Composition and beneficial properties of duck meat. Main breeds of domestic ducks

The duck family is considered the largest on the planet. Among its representatives there are ducks that stand out sharply from the general background. For example, such a bird is a swan - biggest duck in the world.

Duck taxonomy has always been the subject of heated debate among ornithologists. Today there are several genera in the duck family. Ducks are called shelducks, dabbling and diving ducks, mergansers, musky ducks, etc. There are over a hundred species in total. Ducks have a wide distribution throughout the world. At least 30 species live on the territory of our country.

Characteristics of ducks

Ducks are small in size, have a streamlined body shape, a wide beak and a short neck. Their plumage can have different colors. The feet of these birds have swimming membranes. The male duck is called "drake".

On land, ducks are rather clumsy, but in water they behave like tireless divers and experienced swimmers. Their diving depth exceeds 6 m. They fly well and are able to rise to a height of about 6 km. Representatives of the duck family are waterfowl migratory birds. During migrations they cover considerable distances. The birds fly away at the same time, but different flocks go in different directions.

Modern ornithologists classify swans, geese, diving and dabbling ducks in the Anatidae or Anatidae family. According to the new taxonomy, the whooper swan is the largest duck in the world. Its weight can exceed 17 kg. The whooper lives in the northern regions of Eurasia. It is very similar to a mute swan. They differ only in the shape of their beak and the way they hold their neck. The whooper has a straight neck, while the mute has an S-shaped neck.

Habits of a large swan

The screaming swan prefers remote places where there are no people. A swan couple stays together all their lives. Even during the winter, the birds do not leave each other. Swans carefully protect their nesting area from other birds.

The largest among ordinary ducks

If we consider an ordinary river duck, then the mallard stands out among such birds. This biggest duck in the world and a very numerous species. It is the most common and famous among ducks. The length of the drake is 62 cm, and the female is 57 cm. The weight of the individual is 1-1.5 kg. But on the eve of the flight, the birds feed intensively, then their weight reaches 2 kg.

Mallards can be seen in the wild and in cities. Birds living close to people have formed unusual urban populations. Such mallards live in populated areas year-round, choosing partially salty and fresh water bodies. They are indifferent to human presence. Some ducks become almost tame. The mallard can be recognized by its green neck and head (on the male). The breast, back, crop and ventral side of the bird are painted gray. The female is distinguished by a brown color with dark spots. The wings of such ducks are decorated with a blue-violet spot.

Many experts call the eider the largest duck in the world. Its weight is sometimes 3 kg. The down of this bird is famous for its excellent thermal insulation qualities. It is still collected in the wild. Drakes of this species are distinguished by black and white plumage, and females are rather modestly colored.

Interesting facts about ducks:

1. The feathers of these birds do not get wet, remaining dry even after diving. This is due to the fact that almost all waterfowl have a coccygeal gland. It produces a special fatty substance that birds regularly distribute throughout the body. This way they create a special cover that prevents the feathers from getting wet.
2. During the molting period, representatives of ducks lose their flight feathers and have difficulty flying.
3. Ducks have a complex genital structure. In males, the penis has a spiral shape, and its length can be equal to the size of the drake's body. In females, the ovaries have an unusual shape. The more complex it is, the more unusual the male’s phallus.
4. When choosing a partner in the wild, a duck is guided by the color of its beak. The rich yellow pigment indicates the drake's sexual health.
5. The duck's neck has a huge number of vertebrae - more than that of a giraffe.
6. Only females can quack. Duck quacks have no echo.

As a conclusion, it can be noted that it is possible to single out the very best duck only relatively, since in each species there are large individuals. The habitat of birds is of great importance. For example, a mute swan living on a city pond can gain up to 22 kg if it is fed by people.

As for the artificially created duck, its height is 16.5 m. This is a giant bird made of rubber, created by an artist from Holland - Florentijn Hofman. The duckling is an unusual sculpture or art object that swam in the coastal waters of cities such as Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Osaka, and Sydney. This is the largest man-made duck in the world.

Duck breeds are divided according to their productive qualities into meat, meat and egg breeds.

Meat type ducks are the most widespread. They are characterized by high fertility, early maturity, very good vitality, tasty and nutritious meat and satisfactory egg production. These include: Peking duck, gray Ukrainian duck, black white-breasted duck, white Moscow duck, Rouen duck

. Meat ducks are large in size and weight and are capable of producing a large amount of high-grade meat in a short time. From each duck, at least 50 ducklings must be bred and raised during the year. The more ducklings you get from one duck, the more economically profitable it is. With plenty of feeding and good care, ducklings at the age of 50-60 days reach a weight of 2-2.5 kg and are quite suitable for slaughter. Meat-egg type ducks characterized by average weight, good meat qualities and relatively high egg production. This type includes.

Orpington duck, Khaki Campbell duck and mirror duck Egg-laying ducks are not widely used, firstly, due to their low weight, and secondly, chicken is much more profitable in this regard. Most common Indian runner ducks.

