Muscovy ducks (Indoutka) photo In this publication I would like to talk about such a bird as the Muscovy duck (Indoutka). After reading it, the reader will learn a lot about this species of bird, namely: what it is, its origin, its exterior and productive qualities. Let's look at the issue of raising musk ducklings at home. You should also say a few words about their feeding, maintenance and breeding. In general, the article turned out to be quite voluminous. At the end of the article there will be several photographs of indo-ducks.
is a separate species of poultry. They are often called “turkey ducks” and many poultry farmers believe that musk ducks are a hybrid of a domestic duck and a turkey. However, this is not a correct assumption. The name “Indoutka” most likely came from some external similarities between these birds.
There are wild musk ducks, they live in Mexico. They were domesticated quite a long time ago, but they appeared in the USSR relatively recently - in 1981. Since that time, they have spread very widely throughout Russia; many poultry farmers have been attracted to the Indian duck. The musk duck got its name due to its appearance - there is a peculiar growth on its head, supposedly with the smell of musk.
A little should be said about the exterior characteristics of the Muscovy duck. Birds have a very dense and wide body, quite elongated. The back is wide, very elongated. The chest is very wide, round, convex. The head is quite large, the crown is slightly convex outward, and drakes have feathers on the top of their heads. The beak is not very long, tapers and bends slightly towards the end, the color depends on the color of the plumage. The eyes are quite large and dark. The main characteristic feature of musk ducks is the presence of peculiar growths on the face. Drakes have much more of these growths than females. Neck middle length, curved. The wings are long, massive, very powerful, and fit very tightly to the body. The belly is quite long, but not noticeable. The tail is very long, rounded with stiff feathers.
The main purpose of breeding and keeping muscovy ducks is meat production and it is generally accepted that muscovy ducks are a targeted breed. Muscovy ducks are very large birds. The average live weight of adult drakes is 5-6 kilograms, and of females 3.5-4.5 kilograms. This bird has excellent fattening qualities and has very tasty tender meat.
Muscovy ducks are used for crossing with other ducks to produce mulard ducks. Raising Indo ducks takes longer than raising regular domestic ducks. This factor can be considered a disadvantage.
Muscovy ducks reach sexual maturity at the age of 180-210 days. At this time, the females begin to lay eggs. Egg production is 70-100 eggs per year.
Muscovy duck drakes are very widely used in poultry farming to produce meat hybrids.
Small musk ducklings can be kept in a small box, but it must be heated. In the first days of life, little ducklings simply need warmth. Also, a lamp should be installed above the box, since light is also necessary for them. The bottom must be covered with bedding: straw or sawdust.
Newborn ducklings themselves do not know how to eat or drink, so they need to be taught. They only peck what moves. Therefore, the first feeding must be done as follows: pour a little hard-boiled egg on the ducklings’ back. Thus, when one duckling moves, it will attract the attention of the other duckling and he will peck pieces of the egg from the back. On the second day of life, the ducklings themselves begin to eat and drink.
Muscovy ducklings have a very unique digestion system. Due to this, ducklings have liquid droppings. You should not be afraid of this and sin on the digestive tract - this is a feature of the body.
The only peculiarity is the timing of raising musk ducklings for meat.
The timing of raising musk ducklings for meat can be determined based on the biological characteristics of this bird. The body of Muscovy ducks is designed in such a way that slaughter will be more productive and rational at the age of 13 weeks. This period is justified by the passage of the molting period, by which time the cost of feed will be maximally recouped. With proper feeding and keeping conditions, ducks by this age will, on average, weigh 3-3.5 kilograms.
When feeding Indian ducks, you must remember that the diet must be balanced. Mineral feed should be included in the diet of musk ducks.
One Indian duck drinks an average of one liter of water per day. Therefore, access to water must be constant.
Muscovy ducks should be fed three times a day.
It should be borne in mind that the length of feeders and drinkers should be at least 4 centimeters per head.
It is necessary to remember that ducks are herbivorous birds and constantly give them grass. In the daily diet it should be at least 10%.
In principle, the correct feeding diet for musk ducks is no different from the feeding diet for ordinary ducks. Below is a table showing the correct diet for feeding Muscovy ducks.
Muscovy ducks tolerate cold conditions well, but cannot live in damp conditions. The room for indo-ducks should be organized so that there is good ventilation. Regularly during maintenance it is necessary to change the bedding (straw or sawdust).
Ducks also do not tolerate cramped conditions. Indoors, per 1 sq.m. There should be no more than three birds.
They should be released for free range no earlier than 10 o'clock in the morning, since ducks usually lay eggs before this time.
Indian girls They fly very well, so one wing should be trimmed.
In this part of the article, several tips will be written regarding breeding musk ducks, which at first glance may seem elementary, but this is only at first glance.
In order to prevent inbreeding among Muscovy ducks, which will lead to various mutations and pathologies of the bird, you should periodically update the drakes in your stock.
In order for birds to lay eggs consistently and produce good hatching eggs, from 180 days of age the daylight hours should be gradually increased so that by the time egg laying begins it reaches 15-17 hours. It should be remembered that daylight hours should be increased gradually, since a sharp increase can lead to cannibalism. Recommended light intensity is 2-3 watts per 1 sq.m.
