Laying period in domestic ducks
For poultry houses, in addition to marketable materials (eggs, meat), poultry reproduction is also important. This is due to the fact that without such a process as egg-laying, the number of birds will decrease dramatically, and in the end, the profit from the sale of feathers and eggs will not cover the waste on raising the birds. The question of why ducks do not rush worries novice breeders more and more often.
When ducks start laying eggs
To avoid complications, you need to know well when the ducks begin to rush. For which months the egg production is highest, how during this period they should be fed and what additional measures to take. All this information will allow you to maximize and increase the productivity of layers.
First lay
Poultry farmers know that domestic and wild ducks behave differently, and therefore their egg production is different. Poultry do not have to fight for survival and get their own food, and therefore they can produce up to 120 eggs per year. On average, these ducks begin to breed at about 5 months of age. And if they began to lay, then the egg will appear constantly.
However, depending on certain factors, the time of the first oviposition can be significantly closer or further away:
- Duck breed. By nature, ducks of different breeds begin to lay eggs at different ages, so you should first ask the seller about this when the female of this species began to give birth. If the females were flying well, then the egg production of the offspring will also be high.
- The presence of a drake. If there is no drake, the sexual development of young birds of this species is somewhat inhibited. More often, females that rushed without the presence of a drake do not sit on the nest.
- Conditions of detention. In order for the birds to fly on time, you need to keep them in a comfortable environment. The room should be dry, spacious and warm. It is also important to protect the ducks from unnecessary noise.
- Duck health and lifestyle. An unhealthy duck will not be able to produce many offspring, so it is worth providing good nutrition, care and periodic medical examination. There should also be enough space for the duck to move around and be physically active.
Due to difficult living conditions, wild ducks are capable of laying no more than 50-60 eggs per year, and sometimes the egg production of such ducks is only up to 20 eggs per year (that is, 1-2 egg-laying). Unlike domestic ducks, which hatch eggs for a long time, wild ducks do it quite quickly. Studies have shown that embryos of wild ducks develop much faster, and ducklings appear already at about 29 days of incubation. Also, the maturity of the female and the drake occurs much earlier. This feature is directly related to survival.
When ducks fly better
Like wild ducks, domestic ducks rush better in spring, which is associated with a genetically inherent instinct to reproduce precisely in the warmest and most comfortable period for this. However, if domestic ducks are kept comfortable throughout the year, offspring can be expected several times a year, including in winter.And the egg will be of normal size.
- On average, ducks lay 12-20 eggs three times a season. The number of eggs usually increases with each new clutch. The incubation period reaches a month. From the beginning of egg production, productivity will only increase.
- Some ducks may lay their eggs in someone else's nest. This phenomenon is quite frequent, so the owners of such birds have a wonderful opportunity to lay additional eggs for their ducks to incubate. You should not do this in relation to those who incubate for the first time, but experienced ducks can increase the number of laying eggs to 20.
Many poultry breeders need to know what time ducks begin to lay, how many months they should be, in order not to miss the appearance of the first eggs on the crucial day. This is usually night time, but the process can last until lunchtime. The time when ducks rush requires peace and quiet in the barn, without which not a single egg will be able to lay.
Why ducks don't rush
If these birds have stopped rushing, there may be a lot of reasons. Most likely they are hidden in the wrong conditions of keeping the laying hen:
- Incorrect temperature conditions. In a too cold room, the bird feels unprotected, and the next egg-laying will be only when the temperature rises to the required one (at least 12 ° C). Too high temperatures also do not allow birds to fly, as they worsen the well-being of birds and their health.
- Poor nutrition. You need to carefully monitor what the birds eat, feed in moderation and in no case overfeed. High quality feed is selected, grain and mixtures are used. Obese ducks cannot be made to fly.
- Lack of access to fresh air. In order for the ducks to fly well, every day the bird needs to be provided with proper walking. Walking outside should be at least an hour.
Short daylight hours also affect layers.
Egg production will also be affected by the amount of light the birds receive during the day. A month before the expected ovipositor, you need to increase daylight hours with a lamp by 5-10 minutes every day. Adapted birds will fly better. You can leave a dim light at night.
How to make a duck dream
First of all, you will need to eliminate all the reasons listed in the previous paragraph. If the owner wants the birds to fly well, he must provide comprehensive nutrition for the birds and access to the reservoir, increase daylight hours, provide the birds with walking every day, and equip the room with effective ventilation.
If this does not help, there may be a health problem and the hens need special care. It is necessary to pay attention to the color of the legs and beak: it should be bright orange. Often health problems are manifested in poor diet and infrequent fluid intake. If you notice any abnormalities, contact your veterinarian and administer a course of immunotherapy.
Sometimes, when ducks begin to lay eggs, some eggs are found to appear without shells. If a duck laid such an egg, this is a clear indication that its body lacks vitamins and an urgent need to fix it.
Incubation
Incubation lasts about 4 weeks. During this time, the breeder provides the ducks with maximum comfort. At this time, the laying duck rarely gets up from the nest and does not move most of the time. Birds sometimes stop eating for a few days after laying, which is normal, but they need extra supervision during this period.
After some time, the egg begins to crack, and the first duckling hatches from it. All ducklings do not hatch at the same time, therefore, immediately after the birth of a new duckling, it should be removed from the mother until all the others hatch.
The hen, along with the hatched ducklings, is kept separately from the rest for some time. The most interesting stage begins - "education".The female teaches the babies to use the feeders and drinker, if possible, to swim. Over time, the ducklings begin to do all this on their own, and they are moved to the entire flock.
Useful tips for breeding ducks
- Before breeding ducks, it is important to know the puberty time of a particular bird breed and the number of offspring per laying. The shorter this period and the higher the egg production, the better for business.
- Birds begin to be transferred to three meals a day only from the age of one month. At the same time, it is important to select the highest quality grain crops.
- We must not forget to prevent diseases, add vitamins to the diet.
- An incubator is used to simplify the incubation of eggs. It also saves on hen care.
- Birds need to be given more space: ducks need to move around for a good metabolism.
Conclusion
In this article, we examined at what age ducks begin to lay, in what conditions the birds should be, how to ensure maximum egg production, how long it will take to incubate the offspring and how long it will take for ducklings to become independent.