Ducks of the egg-laying type are much lighter than ducks of the meat and meat-egg types. They are more mobile and are not inferior in egg production to chickens of egg-laying breeds.

Meat breeds of ducks

Peking duck breed

Peking duck breeds are one of the best among meat breeds. Peking ducks were bred by Chinese poultry farmers more than 300 years ago in the western hills of Beijing. Later, Peking ducks were bred in the northeastern, northern, eastern and southern parts of China. In the second half of the 19th century, Peking ducks were brought from China to America and Europe, from where they quickly spread throughout all European countries. In our country, Peking ducks are one of the most common breeds.

These birds are early maturing, fatten well and can withstand cold winters. Peking ducks have a large, wide, elongated head with a convex frontal part. The beak is orange-yellow, somewhat concave, and of medium size. The legs are low, thick, reddish-orange in color, placed closer to the back of the body. The eyes are large, shiny, deep-set, dark blue. The neck is thick and of medium length. The plumage is white with a yellowish-cream tint. The wings are strong, fitting quite tightly to the sides. The body is long and raised. The chest is wide and deep. The back is long, wide, sloping from the shoulders to the tail. The tail is slightly raised.

Work on breeding the Bashkir colored duck breed was carried out at the Blagovarsky breeding plant. By selecting and breeding “inside” mutant individuals of the Peking duck.

Ducks of the Bashkir colored breed have plumage colors - khaki and black white-breasted.

Bashkir colored ducks were created by selecting and breeding “in themselves” mutant individuals that arose spontaneously in a flock of Peking ducks. A characteristic feature of Bashkir colored ducks is their high productivity, adaptability to living conditions in peasant and homestead farms, and excellent carcass meat quality; in comparison with the Blagovarsky duck cross, there is a lower fat content in the carcass (by 1.8 - 3.9%) and a high yield of muscle tissue (by 2.9 - 4.1%).

Breed of ducks Black White-breasted

Black white-breasted ducks are characterized by black plumage on the head, body, belly and upper neck. Drakes have a blue-violet tint to the upper part of their neck. The lower part of the chest is white, the legs are black. The legs are low, of moderate thickness, black, located much closer to the rear of the body. The beak is slightly concave, of medium length, completely dark or slate. The eyes are black, shiny, and quite large. The wings are developed, strong and tightly fitting to the sides. The weight of a drake is 3.5-4 kg, a duck is 3-3.5 kg. Egg production - 110-140 eggs per year. The live weight of ducks is 3-3.5 kg, drakes - 3.5-4 kg.

Black white-breasted ducks have white skin and the meat has good taste. Black white-breasted ducks have high egg production over a number of years.

Moscow White duck breed

Moscow white ducks were bred by reproductive crossing of Khakicampbell ducks with Peking ducks.

White Muscovy ducks have large, long heads; long, wide, white and pink beak; dark blue, high-set eyes; long, moderately thick neck;

wide, deep and protruding chest; long, wide back; long, wide, almost horizontal body; short, moderately thick, light orange legs. The plumage is white, without any yellowish-cream tint.

The weight of drakes is 4 kg, ducks are 3-3.5 kg. Egg production - 100-150 eggs per year. Egg weight - 85-90 g. High egg production of the bird is maintained for a number of years.

The meat of the white Moscow duck breed is very tender and tasty. Ducklings at 50 days of age, when properly fattened, have good nutrition.

A breed of ducks for meat production. Swedish Blue ducks are widespread in Germany. Animals quickly become tamed and are trusting. Ducks are well adapted to cold weather, so they can be bred in northern regions. Swedish ducks fatten quickly and are undemanding when it comes to feed.

The plumage of Swedish blue ducks is silvery-gray. The head is oval, elongated.

The beak is flat, yellow-green with a black tip.

The back of ducks is wide, long, without any protuberances. The tail is straight and short. The legs are orange in color, the wings are long, lying tightly along the sides.

The weight of Swedish Blue ducks is 3-3.6 kg.

Gray Ukrainian duck breed

The bird has as its distinctive features a strong constitution (composition) and thin bones, well-developed muscles, dense and abundant plumage. Three main varieties of Ukrainian ducks have been bred: gray, clayey and white.

The head of Gray Ukrainian ducks is small, slightly oblong, with shiny eyes and a strong beak; The legs are short, strong and widely spaced, the body is quite wide, deep and long. The drakes have a dark gray head with a shiny greenish tint, an olive beak, a dark brown neck, a light gray lower part of the body, gray-brown wings with shiny blue mirrors, which are bordered on the sides with black and white stripes.

The live weight of Gray Ukrainian drakes is 3.5, ducks - 2.5-3 kilograms. The average egg production is 120, the maximum is 250 eggs per year.

Breed of ducks Muscovy (Indoutka)

Muscovy duck breeds get their name from the musky odor of their skin and plumage. They come from the wild musk duck - a forest bird native to South America. And in the domesticated state, musk ducks do not abandon their original habits: they avoid water, often fly up to various elevations (trees, barns, etc.).