The periods of egg laying in Indian ducks occur in cycles. One cycle lasts for 5 months, followed by a three-month interval. As a rule, ducks molt during the interval.
The instinct to incubate eggs in musk ducks is very well developed, however, as a rule, it manifests itself only when the poultry farmer does not collect eggs from the nest for several days, and the duck, having laid 10-14 eggs, sits on the hens.
The fertilization of eggs directly depends on the season of sexual activity of the drake in the herd. For example, in April-June, egg fertilization reaches its peak and is 95-100%, and at the end of summer it will not exceed 60%.
To obtain more meat, you can cross an Indian drake with a female Peking breed. The result is excellent meat hybrids that are not capable of reproduction. It is best to cross in spring time when drakes are most sexually active.
The difficulty in breeding that any poultry farmer may encounter when artificially incubating eggs is that poor hatchability occurs, and this difficulty does not arise with natural incubation. This happens because the egg of the Indian duck is initially covered with a dense supershell shell, and this, in turn, practically does not allow air to pass through. When a hen incubates eggs, the duck constantly interacts with the egg - with its paws and whole body, removing this shell, improving gas exchange and the embryo begins to develop normally.
As promised in the announcement, at the end of the publication we will post photo of muscovy ducks. In the photo, a novice poultry farmer or a person who has just decided to breed indo-ducks will clearly see the unique exterior of this bird. - peculiar beautiful birds, so look at their photos.
Muscovy ducks (Indoutki) photo Have you ever noticed what the last years, literally five to seven years ago, sales of poultry meat have increased sharply? Of course not, unless you specifically watch for it. Nevertheless, I think that everyone who is in search of current business solutions should be interested in this fact. Two-thirds of all semi-finished meat products on the market are produced from poultry: cutlets, steaks, sausages, sausages, etc. Such products are much cheaper and can be afforded by people with dietary restrictions. Of course, one of the most popular birds is chicken, but recently it has almost been “caught up” by Indian ducks, breeding them at home is no more troublesome, and the income is much greater.
Adults begin to lay eggs as early as April, or even in March, as soon as it gets warmer. It nests after laying 20 eggs. The female incubates the ducklings for 32-35 days. For this purpose, it is advisable to use eggs that have had time to lie (15-18 days), then the number of chicks will be much higher.
Muscovy ducks do not require heat, but do not tolerate dampness. They should not be kept crowded. The room for them should be clean and well ventilated. The litter needs to be changed regularly. Sawdust and straw are suitable as bedding. There should be no more than three ducks per square meter in the room.
In spring and summer days The ducks are out for a walk all day. They lay eggs in the evening or early in the morning. Therefore, they are released for walking no earlier than ten o’clock in the morning.
For swimming, you can create artificial grooves with water on the walk or install containers.
If you do not trim the wings of turkey ducks in time, problems may arise. This poultry flies well and far. It is enough to trim only one wing once (maximum twice). Then the duck gets used to the fact that it cannot fly and, as a rule, no longer attempts to take off. The photo shows how to trim the wing of an Indian duck.
Another feature of indo-ducks: the minimum chance of contracting infectious diseases is a stable immune system.
Most dangerous for them metal objects: nails, screws, wire fragments.
Care
As we said, Indian ducks do not require special attention and care, but this does not mean that the bird can be freely released for a walk in the yard. The fact is that they are extremely inquisitive and love all shiny objects. It often happened that farmers whose birds suddenly died turned to a veterinarian for help and the cause of death turned out to be an ordinary nail. Indo-ducks can often mistakenly swallow a pin, nails, a piece of wire, etc. Keep the area where your pets roam clean.
These birds are also very sensitive to stuffiness, so their house should be ventilated all the time. The planting density of indo-ducks is calculated as follows: 1 square meter of area is allocated for 3 individuals. They also need perches, preferably made of logs randomly stacked on top of each other. Nests can be made of wood or cardboard, but it is advisable to place burlap on the bottom.
Place a trough of water near the nests. Birds can drink from it and also take baths. Thus, birds keep their feathers clean. But in winter, Indian ducks should not be allowed to swim; their sebaceous glands are too weak to protect their feathers. Also, during the cold season, you should not give hot water and food. For additional comfort and warmth in winter, the walls of the poultry house and perches are covered with pine branches.
Indo-duck lovers are confident that in the near future this bird will take its rightful place in the backyard of many breeders. She is very promising for breeding. Cheaper food is suitable for indo-ducks; in summer, the basis of its diet is grass and greens, in winter - chopped hay. In addition, she does not need to build a pond, such as for geese or ordinary ducks. Indo-ducks also tolerate winter well, with good care lays excellently and is very profitable in terms of meat.
Growing
From the indo-ducks purchased in the spring and already grown, one drake and two or three ducks are selected (or bought in the fall) so that in late March-early April they begin to lay eggs.
When forming a “broodstock” of indo-ducks, 1 drake is left for 4-5 laying hens. It’s good if he is at least 1.5-2 months older, since puberty in drakes occurs later than in females. It is advisable to avoid inbreeding (exchange the drake with someone).
