Interesting facts about ducks and ducklings
Poultry is a profitable investment of money and energy. Ducks, geese, chickens are unpretentious and hardy birds that produce eggs, meat product and valuable down. Ducks live in the wild or at home, while the lifestyle of different species of birds is practically the same.
Ducks and ducklings
Domesticated flocks are of interest as a source of food, but many facts remain unknown even to experienced farmers. A duckling quickly grows into a healthy male or female and, with proper care, gives birth to offspring. Correctly plan the life of the pack in the interests of the person.
Can a duck breathe underwater? What happens if the domesticated bird flies away? There are the most unexpected answers to all these questions.
Duck is a free bird
Ducks look like the most common birds. Just like geese or other poultry, they are of interest as a source of organic food. The most hardy and resistant to diseases and extremes of external temperatures, birds are bred literally in every household. Their home - cages or aviaries, feeders and drinkers - is the concern of a farmer who is worried about future offspring or the quality of the fluff. Duck feathers are not thrown away, but used for stuffing pillows or insulation.
A brood of young ducklings is born by the end of summer, and until winter, the chicks become strong and hardy. Ducks die without proper conditions and do not survive until winter. In their natural environment, ducks nurture their chicks with the whole flock, even drakes take care of their offspring. At home, only a laying hen is engaged in raising young animals, and a person is responsible for their nutrition.
How the breed was created
The best breeds have been cultivated for decades. Today, you can find species of ducks that have increased egg production or a bird that is gaining weight quickly. Ducks are bred for a specific purpose, because this is the only way to optimize the work of the entire farm. The name of birds often indicates their basic physiological characteristics. It will be difficult for a beginner to breed birds on the farm. The most popular types of ducks:
- orange;
- mankoff;
- river;
- marine;
- brooder;
- polar;
- Argentinian.
The choice of one or another type of ducks depends on what conditions the farmer can provide and what goals he sets for himself. The unpretentious bird takes root in any environment. There will be more problems with turkey or geese. It is profitable to breed ducks, and their food is inexpensive (in the summer there is a lot of free green food). Ducks are specially bred for different zones with low or high temperatures in summer and winter. Such birds will not become a burden for the farmer.
Description of ducks: basic characteristics and lifestyle
A duck is a small-sized waterfowl with brightly colored feathers. It lives near water bodies and green food. The flock lives harmoniously, each adult protects each other.Paired individuals acquire offspring closer to autumn, and already in winter the flock migrates to warmer regions. Several different species of birds fly in a flock, it also happens that flocks from other countries that have flown a considerable distance in search of warmth or good food join the group of ducks.
Male or female, especially wild ones, do not seek contact with people. Nimble and quick, they hide in the reeds or tall grass. Females arrange nests in secluded places, not far from water. The flock feeds not only on grass, but also on roots, sometimes fish.
August, September and October are suitable for breeding ducklings. The mallard rarely makes it into the city or densely populated areas. During the period when people hunt, birds go further into the reeds, keep apart. The male and female are good friends with water, so the domesticated individual needs to constantly change the drinking bowls.
The appearance of the representative of the breed
Healthy birds look proportionally, have a varied color. Distinguishing bird species by feather color alone is difficult, especially for a beginner. A characteristic feature of the duck's wings is a blue feather that glitters in the sun in different colors. Such a feather is called a mirror.
Mating games help to distinguish between a female and a male, because outwardly a duck and a drake are similar. During landing on the nests, the plumage of a bird changes, so the female will not be able to fly away in September (she molts).
Scientists distinguish several types of birds: earthen, shiny, steamer, diving, river individuals. The classification of ducks may differ, because birds are divided according to different characteristics. The birds are divided into 13 genera, the smaller of which is considered earthen. Red drakes and females are classified as Sheep. There are bright birds quite often, they are not tied to a certain area.
The duck that often quacks is a mallard. Massive body and soft color do not distinguish it from the circle of representatives of similar species. The black or gray color of the feathers helps the winged to hide in the high thickets on the banks of water bodies. There is a lot of aggression in ducks of this breed. It is difficult for the drake to breathe; it is easy to calculate by the bird's breathlessness. Argentine and Arctic ducks have a long, bright tail.
Red feathers or blue coloration are characteristic of drakes, which attract the female. The male attracts the future hen, so the female's wings are the same color as her carcass. The crest is observed in drakes, it throws it back, but rarely injures. The duck is white (in ducks of the same species, the color may differ), but has a bright beak. An orange, olive or gray beak can help identify a species of wild bird. With the sharp end of its beak, it is easier for a feathery to catch prey and kill it (insects).
Ducks have many instincts, the main of which is the instinct of self-preservation, which saves a bird's life even from mortal dangers.
How do different types of ducks eat?
How much food do birds eat per day? The amount of food is a decisive factor in persuading a person to breed birds. Ducks require little food and water. Waterfowl is stocked with fat in case of adverse environmental conditions.