Muscovy ducks are less precocious than ordinary domestic ducks. Oviposition begins at the age of 8-9 months and lasts 4-5 months.

The ducks then molt and the second cycle begins. During the first cycle, the duck lays 70 eggs or more. The color of their shell is white, with a slight grayish tint. The drake is usually 2 times larger than a duck in live weight.

The weight of a drake is 3.5-5 kg, a duck is 2-2.5 kg. Egg production - 90-100 eggs per year. Egg weight - 70-80 g. Muscovy ducks are good brood hens.

Mulard duck breed

The Mulard duck breed is ideal for both industrial fattening and backyard breeding. Ducks Mullard

(from the English mallard "mallard") - an interspecific hybrid obtained by crossing musk duck drakes with domestic ducks of the Peking White, Orpington, Rouen and White Allier breeds. Mullard ducks, not found in the wild due to the different geographical ranges of the mallard (Eurasia) and the wild Muscovy duck (South America), are bred only by human initiative to correct the shortcomings of these breeds.

Mulard ducks are a meat breed. Ideal for both industrial fattening (since its liver, like the liver of geese, is used for such a delicious dish as Foie Gras), and for breeding at home. This breed is very suitable for those who do not like fatty duck meat, because... The fat content is only 3%. Which in its characteristics is comparable to goose meat, but at the same time the feeding period of a goose is 6-8 months, and the fattening period of Mulard is 4 months.

Reasons that led to the breeding of Mullard ducks.

Obtained in France in the vicinity of the Norman city of Rouen as a result of the domestication of wild ducks, long-term selection and selection based on live weight. The bird has a massive, horizontally placed body, a deep chest, and a wide back. The color of the plumage is similar to its wild ancestor. Ducks have a dark brown head with two light brown stripes from the beak to the neck on either side. The upper lobe of the body is light brown; legs dark orange; The drake's head is a shiny dark green color, the beak is greenish-yellow, black at the end, the neck is green with a white ring, not closed at the back, the chest is red-brown to the shoulders, from the shoulders the entire lower lobe of the body is gray.
Rouen ducks have a significant live weight of 3-4 kilograms, some individuals reach 5 kg; stand out for their excellent tender meat with high taste.

The egg production of Rouen ducks is 80-90 eggs.

Aylesbury duck breed

One of the oldest breeds of English origin. Created at the beginning of the 19th century in Aylesbury, Buckingham County. The breed was first presented to the public at an English exhibition in 1845. The bird has a horizontal body, pure white plumage, the beak of Aylesbury ducks is pale flesh-colored, the eyes are dark lead-blue, the metatarsus and toes are shiny light orange. The weight of drakes is 4-4.5, ducks - 3.5-4.0 kilograms. The laying period lasts 6-7 months, during which ducks lay up to 100 eggs.

Ducklings in the age group of 50-60 days reach a weight of 2-2.5 kilograms. Currently, some duck farms in England use lines of Aylesbury ducks as the paternal form when crossing with lines of Peking ducks as the maternal form in order to obtain four-line hybrids. Some delicacy of Aylesbury ducks and their slightly reduced egg production compared to Peking ducks determined their smaller distribution.

Duck breed Favorite Blue

The drake has a mass of 4-5.5 kg, a duck 3.5-4 kg. Seasonal egg production is 100-140 eggs, egg weight is 85 g.

Favorit Blue ducks are a meat breed. Today, blue ducks are common in industrial production, and they are also bred by specialized and homestead farms.

Crested duck breed

Tufted ducks have been known in Europe and Russia for more than 300 years. Tufted ducks are a breed of decorative and meat production; they do not provide much economic benefit. The crested duck breed occurred as a result of mutations that occurred when crossing local ducks living in Europe; there is an assumption that the crest on the head appeared as a result of crossing with the Chinese crested duck. Tufted ducks are very beautiful, active and very mobile; they have always been a decoration for any poultry yard.

The crested gene is cumulative and it appears only in 80% of cases in parents with crests, and if one of the parents is without a crest, then, as a rule, the crest is absorbed in the offspring.

It is considered that the larger the size of the crest, the smaller the individual and therefore in the European standard the weight of the Crested duck is indicated less than that of the Peking duck.

The productive qualities of Tufted ducks are very low. The average weight of adult Tufted ducks is 2-2.3 kg, and that of adult Tufted drakes is 2.5-2.8 kg. The egg production of Tufted ducks is not high, only 50-60 eggs per year, some record holders among Tufted ducks lay 120 eggs. The weight of the egg is 60-80 g.

Meat and egg breeds of ducks

Breed of ducks Mirror

Mirror breeds of ducks with light brown, almost white plumage.

The wings of males and females have a dark blue mirror shine. Drakes have a blue-green tinged head and neck. Mirror ducks have a wide, rounded chest, slightly protruding forward; the body is wide, long; neck of moderate length, set straight; the head is small, long; beak dark gray; the legs are low, strong, orange in color, slightly set back;

Drakes weigh 3.6 kg, ducks 3.2 kg. There are 100-150 eggs per year weighing 70-80 g. The color of the first 10 eggs (at the beginning of egg laying) is black, then the eggs lighten and become grayish or greenish white. The incubation period is 28 days. The duck sits very well on eggs and raises ducklings (10-15 pieces).

