difficult time? So that the bird does not lack vitamins and mineral salts, they are offered a silage of herbs and chopped vegetables, as well as grass meal and steamed hay. In the diet of ducks necessarily include animal feed, boiled and nutritious grain mixtures.
In the cold, the feeding of domestic ducks is calculated in such a way that food covers the body’s energy expenditures not only for growth, but also for warming.
Drawing up a diet for laying hens and for fattening ducks
Domestic meat ducks have hastened and for maximum productivity when fattening require a special diet almost from birth.
The faster the bird gains the slaughter mass, the more tender the meat will be. Therefore, the menu for fattening ducks should be as balanced and varied as possible, including both proteins for building muscle mass, as well as carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
Layers need their own “diet”, to which birds are transferred 20 days before the laying of eggs. In the diet of this category, birds introduce more concentrates and protein-rich feeds. Particular attention is paid to replenishing the body with calcium, providing the growing needs of the duck in moisture, and reducing the proportion of green, coarse and juicy foods.
The laying menus include sprouted grains and yeast containing many amino acids and active substances.
Feeding the little ducklings - video
Features of the diet of ducks are related to the fact that they belong to waterfowl. Agricultural feed produced today can provide these birds with all the substances necessary for healthy living. When choosing food, one should not forget about seasonality, which plays a significant role in life and the formation of the needs of birds.
Feed types
Many experts are of the opinion that ducks are omnivores that fit almost any food. In principle, these birds can well eat the remnants of the food of the host family, but modern poultry farming still recommends using professionally selected feeds for a balanced diet. The nutrient content in them is already selected taking into account the specific metabolism and lifestyle of ducks.
As for humans and many mammals, one of the basic essential components of duck nutrition is protein. Wild birds can easily get their own animal protein in the form of:
- worms or small amphibians,
- insects.
Domestic ducks are deprived of such an opportunity.
Carbohydrates are also an integral part of duck nutrition. These important elements of the diet are responsible for obtaining vital energy and maintaining the activity of the bird. Without fats, normal development and weight gain are impossible. Also, ducks meals should not do without minerals, vitamins and various useful supplements - they can strengthen the immune system and maintain healthy bone tissue. All of these ingredients are parts of the feed, which will be discussed later.
Agricultural feed materials
Various bran, cake and meal products can become a frequently used duck food.. In many processing plants, all this relates to the waste of the production process, but in poultry farming these materials are quite useful.
The result of the processing of oil plants by type of compaction are oilcakes and meal not only from sunflower, but also from:
- rapeseed
- soybeans
- peanuts
- cotton.
Such foods contain potassium, also phosphorus and fat. These components are necessary for the formation of healthy bone tissue.
The consumption of such food for birds to a careful owner would seem quite reasonable. Experts advise giving processed raw materials at the rate of 5-10% of the body weight of one individual.
Another possible dietary supplement is branthat are formed as a by-product of the milling industry. In different parts, embryos of wheat, oats and other cereals enter the bran, as well as a shell of grains and sometimes flour. Bran can serve ducks as a source of easily digestible protein and fiber. Birds can be given bran in the amount of up to one fifth of the weight of the duck.
In poultry farming for feeding young and adult individuals also used barda - industrial waste in the manufacture of bread and potatoes. Such food can be introduced into the menu of birds aged one month or older. It is recommended to give bard weighing no more than 10% of the body weight of ducks.
Constantly formed in the sugar industry beet meal is also great for eating ducks. This type of oilcake is rich in carbohydrates, and therefore is an excellent compound feed for birds gaining weight. The caloric content of such feed is quite high, therefore, birds will systematically increase the fat layer when using such a cake weighing even 9% of the weight of the duck. Such a food component should be given to the birds no earlier than reaching the age of 20 days.
Brewer's yeast, also called baker's yeast, will become an indispensable source of B vitamins for poultry. Even ten-day-old ducklings can receive such food, it can also be given in dry form. But the amount of yeast should be small - less than 3% of the bird’s body weight.
Animal nutrition
Wild ducks independently add animal protein to their menu. Such foods are:
- all kinds of worms
- rodents
- insects
- fish,
- some amphibians and invertebrates.
Hunting for such prey is often impossible for birds living at home, so bird owners should ensure that poultry receives all the necessary components from other, more accessible sources.
Since ancient times, an irreplaceable assistant to the poultry breeder is fish meal, the composition of which partially coincides with the components of small fish, in which there are a lot of bones. Such flour is quite convenient to store. Fat-free flour, which is devoid of excess lipids, is considered to be the most useful for birds, but it is a source of protein, phosphorus, calcium, and B vitamins. Fish meal weighing no more than 7% of the total weight of all obtained feed should be one duck per day. Farmers often prepare such flour on their own from minced meat, for which fresh fish is taken, and the bony one is also suitable for this purpose. The maximum allowable portion of such flour is 30 grams per day.
