Poultry farming in recent years has become a pretty lucrative business. But novice breeders are faced with a well-founded problem - the choice of breed and type of bird. First of all, it is worth deciding on goals and objectives. One of the effective meat breeds is the duck favorite. Photos are given below. Large meat breed is ideal for both small businesses and private farmsteads.
Duck favorite: description of individuals, physical indicators, reviews of breeders
The Blagovarsky breeding bird factory pleased amateurs and experienced poultry farmers with an excellent breed of ducks, which they called the "favorite". The breed differs from others in that individuals grow rapidly and develop well. The favorite duck is quite large, with a tight physique and an elongated body. Her head is relatively large, with a flat and long beak.
An interesting distinctive quality is the color of the feathers, on which the color of the beak and legs of the bird depends. Most often, ducks favorites have a beautiful smoky-blue plumage with a silver tint, but when crossing individuals, different colors may appear in the color spectrum from a pronounced black to light blue hue. Sometimes there are birds with plumage of brown and white in a peculiar peculiar combination. A duck is a favorite, photo is proof of that, it has a colorful aesthetic appearance.
This breed has many advantages. This is a large meat, at the same time oviparous duck. Favorite feedback is only positive. Great breed. Within two months, the individual gains weight up to 7 kg, which is a good result for the duck breeding business.
Quality indicators of the breed
Favorite breed ducks are distinguished by smooth, calm behavior and excellent productivity. In addition, they easily adapt to new conditions and quickly adapt to any bird team. A duck is a favorite, reviews of breeders confirm this fact - a social being.
Both young and adult individuals have a very high viability, and the fattening qualities of the breed can hardly be underestimated, because already at the age of two months the bird reaches a mass of 2.7 to 3.6 kg. Adult drakes weigh from four to five and a half kilograms, females are slightly less - from three and a half to four.
During the season, ducks rush perfectly, one bird gives 100 - 140 eggs, with a mass of one piece at 85 grams.
Favorite ducks, also called blue ducks, belong to the breeds of meat categories.
This is a popular and sought-after species of poultry, it is perfect for breeding on an industrial scale, for growing on specialized farms and in individual subsidiary plots.
How to keep young animals
In order to subsequently not experience problems with the maintenance of ducklings, before buying them, you need to take care of the arrangement of the premises, prepare the inventory and a place for walking. Litter contaminated with litter must be removed and disposed of. All existing dust must be removed with a damp cloth, equipment and equipment must be washed and disinfected with a hot solution of soda ash at a concentration of 3-5%.
Disinfection of such surfaces as the ceiling, walls and floor can be carried out in one of the following ways:
1) using a solution of caustic soda with a concentration of 2%;
2) using formalin with a concentration of 3% in the ratio of 1 liter per sq. m .;
3) using creolin or xylonaphth-5 with a concentration of 3-5% in a ratio of 1-2 liters per square. m
In order to whitewash the ceiling and walls, use a solution of freshly slaked lime with a concentration of 20%. After 12 hours, they open the windows, turn on powerful fans and ventilate the room. In the spring months, the ducklings' walking area is leveled and 5 cm of new clean sand is filled in.
Recommendations for creating bedding for ducks
Litter material is more economical to make from sawdust, sunflower husk, wood shavings or dried cutting, but last year's straw is extremely undesirable for these purposes, as it can lead to poultry diseases. It is important that the hay be without visible putrefaction and fungi, otherwise it will lead to diseases and death of young animals.
If poultry maintenance is planned in winter, then the litter layer should be at least 20-30 cm, with summer content 15-20 cm is sufficient.
At the first use of the litter for young animals, the layer is laid out very small, this is done so that, as it becomes soiled, it is possible to add new clean layers until the animal is fully grown. When a batch of poultry is grown, the litter is completely replaceable.
The deep litter is laid out in the following way: first, dry slaked lime is poured onto a clean disinfected floor in a proportion of 0.5-1 kg per 1 sq. m., then litter material up to 10 cm is laid on it, which thicken as it gets dirty. If the litter is kept in a loose, dry, defecated condition, success in growing ducks is guaranteed.
Shake the litter is recommended forks 2 times a day - morning and evening. If it is laid correctly, it retains 12-18 degrees of heat in winter, and at its depth a temperature of 20 to 28 degrees is maintained, so it is advisable to remove 2-3 cm of the top layer in hot, dry summers. Slaked lime is added to the damp litter, reducing its amount exactly half from the initial.
What should be the temperature regime when growing ducklings
The temperature of the air when growing ducklings, and especially in the initial periods, is crucial. Experienced experts recommend creating the following constant temperature conditions: in the first week - 33-28 degrees, the second week - 26-18 degrees, the third week and then - 18-16 degrees.
The required temperature in the areas where the little ducklings are located can be created with the help of several ordinary table lamps (well-fixed) or specially designed small umbrellas (or lampshades) around several electric heaters, often called brooders.
The best indicator of proper bird heating is the behavior of little ducklings. In that case, if they are vigorous, run a lot or even if they sit, but not crowding, this means that the room temperature is normal. At elevated temperatures, babies (duck favorites) breathe quite heavily. And at low temperatures, they will become crowded, crush each other, squeak loudly.