Orpington duck breed

The breed of ducks was obtained in England by poultry farmer V. Cook, who created a breed of chickens of the same name. Orpington ducks are created by crossing Aylesbury, Cayuga and Indian Runner ducks. The bird has a long, wide body, a full, wide chest, a fairly long neck and abundant plumage of a reddish-yellow, fawn color.

The live weight of drakes is 2.6-3.5 kilograms, ducks - 2.5-3.2 kilograms. Orpington ducks are very good foragers, laying up to 150-160 eggs. The live weight of ducklings in the 8-week age group is 2 kilograms. Currently, this breed is common in England, France, Italy and other countries. Very often (in France) used for hybridization with the Muscovy duck as a maternal form. Saxon ducks are a breed Meat and egg direction

.

These birds were bred in Germany through long crossings and internal selection. An excellent breed for breeding on homesteads and home farms.

The Saxon duck is a very beautiful duck with colorful plumage.

The ducks are very well-fed and have a dense build. Saxon ducks have a regular body shape, with strong bones, and the body position is slightly inclined.

Khaki Campbell ducks are an English meat and egg breed of ducks bred at the end of the 19th century by the famous poultry breeder Adele Campbell. She crossed fawn Indian runners with Rouen ducks, then crossed the crosses with Mallards. The breed was introduced in 1898. Mrs. Campbell later crossed them again with fawn and white Indian runners to establish the beautiful fawn coloring she called Khaki.

The color of the plumage is found in three variants: fawn, dark and white.

In fawn, the color of the drake is sandy or light brown. The neck and chest are brown-bronze, the beak is dark, the head is black and shiny. The duck is all fawn.

The weight of drakes is 2.5-3.3 kg, ducks 32-2.5 kg. There are 230-350 white eggs weighing 65-85 g per year. The incubation period is 28 days. The duck is not the best hen.

Sexual maturity is 6-7 months. The meat is tender and tasty. At the age of 16-18 weeks.

reach 1.25-2.25 kg of live weight. The slaughter yield is high 89% due to the thin bones.

Khaki Campbell ducks are very active and forage well in ponds and pastures. The character is calm and obedient, peace-loving. They don't fly well.

Egg breeds of ducks

Duck breed Indian runners

Eggs are similar in weight and taste to chicken eggs, so runners are often kept instead of chickens.

The drake should reach a weight of 2 kg, the female - 1.75. Runners are excellent parents, especially since all the conditions for breeding they require are the same as for ordinary ducks. Little runner ducklings are an interesting and cute sight, watching them is a pleasure!
Duck recipes

Features of incubating duck eggs

In Russia, they try to get more meat from ducks. Eggs are not valued as much as chicken eggs, and are mainly needed for breeding and producing offspring. The amount of meat depends not only on the quality of food and living conditions, but to a greater extent on the breed of ducks.

The largest breeds of ducks

Meat ducks are characterized by early maturity - rapid weight gain. Young animals at two months of age already weigh 2.5–3 kg. It is this age that is considered optimal for slaughter, since with the onset of molting, the process of building muscle mass stops, internal organs begin to develop, and the plumage hardens.

Beijing

• The Peking duck is recognized as the most popular breed of duck in Russia. Characteristics:
• early maturity - young animals at 50 days of age weigh up to 3 kg for drakes, up to 2.5 for females;
• adult weight – at 4–5 months, the drake weighs up to 5 kg, the female 4–4.5 kg;
• egg production - during the season the bird produces up to 120 eggs, weighing 85–90 g;
• juvenile molt - occurs at 55–60 days;
• color - white plumage, beak and paws - orange-yellow, dark blue eyes;
• maintenance - unpretentious, can do without water walking, in warm weather it is enough to equip a canopy, do not require a large area;
• food - dry feed, wet cereal mash, chopped grass, kitchen waste, water. During the period of juvenile molting, food consumption increases sharply – 2.5 times;
• slaughter - the most delicious and tender meat in young animals - up to 50 days;

Features – a very noisy and aggressive breed of ducks.

Peking duck meat is considered the most delicious, but a little fatty, especially when fed.

Gray Ukrainian

• The breed can rightfully compete with the Peking in early maturity and maximum weight; it was bred by crossing domestic and wild ducks. Characteristics:
• early maturity - by two months the ducklings weigh 2–2.4 kg;
• weight of an adult – in the fourth month of life, the drake weighs up to 4 kg, the female – 3.6 kg;
• egg production - average - 140 eggs per year, but with proper care it can produce up to 230 eggs;
• color – the body is dark brown, there are two black stripes on the head, the wings have a blue tint, and a dark olive beak;
• contents - tolerates cold well - at a temperature of -15°C can walk outside. The poultry house for adults can be made unheated, but with deep litter and no drafts;
• food - chopped grass, potato peelings, tops of root vegetables. In summer, the grain portion of the feed should be at least 25%, in winter – 50%. You can use both mixed feed and mix cereals yourself;
• slaughtering - for the best taste of meat - up to 60 days, then after 4 months;
• features - can be kept without water walking, gets along well with other poultry. Good hens - if properly organized, artificial incubators for breeding will not be required.

