Possibility of keeping a duck in a city apartment. The only time this can be done

Keeping at home

To keep wild breeds in a household, it is necessary to equip a pen.
You can let the birds go freely: they will return to places where there is a lot of food (the owner’s yard). The duck house is built from brick or wood, or you can use an existing barn. Birds are unpretentious to the conditions; the only requirement is adequate heating in winter. Wild ducks must have access to water. It is desirable that it be a natural body of water. An alternative to a pond can be a small pool or bathtub in the yard. What to feed wild ducks? The bird eats almost everything, but feeding must be adequate so that the birds gain weight well. The diet includes:

small fish;
minced meat or fish;
aquatic plants (duckweed, algae);
meadow grasses and rhizomes of meadow plants;
grain, best of all barley, millet, corn;
tops of garden plants and vegetables.

Be sure to mix fine sand, gravel, shells and chalk into the ducks' food. This is necessary so that the food is better processed and the necessary materials are supplied to the body. You should not give brown bread, baked goods, sugar, or spoiled foods so that the birds are not affected by disease.

What should duck walking be like?

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Not all breeders do walking, but it is highly recommended, especially if there is a river, lake or any other body of water nearby. Birds will be able to swim, nibble cassock and grass. This is not only beneficial for their body, but also beneficial for the breeder, because they will receive half of the daily ration while walking.

It is recommended to make a spacious enclosure when keeping ducks at home, possibly with basins filled with water (ideally with a pond). To protect against the hot sun in summer, it is recommended to provide a canopy or permanent shade from a fence, poultry house, or trees.

Khaki Campbell

A British breed of duck, bred in the late 19th century by poultry farmer Adele-Campbell. It received its name not only from the name of the breeder, but also due to its unique coloring.

Description. Ducks are small, which is why they have relatively small body parts. An oblong sheepskin coat with a deep chest and strong, short legs. On a thin brown neck is a small head with dark, shiny eyes. The wings are not fully developed.

Productivity. The weight of an adult drake reaches up to 3 kg, ducks - 2.2-2.5 kg. Starts to gain most of the weight by 3-4 months. Laying hens produce up to 350 eggs weighing 80 g per year.

To keep birds comfortably, the farmer needs to take care of good pastures and ponds. A water diet can easily replace most of all feed.

Advantages. High egg production rates, delicate taste of meat, active birds and calm character.

Flaws. If the conditions of keeping the birds are not observed, they not only gain weight poorly, but also behave restlessly.

Ga-ga appeared unexpectedly in the apartment of Petrozavodsk resident Inna Gokkoeva. Inna Nikolaevna received a call from her longtime friend, Morskoye director Viktor Dmitriev, who told her that the center’s employees had saved a goose that had come from nowhere on the lake from freezing. Until Onego was completely covered with ice, two pairs of geese “grazed” in the waters of the Marine Center. The center staff fed the birds. And one December day, frost suddenly struck. It is unknown where the rest of the geese went, but one was eking out a miserable existence on the frozen lake. Viktor Dmitriev felt sorry for the bird. He invited his friend with a net - they caught the scared goose and put it in a barrel away from the dogs.

The prisoner lived in a barrel for two weeks; it was time to determine his future fate. So Victor remembered his old friend, called her, and she immediately “took the bait”:

- I'm interested! – Inna Gokkoeva responded. - So take it, you’ll walk down the street with the goose - you’ll tie a red bow on it and put on a hat! – Victor urged.

The next day, Inna Nikolaevna arrived at the Maritime Center. And there...

“As soon as I picked up this heavy miracle, I realized that I wouldn’t give it back.” I hugged the bird closer to myself - and quickly went home!

No, guys, I'm not a goose. In fact, the goose Gustav turned out to be a white Peking duck.
Another acquaintance of the owner, Ga-ga, unmistakably identified this: “And why did you decide that it was a goose?” This is the most amazing duck ever.

The duck turned out to be a white Peking duck, the kind farmers breed for sale. But Inna Nikolaevna does not intend to give her two-legged jewel to be eaten by anyone - she has Ga-ga for her soul and for observing the subtleties of the behavior of our smaller brothers.

Goose Gustav, of course, sounded more refined, but if it's Ga-ha, then it's Ga-ga. Lady Ga-ga is quite impressive in size, weighing several kilograms. Inna Nikolaevna first assigned her feathered pet to the kitchen. And three days later, when Ga-ga suddenly refused to drink from the bowl and instead began to pretend with all her might that she was taking water procedures, the hostess understood the hint and assigned her to the bathroom. Now Ga-gi has her own bathtub filled with water - splash as much as you want for your health! So she has a blast in her aquatic residence: she dives, hits the water with her paws, tumbles - it’s a funny sight.

The beautiful Ga-ga turned out to be omnivorous and quite voracious. Like in a meat grinder, every now and then you have to throw in cereals, then herbs, then cottage cheese, then various vegetables. But most of all she prefers fish; as soon as she smells it, she begins to “purr”...