Meat and bone meal is not so rich in nutrients, but it is also quite common in poultry farming. Protein makes up about 30 out of 100 grams of such flour. It can be mixed with other substances. Pure meat and bone meal, as well as mixed with something, should not be given ducklings younger than 5 months. The consumption of this type of food is less than 5% of the weight of juvenile birds, about 8% - in adults and 10% - in adult ducks.
Some owners do not give dairy products to their birds, while for ducks such elements of the diet are quite useful. Breeders recommend giving low-fat cottage cheese even to small ducklings, so they will get used to this product from a young age. Fresh cow and goat milk can not be given to ducks - it is not absorbed by their gastrointestinal tract and can negatively affect overall health. At the same time, dairy products are useful for the body of poultry, including for stimulating the growth and reproduction of the population.
Vitamin Feed
Breeding ducks suggests that the owner takes care of providing the bird with a complete set of vitamins and minerals. The real storehouse of these substances are:
- green part of clover
- wild nettle
- cabbage,
- beets and other root crops,
- quinoa,
- carrot tops
- as well as a mixture of peas and oats.
All these vitamin feeds provide the body of birds not only basic vitamins, but also protein and carotene. Green foods can be offered to the wards without any minimal processing, you just need to take care of the purity of the selected product. Finely chopped greens or chop on a grater, and then mix with any flour.
These types of food are suitable for poultry from the age of three days. Vitamin feed can be given several times a day.. For this nutritional component of the diet, you can start a separate feeding trough or pour it into the base container for food, alternating the prepared mixture with other products. Home-made vitamin feed should make up less than 30% of the total dry food a duck receives.
Herbal flour can also be included in the birds menu, which experts consider beneficial for the health of both young and adult individuals. Such flour can be made independently if crushed or otherwise crushed alfalfa, cereals, beans or the leaves and stalks of clover.
Herbal flour - a source:
- carotene
- folic acid
- squirrel
- many other nutrients.
This type of food is suitable for ducklings older than 3 days. It is necessary to give birds such an amount of grass meal that does not exceed 4% of the total dry food weight.
You can also make feed yourself from vegetables. To do this, grate finely carrots, cabbage or pumpkin, preferably unsweetened - yellow. Ducks can be allowed to eat cabbage without any restrictions at all, carrots - in reasonable quantities, which each poultry breeder determines independently. It is advisable to salt the carrots before feeding the birds. You can also give feathered boiled beets, which in the middle lane are a source of vitamins all year round.
Mineral supplements
Natural feed, grain and vegetables are not able to replace mineral supplements for domestic ducks. The farmer must take care of this, then the ducks will develop harmoniously and gain weight in a planned way. Without minerals, the egg shell will not be hard, and the general tone of the bird's body may also suffer.
A considerable amount of calcium needed by birds is found in eggshells, chalk and even in shells - they are 40% calcium. All these elements need to be added in small quantities to the duck diet. At the same time, you should take care that the shells are small or crushed to small pieces that the bird can eat and not get hurt. Egg shells are softer than shells, but they must also be crushed, and only then added to the feed.
Another useful element of the diet is bone meal, which contains phosphorus, healthy salts and potassium. Flour, like shells with shells, in crushed form should be added to another feed.
For small ducklings, it is important to ensure that coarse sand and fine gravel are present in the feeder or nearby. For a week, a duckling can eat 10 grams of sand or gravel. These seemingly exotic additives help the stomachs of birds to process food, especially for various grains.
Experts advise giving domestic ducks salt, but its excessive amount can hurt. The optimal portion is considered to be up to 0.2% of the total feed weight. If the duck eats salted carrots, you no longer need to give extra salt.
Features of feeding ducks in summer
If poultry grazes freely in the warm season, then you need to feed it twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. When ducks have access to a reservoir, they independently consume the required amount of water. In other cases, it is necessary to provide birds with access to a trough, drinking bowl or other container of water.
From food for grazing birds are suitable:
- millet,
- oats
- wheat,
- barley,
- corn.
Rye should be fed only last year - fresh negatively affects the intestines of poultry. If the choice fell on barley, it should be soaked before feeding for at least 10 hours.
Ducks who lack the ability to graze freely should eat 4 times a day. Twice you need to give the birds grain, two more times - green food with the addition of herbs, vegetables, bran and other useful components.
Mallard ducks to obtain the dietary properties of their meat should receive fresh fish, which must first be finely chopped.
Features of feeding ducks in winter
Since ducks are kept in farm buildings in winter, feeding is usually done indoors. Sometimes the owners let the birds walk for several hours a day - then a small fraction of the feed can be given on the street.
Three meals a day are optimal for winter time.. The first two times you can give a wet mixture of several feeds, and sprouted grains are well suited for dinner. On especially frosty days, feed is recommended to be mixed with warm water. It is advisable that this food is consumed within an hour.
In the cold season, do not forget about drinking for ducks. The need for water in the body remains, although it is somewhat reduced. It is important to arrange the drinker so that the bird cannot overturn it and remain without access to water.