White Moscow

Which ducks to choose

The largest and most common breed of ducks on private farms. It was developed by crossing a Peking duck and a Khaki Campbell drake.

• early maturity - at 50–60 days, drakes weigh 3.3 kg, females – 2.8–3.0 kg;
• weight of an adult – drake – 4–4.5, female – 3–3.5 kg;
• egg production – 125–140 pieces per year;
• juvenile molting - occurs from the 60th to the 70th day;
• color - pure white plumage, reddish beak, light pink paws;
• maintenance - in the warm season, a canopy on the street will be enough; in the cold season, it can be placed in a poultry house. It does not need additional heating, just avoid drafts and dampness;
• food - the diet should contain grains: wheat, oats, corn, as well as peas, bone meal, table salt, technical fat. It is necessary to give fresh finely chopped grass or tops;
• slaughter – young birds – up to 50–60 days, adult birds – after 4 months;
• Features – the birds are good brood hens, prolific, the productive period lasts 2–3 years. High survival rate of ducklings - up to 90%.

musky

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The breed is famous for its tender and dietary meat, the fat content is only 15%.

Characteristics:

• early maturity - in 60 days the drake gains up to 3.5–4 kg, the female – 2.5–3 kg;
• weight of an adult – drake 5–5.3 kg, female – up to 4 kg;
• egg production – 60–100 eggs per year, weight 80 g;
• juvenile molt – at 65–75 days;
• color - the most common are white with black stripes and black-gray with a blue tint. The beak is orange, around the eyes and nasal openings there are red skin growths characteristic of the breed;
• maintenance - the bird does not tolerate cold well, so in winter it should be placed in an insulated house; heating lamps can be used. Water walking in the cold season is undesirable;
• food - grain crops, corn, chopped grass, kitchen waste, dry feed, wet mash. Favorite treats include insects and worms;
• slaughter – up to 65 days;
• Features – Muscovy duck, compared to other breeds, consumes the least amount of feed, up to 6–7 kg per month.

The most popular meat crosses

Pedigree ducks can reproduce, so they are most suitable for breeding.

But there is a variety of selected individuals that do not produce offspring and live in one cycle. Such breeds are called crosses, they are obtained by crossing various hybrid lines. What are the advantages of crosses over purebred ducks? This bird should be kept only to quickly obtain the maximum amount of meat, for your own needs or for sale. There are certain advantages to this:

• no need to build a heated poultry house for young animals;
• equip separate houses for hens;
• care for small ducklings who often cannot feed themselves;
• the cross is bred with the aim of adapting to the climatic characteristics of different regions, which means there is no need to worry about the conditions of detention;
• very convenient - having bought young animals two weeks old, feed them for two months and eventually get up to 3-4 kg of meat, then slaughter and you can repeat the cycle.

Among the most common crosses, the largest ones can be distinguished:

• Favorite;
• Medeo;
• Pace.

Favorite

The most common cross on farms, thanks to its tasty and lean duck meat, as well as its unpretentiousness to living conditions.

Characteristics:

• early maturity - in two months they gain up to 3–3.5 kg of weight;
• adult weight – 4.5–5.5 kg;
• egg production - up to 110 eggs per year;
• juvenile molt - occurs early at 50–60 days;
• color - there are individuals with black, gray and dark blue plumage;
• maintenance - in the warm season it is enough to organize a shed, in the cold season - a poultry house. Cover the floor with several layers of straw or sawdust. Provide ventilation, but avoid drafts and dampness;
• food – any types of feed (vitamin supplements may not be included). Give in dry form and wet mash, be sure to have a lot of clean water. Finely chopped grass, tops, kitchen waste - the share of greens should not be less than 50% of the total food in the summer, in winter it can be reduced to 25%;
• slaughter - before the start of molting, there is no point in keeping it further, the bird will gain another 1–1.5, but the meat will be tougher.

The cross was bred by the breeding company of the same name in England. There are two types of ducks:

• on the maternal side - individuals are distinguished by greater egg production, up to 150 eggs per year;
• on the paternal side - faster weight gain.

Characteristics:

• early maturity - at seven weeks the drake weighs 3.5 kg, the female - 3 kg;
• adult weight – 4.5–5 kg;
• egg production – 110–150 eggs per year;
• juvenile molting - occurs at 50–60 days;
• color – white plumage, orange beak and paws;
• content - the cross is adapted to cold and damp climates, so there is no point in organizing a warm poultry house;
• nutrition - the diet should include cereal feed - up to 30% in the form of dry feed or wet mash. Greens, kitchen waste – up to 50–70% depending on the season;
• slaughter - before the start of molting.

