Broiler duck: growing and breeding at home

Growing a broiler duck at home - the procedure is not particularly difficult. But some recommendations for the breeding of this bird to observe all the same is worth it. In order to get a good yield of meat and fully use the potential of the selected breed, the bird should first of all be well fed. Also it is necessary to provide ducks with suitable conditions of detention.

Barn for ducks

On the household plots the house is usually built as a frame-panel house. The erection of such structures is very inexpensive, and the ducks feel comfortable in them. If it is supposed to contain a bird not only in the summer, but also in the cold season, the barn must necessarily be insulated. For the insulation of walls, this usually uses cheap mineral wool.

A broiler duck is a rather unpretentious bird. Therefore, sometimes the domestic livestock with summer breeding contain even just under the plastic film. As a house, in this case, ordinary inexpensive garden greenhouses are used.

The density of planting birds in any shed should not exceed 16 ducks (up to 3 weeks old) or 8 adult heads per one square meter. Otherwise, the ducks will start to fight among themselves. And this is fraught with stress and disease.

The floors in the shed are wooden. Duck is a broiler (photos of the most common breeds can be seen in this article) - the bird is quite hardy and resistant to low temperatures . However, it is easy to get cold on a cold concrete floor. The same goes for drafts.

After the flooring, the wooden floors must be disinfected, sprinkling with slaked lime. Then on the floor a thick layer is laid with straw or hay.

Poultry walking

For ducks, even for a sedentary broiler breed, it is necessary to arrange a paddock. To do this, a small area is enclosed in front of the shed. In the walls of the poultry house lazy. On the fenced area set low wooden or plastic feeders. Open water drinkers in the yard or in the shed are not recommended. Broiler duck - the bird is clean enough. But at the sight of water, it is unlikely to resist the temptation to swim, and consequently, to build mud in the walrus. Owners of the house need to spend money and buy nipple or drip drinkers.

Pond

Natural feeds are a very useful additive for any waterfowl , including such as a broiler duck. At home, the cultivation of meat young animals will cost a little less if there is at least a small pond on the site. But, of course, rely entirely on natural foods when breeding broiler ducks is not worth it. Feeding such a bird should be given maximum attention.

Broiler ducks: growing

Breeding any domestic waterfowl is usually just for meat. Eggs of ducks and geese are not too tasty. In addition, the pores in their shells are very large. Because of this, the infection easily penetrates inside. Therefore, the eggs of these birds are used mainly only for breeding ducks. Nestlings of good meat breeds are very expensive, and therefore in most cases the owners of suburban areas prefer to incubate the young ones themselves.

Of course, breeding at home is possible only pure breeds. The chicks of meat hybrids, which are particularly productive, each time have to buy again.

Broiler ducks, the cultivation of which - a simple procedure, in household plots, as well as in enterprises, usually do not take more than two months to be slaughtered before slaughter. The fact is that at the age of 60 days the bird begins a juvenile molt. On her skin formed the so-called "hemp", spoiling the presentation of the carcass. In addition, feeding ducks for more than two months is even unprofitable. The fact is that the appetite of a grown-up bird greatly increases. The same mass of an individual is older than two months is very slow.

It is also rational to drive the young at the age of two months because in this case in a normal shed it will be possible to grow two or three, and in a heated shed, up to six batches of ducklings per year.

The best broiler breeds

All domestic ducks, bred in household plots, in the direction of productivity are divided into three groups: egg, meat and meat-egg. The last two species, as already mentioned, are grown in small farms most often. Among the meat breeds, the most popular are Beijing, Moscow white and musk ducks.

All these broilers are gaining weight quickly enough. However, meat hybrids are even more productive. Very popular with the owners of suburban areas, for example, cross cherry-velly. This broiler duck was derived from the Peking breed. For 40 days, if properly fed, young cherry-wells can gain weight up to 3.5 kg.

In some farms, another interesting hybrid is also bred - the French broiler duck. As well as Cherry Valley, this cross was derived based on the Peking duck. The young are killed by this breed at the age of 50 days. By this time, it usually reaches a weight of about 3.7 kg.

Very popular with the owners of suburban areas and another hybrid - broiler ducks mullard. As a result of crossing the Peking and musk breeds, a cross was obtained with very tasty meat, rapidly gaining weight.

Breeding at home

Chicks of meat breeds are usually artificially removed - in incubators. Before laying a strict selection of eggs. First of all, inspect their shell. If it is damaged, the eggs are discarded. Incubation is carried out at a temperature of 37-38 ^о С and humidity of 50-55%. Starting from the 15th day, periodic airing is performed. In this case, the eggs are sprinkled with water. Derived ducklings are usually on the 27th day. Before hatching, the humidity in the incubator is increased to 80%. This can significantly increase the percentage of hatchability.

Chicks that have got out of eggs are left in the incubator before fluff drying out. The air temperature in the manger in the first week should be 28-30 ^o C, in the second it can be reduced to 20-22 ^o C, in the third - up to 16-18 ^o C.

Feeding

The development of a diet for breeding such a bird, like a broiler duck, should be given special attention. Young animals should receive a sufficient amount of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Freshly hatched chicks are fed with a boiled chicken or duck egg. It is usually mixed with finely divided corn or any other cereal. You can also put cottage cheese in the trough. On the third day in the diet of ducklings include cut greens: nettle, alfalfa, peas.

At the age of three weeks, the menu of chicks introduces boiled potatoes, finely grated root crops, fresh food waste. The food in the feeding troughs of ducklings should be kept constantly.

An adult broiler duck at home eats quite a lot. The grown-up individuals are fed three times a day. In the morning and at lunch, the bird is given wet mash-ups, and in the evening concentrate. If the ducks are additionally released on the pond, the morning feeding is canceled. Otherwise there will be no natural water feed for birds. In this case, they are driven out on the pond in the morning, and the mash-pan is given in small quantities at about 11 o'clock. In the evening, as usual, the concentrate is fed.

The second way

The method of feeding described above is called combined. Sometimes, when growing ducks, another method is used - dry. In this case, ducks up to three weeks of age are fed only with mixed fodders. Then they are partially transferred to a mixed diet. Duck broiler (the photo is presented to your attention), fed in this way, much faster gaining weight. In addition, with this technology, the labor input of the livestock population is reduced. After the owners of the poultry house when using mixed fodders do not need to waste time and energy on the preparation of mash. However, of course, the cost of growing a bird in this case is more expensive.

Broiler ducks, the breeding and maintenance of which - the procedures are not particularly difficult, - the birds are very productive and unpretentious. Having developed a correct diet for a livestock, you can not only provide yourself and your family with delicious meat of unique composition, but also earn money by selling carcasses.