How to raise wild ducks at home?

. 

One of the most common birds in the Russian Federation is the duck. It is found everywhere, has a small size, a wide streamlined body. There are membranes on the paws. Long and flexible neck, beak has a flattened shape. Plumage protects the body from water, and subcutaneous fat from the cold. Some of the birds fly away to warm regions for the winter. There are sedentary species.

Wild duck is very common in Russia

Many poultry farmers know that raising wild ducks at home is possible. If everything goes well and the maintenance was carried out competently, then from the first chicks after a certain time you will have a small flock and duck eggs. Wild ducks are interesting birds that do not require complicated care. In addition, a family business can be built on their basis. They lay eggs regularly. Organizing and observing the content and reproduction is very exciting. This process is of great interest to all family members, especially children. When the wild duck is fed and feels good, the owner's mood improves, he becomes more cheerful.

Maintenance and breeding

These wild birds are not demanding on food and living conditions, they do not need special care. Wild duck will live without additional heating, cages, and chicks will appear without expensive incubators. They will feel great in a small brick house. For the full life of the birds, a pasture enclosed with a net is attached to the room. It will protect them from predators. The bird is adapted to frost and survives any vagaries of the weather well. Maintenance in the warm season is much easier. The summer period refers to one long swimming season, during which birds swim and splash a lot in the water.

The wild duck spends all summer in the water

The owner needs to ensure that there is sufficient water in the duck container. In the summer, the birds should be fed correctly: give green grass and small fish. The mallard loves sand, which should always be available to her in a special tank. So that the birds can survive a hot afternoon or heavy rain, a canopy is built for them.

It is worth remembering that the flock can be knocked down by various diseases inherent in birds. In other cases, meat may be contaminated. If you feed the bird correctly, then the diseases of the digestive system will not be so terrible for it. It is worth following the recommended conditions in the duck room. Otherwise, the bird is threatened with viral and fungal diseases.

With the onset of the first spring days and noticeable warming, females begin to create nests. After settling down, they lay eggs and sit on them.

It is very difficult to cope with small ducklings without a mother duck. Because she knows how to hatch eggs well and take care of babies. Curiously, the drake is also involved in caring for the offspring. Its function is to protect them and control their movement. During this time, the male goes through the molting stage, and his head turns brown instead of emerald. It is no longer possible to distinguish him from a female by this sign. Soon the drake becomes an exact copy of the female. He will receive his "masculine" appearance at the end of summer, closer to autumn.

Drake acquires bright plumage closer to autumn

Feeding

Ducks play an irreplaceable role in maintaining balance in nature. Before feeding a bird, it is worth looking at its natural diet:

• small fish;
• fry;
• aquatic plants;
• mosquito larvae.

Thanks to these representatives of the fauna, the growth of the number of insects is inhibited. But this list is not rigid. Ducks can feed the chicks and feed themselves with other components, the list of which depends on the specific area:

• wild crops: buckwheat, millet or barley;
• plant tubers from meadows and lake shores.

Remember that you cannot feed the birds that are found in winter on water bodies for everyone. Otherwise, they can get diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. They shouldn't be given black bread. As a last resort, you can use an old slice of white, small fish, or dry combo food. Diseases in birds are caused by foods high in sugar or chemical additives.

In order for ducks to lay eggs at home, they need to be properly fed. Only then they will not develop diseases associated with unusual food. The diet should include a variety of greens from reservoirs: sea rupee, kelp and disichlis. Keeping wild birds in the pen can be simplified by purchasing special types of mixes. It is better to feed those of them that are intended specifically for wild species.

Kelp is an important part of the diet of wild ducks

Ducklings should be fed in the same way as chickens. The diet is made up of herbs, fish, boiled eggs and vitamin supplements. The ducklings are ahead of the chickens in terms of growth rate and after a couple of months they are already catching up with their parents. Thus, from two babies per season, you can get up to a dozen adult birds. The wild duck can fly and this fact must be taken into account in the care process. If you send them for a walk on the green lawn, they will fly. But not in the field, but in your own pen with food and water.

The wild duck has a calm disposition, gullibility and friendliness. Individuals show concern for each other. The concern that the bird will run away from you is groundless. It doesn't take much time and money to feed and care for her. She will need very little food. The owner should monitor the condition of the pen. It should be dry and tidy. Regular ventilation is required.

Keeping and breeding this bird will be beneficial if there is a solid structure to house them. It can be made of wood, brick, or other material. Its area is calculated based on the size of the livestock.