Medeo

Medeo ducks were bred in Kazakhstan as a result of several cycles of crossing the X-11 cross with the Peking breed, and therefore have improved egg production and early maturity characteristics than the prototype.

Characteristics:

• early maturity - at seven weeks the drake weighs 3.3 kg, the female - 2.5–2.9 kg;
• adult weight – drake – 5 kg, duck – 3.9 kg;
• egg production –140 per year;
• juvenile molting - begins at 60 days of age;
• color - very similar to the Pekingese breed - white plumage, yellow-orange beak, reddish-orange paws;
• maintenance - unpretentious, can be placed in a small area, even in cages, walking is desirable, but not necessary;
• food – dry feed containing millet, oats, corn, meal, milk powder, shells, salt. You can make mash yourself by combining different components. Include grass, tops and other kitchen waste in your diet. Drink plenty of fluids;
• slaughter – up to 60 days.

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Video: Super diet for Muscovy duck

There is an opinion among poultry farmers that ducks are very voracious, but thanks to this quality they grow faster. So let's figure out how long a duck grows. As experts say, the growth rate of the bird in question will depend on the breed and diet. So, if ducks are fed with factory-made compound feed, which includes nutrients necessary for development and growth, then the duck can grow in two months.

At home, few farmers feed their poultry with compound feed, so the period of its development increases slightly. In the first days of life, ducklings are given boiled eggs, cottage cheese and ground grain; later these ingredients are mixed with finely chopped grass. Two or three weeks after birth, the ducklings are released to pasture, and after a month they can be allowed to swim in the nearest body of water. In the latter case, the birds will get half of their food from the water, and the other half (from different types of grain) will be placed on a pasture or near a pond. When fattening at home, the duck will grow for three, maximum four months, after which it will reach the required slaughter weight.

According to some farmers, waterfowl reach a weight of two kilograms at 65-70 days of age, but if you ignore the weight of feathers and offal, then you are unlikely to get enough of such a bird. It should be noted that the growth rate of ducks is much higher than that of other types of poultry.

How long to keep ducks

The answer to the question of how long to keep ducks will depend on the purpose of keeping this bird. If ducks are kept for meat, then they can begin to be slaughtered after reaching a live weight of 2-2.5 kilograms. As we said, such a gain can be achieved at two or three months of age, but slaughtering pets at this time is unprofitable from an economic point of view, because they have not yet acquired meat. According to experts, it is better to slaughter some breeds of ducks at 6 months of age, when their weight reaches 5-6 kilograms. In such birds, the weight of the useful part, meaning meat, reaches 70%, and the amount of fat is 8% of the indicated weight.

If ducks are kept to produce offspring, they can live for more than one year since the first egg in birds usually appears 5-6 months after birth. Farmers note that the Peking breed (180-200 eggs per year) and musky ducks or mute ducks have good egg production. The latter species of ducks can lay eggs twice during the warm period of the year.

Every private farm has a poultry yard where chickens live.

But many people believe that chicken meat has become an everyday item, but duck meat is considered a delicacy.

Almost every farmer tries to raise his own domestic ducks.

By making the right choice in breeding a particular breed of duck, you can very well provide your table with delicious meat, and also make very good money from selling them.

Ducks are quite common in rural areas.

The main factor in duck breeding is the choice of breed.

There are several varieties of ducks, which you will learn about later, as well as the characteristics of each breed and the peculiarities of breeding these birds.

In agriculture there is three types of ducks:

• Meat breeds - these breeds differ from others in their rapid weight gain.
• Meat-producing breeds – these breeds are characterized by good egg production and weight gain.
• Egg breeds – these breeds differ from others in their high egg production.

What breeds of ducks are considered meat ducks?

Peking duck, what is it characterized by?

Peking duck considered the best in the meat breed of ducks.

The Chinese developed this breed about 300 years ago in the west of Beijing, but not much later they began to be bred in other parts of China. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Peking duck was introduced to America and Europe. After which it appeared in our country.

What features Peking duck has:

• The bird looks very large with a wide, raised body and a broad chest.
• The weight of an adult female is 3.4 kilograms, and the drake is 4 kilograms.
• The egg production of one duck ranges from 85 to 125 eggs per year. The mass of one is 90 grams.
• Compared to other duck breeds, the Pekin duck has a fast metabolism.
• The average body temperature of ducks is 42.2 degrees Celsius.
• Peking ducks are considered omnivores.
• Peking ducks are white in color, have an orange beak and thick reddish legs.

What positive qualities Peking duck can be characterized below:

• This breed of duck is one of the most common in our country.
• Peking duck is precocious.
• Birds fatten up very quickly.
• This breed tolerates cold seasons very well.
• Ducks have a fairly high vitality.
• They are resistant to various diseases.

What can we say about negative side this breed:

• Some farmers find them very noisy. This breed has increased nervous excitability, so a little noise in the yard will constantly attract them.
• Ducks need certain conditions of detention, which determines their productivity.

Ducklings at the age of one and a half months already have a mass of about 2.4-3.1 kilograms. It is best to raise them for meat before the juvenile molt period (approximately seventy days).

