Laying ducks

Animal Husbandry > Duck

Care of laying ducks

Ducks lay their eggs in the early morning. An average duck egg weighs about 65-70 g.

Ducks normally lay when they are about 5-6 months of age. Peak production is obtained 5-6 weeks after commencement of lay. A photoperiod of 14 hours is considered optimum for inducing high egg production. Ducks are fed only twice in a day - one in the morning and the other in the evening. The quantity to be fed is that which can be cleared in about 10-15 minutes time. Layer ducks can be fed with mash or pellets. It is preferable to feed wet mash. The feed should have 18% protein and 2650 K cal/kg of ME. The feeder space suggested is 10 cm/duck. Under intensive system a floor space of 3710 to 4650 cm² per duck is essential, but in cages it can be reduced to 1350 cm². In semi-intensive system, a floor space of 2790 cm² in the night shelter and 929 to 1395 cm² as outside run per bird would be adequate. Layer ducks must be provided with nest boxes. A nest box measuring 30 cm wide, 45 cm deep and 30 cm high would be sufficient. One nest box for every three layers has to be provided.

Feed ration for layer ducks

Sl. No.	Ingredients	Percent
1	Yellow maize	42.00
2	Rice Polish	20.00
3	Gingelly Oil cake	7.00
4	Soyabean meal	14.00
5	Dried fish	10.00
6	Oyster shell	5.00
7	Mineral Mixture	1.75
8	Salt	0.25
Total		100.00

(Source: Kerala Agricultural University)

For every 100 kg, add vitamin mixture (Vit. A 600,000, Vit. B2600 mg and Vit D3 60,000 ICU) and nicotinic acid 5 g.