Growing broiler ducks at home

the main » Birds » Ducks

In terms of domestic poultry farming, broiler ducks, due to the high rates of weight gain, low maintenance, are very popular among farmers. Poultry meat has a high nutritional value, contains a large number of useful macro-and micronutrients, vitamins, amino acids.

Being engaged in broiler ducks breeding it is necessary to follow a number of simple requirements and rules.

Breed of broiler ducks

Broiler is a concept that unites all meat breeds of poultry, artificially derived. The existing broiler breeds of ducks were obtained by breeding two varieties - Beijing White and American Musk.

The most common breed of broiler duck in breeding are Peking ducks. In about two and a half months, when properly grown, the cross quickly gains a mass of more than three kilograms. The egg production of Peking ducks begins at the age of 25-26 weeks. This species in the poultry industry was used to breed one of the larger breeds, Cheri Veli, which is distinguished by high growth rates and excellent liver and meat taste properties.

Meat Muscovy ducks in taste properties close to the meat of wild relatives. Representatives of this cross can do without ponds, but absolutely do not tolerate sub-zero temperatures, so they are suitable for breeding and breeding only in warm regions of our country. Weight ducks - 3-3.5 kg, drake - 6 kg.

Another popular breed, which was bred by French breeders, is Mulard. Cross created by crossing Peking and Muskan breeds. The ducklings, regardless of the type of feeding, grow very quickly, gain weight, and adapt well to different climatic conditions. Cross is ideal for intensive feeding.For a successful fattening, Mulardam at the age of 25-28 days pruned claws and beak.

The minimum amount of mulard meat contains fat, has a delicate flavor, is considered dietary.. Cross breeding can only be artificially, as the female is initially sterile. Ducklings of this variety can be obtained by sharing the common ducks and Peking drakes.

On the territory of the former CIS were other promising, productive breeds were bred based on Beijing and American Muskan breed:

1. Medeo.
2. "Moscow White Duck".
3. "Blagovarskaya".

The birds of these crosses are not pretentious to the conditions of detention, quickly gain weight with minimal cost of feed, have high egg production rates. The weight of ducklings by two months is three to four kilograms, which can be considered a very good indicator.

High profitability characterized meat broilers breed "Agidel", derived from the efforts of domestic breeders. Cross every year gaining increasing popularity in the farming poultry industry. You can grow this variety without problems at home, in small farms.

Broiler ducks adapt perfectly to our climatic conditions, they are not pretentious to the conditions of detention, do not require high-calorie concentrated feed, are distinguished by high egg production (120-150 eggs per year), are productive, have a calm character and temper. Breeding is possible in incubators and chicks.

Unlike other breeds, Agidel broilers are not as susceptible to diseases. The survival rate of young stock is 98-99.5%. On the basis of this breed, in the process of selection, two crosses were bred - “Agidel 34”, “Agidel 345”.

The most common breeds are:

1. Mulard;
2. Super M4;
3. Agidel;
4. Indian runner;
5. Cherry Valley;
6. Hungarian motley;
7. Medeo;
8. Moscow White duck.

Features of growing

Growing broiler ducks at home occurs mainly floor method. For this reason, for the maintenance of birds allocate a fairly spacious in size, dry place.The room must first be disinfected, have a well-established ventilation system.

Pay attention when growing broilers need lighting, humidity, microclimate, temperature. During the first week of life, so that the ducklings do not rush in panic, do not injure each other, the room should be lit 24 hours a day. Gradually, the duration of daylight is reduced to 9-10 hours. In summer, good air exchange is very important.

The humidity level in poultry houses is 65-70%, the temperature is not lower than 23-24 degrees. If the temperature is not chosen correctly, the ducklings will be slow-moving, lethargic.

It is not necessary to keep the bird in small poultry houses. With overpopulation, broilers feel uncomfortable, growth slows down, duck development, and weight gain is poor. Up to one month of age, 16 individuals can be accommodated on one square meter, in the future, the best option for 1m2 is seven to eight ducks.