For six-month-old ducks, the daylight hours should be increased so that by the beginning of egg production it reaches 16-17 hours and remains at this level for 3-4 months. Then (1-1.5 months before the end of the egg-laying period), daylight hours can be extended by another two hours.
Muscovy ducks are prone to cannibalism. To avoid ducks pecking each other, the illumination intensity should not exceed 2-3 watts per 1 square meter. Additionally, I recommend painting the light bulb red or orange.
When the Indian duck lays 10-20 eggs, she sits on the nest, which you need to take care of preparing in advance.
Nothing complicated. Take a container like a bucket, basin or thick cardboard box.
Place straw, burlap or other fabric (not synthetics!) on the bottom. The duck will find the nest itself and begin laying eggs in it.If eggs are collected daily, the duck will not sit on the nest. Only after accumulating a certain number of eggs over the course of 2-3 weeks (sometimes other ducks “help”) will the Indian duck sit down to hatch them..
We place a drinking bowl next to the nest. If the duck does not want to bathe, then during its absences the egg should be sprayed with water at room temperature once a day (to improve gas exchange in the egg).
A brood of ducklings appears on days 32-36. But! One day, when not a single chick hatched from a clutch of eggs on time, a natural decision was made to remove the eggs. However, due to household chores, they did not do this in time, and on the 43rd day they heard the babies squeaking and even managed to film the process of emerging from the egg. When all the babies hatch, the proud mother will bring them out to show the world.
Day-old ducklings must be taught to eat and drink if the mother herself does not do this. Finely chopped egg is sprinkled on the backs of the babies. The crumbs roll off and the ducklings grab them. On the second day, they give the “kids” porridge with eggs, adding milk.
From the third day we add bran, from the fifth - vegetables, except potatoes (from 10 days of age).
This is ideal. Usually they start feeding with small corn grits.
What to feed
The basis of the diet is dry grain feed in combination with mash. Such combined type feeding - the most optimal feeding for indo-ducks. In principle, any grain can be suitable as grain feed: oats, barley, millet, rye, wheat. Indo-ducks will not refuse any grain waste.
You need to add root vegetables to the grain: potatoes, rutabaga, beets, carrots. Potatoes must first be boiled and cooled. Greens must be added to the food daily. On average, one bird eats about 400 grams of food per day and drinks about one liter of water. You need to focus on these numbers when preparing poultry feed.
If the bird walks in the meadow all day, the amount of feed can be reduced by about half - green meadow grass is excellent for birds as food.
Like any other poultry, turkey ducks need a mineralized diet. This is necessary for the formation of a strong shell. IN wildlife birds peck pebbles, sand, chalk. Chalk, shells, and boiled egg shells must be added crushed to the food. There should be fine gravel in a separate container. It is necessary, among other things, for normal digestion of poultry; it helps move food through the digestive system.
What to feed muscovy ducklings
You can feed a small duckling using ready-made store-bought feed, which can even be used on day-old young animals. But experts recommend at first feeding ducklings only with natural food that can be prepared at home. Don’t forget that in their first days, ducklings eat only food that moves, so you have to pour food on their backs.
Continuing the topic of homemade food for ducklings, it must be said that one-day old babies can be fed chopped hard-boiled eggs. Already on the second day, food can be diluted with bran and milk, resulting in a semi-liquid porridge. On the third day, you can add chopped herbs and cottage cheese to the resulting slurry. After this, every day the duckling’s diet can be supplemented with one new product, making the consistency of the feed increasingly thick. Ducklings can receive “adult” food already on the twentieth day of their life.
How to distinguish a male from a female
This cannot be done by coloring; they are almost the same. However, there are several characteristic features, helping to distinguish a female Indian duck from a male:
The most pronounced difference is sexual dimorphism - the difference in mass between males and females. Even at an early age, males are usually twice as large. Adult domestic male Indian ducks weigh, as a rule, from 4 to 6 kilograms, and females - from 2 to 3 kilograms;
Starting at about a week of age, males begin to fight, chase chicks and goslings;
The male's head is covered with red skin that extends behind the eyes;
The male communicates by hissing, and the females make sounds similar to “hic” and “uk”, and when hissing, the male’s feather crest rises on his head;
Males practically do not fly.
When breeding Indian ducks great importance has clarification of sex in day-old young animals. Livestock breeders use the following method for this. You need to open the duckling's cloaca with your finger and stretch it from the side where the genital organ is located. In the male it has the shape of a small curved gimlet measuring from 1 to 2 millimeters, while in females only spherical or hemispherical thickenings are visible.
Now, knowing how to distinguish an indo-duck from a drake, you can safely open a poultry farm and breed indo-ducks.
How to pluck
It cannot be said that plucking an Indian duck is more difficult than a regular one, but the scalding method will no longer work here. The best way quickly and efficiently clean the pen in in this case This is a hot method. To do this you will need a bag, hot water and an iron.
Take a cloth bag from thick fabric, soak well in hot water, squeeze it out and place the turkey carcass there.
Having tied the bag tightly, hold the carcass in it for about 15 minutes.
Then take your iron and iron the feathers through the bag. Be careful not to burn your fingers.
After the duck is well ironed, you can start plucking.