Since at this time they stop growing, but begin to consume food twice as much, internal organs develop and new feathers grow, which are then not removed during the removal process and deteriorate the meat quality.

Meat breed – black white-breasted duck

The black white-breasted duck was bred by crossing two breeds: Peking duck and Khaki Campbell. This breed was bred at the Ukrainian Institute of Poultry Breeding.

What features this duck has:

• This breed is characterized by an elevated body with a deep chest.
• The duck's back is large and quite long, slightly raised towards the tail. The tail is also slightly raised.
• The duck's main color is black, but part of the belly and chest are white.
• Drakes are distinguished by a blue-violet tint on the neck.
• The legs are small, not thick, black.
• The beak is medium, concave, dark or slate in color.
• The duck's eyes are shiny, large and black.
• The wings are massive, very tightly pressed to the body.
• The weight of an adult female is 3.6 kilograms, and the weight of a drake is about 4 kilograms.
• The egg production of the black white-breasted duck is about 115-125 pieces, the weight of which is 80-90 grams. The egg shell color is white.

Positive sides this breed of duck:

• This breed of duck is a meat duck.
• Ducks reach puberty by six months of their life.
• These birds fatten very well and are early maturing.
• They belong to ducks of a general user nature.
• Poultry meat and eggs are of high quality.
• Ducks have good survival rates.

Ducklings at the age of 60-65 days reach a weight of one and a half kilograms. The meat of this breed of duck differs from other breeds in its greater fat content and quality.

No negative qualities were noted in this breed of ducks.

Moscow white duck breed



The Moscow White duck is also one of the most famous. It was bred thanks to two breeds: Pekingese and Khaki Campbell.

The state farm “Ptichnoe” in the Moscow region was engaged in breeding this breed of birds. The goal was to obtain a meat breed with sufficient high egg production.

In terms of external factors, the duck is similar to the Peking duck, but it still has its own characteristics.

Peculiarities Moscow white ducks:

• The bird has a massive body with a wide, rounded chest.
• The head is small, located on a very flexible neck. The beak is red.
• The duck's legs are not long and widely spaced, pink in color.
• Feather color is white.
• The weight of an adult male reaches 4.4 kilograms, and the weight of females is one kilogram less.
• Ducks have blue eyes.

Advantages Moscow white duck:

• Females are characterized by a high ability to lay eggs. During a period they carry up to 120 pieces, the weight of one can reach 0.1 kilograms.
• A positive quality is the prevalence of the breed, which indicates its low cost.
• Birds are characterized by good adaptation to different weather conditions.
• Ducks do not need fancy grooming.
• Birds have very tasty meat.
• The positive side is a good reproductive system.
• The survival rate of ducks is ninety percent.
• The bird has good meatiness without strong fatty deposits.

No negative qualities were identified in this breed of ducks.

Meat-egg breeds of ducks

Khaki Campbell - meat-egg breed of ducks



This breed of duck was developed in England by poultry farmer Adele Campbell back in the 1800s. Her goal was to get a duck to provide meat for her family.

This breed of ducks was developed through very complex crossing methods.

Peculiarities This breed is listed below:

• The color of the feathers of this duck can be different: fawn, dark and white.
• Birds of this breed are light in weight. The weight of a male ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms, and of a female within 2.5 kilograms.
• Puberty occurs at 6-7 months.
• Egg production in birds ranges from 250-350 eggs. Eggs with a white shell and weighing about 80 grams.
• Birds have a small head, beak and neck.

Positive traits, which the Khaki Campbell duck breed has:

• Birds are characterized by high egg production.
• This breed has very tender and tasty meat.
• Birds are very mobile and active.
• Birds adapt to different living conditions.

TO lack The following facts can be attributed to this duck:

• Females are not very good brood hens.
• You need to monitor the diet of ducks; if they eat well, then they are quite calm.

What is the characteristics of the Mirror breed of ducks?



The mirror breed of ducks was obtained as a result of a very complex selection method in the 1950s at the Kuchinsky poultry farm.

The purpose of breeding this breed of ducks was to obtain an early maturing breed with good meat qualities. This breed is not very common among farmers.

Peculiarities Mirror duck:

• This bird is early ripening, with very good meat quality.
• The weight of one duck is approximately three kilograms, and the weight of a drake is 3.8 kilograms.
• The egg production of one bird per year is 160 pieces, sometimes reaching 200 pieces. The shell is white, less often yellowish, and sometimes even speckled.
• The body of the bird is long and slightly raised in front.
• The head is small, the neck is medium, the beak is wide and long.
• The legs are small, but almost always feathered.
• The wings and tail are also small.
• Feather colors can be white, grayish, silver and creamy. In males, the head is covered with black or brown speckles.

Positive traits mirror duck:

• The bird is very active.
• The duck adapts to different living conditions.
• The mirror duck has high egg production.
• The survival rate of young ducklings is over 95 percent.
• Poultry meat is characterized by good taste.