“The bird immediately became cheerful,” recalls Inna Nikolaevna. “Besides, after being forced to live in a narrow barrel, she found herself in a warm apartment.” In the apartment, says Inna Nikolaevna, Ga-ga follows her tail: wherever the hostess goes, there she goes. If the hostess, returning from work in the evening, “hangs” at the computer for a long time, Ga-ga will patiently wait for her, folding her wings near the chair. Together with Gaga, they watch TV and look at passers-by through the window...

Feathered breadwinner The owner sees nothing special about having a duck.
And, in general, says Inna Nikolaevna, Ga-ga appeared to her not by chance. She had never liked leaf cards, but a year before meeting Ga-ga she suddenly began collecting photographs of different birds on the Internet and putting them in an album. “I collected and collected,” he says, “until a live bird “flew” into my house.”

Ga-ga brings her owner not only good luck, but is also a breadwinner. Inna Nikolaevna’s relatives are the initiators of the construction of the House of the Karelian Language in the village of Vedlozero. The house is being built using charitable funds. So, Inna Gokkoeva and Ga-ga decided to contribute what they could to help. Three weeks ago, Ga-ga, together with her owner, took part in the “Vintage Workshop,” or city flea market in the workshop of the former Onega Tractor Plant.

Visitors to the flea market first paid attention to the unusual participant with orange paws and beak, and only then threw money into a box installed next to her, intended for the construction of the House of the Karelian Language. The housewife and her breadwinner Ga-ga returned home with honestly earned five hundred rubles. The first pancake did not turn out lumpy, and after a while Ga-ga “traded” her beauty already in the cultural park on Maslenitsa.

Ga-ga benefits not only the Karelian Language House under construction, but also her owner personally. Two months later, feeling comfortable in human habitation, she began to carry eggs.

“Every day, there’s an egg,” says the hostess. – These eggs are not ordinary, but golden. So now I don’t buy this product in the store!

Feeding

Ducks are voracious creatures. As a growing bird gains weight quickly, it needs more food.

Feeding the ducks

In order for ducks to receive adequate nutrition and grow quickly, their diet must contain not only feed, but also fresh grass, mineral supplements and wet mash. Combined food can be purchased ready-made or made with your own hands. For this you will need grain crops: barley, wheat, corn, as well as sunflower meal, fat, meat and bone or fish meal, salt, milk powder, premix and shells. You should not overfeed the bird, otherwise the meat will be too fatty.

Feed should be poured as much as the ducks can eat at one time.

In winter and spring, when it is still too cold outside and there is no grass with insects, ducks at home are fed at least three times a day. Wet mash is provided in the morning and afternoon, and combined food in the evening. If the ducks can already feed on the run, then it is enough to give out food 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening.

If a lethargic bird appears among the entire flock, it should be immediately separated into another cage and the cause of the weakness should be identified. After which it is necessary to thoroughly clean and disinfect the duckling house to avoid the spread of the disease.

How to keep adult ducks at home?

An adult duck (drake), depending on the breed, can weigh from three to four kilograms. The most common breeds of ducks are meat breeds.

Peking: grows and gains weight quickly, tolerates winter well. Two-month-old young animals have a live weight of about 2.5 kg. An adult duck – up to 3.5 kg, and a drake – up to 4 kg. Egg production – up to 110 eggs per year. The meat is delicious.
Bashkir cauliflower: meat of excellent quality, adapts well to new conditions, low fat content. Productivity is high.
Black white-breasted: the weight of an adult duck is 3-3.5 kg, the drake is up to 4 kg. The meat is delicious. A distinctive feature of this breed is its increased egg production - up to 130-140 eggs per year.
Moscow White: Same weight as the Black White-breasted. The meat is very tender and tasty. Egg production is high - up to 160 eggs per year.
Gray Ukrainian: the live weight of drakes is 3-3.5 kg. Ducks – up to 3 kg. Egg production is very high and sometimes reaches 220 eggs per year.

Among the meat-egg and egg breeds, the following can be noted.

Khaki Campbell is a meat and egg breed of duck. Has a calm character. The average egg weight is 75 g, egg production is up to 330 pieces. The weight of a drake is up to 3 kg, a duck’s weight is up to 2.5 kg.
The Indian Runner is an egg breed. It got its name because of its high mobility. Egg production and weight are similar to Khaki-Campbell. The meat tastes like chicken.

To decide on the choice of breed, you need to decide for yourself for what purpose you are going to breed them. Meat breeds weigh more, egg production is lower, but the opposite is true for meat-egg and egg breeds. White and French ducks are also good for raising.

Ducks are kept indoors or free range. In the first case, they must feed more intensively due to compound feed and the low mobility of the bird.

