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22 December 2024
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മലയാളം
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Animal Husbandry > Duck
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Care
of breeders
Breeder males and females are selected when they are around 6-8 weeks of age. For
maximum fertility drakes should be older by 4-5 weeks than females. In flock mating
a male female ratio of 1:6 to 1:8 is satisfactory with layer types of ducks while
ratio should be narrower for meat type of ducks.
Incubation of duck eggs
The incubation period of ducks is 28 days. Eggs for hatching should be collected
only from those flocks that are in lay for about 6-8 weeks. Collection of eggs should
be started 10 days after introduction of male. Washing of dirty eggs improves hatchability.
Dirty eggs can be washed using warm water at 27oC to which a detergent
sanitizer and disinfectant are added. The dip water has to be changed frequently.
Washed eggs should be dried and fumigated immediately to prevent rotting. Hatching
eggs should be stored in an atmosphere having a temperature of 14oC to
16oC with a relative humidity of 80%. Eggs can be incubated in forced
draft incubator with the same temperature for chicken. However, the humidity requirement
is higher. This can be achieved by sprinkling lukewarm water from the second day
to 23rd day of incubation. Eggs should be turned at least 4 times daily up to the
24th day of incubation. On 24th day of incubation the eggs should be transferred
to hatchery.
In forced draft incubators satisfactory results are attained at a temperature of
37.5 to 37.2oC (99.5 to 99oF). The wet-bulb reading on the
thermometer should be 30 to 31oC (86 to 88oF) during incubation
for the first 25 days and 32.7 to 33.8oC (90 to 92oF) for
the last three days of hatching. Eggs are sprinkled with lukewarm water having sanitizer
once a day from 2nd day to 25th day and cooled for a maximum period of half an hour.
Candling is done on 7th day. The eggs are turned hourly. Eggs are transferred to
hatchery on 25th day.
Brooding (0-4 Weeks)
The brooding period of Khaki Campbell ducklings is 3 to 4 weeks. For meat type ducklings
such as Pekin, brooding for 2 to 3 weeks is sufficient. Provide hover space of 90
to 100 sq.cms. per ducklings under the brooder. A temperature of 29 to 32oC
(85 to 90oC) is maintained during the first week. It is reduced by about
3oC per week till it reaches 24oC (75oF) during
the fourth week.
Ducklings may be brooded in wire floor, litter or batteries. A wire floor space
of 0.046m2 per bird or solid floor space of 0.093 m2 per bird
would be sufficient up to 3 weeks of age. Water in the drinkers should be 5 to 7.5
cm (2 to 3'') deep just sufficient to drink and not dip themselves.
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