Experience in captive breeding of wild birds shows that with minimal grooming, a duck makes up to three clutches of eggs. Each of them grows on average 14 chicks, which after 2 months become about a kilogram in weight.

Wild duck produces at least 3 clutches per year

Breeds

Various breeds of ducks are widespread on the territory of the CIS countries. One of them is the mallard. This is a wild duck weighing up to one and a half kilograms. The drake is larger than the female. Known breeds include the gray duck. The appearance and description of the latter is very similar to the mallard. In winter, this wild duck feels better than the rest, for which she was loved. Other types of ducks are known: Gogol, Shilokhvost, Duck and others. Some of them are included in the Red Book. Among them are the types: Mandarin duck and Lutok. These birds are very important to nature. Therefore, professional hunters do not touch these species of birds.

Keeping wild ducks on the site has many advantages. They hatch their own eggs. These species are adapted to harsh conditions and are unpretentious. They require a moderate amount of feed, and the resulting eggs and meat can be quite profitable.

Subscribe Be aware of new products on our site

Differences between wild animals and domesticated breeds.

Mallard duck

• The meat of a wild animal is slightly bitter, a little sweet is felt.
• In appearance, wild and domesticated breeds differ little.However, poultry has broader forms, a different color.
• The shell of eggs in wild individuals is green, in domesticated ones - white. Sometimes a slightly greenish tint appears on it, there is an oily sheen.
• Wild ducks breeding, maintenance. Wild animals are less whimsical. No incubator required for breeding. They feel good in any weather.

Features of breeding, keeping wild duck

No specific conditions are needed. In food, animals are unpretentious: they do not need special food. You do not need to equip the cages additionally; heating of the house is not required. This is due to the fact that wild animals are less whimsical.

There is no need to purchase an incubator, which will delight beginners. At any time of the year, individuals live quietly in a brick building. In order for the birds to feel good, it is necessary to make a corral with a net. Animals calmly endure low temperatures, even in frosts, wild individuals feel great.

In summer, the birds are provided with a place to swim. It can be a pond or a small body of water. Summer is the swimming season for ducks. There should be water in the drinking bowl as well. This rule applies to all months. The water container must always be full. Only clean fresh water is good.

Wild individuals catch small fish from reservoirs. It is recommended to add it to the diet of animals. If it rains or gets hot outside, the birds hide for cover. It is necessary to build a canopy for this. There you can hide from the rain, hot sun.

What types of wild animals can be kept at home?

Mallard Duck - Domesticated Ducks

1. Mallard. On the territory of Russia, Mallard is the largest bird. Depending on gender, months can weigh up to 2 kg. The wings are large and strong. The span reaches 1 m. Females and males have different shades of color. Females have brownish plumage. This color helps them disguise themselves and hide from danger in the forest.

The male is different in color. Its plumage on the head and neck is dark green, below the body is grayish. The beak and paws have a bright red tint. The offspring of this breed has a light brownish color. This type of duck requires a reservoir. They love shallow, shallow lakes.

Red-headed duck

2. Red-headed duck. The dimensions are medium, weight - up to 1.2 kg. The head is painted in a bright red hue, hence the name of the breed. Birds arrive in the spring, when there is no longer any snow or ice. These birds live in a flock. Males and females differ little in weight and size. The former are more than the latter by 300 g. Representatives of the breed love small reservoirs with thickets of grass and reeds.

In dense vegetation, birds make nests and raise offspring. This should be taken into account when arranging a habitat for an individual at home. The eggs are greenish.

Gray duck

3. Gray ducks. It looks like a mallard, but much less in weight. Females and males are outwardly similar, they have no differences. Bird weight - up to 1.5 kg. The plumage is light brown, there are small white spots on the wings.

The plumage of the drake is gray. They shed heavily during the offspring period, becoming the same color as the female. Birds shed very much in summer, so they cannot fly at these moments. They hide in thickets, bushes.

What should you keep in mind?

Keeping and growing are not easy tasks. First you need to decide on the breed.

Cultivation of a mallard is recommended, since this particular bird takes root better at home.

If you feed her correctly and systematically, monitor the conditions, ensure good maintenance, she will be able to give 4 times more eggs, and will grow fat faster.

Duck eggs

Next, you need to decide on the site. When creating a farm, this is one of the important points, which is not always paid attention to. The site should not be greatly removed from the place of release into hunting conditions. In this case, the place should not be closer than 1 km to the settlement.

It is imperative to equip a reservoir on the territory of the farm. Drakes are in separate paddocks. The breeding stock is also located separately.It is recommended to locate the site away from the city. The sizes depend on the livestock that is planned.