The room should be well ventilated, moderately light and warm. An adult duck tolerates winter well, but it is better that the temperature in the room during this period does not fall below 5 degrees Celsius. For 1 sq. m area, 4 ducks are bred.

The walking method is better for this bird. But this depends on the possibility of doing such a walk and the availability of a reservoir. In this case, it is better to split the livestock into small groups - 10-15 heads each, separating them with low partitions. Shallow rivers and lakes are preferred among reservoirs. The paddocks are enclosed by a low fence. They can be made adjacent to poultry houses so that the ducks can hide in a covered area if they wish.

Adult ducks walking by the pond

The food is the same as for young animals. The emphasis is on grain crops and corn, with more corn in the composition. You should not give ducks bread crumb, which has a negative effect on the bird’s digestive system.

It is also forbidden to give mash that is not fresh. In general, if there is any suspicion about the quality of the feed, it is better to refrain from feeding it to the bird. Don’t forget to give him green material or let him go for a walk on pasture if there is no pond nearby. If there are bets or a lake nearby, drive them there. On it the ducks will find the bulk of their food.

If you feed ducks with non-purchased feed, their composition may be as follows:

40% of a mixture of grain crops, of which at least half is corn;
30% green mass;
10% grain waste;
7% cake and meal;
7% animal feed;
6% shells, chalk, feed yeast, vitamins, mineral supplements, etc.

It is very important to give ducklings and adult ducks vitamins, especially in the autumn-winter and winter-spring periods, when there is not enough sunlight and there is no greenery at all. If it is difficult to buy vitamins, you can use brewer's yeast, which contains a lot of proteins, carbohydrates and fiber.

There is nothing complicated about raising ducks. The main thing at the initial stage of raising them is to be attentive to the feeding processes, give balanced food and find a place for them to walk and a pond. Then not only will your family have tender and tasty meat, but you will also be able to more than cover the costs of maintaining this bird by selling the surplus product.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=31sSC9K5foE

Materials taken from the source: profermu.com

Conditions for keeping adults

Keeping an adult population of ducks of traditional meat breeds and hybrids (except musk) is advisable only for obtaining hatching eggs.

Over the course of a year, a flock of 9 ducks and one drake of the Peking breed is capable of eating more than 700 kg of feed, producing about 1000 eggs suitable for incubation, which, with an average hatchability of 70%, will amount to about 700 ducklings.

To fatten them for meat, such ducks are slaughtered at the age of 60-65 days, otherwise the carcass takes on an unmarketable appearance, loses weight during molting, and then becomes very fat.

Adult birds are provided with a spacious house, at the rate of no more than 3 birds per 1 square meter. m, and for productive breeding birds no more than one individual per 1 sq.m. The walking area is calculated based on the requirement of 5-6 sq.m. for one head.

Any room can serve as a poultry house for keeping ducks, and ventilation, dryness and cleanliness are the main conditions for the successful raising of this bird.

The floor is covered with a bedding that will absorb moisture, for which soft straw and sawdust are used. The litter is regularly loosened with a pitchfork and the knocked-down areas near the drinking bowl are removed, since they do not rake the litter, like chickens, but rather compact it, making it as hard as asphalt.

There should be no drafts or dampness in the barn, especially during the cold period, otherwise the bird will lose weight, productivity and get sick. A special hole is made on the south side by cutting a square hole in the wall or door, 30 x 30 cm in area, so that the bird can go out and enter its home as needed.

In fast-growing breeds, active metabolic processes occur in the body, so they require an influx of fresh air, which the bird consumes several times more than other species. Concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide indoors can quickly cause serious poisoning.

The need for water in waterfowl is high, and for a clean duck, a big fan of splashing, it is advisable to have a small reservoir for walking. Under this condition, the plumage will always be clean and tidy, and the ducks will gain weight well without spending extra calories on heating the body.

Lowering the temperature does not make much difference for adult ducks; they tolerate heat less well than cold. In dry conditions, with good feeding, clean dry plumage and in the absence of drafts, temperatures ranging from -4 to +6 °C and even short-term cooling down to -15 °C are acceptable.

Daylight hours for keeping egg-laying ducks in winter must be at least 14 hours, which is achieved with additional lighting, including lighting in the morning.

Nests are installed in the quietest areas of the poultry house, away from water, at floor level, equipped with a small threshold. The number of nests is calculated from the need for one nest for 3-4 ducks. A typical nest for the Peking breed has a height of 0.4 m, a width of 0.3 m, and a depth of 0.25-0.3 m. A sufficient hole for entering the nest is 0.25 x 0.25 m.

Breeding for meat

Indo-ducks reach slaughter weight by the 12th week of life: the weight of females at this age is 2.4–2.5 kg, males – 4.2–4.5 kg. The standard slaughter time for females is 77 days, for males - 84 days. After this period, the ducks begin to molt, so you shouldn’t wait any longer.