The next common non-infectious disease is catarrh (inflammation of the mucous membrane) of the goiter, which occurs as a result of feeding the bird with low-quality feed or if it swallows any object (needle, glass fragments, nails, etc.). It is quite easy to notice, because the turkey’s crop swells up, the bird sits ruffled, stops eating, and often opens its beak, from which a liquid with an unpleasant sour odor can be released. Treatment of catarrh is carried out by washing the goiter with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or soda, and ampicillin or biomycin is used to relieve the inflammatory process.
domestic ducks diseases and their treatmentMost diseases poultry, including indo-ducks, is caused by disturbances in feeding or maintenance, which is why, in order to prevent the occurrence of infection, it is very important to try to create the most favorable environment for pets.
A lack or complete absence of vitamins in an Indian duck’s diet can cause vitamin deficiencies, which also affect the bird’s health. For example, a lack of vitamin A is manifested by damage to the eyes; to avoid this, the diet must contain green grass, milk, carrots, fish oil, and pumpkin. IN winter period the deficiency of this vitamin is compensated for by consuming grass flour from silage and legumes; in case of excessive deficiency, vitamin concentrate in large doses is introduced into the poultry feed.
Today it is rare to meet an Indian duck at home. Breeding indo-ducks in household Few people practice it, and yet this bird deserves attention for its unpretentiousness and big amount positive qualities, including easy care and rapid weight gain.
Domestic Indo ducks, or Muscovy ducks, are quite close-up view ducks at any age. In the wild they are distributed throughout Mexico and South America, where they were domesticated. Keeping indo-ducks, as well as raising and caring for them, is possible even for novice poultry farmers. Indo-duck breeding has recently become popular in our country.
The Indian duck is a specific breed. Poultry farmers call indo-ducks by different names, but most often they are called “mute”, musk or tree ducks. Indian girls have unusual appearance. This bird has characteristic pink-red growths around its eyes and beak, which allows it to be distinguished from its fellow birds. Special fat is released in special influxes, which has a musky smell. This is where this bird takes its name.
When breeding, raising and caring for turkey ducks, the bird’s need for pasture feed should be taken into account. The most common grass is used to feed turkey ducks in the summer. Feeding an Indian duck in winter is somewhat more difficult. It is for this reason that this bird is most often raised in the summer.
To feed an Indian duck in autumn and winter, balanced feed is required, which consists of 80% mixed feed or grain crops and 5% wheat bran. Vitamin supplements should not be neglected. Only by knowing what to feed Indian ducks and following the rules of caring for them can you count on a good result. Turkey meat has excellent taste and can be easily distinguished from other poultry meat due to its high nutritional value.
Male and female Indian ducks are similar in appearance to other domesticated ducks, but are distinguished by a short, thick neck and altered body proportions. Most often, the beak of the male, unlike the female, forms coral-colored growths. They sometimes reach quite impressive sizes, which makes it quite easy to distinguish a drake.
The colors of the plumage of the female and the male may be different. You can find either a single-colored individual of white, black or red color, or a drake with a combination of all these colors in its plumage. It is quite rare to distinguish a male by body weight.
Indo-ducks are characterized by a high egg production rate. An Indian duck egg can weigh about 80 g. The ducklings of this bird are surrounded by care and attention from birth. It should be remembered that male and female Indian ducks retain the instinct to fly. This is why it is necessary to trim their wings when the bird reaches adulthood. The Indian duck does not require special care and is highly resistant to disease.
The Indian duck differs from other types of poultry in its unpretentiousness and calm disposition. Regardless of how many musk ducks there are in the yard, they will not cause disturbance, noise or commotion. That is why breeding such a bird is very convenient and profitable.
Like other types of poultry, turkey duck requires adequate nutrition. In summer, the bulk of the feed consists of green grass, and not too much grain feed is required. However, in winter, grains become the basic food and represent an energy source for the turkey.
Under standard conditions, musky ducks need to be fed:
Indo-ducks are unpretentious in food, but they need high-calorie food, so it is necessary to supplement the food with waste technical production, including molasses, feed yeast, and bran or cake. With such components, the bird gains weight very quickly.
The feeding schedule may vary depending on the duration of laying. In addition, age and breed influence the amount of food. Small ducklings are especially demanding in terms of nutritional value of food. It is at a young age that the health of the bird is established, and the final result depends on how much effort, time and money is invested at this stage.
Regardless of how much feed is given per daily ration, the moisture content of the feed should not be more than 18%. Good result and weight gain is shown by the use of wet mash based on porridges with herbs. Once upon a time, mash was the main food for domestic ducks, but at the moment it is more correct to feed the bird with balanced dry food.
The main advantages of musk ducks are:
It should be remembered that Indian ducks of any breed can periodically pluck each other’s feathers, which is due to an insufficient amount of nutrients in the feed mixtures. This situation can be easily corrected by adding greens and vitamins to the food of ducklings and adult birds. It is especially important to supplement the feed of slightly grown ducklings with additives.
Currently, breeding of the following breeds has become popular:
The immunity of musk ducks of any of the listed breeds is quite strong and high. However, special attention should be paid to the prevention of viral hepatitis and pasteurellosis. In addition, poultry may be susceptible to aspergillosis and salmonellosis. Prevention consists of compliance temperature regime, lighting and vitaminization of birds.