The floor is lined with 15-20 cm layer of bedding made from hay, straw, peat, shavings. To reduce the level of humidity, as an additional disinfection, lime powder can be added to the bedding - 0.5 kg per m2.

The broiler duck rearing period is three months., after which the bird begins to form "koldochki", which are difficult to pull out. During the first 12 weeks of fattening, the body weight of ducks is 5.5-6.5 kg. The formation of "koldok" occurs in the period of juvenile molting, which begins approximately at the age of 60 days. The need for feed increases, carcasses lose their presentation.

Some farmers, owners of household plots prefer to grow broiler ducklings not in the home, in the natural - in water bodies for four to five months. This method allows you to reduce the cost of feed, but allows for the season to grow only one livestock. With the content of ducks on pasture fodder it is difficult to achieve the desired weight, incorporated in the genotype of the breed.

The construction of the building does not require large financial costs, ideal for the maintenance of broiler breeds. When planning to breed broiler ducks in the cold period of the year, the house is insulated with mineral wool, plastic wrap. Disinfection of floors is carried out, a two-layer bedding of hay, straw is laid, ventilation is arranged.

For walking the birds take away a spacious area in front of the house, protecting it around the perimeter of the fence. On the fenced site establish drinking bowls of a closed type and feeders. Open drinking bowls should not be installed either in duck premises or in walking areas. Ideally, if the site will be equipped with a small pond.

Keeping ducklings in cages

According to experienced farmers, in the first 10-15 days of life, broiler chickens should be kept in cages in small groups. This method facilitates the care of the bird, allows you to mechanize the process of feeding, automate the flow of water. This method of rearing, keeping broiler ducks is often used in conditions of poultry farms, poultry farms.Since the ducklings are limited in movement, the increase in live weight increases, thereby reducing the cost of feed.

Unfortunately, there are no ready-made special cells for sale.therefore, if you decide to keep ducklings in a similar way in a personal farming environment, you must build your own birdcages.

In poultry farms practice growing broiler pitching in stationary summer "camps", lightweight poultry houses, assembled from wooden or metal elements. Given the high consumption of litter material, use mesh flooring from durable materials.

Features of feeding at home

For successful development, the health of ducklings of broiler breeds from the very first day is very important to choose the optimal mode, the diet. Ducklings must be given food in the first 16-18 hours of their life. The first feeding is very important not only for the normal development, but also for the vital activity of the young.

For the first feeds, finely chopped boiled eggs are used, the starter feed developed by a special formula. In the first week of life, the ducklings are fed seven to eight times a day, gradually transferring the young growth to 4 meals a day.

As they mature, solid, concentrated feeds are gradually introduced into the diet. (feed), food additives, so as not to cause problems in the work of the digestive tract. Food should be nutritious, balanced in content of raw proteins, fiber, phosphorus, amino acids, macro- and microelements.

In the first 20 days in feed ducklings per 100 g should be:

• 20% crude protein;
• 5% fiber;
• 25% calcium;
• 08% phosphorus;
• 05% sodium;
• wheat - 18%.

According to experienced farmers, It is advisable to give the ducklings concentrated feeds only up to three weeks of age.. After that, the bird is gradually transferred to cereal feed with the addition of greenery, as ducks belong to herbivorous species of birds.

If you drastically change the type of feed, transfer the ducks to combined concentrated feed, the bird can lose a lot of weight. It is possible to transfer ducks completely to grain from the third week of their life. If broilers are transferred to grass, they will gain weight more slowly and may not reach their optimum weight.

It is necessary to enrich the feed with food additives as the bird grows and develops, tracking the indicators of weight gain. As a nutritional supplements apply special feed, premix, bone, grass meal, fish oil, egg shells, mash, cooked in skim milk. Diversify the diet of broilers can be boiled roots, fresh greens, vegetables.