During the molting period, down and soft feathers are replaced by hard feathers, which spoil the appearance of the plucked carcass. Therefore, ducks need to be slaughtered before “stumps” begin to appear on the body - the beginnings of future hard feathers.

It’s easy to check for the presence of “stumps”: you need to take the duck in your hands, spread the feathers and down on the breast and run your hand against the growth of the feather.

If the body is smooth, the bird can be slaughtered. If you feel hard, rough “stumps” under your fingers, you will have to wait out the molt.

If the bird begins to molt, slaughter is postponed until the 120–130th day. During the period of feather change, the duck hardly gains weight, but accumulates subcutaneous fat. Therefore, the carcasses of ducks slaughtered after molting will be fattier.

Tips for Suitable Ducks as Pets

Here are some practical tips for healthy and responsible relationship of ducks as pets.

Ducks as Pets: Posture Tips

the term "duck" refers to more than 150 species in the duck bird family (Anatidae). among the most famous, in addition to various Ducks, even swans and geese.

ducks are characterized by a round body with a flat, wide bill and short webbed feet. Your lifespan varies from 10 to 15 years, depending on type, care and environmental conditions.

like good swimmers, their performances are remarkable on and in the water. There they occupy a calm and noble position. appear on land, due to your “swaying” and irregular gait, awkward.

Behavior and communication

Ducks love to live together in groups or pairs as they are very sociable animals. Because of their sense of community, ducks even mourn lost members.

they often spend much of the day searching for and storing food. when it is night, they gather together so that the whole group can sleep peacefully.

If you want to keep a duck as a pet, you must offer it company through its ducklings. Ducks, as pets, need the company of their type mates for your health and well-being.

Hygiene for ducks as pets

Ducks take very good care of their bodies and nests. you enjoy preening your feathers and keeping your nest clean.

It is important to clean out your food bowl, your potions and your stable regularly. Ducks are naturally clean and can easily get sick in an unplanned environment.

There are now even diapers specially adapted for domestic ducks that prevent the animal from urinating in the house and having bowel movements.

Feeding

In the wild, ducks eat a very varied and versatile diet. About 80% of the daily diet consists of plants: fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes and various grains. Ducks consume animal protein by consuming small insects and fish.

An adult duck consumes 150 to 200 grams of feed daily, depending on the type, sex, age and habitat.

There are commercial duck feeds available, but most provide fast mast for the animals. Therefore, you should avoid them and ensure your ducks have a fresh and natural diet.

Comparison. From features to joint conditions.

Question: is it acceptable to keep chickens and ducks together? Poultry lovers have been asking Mulard ducks for a long time and repeatedly. The answers to it come from a wide range of ideas and opinions. We propose to classify the main criteria for caring for birds of different classes.

Poultry house

A room for birds must be specialized, necessarily divided into at least two sectors. The first is for laying hens, and the second is for ducks. Since the duck is a waterfowl, constant splashing in the water is normal for it.

But for chickens, any increase in humidity is strictly contraindicated. What will be the solution to this dilemma? A qualified approach and care for a productive ventilation system will protect chickens from colds.

The location of nesting sites for domestic birds also has its own well-established, common-sense rules. The difference is obvious: being a bird capable of at least attempting minimal flights, quons prefer to sleep higher - on poles, therefore it is better to place their nests in the elevated space of the poultry house.

Another thing is ducks. There is no doubt that these also like to use their wings for their intended purpose, and, perhaps, are much more active than chickens. Cross-breeding ducks, due to the special structure of their legs adapted for swimming, are somewhat clumsy, so it is easier for them to live on the surface of the earth. It is advisable to install nests for these types of birds in a dark place with a significant amount of straw or hay.

Another important nuance in home improvement is that it is necessary to change the litter more often, monitor the hygienic condition and regularly treat the chicken coop. Both species of birds can be carriers of dangerous viral and bacterial infections. Based on this, it is necessary to strengthen prevention and safety measures.

Brood

Young animals of adjacent families of chickens and turkey ducks must be kept separately from each other. If individuals prone to increased aggression are noticed in flocks, they should be culled in order to preserve the rest of the offspring of both of them intact.

Feeding

The most important thing in this matter is to eliminate the risk of conflicts between species in line at the feeder. The principle of separate feeding when living together is as follows: first, individuals of large species, that is, ducks, are allowed to eat, and then chickens. The common feeder must be fenced with a metal grid with a distance between the rods of up to 10, but not less than 7 cm

This is necessary so that the bird’s head can easily pass between them to avoid scattering of food and extinguishing an aggressive mood.

The common feeder should be fenced with a metal grid with a distance between the rods of up to 10, but not less than 7 cm. This is necessary so that the bird’s head can easily pass between them to avoid scattering of food and extinguishing an aggressive mood.

Even if the feeder is large enough for both species to have access to at the same time, there is a high risk that the birds will “quarrel” with each other.