(6
ratings, average: 4,92
out of 5)
Sveta 08.11.2015
At one time I kept Indian ducks for several years in a row. Indeed, in comparison with white ducks, these are not noisy, not picky about food and living conditions. They were kept in the same barn with the chickens. So the Indian ducks sat on roosts like chickens. Ducks are very good hens and caring mothers. There is almost no need to monitor the brood, but it is advisable to separate the family from the rest of the birds until the ducklings grow up.
Rita 08.11.2015
Indian ducks are almost wild birds, so they adapt to any conditions. And the flight feathers on their wings need to be trimmed periodically, since indo-ducks are good “flyers” and can fly apart. I once released ducks into the yard, and the neighbor's dog attacked them. The birds scattered in different directions, I never found one.
In winter, indo-ducks should be kept in a warm house and should not be released into the snow. very coldy, otherwise they will get frostbite on their paws.
Daria 11/15/2015
I have been breeding these ducks for about 4 years now. In common people they can also be called “mutees”. They were nicknamed that because of the sounds they make as adults, but when they are small they still make a squeak. So they are not that quiet.
You have to be allowed outside in the winter, no matter the snow or frost. Otherwise, rickets may develop, feathers will fall out, or better yet, they will pinch each other. Of course, very small ones are not allowed, because... freeze within 2-3 minutes. Under no circumstances should they be wetted, or rather left in the rain (even though they swim from an early age). If you get wet, you can't save it.
There were simply cases when the mother did not cover her with her wings, but went about her business, while the ducklings squealed, which made their ears clog.
It is best to leave the brood early. From May to July. If the duck sat down later than June, or at the end, then it is better to take the eggs and free the duck from the duty of hatching. The ducklings may not survive, or they will be sick, but do you need it?
To make baby Indo ducks grow faster, at the age of 2 months it is better to give boiled porridge with vegetables, but also dry food.
Nina 11/25/2015
I have been breeding Indian ducks for several years. They are really very unpretentious, they gain weight very quickly. good weight. On my own behalf, I will say that the most important thing is to raise the chicks in the first days of life, and then nothing is scary. And yet, in frosty weather you need to not let them swim, otherwise the feathers will freeze and the birds die because of this.
Elena 03/03/2016
We have been raising indo-ducks for 15 years, as soon as we got our own home. Indeed, it is not difficult. In the spring, Indian ducks themselves begin to pick fluff, lay eggs and hatch them. For this purpose, we prepare nests in all the houses on the property. Old boxes, tires. We put hay in them (precisely hay, it is softer than straw), and the ducks choose the nest they like. They sit very responsibly. When the ducklings appear, we first take them home, put them in a box, and put the box on an electric heating pad so that they dry well. As soon as the entire brood has dried, we return them to the indo-duck, which we put in a separate house with ducklings. At the first stages of growth, we feed ducklings with special feeds: “Start”, “Growth”, “Finish”. Then we give the bran. Naturally greens, we specially grow alfalfa (and subsequently store it for the winter). We gradually transfer the ducklings, as they grow up, to bran. This way they grow very quickly. And by autumn they reach the size of large ducks. Their meat is wonderful. You can cook anything from it. So raising indo-ducks is a very profitable activity.
albo_regina 06/18/2016For those who are just starting to learn the basics of animal husbandry, I recommend it! Unpretentious, independent almost from birth. You just need vaccinations and quality food and that’s it! But if your indo-ducks are too active and wild in their behavior, I advise you to keep them in a closed enclosure, otherwise they can easily fly away!
Elizaveta 10/30/2016
If we talk about breeding, this is the most unpretentious bird of all farm birds. There are only two drawbacks to keeping them: they are really big flyers, so you need to control the trimming of their wings, and also - they are very heat-loving. The indoutka will withstand the autumn-spring cold, but winter frosts there is a risk that their paws may freeze. Otherwise, there is no hassle with this bird. Reproduction is generally a fairy tale - they nest on their own, lay eggs beautifully, and hatch conscientiously. Very rarely are there bad mothers among them.
Add a commentIn recent decades, those who have homestead farming and is engaged in amateur breeding of poultry, he received Indian ducks. The correct name for these birds is Muscovy ducks.
Muscovy ducks or Indian ducks
They are native to America, Central and South. They differ from ordinary ducks in that they have different colors, sizes, and different exterior characteristics. In terms of nutritional parameters, turkey meat is at an intermediate stage between duck and goose. It is non-greasy, has a pleasant dense texture, soft, and is considered dietary. Many even prefer turkey meat to broiler chickens. And in Europe they are bred not only for their meat, but for their delicious fatty liver.
Indian dogs come in different breeds. Today several species have been developed for home grown on private farmsteads. They differ from each other in the color of their feathers.
All breeds of Indian ducks have common characteristics.
By the way! It is impossible not to note the important positive feature Indo-duck, which will be understood by everyone who has been involved in breeding ordinary ducks and geese or at least adjacent to the yards where they are bred. Indian ducks do not quack or cackle. They behave almost silently - only sometimes they hiss quietly. They are called “mutees” for this. While other geese and ducks greatly interfere with the lives of those around them with their sound effects.