Red-billed drakes are the most aggressive, and most often they become the leaders of the pack. The leader provides food for adults and young animals. The yellow color is found in laying ducks that sit on eggs.
Proper nutrition is extremely important for the health of the livestock, this is one of the stages of caring for ducks, otherwise the farmer should wait for changes in the behavior of winged individuals and the emergence of epidemics of diseases. With poor care, birds peck at each other, limp, fall to their feet, etc.
Raising a home flock with a lot of meat and feathers in the ducks is not difficult if you maintain the bird's natural lifestyle. What is the best way to feed domesticated animals? The rate and growth of birds depends on the main feed and supplements in the form of complementary foods.
Daily chicks need to be accustomed to dry food, but add more calcium and cereals to the ducklings' feeder. Grass is the best option for domesticated and wild flocks. Greens contain vitamins, nutrients, and such food is not toxic. Root vegetables that a drake or a female can get on their own will become a source of vitamins. Ducks not only fly, but also dive deeply. Birds fledge in the second month of life, and from that moment on, water is not terrible for ducklings. They love feathered bran, waste from the production of sugar or oils. Spearfishing for tufted drakes is a common thing. This is how the birds catch fish for the whole flock.
Delicious poultry
A dish prepared with duck meat is healthy, satisfying and unusually tasty, every housewife knows this. The calorie content of meat products is high. Cooking meat is easy, just marinate the breast and fry it or bake it in the oven. With honey, such a brisket turns out to be soft and juicy. With fruits, lingonberries or vegetables, the brisket will be less greasy. Fry duck meat products in a little oil. Duck fat is a storehouse of useful substances and a useful product. It is used instead of oil for frying meat. Delicious grease for fish or duck will not harm, even in a diet (in limited quantities). It is difficult to buy fat in stores, but making lard yourself is very simple.
Cooking duck is an exciting experience for both a professional and an amateur cook. Tasty and healthy food is complemented by hearty and low-calorie side dishes. The farmer can be sure of the quality of such a product, and a stuffed piece of meat will be useful for a regular or festive dinner. Duck with mushrooms or duck roll will dilute the usual boring diet. Dishes may not work the first time, but the meat product from the duck will still be soft.
Duck eggs are used less often in food preparation, although the yolk and protein are many useful substances necessary for the human body.
Interesting Facts
A dry description of the breed cannot give an accurate idea of the duck flocks. A photo of bright birds also does not help to determine how profitable it is to have ducks. Organic food and home-cooked meals will benefit both adults and young family members. What is interesting about this type of domesticated bird? Here are some interesting facts to help a novice farmer make a choice:
- Most of the domesticated duck flocks are found in China. For a year, according to statistics, up to 2 million young representatives appear in China. Three quarters of all birds that are bred in the world are in the land of the rising sun. The Chinese love duck and often eat it in a variety of dishes. The duck is marinated, fried, baked and dried using a special technology.
- Today, scientists have more than 100 duck species, including domesticated and wild birds.
- Drakes and ducks are notable for the fact that they bypassed the laws of physics known to man. Any sounds (of different frequency and volume) that they make are bounced off objects and the environment. This phenomenon is due to the formation of an echo. It is impossible to hear a duck quack in the echoed sound. Wherever a person stands, he can only hear the quacking of a bird.
- Quack in the form in which a person distinguishes guttural sounds, only females. Drakes emit a hiss, which warns rivals about the movement of the male. Females attract potential partners by quacking.
- The number of vertebrae in the short neck of ducks is greater than that of a giraffe. An amazing fact is that ducks have very small vertebrae. A couple of dozen such bone processes adjoin the head. This species of birds is not famous for its long neck section.
- Ducks, especially small ones, have a poorly developed parental instinct. Ducklings are easy to add to the chicken, and they will mistake her for a mother.The chicks consider the female that they saw first to be their own mother.
- The duck's wings never get wet. On the feathers of the ducks, a special fat produced by the glands under the skin is distributed. This fat protects the plumage and repels excess moisture.
Interesting facts will help you understand which species is best for a farmer to breed. Also, the nuances of the description and features of the behavior of birds will help to grow worthy offspring.
Duck is not an easy bird
In a day, a white duck can cover up to hundreds of kilometers without a break. Feathered birds fly in a rut or wedge, in search of warmth, but not all birds leave their habitual place of residence. The flight speed can reach 100 km / h, but the maximum speed of ducks is 170 km / h. In total, birds have 3 centuries, each of which performs its own function.
This species of feathery under fluff or eggs is studied by ornithologists and scientists. Wild species can harm airplanes or people (during severe droughts, flocks break into fields and devastate them).
Domesticated animals, curious in structure and lifestyle, are easily bred on the farm, but they require special care, ducks must be taken care of in order to realize their productivity. Studying the breed from other angles is useful for any experienced and novice farmer, because in the usual information there are many tips on keeping birds.