Walking

The area is quite general enough for free grazing. But it must be large to avoid crowding of birds in one place. During walks, as a rule, herds of different species stay in separate “companies,” and if the space is small, it will be more difficult for them to separate and not notice their feathered relatives.

Final summary

Ideally, and if possible, you should not arrange for dissimilar birds to live together. According to the veterinary rules of the industrial sector, different animals should be kept in different premises (farms), but at the homestead level it is not always possible to allow enough space to build two separate poultry houses. In this case, you can keep chickens and ducks together in the backyard, but subject to the nuances given in the article and discovered in practice.

We are sincerely confident that the material about the joint keeping of chickens and Mulard ducks turned out to be useful for your perception, subscribe to web portal updates, join our groups on social networks.

Joint keeping of chickens and ducks Mulardov indo-ducks video

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Breeding wild ducks at home

Breeding mallard ducks is not difficult ; they are easy to care for. It can be kept with domestic animals; the breeding principle is identical. It is important to create comfortable conditions and control the nutrition of the livestock.

Experienced poultry farmers raise ducks exclusively for meat, but there are farmers who have built a business by selling eggs. Wild birds have a positive effect on children's behavior.

Does not require additional expenses; the poultry house is not heated in winter. Chicks hatch without an incubator.

What do wild ducks eat in summer?

In nature, a duck dives into the depths and gets its food.

Her diet includes:

small fish or fry;
seaweed;
aquatic plants;
shellfish

At home, it is difficult to recreate the natural diet, but the mallard is unpretentious in its choice of food.

Small ducklings of wild ducks need a special diet

They buy for her:

various types of cereals, cereals (oatmeal, wheat, barley porridge are suitable);
peas;
sprouted wheat;
boiled potatoes;
carrot;
fresh beets;
bran or cake;
vitamin B (for this, brewer’s or baker’s yeast is added to the finished porridge);
grass.

The duck must be constantly given water - both for drinking and for bathing. The fenced area for the poultry house is covered with gravel or shell rock.

Meat or fish products are added to the diet.

Be sure to read:

The largest breeds of domestic and wild ducks, species for breeding

Nutrition proportion:

grain – 75%;
vegetables – 15%;
additional products – 10%.

Grass should be included in the diet every day, or the bird should be allowed to graze on its own.

What do ducks eat in the cold season?

In winter, wild ducks are fed with a special grain mixture.
In winter, mallards gain weight, and their diet changes.

It includes:

Corn grits. It promotes weight gain and saturates the body with essential vitamins.
Wheat groats (wheat). Contains essential beneficial nutrients.
Oatmeal. It contains an amino acid.
Legumes. Before use, they must be chopped, otherwise the bird will choke on the large product.

The mash is made in equal proportions. You can give it dry or pre-soak it. Farmers sprout grains for wild duck.

This saturates her body with the necessary macro- and microelements. Boiled eggs are added to the diet.

Poultry care and conditions

For the normal development of the livestock, it is important to follow the rules of care.

Wild duck lays at least 3 clutches per year

The requirements are drawn up taking into account the physiological characteristics of wild individuals:

The number of ducks in the poultry house is calculated as follows: 2-3 birds per 1 m2.
For feeders, drinkers and nests, allocate 3-5 m2. The indicator depends on the number of birds in the flock.
The poultry house is made of brick. It does not need additional heating; birds can easily tolerate the cold. But it is better to insulate the walls with thin foam plastic or sew up chipboard.
A “carpet” of sawdust or hay is laid on the floor of the chicken coop. They change it 5-6 times per period in winter, and once a month in summer. The thickness of the floor is 25-30 cm.
Electricity is installed in the poultry house and ventilation is installed.
It is important to protect birds from drafts.

When the temperature drops significantly, the chicken coop is heated, electric stoves or potbelly stoves are installed, having previously protected them from mallard ducks. The air temperature must exceed -5 degrees Celsius.

How to make nests for wild ducks

Duck nests are easy to make yourself at home.

To do this you need the following materials and tools:

sheets of plywood or thin boards;
wooden slats;
nails or screws;
saw;
sandpaper;
hammer, screwdriver;
pencil and ruler.

Be sure to read:

Breeding Indian ducks at home, rules for growing and breeding

Manufacturing process:

2 squares are cut out of plywood sheets, one side should be 35-40 cm.
A hole with a diameter of 18 cm is made in the center of one sheet, and it is thoroughly sanded.
Cut out two sheets measuring 40*50 cm.
The roof is cut to the size of the nest and secured with self-tapping screws.
Wooden slats are knocked down and placed under the ducks' nests. For one wild duck it is necessary to make one nest for laying.

Duck run

Raising wild ducks yourself at home is easy.
They require no more care than an ordinary domestic duck. Near the poultry house, it is worth fencing off a small area of the territory. The bird needs to go outside every day. Metal pegs are driven in around the perimeter and the paddock is fenced off with a fine mesh.