The optimal time for raising turkey ducks for meat is 60 days. It is not advisable to feed them for more than 70 days, since the cost of feed exceeds the return on weight gain. In addition, at the age of 2.5 months, Indian ducks begin to molt. When birds molt, they lose weight, no matter how much they are fed. The old feather falls off, and new stump-like short feathers form on the skin, which are very difficult to remove when processing a bird carcass.
Indo-ducks are bred much easier than other poultry. To get Indian ducks to appear on your site, you can do it in three ways.
Usually the third method is used. With the arrival of spring, they start a “family” of indo-ducks, which immediately begin to reproduce regularly. Indo-ducks hatch eggs well and then take care of the chicks on their own without any problems. Thus, by the fall you can provide yourself with meat from young turkey ducks, leaving one drake and several ducks for breeding for the next season.
Advice! Mass laying of eggs in Indian ducks begins in April. It is important that the eggs do not lie in the nest for a long time. If the laying is not very intensive, the first laid eggs must be removed from the nest over time. After the bird has laid about two dozen eggs, it begins to hatch them.
The owners need to think about preparing the nest, and it is advisable to do this before April.
Advice! The nest must be reliably protected from the penetration of foreign duck chicks small age. Seeing other Indian ducklings, future mom can abandon his own nest to the mercy of fate and begin to care for foster chicks.
On the 33-35th day of incubation, the chicks will hatch in the nest. They have yellow shiny fluff, stand well on their feet, and have shiny, convex eyes that are not covered with a cloudy film. A healthy chick weighs about 60 grams.
Unlike broiler chickens, day-old ducklings cannot eat and drink on their own. If they are bred by an Indian duck, the mother will teach them. If you hatched the chicks in a home incubator or bought them, you will have to trick them a little so that they start taking food as quickly as possible. The first feeding is a boiled egg, white and yolk together, finely chopped. Egg crumbs are poured directly onto the backs of the ducklings. They immediately begin to peck it off each other or when the crumbs roll off to the floor.
On the second day, milk and bran are added to the egg. On the fifth day, you can start giving meat scraps, well-cooked and chopped.
On the tenth day, boiled potatoes are added.
Advice! A vitamin and mineral supplement that protects against rickets is required. You can use any, purchase it at a veterinary pharmacy, give according to the dosage in the instructions.
The main positive quality of this bird is its undemandingness to living conditions. Absolutely any room can be adapted for raising indo-ducks - a barn, a storage room, a farmhouse, a trailer. The main thing is that in the improvised poultry house it is not cold, not damp and there are no drafts.
Indian ducks are surprisingly resilient. Under normal conditions, their mortality rate is a maximum of five percent. Moreover, these figures are typical not only for adults, but also for young animals.
When raising indo-ducks, no special conditions are needed, for example, a large body of water.
They are not afraid of humans or pets, do not react with sharp sounds to irritating factors, create coziness in the yard and decorate the landscape with their beautiful plumage.
By the way! A flock of Indian ducks - parents intended for the reproduction of offspring - can be kept without walking. But regular walks will promote their health and increase the birds' resistance to disease.
So that the Indians get more sunlight, the walk should be located on the south side of the poultry house. To safely and quickly release birds for walking, a number of 40-centimeter-sized closing holes are made in the wall at a height of 30 cm from the floor. Boards-ladders are brought to them on both sides so that the Indian ducks do not injure their paws when entering and exiting.
You can send the herd out for a walk after morning feeding (egg-bearing individuals - after laying eggs). Usually it is 10-11 o'clock in the morning. An hour before the end of daylight hours, the birds can be driven back into the home.
Although Indian ducks are considered cold-resistant birds, their paws may freeze in spring and autumn. And in cold times, at sub-zero temperatures, they should not be allowed to swim - due to the low fat content, their feathers may become icy.
For the wide bedding on which these birds are usually kept, you can use different materials. Suitable:
During the season, one turkey duck will need about 10-12 kg of bedding material.
Before laying the litter, the bottom of the poultry house must be covered with a thin layer of lime (about a kilogram of powder per square meter). The first layer of litter can be no more than seven centimeters. Then the material must be added. By the end of the maintenance period, the height of the litter should be 20 centimeters.
Advice! If turkey ducks continue to be kept in a poultry house for winter time, for breeding, the litter must be changed and be thicker than 20 centimeters so that the birds do not freeze. A new batch of ducklings cannot be placed on old bedding. All material is completely removed, the room is disinfected, and fresh material is filled in.
Bird feeders are easy to make yourself. The material at hand will come in handy, usually thin boards. A rectangular trough is made from boards about two centimeters thick. To prevent ducklings from climbing into the feeder with their paws, you need to nail a vertical bar on top.
If you are raising a small number of indo-ducks, you can make lightweight hanging feeders from old tin cans.
Important! Feeders should not be placed next to drinking bowls. The distance between them should be more than three meters. If this condition is not met, the Indian ducks will drink more, and then return to the feeders again and overeat, consuming more food than normal.