Meat breed of ducks – Cayuga



The Cayuga duck is an American breed of duck. She is very beautiful. It was bred back in 1874.

Which peculiarities you can tell about the bird:

• Cayuga ducks have a very beautiful feather color - black with a tint of green.
• Birds are very strong.
• The eyes are dark brown.
• The legs and beak are only black.
• The legs are small, the tail is also directed upward.
• The weight of males of this breed ranges from 3.2 kilograms to 3.8 kilograms, and females from 2.8 to 3.1 kilograms.
• The average egg production of this breed is 100-150 eggs per year. The weight of an egg is 70-80 grams. The peculiarity is that the first ten eggs are black, and then they begin to lighten and acquire a gray or greenish-white color.

TO merits This breed includes the following indicators:

• Females are very good brood hens.
• Cayuga ducks adapt to different environments.
• The birds are very calm and obedient.
• Ducks are very fond of walking areas where they eat various worms.
• The birds have good survival rate of their young.

Saxon duck breed



Saxon ducks belong to the meat-egg breed. Ducks were bred in Germany. The bird first appeared in 1934.

When breeding the birds, the Peking, Rouen and Pomeranian breeds were used. This breed is very good for breeding in the home.

Peculiarities, which the Saxon duck has:

• The bird is very massive and well-fed.
• Ducks have very beautiful plumage. Drakes have a dark blue head and neck with a metallic tint, and the rest of the body is reddish-red. And in females the main color of the plumage is yellow-green.
• Ducks of this breed are quite productive, the female weighs from 2.6 to 3.1 kilograms, and the male from 3 to 3.5 kilograms.
• The meat quality is very good.
• The egg production of birds is good, about 150-200 eggs per year. The weight of one is about 70-80 grams.

Positive sides Saxon duck:

• Ducks have good egg production.
• Ducks have a good survival rate.
• Saxon duck has good quality meat characteristics.

And finally, egg breeds of ducks

Egg Breed – Indian Runners



Southeast Asia is considered the homeland of Indian runners. These ducks began to be bred in the last century.

At first this breed was very rare and could be seen in zoos. This breed of duck is the only egg breed.

Peculiarities such an unusual breed of ducks:

• Her body is straight. When running, they look like a running bottle.
• Birds attract attention at exhibitions.
• The color of the feathers varies: it can be white, or it can be brown, black and blue.
• Ducks have a very long neck and long legs, which contribute to their fast movement.
• The female weighs 1.75 kilograms, and the male 2 kilograms.
• The egg production of one duck is about 200 eggs, but record ducks are capable of laying 350 eggs per year. Birds fly all year round. The weight, color and taste of the eggs laid by this breed resembles chicken eggs.
• Although the mass of the bird is not very large, its meat has a very tender and juicy taste.

Positive sides Indian runner:

• Birds are very active and love to be outside.
• Indian runners are very clean ducks.
• Very high egg production.
• Ducks are adapted to different weather conditions.
• Birds are very good parents.

A disadvantage of this breed is the fact that it cannot be limited in water, as this may reduce its productivity.

Features of raising ducks



In general, raising ducks is not such a difficult process. These birds are unpretentious to food and temperature, which sets them apart from other birds.

Regardless of the fact that ducks can easily tolerate frosts, they should not be subjected to such tests. You need to make sure that it is not below zero in the poultry house.

By following this rule, the bird will feel comfortable and this will not affect its productivity. When keeping chicks The room temperature should be around 28 degrees Celsius, and the humidity should be between 70-75 percent.

Poultry rearing begins with the incubation of ducklings. In compliance with all necessary rules. Compared to other eggs, duck eggs need to be treated with great care. During the incubation period, they need to be cooled according to certain rules. But, in general, breeding duck chicks is much easier than any other.

Chicks can be raised open or closed. But the best of them is the combined method.

Ducks are not conflict birds, but if they are kept in a very small room, even they begin to conflict with each other. Basically, one adult duck should be allocated about 0.3 square meters.

The premises for keeping ducks should be clean and dry, with good ventilation. There must be an optimal level of humidity. It is necessary to ensure that mold does not form, otherwise it may affect the health of the birds.

For chicks, the room should be illuminated around the clock, and for adult ducks 15-16 hours will be enough.

Although birds are unpretentious to food, they really need water. Water should be poured onto the third part of the bird's beak.

Ducks must be provided with access to the pond. Birds needed constantly feed. The normal daily diet should consist of grains and mash. The mash consists of cake, vegetables, potatoes or pumpkin, bone and fish meal.

Ducks are very good parents who take good care of their offspring. But the chicks can do without their care. Since they can find food and water for themselves. But in any case, you shouldn’t leave them on their own; you need to keep an eye on them from time to time.

Meat breeds They gain weight very quickly. And if they are bred to produce tasty meat, then they need to be killed at ten weeks of age.

Raising these birds at home is not difficult. You just need to choose the breed you need and find out about its conditions of detention. Then in the end you will get a very good result. Especially experienced poultry farmers advise beginners to start breeding poultry with ducks.

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