The top is also closed so the bird can fly away. The wild duck will get used to humans, but this will take time. A container of water is placed on the territory; the duck loves to swim.

When the birds get used to their new owner, they are given access to ponds or shallow rivers.

How to butcher a wild duck

Many housewives ask how to pluck and dress a wild duck. The process is not easy and requires considerable effort. Plucking is the most labor-intensive step in cutting a carcass. There are several ways:

scalding with boiling water;
scalding in a bag;
dry plucking.

In the first case, the duck is carefully doused with several liters of boiling water. In this case, you need to ensure that water gets to the base of the feathers. When the carcass has cooled, you can start plucking. You can place a wild duck in a bag and put it in boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Then it is pulled out and ironed with a hot iron. The feathers come off even better than in the first case. Dry plucking a wild duck is the most difficult, it can take several hours, but the carcass will be stored longer. You can better imagine the cutting process using photo and video lessons.

After the duck is plucked, the remaining feathers and down are burned over the fire. The finished carcass can be cut into pieces or cooked whole. Once dry plucked, it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. If necessary, carcasses are frozen, but then the taste of the meat deteriorates.

Either goats or fox

“You can’t imagine how smart and affectionate these birds are!” – says the pensioner, “They understand everything better than any dog.” When I take them in my arms, they press their whole body directly against me, put their head on my shoulder and sigh quietly! They see me as a mistress and friend.

But the neighbors see Svetlana Bragina, to put it mildly, as an eccentric. They are not at all happy about her pets. People say the stench from the birds is so bad that it’s impossible to even enter the entrance. Residents of the upper floors, where the smell rises, are especially affected. Pensioner Tamara Tsypkina lives just above Bragina’s apartment. The woman suspects that it is because of the constant smell that she has developed an allergy that no doctor can cope with.

“This epic has been going on for twenty years now,” sighs Tamara Petrovna. “It all started with a silver fox.” Bragina kept her on the balcony for the whole winter. At night, the fox’s hunting instincts awoke, she began to bark, and my husband and I could not sleep. Then there were goats, after them - hens and roosters. A teacher from America came to us just for an exchange. And every morning she jumped up from the crow of a rooster. Can you imagine what impressions she had from Russia? But at least the chickens didn't smell as bad as these ducks.

People say: last spring there were so many ducks in the pensioner’s apartment that they lived not only in all the rooms, but also in the kitchen and even in the toilet. Gradually, the smell from the birds became unbearable, and the neighbors wrote a statement to the State Housing Inspectorate of Karelia. GZHI employees conducted an inspection and issued an order: Svetlana Bragina must get rid of her pets by December 8th.

Duck breeds on our website

Features of cultivation and use of Peking

Meat and egg duck with excellent performance Khaki Campbell

Beautiful ornamental bird native to France Rouen

Characteristics of the early maturing, unpretentious Orpington breed

A livable bird with high productivity Bashkir

Indian Runner: the only breed of egg-laying ducks Runner

What Makes This Breed Suitable for Beginners and Experienced Cayuga Birders

An ideal breed for breeding by professionals and amateurs Moscow

Breed for beginners and experienced poultry farmers Saxony

Early ripening hybrid. Ideal for industrial and home breeding Mulard

Duck Blue favorite. Early maturing beautiful bird with high vitality Favorite

What makes this breed suitable for beginners and experienced poultry keepers Blagovarskaya

Pekingese breed

Birds of this breed reach four kilograms of weight by 3-4 months of life. This growth rate makes this breed extremely profitable for breeding.

In addition to meat, these birds lay about 80 eggs per year. Extremely unpretentious in terms of care and maintenance.

Feeding

So what do ducks eat? There is a comprehensive answer to this question. As you know, the weight of waterfowl directly depends on food conditions. The duck is extremely unpretentious, but, like all living creatures, it needs regular nutrition.

In the wild, mallards feed on:

frogs;
insects;
worms;
small fish;
snails;
grasshoppers;
duckweed;

Mallards do not disdain looting; in times of famine they can attack the lands of farmers who grow cereals. A female sitting on eggs needs double the amount of food. In the warm season, the wild duck mainly feeds on food of plant origin: grass, young shoots and branches, and plant leaves.

What breeds exist

At home, wild ducks are fed with cereals, cake, and boiled vegetables.
Wild birds have more than ten subspecies that have spread throughout the world.