Water is very important for Indian ducks. It should always be in abundance, fresh and of good quality.
Indo-women for complete nutrition and good development a variety of food is needed. Feeding uses grains, legumes, protein, green and vegetable products, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. Grains and legumes should make up at least half of the diet. Animal feed - suppliers of complete protein - dairy and meat products, canned fish. They are needed for rapid growth and weight gain of birds. Vegetables and greens increase the biological value of nutrition and provide vitamins. Indian ducks readily eat any greens; among vegetables they prefer carrots, beets, zucchini, potatoes, pumpkin and cabbage.
To supply birds with minerals, crushed shells, chalk powder, bone meal, a little table or sea salt. A free-standing small feeder should always contain fine gravel.
One adult Indian duck eats about 350 grams of food per day. If the birds are out on the run all day, it is quite possible to reduce the amount of feed to 250-200 grams per day.
Feed requirements table
| Requirement but one individual depending on the season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name of food | Winter season | Spring season | Summer season | Autumn season |
| wheat grain | 30 g | 60 g | 30 g | 10 g |
| Barley grain | 20 g | 30 g | 30 g | 20 g |
| Oats or oat bran | 20 g | 20 g | 20 g | 20 g |
| Wheat bran | 15 g | 20 g | not required | 10 g |
| Meat bone meal or fish bone meal | 10 g | 15 g | not required | not required |
| Raw beets | 20 g | not required | not required | 30 g |
| Raw potatoes | 30 g | 40 g | not required | 60 g |
| Chopped silage | 20 g | 20 g | not required | not required |
| Mineral supplements (shells, chalk) | 8 g | 12 g | 8 g | 5 g |
| Salt | 1 g | 1 g | not required | 1 g |
As you can see, Indian ducks are very promising for breeding as poultry, which breed easily, are unpretentious in food and living conditions, and are resistant to diseases and cold. They allow you to achieve high productivity with minimum costs. Raising indo-ducks does not cause much trouble. If you follow simple rules and conditions, investing in indo-duck breeding will definitely meet your expectations and bring good results.
In private backyards you can find a variety of living creatures, among which the musky duck attracts special attention, because this bird is profitable to keep and breed. In some special conditions it does not need: just a small green area in summer and a warm poultry house in winter. Poultry can be slaughtered after three months of keeping. To avoid questions even for novice poultry farmers, it is worth considering the breeding and maintenance of musk ducks in more detail.
In private backyards you can find a variety of animals, among which the musky duck attracts special attention
First, it should be said that the breed in question has other names, but the main one is musk. It occurs due to the smell of fat, which is released from growths on the head and resembles musk. One of the common names is Indian duck. Many people mistakenly believe that the breed was obtained by crossing a duck and a turkey. In addition, there are such names: mute ducks, Barbary ducks, Muscat ducks, or they are even called “dumb”. The bird is called this for a reason, because it is characterized by calm behavior and silence, compared to other breeds. Indian ducks can only make a hissing sound.
Appearance The domestic Indian duck is very different from other breeds. This bird is characterized by a shorter neck, wide chest, and small limbs. She is distinguished by her endurance and non-conflict nature, which is an advantage in her maintenance and breeding. Despite the fact that ducks are waterfowl, mute birds can be kept even in the absence of a body of water.
The appearance of the domestic Indian duck is very different from other breeds Exist different breeds Indo-ducks, differing in plumage color:
Barbary duck attracts attention not only with its meat, but also with its eggs. With appropriate feeding, foie gras, beloved by gourmets, is made from the liver.
Since Indian ducks belong to the meat category, drakes gain up to 4-6 kg, females - 2-3 kg. The difference in these indicators may vary slightly depending on the breed. In the red musk duck, the drake can reach 6.5 kg, the duck - 4 kg. The drake of the black and white breed gains up to 5 kg, the duck - 3 kg. The more weight a bird gains, the less worries there are with it, since it moves slowly and does not fight off the general population. A characteristic feature of the meat is its juiciness, red tint, low fat content and the absence of a specific smell. The most delicious part is considered to be the brisket.
As for egg production, the Indo duck has a high one: the birds produce about 60-70 eggs per year. If provided proper care, then productivity increases to 100-120 eggs. The bird does not lay eggs all the time, but intermittently: the egg-laying period lasts 3 months, after which the duck molts within two months. The greatest productivity is observed in spring and early autumn; in winter, the bird practically does not lay eggs. reaches 80 g, good taste, large yolk. Compared to chicken egg- no worse. Barbary duck is raised for meat, so this egg production is considered quite acceptable. Compared to other breeds, Muscovy duck eggs can be stored longer.
Since Indian ducks belong to the meat category, drakes gain up to 4-6 kg, females - 2-3 kg. This breed will require a warm barn as the bird does not have a sufficient layer of fat. Otherwise, the birds will simply freeze. In the summer, you need to organize space for them outside: walking strengthens the immune system, increases resistance to disease, and increases muscle mass growth. As a result, the taste of the meat improves.
The barn for keeping ducks is prepared in advance. The temperature in it should not fall below +15˚С. If the poultry house is small, the cages must be installed in 2-3 tiers. The material for their manufacture is wood, and on the front wall they use metal mesh. The roof is made at a slope towards the rear wall. Thus, it will serve as a tray for the top row. Anyone can make such cells.