When feeding laying hens, by the time of egg production, the individual should have a normal live weight. Recommend to use full-feed combined feed. The feed should contain two or three types of grain, 10% of the total mass of proteins, 7% of fiber, up to 10% of grain waste, 4% of animal feed, 5-6% of mineral feed.

Ducks eat well green fodder, root vegetables, combined silage. The daily energy requirement is 556-605 kcal, 38-46% of crude protein. Feed must be enriched with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.

With a combined type of feeding, the ration of laying ducks should consist of 45-55% grain solid feed, 55% of feed mixtures. Hens are fed three times a day.In the first half of the day give wet food, mash on skim milk, cereal mixture at night.

To improve the amino acid composition can be added to the feed of leguminous crops. With a decrease in productivity up to 55-60%, part of the feed is replaced by grain. After the completion of the egg-laying cycle, 30% of the total diet is grain, 70% of the feed.

Diseases of broiler breeds ducks

Broiler ducks susceptible to infectious, viral, bacterial, non-infectious systemic diseases. The most commonly diagnosed diseases of broiler ducklings include:

• hepatitis;
• paratyphoid;
• tuberculosis;
• hymenolipidosis;
• salmonellosis;
• fusariotoxicosis.

If you do not choose the right diet, broilers are diagnosed with avitaminosis-A in ducks. Manifested by decreased activity, lethargy, conjunctivitis, loss of appetite, developmental delay. The bird noted dry eyes, the appearance of ulcers on the head, neck.

With a lack of vitamin E in poultry muscle cramps, spasms, loss of appetite, weak pulse are noted. Tocopherol is used for treatment, which is added one drop at each feeding. For the prevention of young animals give cereal mixtures, fresh vegetables, hay flour.

With a shortage of mineral components, biologically active substances, broilers develop a Livska disease in which ducklings begin to pluck feathers, eat inedible objects, bedding, soil, and stones. For treatment, iodized salt and crushed bone meal are injected into the diet.

Ducklings under the age of 30 days are subject to kutikulitu. The disease is accompanied by profuse diarrhea. In fecal masses, residues of undigested food are noticeable. The bird loses weight, refuses to feed. To eliminate the first symptoms, nicotinic acid, vitamin A, iron sulfate is introduced into the diet. You can add several manganese crystals to the water.

Common diseases of broilers include omphalitis, catarrh, partial blockage of goiter. Ducks refuses to feed, becomes inactive, lethargic. With non-compliance with the temperature, high humidity in poultry houses, the development of colds, pathologies of the respiratory system (sinusitis, influenza) is possible.

For the treatment of infectious diseases, on the recommendation of a veterinary specialist, antibiotic therapy and tetracycline drugs are prescribed.The incurable diseases of broiler ducks include typhoid, cholera.

For the prevention of infectious and bacterial diseases, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for keeping birds, choose nutritious, fully balanced feeds for feeding, add additional feed additives, premixes to the diet.

Reviews

According to experienced farmers the most unpretentious in the cultivation of Mularda. For any type of feeding, the cross quickly gains weight. Like Muskan rocks, Mulardians are in good health, have a calm disposition, and are quiet. Not suitable for seasonal breeding. Many breeders bred Mulardov because of tasty, juicy, tender meat, duck liver.

Due to the high cost of ducklings, lack of a stable market for meat products, some farmers prefer the Hungarian variegated cross country.. Representatives of this variety have a lower cost, are not inferior in productivity Mulardam.

Positive feedback has earned the Beijing breed.Ducks grow rapidly, gain weight, are distinguished by endurance, and high egg yield. At 50 days of age reach four kg. The most intensive growth is observed at the age of 6-8 weeks. The meat is juicy, tasty, but fibrous compared to other breeds.

Despite the simple maintenance of broiler breeds of ducks, in order to grow a healthy number of poultry it is necessary to ensure optimal conditions for keeping and feeding.

Picking up the right balanced diet, you can get at the output excellent in taste, nutritional properties of meat, profits from the sale of carcasses. The type of feeding depends largely on whether ducks are raised for meat or as breeding material for breeding.