Chicks hatch naturally without an incubator. After hatching, young growth is launched into the common premises. Now he can be walked with the rest of the livestock.

Poultry house

Since wild ducks are water birds, they react negatively to temperature changes. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the building where the poultry house will be located - there should not be cracks, holes. Walking is done next to the poultry house. There should be enough outdoor room to move around to keep the content comfortable.

Walking wild ducks

You can limit the walking area with a mesh fence. The height of the fence is 1.5 m. If the keeping of individuals is planned in large numbers, water is not placed in the walking area. Otherwise, the territory of the site will be dirty and untidy, and the "tenants" will start to fight.

In the poultry house, you need to choose and equip three places: for ducklings, broodstock, grown-up individuals. The broodstock includes two families of 3-4 layers and one drake. This flock will produce enough eggs. The poultry house should have not only feeders, but also drinkers, otherwise the animals will look for their own water. Tanks for water and feed are also installed on the walk.

It is better not to install open drinkers in the house. This is inconvenient, especially in winter, as ducks can swim in the drinkers in frosty conditions and freeze.

It is better to purchase drip system products. If this is not possible, you will have to give the birds snow in winter.

Open drinkers must be removed. In places where the broodstock is located, nests should be placed.

How to feed?

Not only maintenance, but also competent feeding is the basis of bird health. Breeding ducks at home will be successful only if this rule is followed.

Norms and ration of feeding ducks

In winter, individuals are fed three times a day. During the summer months, the number of meals is reduced to two. At the same time, the farm must have a good reservoir.

There are two ways to feed:

• compound feed (dry feed);
• vegetable feed (wet mix).

Vegetable food for duck

You will have to spend more money on dry compound feed. But you need to prepare vegetable mixtures separately, sometimes it requires an additional person.

Vegetables can be grated and mixed with tops of carrots, potatoes, beets. Fill the mixture with whey or broth.

Cooking takes time, but this method is healthier as the birds get everything they need.

You can save money on food if there is a real pond or lake nearby. Wild ducks can feed on algae, plankton, and other food from the water. You can make a pond yourself if the groundwater is close. To do this, you can simply dig a hole 3 m deep.

If breeds with a fast metabolism are bred at home, the feeders need to be replenished with fresh food constantly.

And a little about secrets ...

Have you ever experienced unbearable joint pain? And you know firsthand what it is:

• inability to move easily and comfortably;
• discomfort when going up and down stairs;
• unpleasant crunching, clicking not on their own;
• pain during or after exercise;
• joint inflammation and swelling;
• unreasonable and sometimes unbearable aching pain in the joints ...

Now answer the question: does this suit you? How can you endure such pain? And how much money have you already "poured" on ineffective treatment? That's right - it's time to end it! Do you agree? That is why we decided to publish an exclusive interview with Professor Dikul, in which he revealed the secrets of getting rid of joint pain, arthritis and arthrosis.

Read the interview ...

Video: Gutting a wild duck in Evenki

Poultry farming can be profitable because of the valuable meat. Wild ducks take root well in captivity, not tending to leave the yard. They reproduce well, giving viable offspring.

If you feed wild individuals in the same way as domestic ones, then the taste of their meat will change and will be no different from the meat of ordinary ducks.

What breeds are there?

The most common breeds of wild ducks are the Mallard, Gray Duck and Red-headed Duck:

• Mallard is the most common breed. Individuals may weigh more than 2 kg. Mallard ducks are almost omnivorous, easily adapting to any habitat. A feature of the breed is that drake chicks hatch with greater weight than females, and 13-15 hours after the birth of the first duckling, the family leaves the nest. At this age, the chicks already know how to swim and dive, which helps to escape from predators. When breeding mallards at home, it is advisable to have a reservoir where birds can not only swim, but also get food on their own.
• Gray duck - because of its discreet color, it camouflages well in thickets of grass or reeds. Among breeders, the breed gained popularity due to its simplicity in food. The gray duck is usually fed with food of plant origin. Females and males can weigh up to 1 kg and 1.3 kg, respectively. In summer, individuals molt heavily, so they cannot fly for some time.
• Red-headed Duck - The weight of individuals reaches 1.2 kg in the wild, while drakes and females weigh almost the same. With home maintenance and good feeding, weight can increase. Diving are excellent brood hens, so this breed will never have problems with hatching chicks.

To successfully breed wild birds at home, she will need to create certain conditions. Tamed wild ducks can be used as decoys.