At large sizes The premises should be fenced off 2/3 of the space. For floor equipment, use a mesh with the following parameters: thickness - 25-30 mm, cell dimensions - 2*2 cm. The floor should be installed at a height of 30 cm to facilitate cleaning and cleaning of the room. In addition, there are some features of using bedding. The material is not changed, and as a result of the biochemical processes of the litter and litter, heat will be released, which will allow saving on heating. When the duck is fattened with ducklings, sawdust or wood shavings are used as bedding.
Barbary duck should be kept separately from other types of poultry. Otherwise, there is a high probability of fights over food. It is important to organize everything for normal feeding:
Mute ducks can eat almost any food. It is preferable to feed wet mash to the bird. In the diet you can use chopped beet tops, herbs, grains, waste from kitchen table. Separately, it is worth mentioning about barley - the grain must first be soaked before giving it to the ducks. They give barley with clean water. A positive quality of Muscovy ducks is the smaller amount of feed consumed, unlike birds of other breeds. If there is a body of water nearby, the ducks themselves will find something to eat. The favorite foods of this type of poultry are worms and insects. If possible, you can dig a small pond on the site.
Some subtleties should be taken into account regarding feeding:
Despite the fact that the breed is unpretentious, the diet must be approached responsibly: it must be balanced and thoughtful. The feed must include minerals that are very beneficial for poultry. It is important to monitor the amount of water in the drinkers, since one duck drinks 1 liter of liquid per day. In order for the raising of Muscovy ducks to be correct, their body must be saturated with a whole complex of vitamins, which will not only strengthen the immune system, but also accelerate the growth of the bird.
The female's incubation instinct awakens if eggs remain in the nest. In this case, breeding musk ducks at home should not cause any particular difficulties. The bird easily adapts to new conditions; ducklings have a high survival rate. Egg laying in this breed occurs according to a certain cycle. The first stage lasts 5 months, after which the bird molts within three months. To breed ducks, you will need a drake and 4 productive females. Close relationships should be avoided, otherwise the ducklings will be sickly.
If you put them in an incubator, you should take into account that they hatch poorly: when positioned horizontally, they form a dense shell that does not allow air to pass through. In case of laying, it is necessary to provide conditions as close as possible to natural ones.
In the first half of the incubation period, the specified temperature and humidity are maintained, in the second half the parameters are slightly reduced, and the eggs are sprayed twice a day.
When hatching offspring, the duck independently removes part of the shell from the eggs, which helps improve gas exchange and accelerate the development of the fetus. Ducklings are born after 32 days. This period may differ by several days in one direction or another. The chicks are then removed from the duck and placed in a brooder. Its bottom is lined with straw, a lamp is used for heating on top, and the floor is warmed with a heating pad. For the rapid growth of young animals, it is necessary to provide proper care and maintenance.
The poultry farmer is required to provide the ducks with balanced and proper feeding, which directly affects productivity. In order for ducks to breed correctly at home, it will be necessary to control and promptly remove eggs from the nest. The deadline is considered to be 15-18 days. To avoid possible confusion, the date of laying is marked on the eggs with a marker. From spring until the first cold weather, the female can hatch 2-3 clutches only if another duck takes care of the babies. However, when trying to achieve the maximum number of offspring, the well-being and health of the bird will noticeably deteriorate. Compliance with the rules of keeping poultry allows you to get strong and healthy babies, but in the first days they will require care.
You can raise ducklings without a female. The main thing is to protect the young animals from cold and humidity, to give them the right food, and this is not at all difficult to do. The first thing that should be given to babies is a weak solution of potassium permanganate through a pipette, after which a boiled egg is crushed. Since ducklings love moving food, it is better to sprinkle eggs on their backs, although many experienced poultry farmers do not recommend giving this type of food. On the second day, they can already drink and eat on their own, so they can be given a mixture of milk, eggs and bran.
In the following days, ducklings should gradually add cottage cheese, finely chopped beet tops, spinach, and boiled porridge to their diet. After a week, they begin to add adult food. To teach babies to independently search for food, from the age of ten days they need to be taken out for a walk: this can be a pasture or a farm yard.
In the first days, babies have liquid droppings, regardless of what they eat and in what volume, so there is no reason to worry. If ducklings are bred in conditions farm, then from the first day of life they are kept on a grid with a mesh size of 1*1 cm. When keeping birds on the range, feed costs are reduced. In addition, young animals gain weight faster, the birds are practically not exposed to diseases, and minimal care is required.
Muscovy duck has its own characteristics when raised for meat. The breed is characterized by a plumage of large and small feathers, as well as down. Chicks at 20 days are covered only with down, after which it is replaced by a cover feather, which is completed at 45 days. After a certain period of time, molting begins. It is during this period that poultry should be slaughtered to avoid the formation of stumps. By age, you should focus on 12.5 weeks. If for some reason the deadlines were missed, the next slaughter is carried out at the age of 20-24 weeks. If you follow the recommendations of experienced farmers, then drakes should be sent for slaughter at the age of 80-88 days, ducks at 70 days.