Threats and consequences of incorrect content
Any improper temperature conditions will adversely affect the growth of small ducklings and lead to their increased culling. And in order to keep the majority of ducklings healthy during cultivation, it is necessary to strictly observe normal temperature conditions and not to allow too much dampness and especially drafts in the premises.
Often, the main cause of death of small ducklings is a simple cold due to insufficient temperature of their heating or hypothermia during transport to the place of constant rearing. Ideal humidity in rooms where ducks are favorites - up to 70%.
Optimal fit
The growth of young ducklings depends on how they eat and receive heat. Due to the fact that they are bored, they begin to push each other out and crush. And so the growth of ducklings is suspended.
For the correct growth of weak and frail representatives, it is necessary to plant separately. Sort ducklings at least once a week, this will help grow large and healthy ducks. Toddlers mainly appear as a result of their mass cultivation. They lack food. Be that as it may, one part of the ducklings will lag behind in their development, since not all of them show attention to feeding. As a result of all this, animals grow small and weak. In order for such ducklings to develop well, you need to feed them the first time with a pipette. Make a mixture of egg yolk and warm milk.
Accommodation and walking
Young growth needs to be kept in the open area correctly equipped with canopies. This will protect the ducklings from direct sunlight and rain. The entire room should be ventilated, as pets need oxygen. And this should not lead to the fact that ducklings will be kept in a draft.
How and when to properly walk
The cause of the mass mortality of ducklings is often a very early release of these birds for walking, when the dew has not yet completely subsided or in damp weather. Up to 4 weeks of age, ducklings are very sensitive to any hypothermia.
If the weather is warm, then the ducklings walk from the fifth day. Kids can and even need to be released on the paddock. Walking should be fenced with a fine mesh or other available materials to a height of 1 meter. In inclement weather, if it is not closed well from above, it is better not to let them out. Otherwise, all the little ducklings will freeze quite quickly under the cold wind and rain and may even become ill.
They accustom pets to walking gradually, in addition, they carefully monitor their behavior all the time. Seeing that all the ducklings begin to gather in piles, they immediately need to be driven into the premises. Daily prolonged exposure to fresh air, more and more long time, will temper organisms and make them less susceptible to any catarrhal diseases. But excessive overheating of ducklings in the open sun can have a very depressing effect, therefore, on a walk you need to make shelter from plant branches or build shields. The walks must be kept clean and prevent accumulation of dirt and debris there.
Basic tips for choosing a diet and feeding at different stages of a duck’s life
So, you have a favorite for keeping ducks. How to feed these birds? From the first days of life, ducklings are recommended to treat with special granular feed. Nutrition should receive both young and adult ducks. A favorite whose breeding is usually put on stream is no exception.
These feeds are well balanced and easily digested by an avian stomach. Granules should be purchased from 4 mm. Following the rich experience of farmers, the amount of feed is increased every 10 days. If it is not possible to use compound feeds, they are replaced with mash mashines; they must be fresh. Ducks favorites are very finicky.
Since protein is the building material of the body, a sufficient amount of it is necessary in the diet of chicks. In the first week of life, a cool boiled egg is well suited. Sour-milk products such as low-fat cottage cheese can be added to it. It will also be useful to input chopped green onions and dandelions.
Food Complications
From the second week of feeding you need to enter boiled cereal on whey or sour milk. In order not to clog the stomach, cereals should be crumbly. Add chopped nettles and boiled root vegetables, for example, potatoes. From the 15th day, enrich the diet with water duckweed, it is very useful for little ducklings. After the third week, introduce grated vegetables: zucchini, beets. It is with vegetables that all the necessary vitamins for growth come. From a month old, chicks can be fed with grain mixtures. With proper feeding, the duck favorite picks up to 4 kg by two months. From this moment you can slaughter the bird.
Duck favorite: description of the location of drinking bowls and feeders
It is necessary to drink ducklings with water at about 20 degrees Celsius. Drinking bowls need to be installed away from the feeders, as, chewing the food, the duckling seeks to drink it immediately, and part of the food is washed off with water, without getting into the stomach. Vacuum drinkers are well suited. Before ten days of age, ducklings need to set drinking bowls of such depth that the chick can immerse its head in it, after which it is necessary to add height. Water should always be clean and fresh. Count the number of feeders as one for 20 goals, size - from 6 to 15 cm in length, depending on the type of feed. For dry - less, for wet - more. The material for the feeders can be iron or wood, in particular, a well-planed tes.
Farmers about the breed
Here, perhaps, everything you need to know about breeding a favorite duck breed, the reviews of experienced farmers speak for themselves. Poultry farmers argue that if all the recommendations are strictly observed, then excellent results can be achieved. Today, more and more people see farming as a means of making money. That is why poultry farmers respond positively to breeding such a bird as a favorite duck. Growing meat of this breed is one of the most promising areas, as it is relatively unpretentious in content. In addition, farmers involved in the production of duck meat, never have problems with the sale of their products. And this is one of the main criteria for a successful business.