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Duck Farming
Duck farming is very popular and absolutely a profitable
business. There are many meat and egg producing duck breeds
available throughout the world. All the present domestic ducks
come from the wild birds. Ducks easily adapt to various
adverse environments, and are well resistant to a variety of
animal diseases. They can grow well with locally available
feeds and less manpower is needed to raise them even under
meagerly equipped facility, so that even women and aged
people are able to easily manage the production. However, small-scale producers are constrained
by poor access to appropriate technologies and information, as well as markets and support
services, which could otherwise substantially improve productivity and income generation.
Duck Breeds
There are several duck breeds available throughout the world. However all of those breeds are
not suitable for commercial duck farming business. Some of those breeds are suitable for egg
production and some are ideal for commercial meat production. Usually ducks are of three types
according to their production type.
■ Meat productive duck breeds ■ Egg productive duck breeds ■ Famous for both meat and egg production.
Meat Duck Breeds There are many duck breeds available which are famous for meat production. Peking, Ayleshbari, Maskovi, Ruel Kagua and the Swiden ducks are most popular for meat production. Usually meat productive male ducks weight about 5 kg and female weight about 4 kg. Layer Duck Breeds Indian Runner is a popular layer duck breed and very famous for their egg production capability. There are three types of Indian runner ducks available. White and grayish Indian runners are good layers. Khaki Campbell ducks are also very popular duck breed for high egg production. Dual-Purpose Duck Breeds Khaki Campbell ducks are suitable for both meat and egg production. They came from Indian Runner and Ruel Kagua. Indian runners are famous for egg production and second one is popular for meat production.
Duck Housing Design Elaborate sheds are not necessary, but you should observe the general principles of poultry house design. Breeders may be housed either intensively or semi-intensively:
- intensive housing — the birds are housed indoors for the duration of the season;
- semi-intensive housing — the birds have access to outside runs during the day, but are locked indoors at night and during adverse weather conditions.
For each type of housing:
- The housing must be clean, dry, adequately ventilated and able to keep out beating rain.
- Allow each breeder an area of at least 0.2 m^2 of floor space inside the shed (i.e. 5 birds/m 2 ).
- Cover the shed floor with litter for the comfort of the birds, to absorb moisture and to prevent egg breakage — wood shavings are probably the most suitable, but any soft absorbent material to a depth of about 7–8 cm is satisfactory.
Sitting The area selected for sheds should be gently sloping. If the site is too hilly, sheds will be difficult to build; if the site is too flat, drainage will be impeded. For siting and layout contact your local council for development advice. The shed should face north to north-east and should be at least 2 m high at the back, to give enough head room. Since ducks are very susceptible to excessive sun, provide adequate shade. Layout
For a systematic farm layout, first draw up a ground plan and spend some time thinking about
the plan and shed design. This will enable you to make modifications. When planning the
farm, allow for housing growers and adults separately , and make sure there is no drainage
from the adult housing area to growers. Whatever housing is chosen, a cheap and effective type
of shed is one with a skillion roof.
The ideal method of housing breeding stock is in a building which has both litter and slatted or wire floor areas. This greatly reduces the amount of wet litter and improves overall production. Feeders and waterers are placed on the slats. The litter area is used by the ducks for mating and for laying eggs. A combination of litter and slats prevents possible leg damage to heavy breeding ducks, which may occur if they are housed on slats only. Nests Encourage ducks to use nests because cleaner eggs result and fewer breakages occur. Furthermore, eggs laid in nests are not exposed to sun or damp. This may be difficult with breeds other than Muscovies. Nests should be clean, dry, comfortable and only large enough to be used by one duck at a time. Build them from timber and place them in rows along the walls. A suitable size is 30 cm by 30 cm by about 40 cm deep. Nesting material should be placed in the nest to a depth of about 7 cm. Use shavings, sawdust, sand or shell grit. Broody ducks will further line their nests with their own body feathers. If you wish to follow a system of progeny testing, use trap nests to facilitate identification of eggs laid by individual ducks. Identify and discard ducks that continually lay almond-shaped eggs or other misshapen eggs. Individual duck production can also be recorded. In intensive buildings, encourage Pekin ducks to lay in nests by providing open-framed nest boxes on the side of the walls. The nest boxes must be at floor level, as ducks will not use elevated nests.
Duck Health
The normal behavior of a duck is to be alert with a
level carriage. They often waddle around and peck as
they investigate the surroundings. Ducks will emit
characteristic quacking or honking noises when their
territories are entered. Ducks are resistant to common
avian diseases and internal parasites. The infestation of
internal parasites is prevalent only among those ducks
which have access to stagnant water and over-crowded
pond. The parasites include flukes, tape worms and
round worms. The external parasites are an infliction
rather than an ailment. These include lice mites, fleas and ticks. These cause irritation and
annoyance leading to loss in egg production.
Ducks should appear healthy and show normal behaviors. Signs of good duck health depend on age, sex, and breed. Important indications of good health are as follows:
- Good posture
- Vigorous movements if disturbed
- Clean and healthy skin o Good plumage
- Well-formed shanks and feet
- Effective walking
- Preening
- Active feeding and drinking
- Clear, bright eyes
The early symptoms of stress or ill health can be the following:
- Head pulled into the body
- Huddling, appearing chilled
- Changes in feed and water intake
- Lack of preening, general inactivity
- Diarrhea o Problems with coordination (walking/sitting)
- Drooping of the eyelids, reduced or squinted eyes
- Puffy head and lower live weight
Duck farming is beneficial in many ways.
- Low-cost shelter or housing: Ducks does not require a high expensive housing. One can raise ducks with the simple and less facilitated house also. That means, there is no need of high capital input in this business.
- Less care & management: Ducks are strong birds, which can adapt themselves to any types of environmental conditions. So, less care and management of them is required.
- Require Less Attention: Ducks lay eggs only in the night and in morning. So, every morning, one can collect fresh eggs of ducks.
- Low Space requirement: They have comparatively short brooding period and also duckling grow faster than other domestic birds. With artificial heat, they can grow rapidly. However, more heat is required during the cold months.
- Less prone to diseases: The biggest benefit of this farming business is that the ducks are less prone to avian diseases.
- More food availability: Ducks can be fed by copra, corn, fruits, cassava, rice, and some other low-cost food, easily available in the market. Ducks can feed on aquatic weeds, green legumes, algae, earthworms, maggots, fungi, snails, along with various types of pests. This directly lessens the capital input, required for feeding them.
- Less mortality rate: Ducks live longer than other domestic birds and have lower mortality rate also. The egg laying period is also longer in ducks.
- Controlling Bugs: Ducks are good exterminators of potato beetles, grasshoppers, snails and slugs. In areas plagued liver flukes, ducks can help correct the problem (2 to 6 ducks per 0.405 hectare of land). Ducks can be used to free the bodies of water from mosquito pupae and larvae (6 to 10 ducks per 0.405 hectare of water surface).
- Ducks products are frequently demanded: There is great demand for ducks product such as ducks eggs and ducks meat in the local market as well in the international market. So, one can change commercial duck farming business into a profitable business too and can earn a lot.
- Good source of Employment: Duck farming business is a good source of employment for unemployed and educated people youth. Sources
- http://www.turtlevillagetrust.org
- www.roysfarm.com
- www.pakissan.com