Subtleties of content

In winter, birds will need an insulated room with a walking area. An ordinary barn is suitable for living. If the ceiling and walls are well insulated in it, then additional heating is not required - wild ducks tolerate cold well.

In the summer, individuals do not need a poultry house. A corral fenced in with a metal mesh will be enough for them. The height of the fence should be at least 1.5 m. If there is a forest nearby, then it is necessary to completely close the corral with a net so that the birds do not fall prey to predatory animals. Also, you need to put a small house inside, where the ducks could go in case of bad weather and at night.

Unlike adults, ducklings need warmth. You can make a suitable design with your own hands:

1. put a wooden box on the racks;
2. upholstery from the inside with foam;
3. put a 10 liter container filled with hot water in the box;
4. cover the entire structure with a blanket or a suitable pillow to keep warmth on top;
5. cut a hole in the side wall through which the ducklings can sneak in and warm themselves.

The heating pad is able to keep warm for 8 hours.

The room with the chicks should be constantly lit so that they quickly get used to the new environment. As you grow older, the amount of daylight hours can be reduced. A prerequisite for keeping wild ducklings is the complete absence of drafts.

Feeding

The diet of chicks and adults varies significantly. As for young animals, the nuances of feeding depend on age. Very small, downy ducklings are given an egg - boiled and finely chopped. After a couple of days, you can enter dry cottage cheese and crushed cereals. When the chick fledgles a little, he is offered coarser food - chopped grass, crushed grain.

After 10 days, the young are given boiled potatoes, chopped greens. It is good to combine potatoes with other boiled vegetables. All food must be semi-dry, since the chick is not yet able to clean its beak on its own after wet masses. Up to the age of 5 days, young animals are fed every two hours. Then the intervals between feedings are increased, by the age of one month, bringing the schedule to three meals a day. The ducklings are transferred to an adult diet only after all their fluff has been replaced by feathers.

In winter, fresh grass becomes inaccessible to birds, they cannot catch duckweed or small fish in the pond. It is necessary to make up for their lack of protein and vitamins. The main winter food is a mixture of cereals and legumes. Cereal mixtures are given both dry and soaked. Part of the grain should be germinated, which will replace fresh grass for the birds.

For winter feeding, oats are relevant, which contain a large amount of amino acids and about 5% fat. Corn is a universal food, especially varieties with yellow grains, which are rich in vitamins. If wheat is used in the feed, it is recommended to choose one that is specially designed for pets. Legumes, especially peas, are also good for the winter diet.

Many individuals are not able to swallow large peas whole, so they are crushed before feeding.

In summer, the emphasis is on plant and protein foods. If the farm does not have a natural reservoir where the duck can get natural protein, minced fish, bone meal, offal, small fish, fresh meat waste are added to the mash. Protein should be present in the diet on a daily basis. To improve digestion, give gravel or sand.

Algae, duckweed, beet tops, chopped grass and vegetables (pumpkin, zucchini, various root vegetables) are offered as juicy feed. It is extremely useful for wild ducks kelp, roots of aquatic and coastal plants. You can not overfeed a wild bird, because even when kept at home, it eats less than ordinary ducks.

Fresh and clean water should always be present in the drinker. In the summer, for disinfection, you can add a little potassium permanganate to the water - until the liquid is slightly pink.

Breeding chicks under a brood hen

- the best solution for beginner poultry breeders.

What you need to know before you start raising geese? All the subtleties and nuances are described in our article.

What to do if chickens wheeze? The solutions to this problem are described here.

Water

Keeping a wild duck at home implies the obligatory presence of a reservoir. You can release the bird into the water after the chicks are 3 weeks old. At first, they can swim up to three hours a day. Once the ducklings are 4 weeks old, they can swim as much as they want, even all day.

Ideally, if the reservoir is natural - a pond, lake, shallow river. If this is not possible, it is necessary to provide the birds with an artificial reservoir. In the most extreme case, an old bathtub is buried in the ground and filled with water. The water needs to be changed periodically. Wild ducks are used to swimming from early spring to autumn.

It's no secret that breeding wild ducks is possible at home. With patience, you can get a small herd. This is due to the fact that birds are unpretentious in keeping. Caring for ducks can bring a lot of positive emotions. And in this review, we will talk about how to care for and feed them.

Features of wild ducks

Wild ducks do not need special housing conditions. They do not need to be fed any specific food. No additional heating of the house is needed, there is no need to arrange special cages. In addition, there is no need to purchase an incubator. This all makes raising birds easy, even for beginners.