Popular breeds:

Black American mallard. Lives near fresh water bodies. Likes to choose areas near rural areas. Prefers small forests located in the vicinity of estuaries. Refers to migratory birds. With the onset of cold weather, it chooses a warm region. The wild bird has dark plumage, the head and neck are gray, the eyes are blue, and the beak is tinged with orange. Habitat: Eastern Canada.
Hawaiian. By the name of the species it is easy to determine the habitat of a wild bird. The individual prefers to lead a sedentary lifestyle, for this it chooses lowlands in river valleys. The Hawaiian bird is often seen in pairs; it does not live in a flock. The duck and the drake are similar in appearance, they have a brown color, and the “mirror” is bright blue.
Gray. Habitat: forest-steppe in the Amur region. The bird is smaller in size and weight than the common mallard. The color of individuals is the same, gray or brown, it helps them survive in the wild.
Black. It lives in the countries of Europe, Asia and Australia. Representatives of the breed are small in size, not exceeding 1.5 kg. The plumage is the same dark color. The head is bright red and the paws are yellow.

Be sure to read:

Types of diving ducks: descriptions with photos and habitats

Mallards can be found on the territory of the Russian Federation, in America and in the regions of Eurasia.

Types of ducks for home breeding

The main classification of ducks takes place in two directions: domestic and wild, each of them also has its own subsections. Thus, wild ducks are divided into diving ducks - those that get food at the bottom of reservoirs, and river ducks - capable of providing themselves with food only in shallow water.

Indo-duck: photos, what kinds of indo-ducks there are, how to feed and where to keep (read more)

As for poultry, everything is much simpler and depends on the basic requirements of the person. Years of selection were not in vain and helped create 4 main groups of ducks:

Meat ducks are kept only for their meat. With proper maintenance, the weight of a drake can be around 4 kilograms.
Egg-laying ducks – can exceed 250 eggs per year.
Meat-egg ducks combine two qualities at the same time.
Decorative ducks are unique due to their unusual colors. But most often such birds are purchased for private collections, exhibitions, and not for ordinary home breeding.

The domestic duck is an unpretentious bird; it easily lives with turkeys and chickens. A backyard farm consisting of these birds will delight you with its ease of care. In 90% of cases, ducks independently breed offspring.

Duck classification

Before you start raising ducks at home, you need to decide for what purpose we are going to raise ducks. After all, each breed of domestic duck has its own classification:

If ducks are bred for meat, then it is better to choose Peking, Rouen, Ukrainian gray, black white-breasted duck breeds for raising. These ducks reach quite a significant weight (up to 5 kg).
When breeding egg-meat ducks, breeds such as mirror and khaki campbell are preferred.
Indian runners are bred to produce eggs. A duck of this breed lays up to 250 eggs per year.

The hand does not rise to kill

So far, the pensioner has managed to house only half of the ducks. When we came to visit Svetlana Nikolaevna, she was just trying to decide the fate of the remaining birds. The smell is no longer so strong. At least when entering the entrance you can no longer feel it. But the apartment really smells. But Bragina herself doesn’t feel anything, and is sincerely perplexed: why did the ducks bother the neighbors so much? She is sure: if people had not seen ducks with their own eyes, no one would have guessed about their existence.

“It’s winter now, so no one agrees to take in ducks for their care, although I gave an advertisement in the newspaper and sent several birds to my son,” Svetlana Bragina complains, “But I won’t raise my hand to kill ducks.” I raised these birds from eggs, they became my family. The claims that the neighbors outlined in their letter to the State Housing Property Committee seem strange to me. They write that ducks stomp, quack and flap their wings. But how can they stomp if they have webbed feet? They didn’t even crush a single leaf in my garden. These are ducks, not ostriches.

Meanwhile, GZHI employees have already fined Svetlana Bragina for not fulfilling their order on time. However, this is where the powers of the inspection staff end: they cannot fine you a second time for the same violation. But the State Housing Authority warns that serious measures may be taken, including eviction. The rules according to which residential premises cannot be used for other purposes have not been canceled.

“Honestly, this is the first time that the inspection has received such an appeal to us,” says GZHI employee Marina Abakumova. “We understand that ducks are almost like children for Svetlana Bragina, and that she loves them very much.” But rules are rules.

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Where and how to create a walking and swimming area

Raising a domestic duck will be less expensive and easier if the bird can be walked outside the cage. In addition, this will eliminate the likelihood of them becoming obese. You definitely need to have a place for swimming. You can do it yourself, but in such a way that you can change the water and clean out the dirt. Even better, if the ducks have access to a natural body of water, they can feed on insects and grass. Bathing promotes the rapid growth and development of birds.

With natural walking, ducks will be able to find and choose the food they need, which has a positive effect on digestion and health.

To prevent the bird from swimming away, a fence is made in the open reservoir. It should be approximately 70 cm in the water, and rise 50 cm above the water. If you do not do it, the bird will dive and swim out of the enclosure. In addition, such a corral will protect the flock from predators. It is better to place an aviary for walking immediately at the entrance to the poultry house on the south or south-east side of it. Enclose it with a net or picket fence with a height of at least 1 m.

The area for raising ducks is calculated so that the entire bird can move freely, or with the calculation that 1-1.5 m2 is needed for 1 individual. The hole for exiting the nest is made square with sides of 40 cm. The valve for it is installed outside.

