For cultivation of ducks on the farmstead it is necessary to create favorable for life and development of bird of condition. To make it quite simply, especially if you on the site have small natural reservoir, or nearby there is river.
Instruction
1. The room necessary for keeping of ducks, practically does not differ from the hen house, it is even a little simpler than it. At the organization of housing for bird you remember that on each duck one and a half square meters of the area are necessary. It is better if it is made brick or slag stones, and the floor will be wooden or clay, prostelenny sawdust or dry foliage – so you will be able to support bird at all seasons of the year. Build the room of the suitable size, equip it with feeding troughs, drinking bowls and slots of 45-50-30 cm in size, at the rate of one slot on four ducks. It is better to make them of boards with laying from hay or sawdust and to establish in the secluded place that layers were not frightened.
2. Near the room for bird establish the open-air cage for walks and feeding in warm season. Think over where your ducks will bathe, water is of great importance for them.
3. The diet of ducks has to include not only compound feed, but also grain, grass, vegetables and even fish.
4. At the correct keeping and good power supply of duck begin to rush aged from 120 up to 250 days, depending on breed. To receive more eggs, so and posterities, buy ducks in calculation one drake on three-four ducks.
5. The eggs laid to the slot, it is possible to collect and send to ripen to incubator if it is available for you. So you will be able to double quantity of the ducklings received for season. However it is worth remembering that duck eggs require the strengthened ventilation therefore in the second half of incubation period it is worth turning off heating of eggs several times a day.
6. In six-eight hours after ducklings hatch, it is worth carrying out the first assessment of young growth. Consider exterior of duckling, its mass, condition of umbilical cord and observe his behavior. The healthy duckling practically right after hatching actively demands to eat, and you should not delay with feeding, otherwise it can affect the state of health of bird.
7. For cultivation of ducklings it is necessary to prepare the good hen house. Do it just as for chickens. It has to be aired, be well dry and clean. In the first three days of life of ducklings it is worth maintaining temperature about thirty degrees, then to reduce it to twenty eight, and within the second week gradually to bring it to eighteen degrees.
8. To ten-day age it is necessary to feed ducklings about eight times a day, then about one month – four-five times, and after that three-four times a day.
9. The ducklings who are grown up with hen can make the first walks for the third day, and incubator – for the seventh day of life. At the correct contents and feeding you will be able to receive big and healthy posterity from ducks.