As numerous videos show, wild ducks can live in both winter and summer in a simple brick shed. For full breeding, you will need to design a special enclosure, fencing it with a net. Ducks are able to easily tolerate low temperatures, coping well with adverse conditions.

The summer period can be called the bathing season. Ducks at this time try to spend as much time as possible in the water, to swim.

Birds need water in the same amount both in winter and in summer. Poultry farmers will need to ensure that the drinker is full at all times. In addition, the water must be fresh.In the summer, greens and small fish should be added to the duck's diet.

Keeping wild birds in bad or hot weather may require the construction of a special shelter. Under it, ducks will be able to hide from sunlight or rain.

With the onset of a warm time, females begin to equip nests and hatch eggs. Little ducklings hatch into the light. Wild birds are considered gorgeous mum. They are able to hatch eggs perfectly.

The drake also takes an active part in raising ducklings. He is next to the offspring, protects him. You should know that on the 70th day, the drake begins to shed. Therefore, it must be sent to the slaughter earlier. Otherwise, it will be difficult to pluck it.

The video will show what wild ducklings look like when they live at home.

How to properly contain

Experts in numerous videos claim that ducklings need warmth. Breeding chicks at home, it is required to equip the poultry house with special equipment.

There are some tricks you can try:

1. You can construct a wooden box by placing it on racks.
2. The inside should be covered with foam.
3. A container filled with hot water should be placed in the box. Volume - 10 liters. The top of the box should be covered with a blanket or pillow to provide thermal insulation.
4. A hole should be cut in the side wall through which the ducklings can get to the heating pad.

This design is able to retain heat for 8 hours. In the first 7 days of life of young chicks, a high temperature (28-30 degrees) should be maintained on the floor. After two weeks, the level must be reduced to 22 degrees. After three - until 16.

As numerous videos show, it is easiest to care for little ducklings during the spring months. For a duck, it is enough to enclose the space in the yard. The main thing is to make sure that the chicks are protected from drafts.

Important! The room with young birds should be constantly lit. This will help the birds get used to new conditions and surroundings. Daylight hours can be shortened later.

Wild ducklings are partial to water. Numerous videos are excellent proof of this. However, experts do not recommend admitting them to water bodies until they are 20 days old. If the chicks start swimming in cold water, they may catch a cold. Therefore, it is enough to put a container with water in the duckhouse.

Feeding wild birds

The ducklings should be fed every two hours until they are 5 days old. Boiled and crushed eggs mixed with millet or barley should be added to the diet. It is also recommended to include greens (nettle, dandelion, clover) in the diet without fail.

As numerous videos show, birds like to eat mash, which are based on fermented milk products. Fish oil can be included in such foods.

A sample diet for a duck should look like this:

1. Ground grain (20%).
2. Wheat bran (10%).
3. Various legumes (10%).
4. Oilcake (7%).
5. Half of the diet should consist of greens.
6. The rest of the diet is chalk, salt, shells.

As soon as the duck is one month old, it is recommended to feed him three times a day. Experts in numerous videos recommend including potato or carrot tops, food waste in the diet. A real delicacy is duckweed and other vegetation that grows in open water.

What should birds not eat?

Sour food should not be added to the diet of ducklings. This will have a bad effect on the state of their digestion. Experts in numerous videos claim that it is not recommended to feed waterfowl with bread. The greatest danger is carried by the black cracker, which can cause fermentation processes in the gastrointestinal tract of a duckling.

Birds love to swim

Raising a wild duck at home implies that it must be released into the water.It is recommended to do this after the chick's age exceeds the three-week mark. At first, they should swim no more than 3 hours a day. Once you are four weeks old, you can allow the ducklings to swim at least 24 hours a day.

It is necessary to teach the duckling to return home from the reservoir on its own. To do this, feed him regularly in the evening. Youngsters will understand that food is expected at a certain time. The task can be simplified if an adult bird swims with the ducklings.

Additional recommendations

Quite often, wild ducks are bred for meat. In this case, it is important not only to send them to the slaughter on time, but also to know how to pluck. There are many methods. However, you need to know some of the nuances.

You can pinch a bird hot. However, there is a high likelihood of discoloration of the meat. Therefore, after this method, it is better to cook the bird right away, and not store it. If you plan to keep the meat in the refrigerator for a while, you can dry the plucking method.

If you decide to use the hot method, do not rush to remove the feathers immediately. Doing so could damage your skin and burn your hands. Allow the bird to cool before plucking.

Wild bird breeding video

In what conditions can wild ducks be kept, the video will demonstrate.

Loading …