You should not keep too many bird heads in a poultry house or cage, as this will negatively affect their condition and health.

The video shows an example of how you can raise ducks at home in winter.

Compatibility of different types of birds

Is it possible to keep geese, chickens and ducks together? This problem often arises among owners of small farms. It is decided depending on the territory allocated for the habitat of birds, their number and age. With proper organization of space, geese, chickens and ducks can coexist comfortably in a small area in one room.

It is worth considering that birds have their own hierarchy, with geese at the highest level. These birds are not only the largest among these types of poultry, but also the most warlike. Geese will always defend their territory, while injuring weaker individuals. Ducks, despite their considerable size, are harmless, very rarely get into fights, stay in flocks, and get along with any birds without any problems. Chickens, although they are at the lowest level of the hierarchy, are quite aggressive and noisy.

In addition to behavior, there are significant differences in the way of life of different types of birds. Chickens love cleanliness and cannot tolerate high humidity. Ducks and geese, on the contrary, breed dampness and do not stand out for their cleanliness.

To determine the possibility of combining bird species, it is necessary to consider different combinations of keeping.

Is it possible to keep chickens and ducks together?

Due to the calm and peaceful nature of ducks, they get along quite well with chickens: both laying hens and broilers. You just have to divide the territory correctly. For feeding and bathing, chickens need dry bedding, but at the same time they scatter the contents of the feeders. During the feeding process, ducks should drink everything with water, splashing it. The result is dirt and dampness.

For comfortable laying of eggs, you can arrange nests at different heights: for ducks - at the bottom, for hens - a little higher, at the level of half a meter from the floor.

Is it possible to keep chickens and geese together?

This combination of birds is quite complex, especially during the bedding-in period. Geese, in principle, are quite aggressive birds and will always assert their superiority. Only a clear division of territory, both in the poultry house and in the pasture, can save the situation. In the barn you can build perches for chickens or simply elevated surfaces where they could live and nest.

When walking in the summer, the situation is not so difficult, especially if the territory is quite large. If you properly separate feeding areas to prevent fights over food, both chickens and geese will find something to do to their liking.

Is it possible to keep geese and ducks together?

Just like geese and ducks are waterfowl, they tolerate each other’s proximity well. But some elements of grinding in are, of course, present. This applies, first of all, to drakes - they will determine the leader. But over time, the disputes will subside, and the birds will begin to get along well, sharing drinking bowls and feeders. This is also very convenient in the sense that the diet of geese and ducks is almost the same - birds feed well on various mashes of grain and root vegetables, they need the addition of bone meal, crushed eggshells, they love succulent food, and geese also need hay.

Is it possible to keep goslings, chicks and ducklings together?

The least problems arise when chicks of different species are raised together. A small gosling and a duckling are practically no different from each other, as are the basic principles of caring for them. They equally love to take baths, graze, have the same diet and routine.

There is no particular hassle in general raising ducklings and chicks or goslings and chicks. The only problem is that you need to protect the chicken from moisture and dirt, which it cannot tolerate.

In infancy, all chicks get used to each other and are considered one chicken family. But there is one condition that must be met - the young animals should be kept separately until they grow up. In addition, feeding should be simultaneous and general, the diet of the chicks should be the same.

Is it possible to keep goslings, chicks and ducklings together?

What should the room be like?

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Keeping ducks at home is not difficult. But this does not mean that any conditions will suit them. There are standards that should be adhered to. The requirements below are determined by the physiological characteristics of ducks. This is the minimum that must be observed for their normal development.

Summer and winter housing for ducks

The chosen place is not swampy, without water. This bird loves to swim, but lives on land.
The area of the room is selected according to the number of birds and additional equipment. Feeders and drinkers, nests will take at least 2 square meters. m. premises. And for 1 sq. m. no more than 3 individuals can be accommodated.
As a last resort, the walls are left bare, but over time it is recommended to insulate them with plywood or polystyrene foam.
The floor must be covered with bedding. The latter should absorb moisture well. This could be peat, sawdust or straw. It is most beneficial to use peat litter. It absorbs moisture 2 times better than sawdust or straw, and is also able to absorb ammonia odor from the decay of duck excrement. The litter is changed 2 or 3 times a month in winter, and 1-2 times in summer.
Heating is not as important as for other poultry, but cold temperatures can affect meat growth. In winter, the temperature in the poultry house should not be lower than -5 degrees Celsius. It is easier to measure using a thermometer hung in the room. You can heat the duck house with a potbelly stove, radiators, or a heater. The main thing is to isolate the heat source from the bird. Additional heating is provided by the bedding, which is poured in a thick layer of 30 cm in winter.
Lighting is necessary. Any lamp will do, as long as it is not bright.
Ventilation must be done in any available way. But it is important to ensure that there are no drafts.