Home » Articles about ducks » Favorite duck: description of the breed
The favorite duck is a cross bred over 20 years ago. In accordance with the description, the bird has good productivity, it is unpretentious, ducklings in the second generation retain their parental characteristics and only later the characteristics split.
Favorite duck: description of individuals, physical characteristics, breeder reviews
The Blagovarsky breeding poultry plant pleased amateurs and experienced poultry farmers with an excellent breed of ducks, which were called “favorite”. The breed differs from others in that individuals grow quickly and develop well. The favorite duck is quite large, with a dense build and an elongated body. Its head is relatively large, with a flat and long beak.
An interesting distinctive quality is the color of the feathers, which determines the color of the bird’s beak and legs. Most often, favorite ducks wear beautiful smoky blue plumage with a silvery tint, but when crossing individuals, other colors can be obtained in the color spectrum from pronounced black to a light blue hue. Sometimes there are birds with brown and white plumage in a bizarre, peculiar combination. The duck is a favorite, the photo is proof of this, it has a colorful aesthetic appearance.
This breed has many advantages. This is a large meat and at the same time egg-laying duck. The favorite receives only positive reviews. Great breed. Within two months, the individual gains weight up to 7 kg, which is a good result for a duck breeding business.
Productive qualities: which bird to choose
When raising ducks for meat, preference is often given to mulards, since these birds have a number of advantages:
- a large mass that an individual gains in a short period of time. Poultry farmers note that mulards fatten faster than geese and other domestic ducks;
- tender meat with low fat content;
- large liver in males is a delicacy, used for foie gras.
It should be taken into account that breeding mulards at home naturally is impossible, and the cost of the hybrid is higher than other meat-producing ducks.
Which bird do you prefer for breeding and raising at home?
MulardamIndoutkam
Indo-ducks, on the contrary, can be bred independently; they do not require special housing conditions and can do without a pond. This species is characterized by high survival rate and unpretentiousness in food. In addition to meat, you can also use turkey eggs for food, the beneficial properties of which are not inferior to chicken eggs. These advantages, combined with the high proportion of useful substances contained in the products, make musk ducks not only attractive to poultry farmers, but also more in demand than mulards.
Quality indicators of the breed
Ducks of the Favorite breed are distinguished by their smooth, calm behavior and excellent productivity. In addition, they easily adapt to new conditions and quickly adapt to any bird community. The duck is a favorite, reviews from breeders confirm this fact, it is a social creature.
Both young animals and adults have very high vitality, and the fattening qualities of the breed are difficult to underestimate, because already at the age of two months the bird reaches a weight of 2.7 to 3.6 kg. Adult drakes weigh from four to five and a half kilograms, females are slightly smaller - from three and a half to four. During the season, ducks lay eggs well, one bird produces 100 - 140 eggs, with one piece weighing 85 grams.
Favorite ducks, also called blue ducks, belong to the breeds of the meat categories.
This is a popular and sought-after type of bird; it is perfect for breeding on an industrial scale, for growing on specialized farms and in individual subsidiary plots.
Conditions for keeping adult birds
In general, the Favorit breed is quite tenacious and strong. Birds have a strong immune system, so they are easily adaptable, unpretentious and hardy. Next, we will consider the conditions for keeping adult ducks.
Arrangement of the premises
A pen, shed or other technical room is ideal for keeping ducks of this breed. The height of the poultry house should be about half a meter. To prevent rodents from getting inside, the floor should rise above the ground level by at least 25 cm.
Wooden walls must be plastered. A duckling almost never requires additional insulation: unless, of course, it is built from plywood. Floors, however, are always insulated. Lay a bedding of peat, straw, and shavings on the floor.
Conditions
Ducks of the Favorit breed can withstand temperatures ranging from -25 to +35 degrees, so they can be bred both in northern latitudes and in the south. The temperature in the poultry house, however, should not be below zero, but not too high. The optimal choice is a moderate temperature.
Good ventilation is important for ducks: make sure the house is ventilated or ventilated. It is also necessary to take care to keep the birds clean and dry.
Cultivation should be carried out under 14-hour daylight conditions. In winter, to ensure this condition, you will have to use artificial lamps.
Walking area
So that the birds can stretch their paws, they need to build a special walking area. Fence a small area with metal mesh, slats, and other suitable materials (only necessarily safe ones).
The height of the fence should be about a meter. If it's too hot outside in the summer, lay a canopy on top. Place drinking bowls and feeders in the pen so that the birds can refresh themselves during long walks.
In winter, birds should also walk, but the snow on the site must be removed and the ground covered with straw. In rainy and windy weather, as well as in severe frosts, birds should not be allowed to walk for a long time. Protect the pen from winds from the north with a vestibule or shield.
Feeding
Adult ducks have no special dietary requirements. But, of course, it is better and more profitable to provide birds with varied and nutritious food. Below are recommendations for feeding blue ducks.
An excellent solution would be to feed birds with wet mixtures. Typically this mixture consists of the following ingredients:
- milk;
- grass;
- cottage cheese;
- corn;
- chopped root vegetables.
In winter, ducks are fed three times a day. In the morning and afternoon, they usually give them crumbly wet mash, but in the evenings it is better to feed them with nourishing compound feed. In winter, we recommend feeding ducks bran, hay meal, and succulent feed.
By the time mating season begins, add one more supplementary feeding to the diet to give the ducks more strength. Feeding is introduced in the middle of the day and should consist of grain or sprouted wheat.
It is very important that ducks have access to a natural body of water, albeit a small one. Such a reservoir serves as an excellent source of drinking water and has a beneficial effect on the appearance and health of birds. In addition, birds will be able to obtain some of the food in the water on their own.
If ducks have access to natural range, in the summer they are fed only twice a day:
- in the morning with a damp mash of flour;
- in the evening with grain mixture/feed.
Evening feeding should be more satisfying and plentiful than morning feeding. In addition, in the summer it is important to take care of the presence of fresh grass growing in the grazing area.
How to properly keep young animals
In order not to subsequently experience problems with keeping ducklings, before purchasing them you need to take care of arranging the premises, prepare equipment and a place for walking. Litter contaminated with droppings must be removed and removed. All existing dust must be removed with a damp cloth, inventory and equipment must be washed and disinfected using a hot solution of soda ash with a concentration of 3-5%.
Disinfection of surfaces such as ceilings, walls and floors can be carried out using one of the following methods: 1) using a caustic soda solution with a concentration of 2%; 2) using formalin with a concentration of 3% in a ratio of 1 liter per square meter. m.; 3) using creolin or xylonaf-5 with a concentration of 3-5% in a ratio of 1-2 liters per square meter. m.
In order to whitewash the ceiling and walls, use a solution of freshly slaked lime with a concentration of 20%. After 12 hours, open the windows, turn on powerful fans and ventilate the room. In the spring months, the ducklings' walking area is leveled and new clean sand is filled with a layer of 5 cm.
History of appearance
This new type of duck appeared in the Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic at the end of the last century. Breeders who worked at a breeding plant where new species of birds were bred (“Blagovarsky”) took the white Peking duck breed as a basis. It was crossed for a long time, the best chicks were selected, and as a result, the blue favorite was obtained almost in the form in which it currently exists.
This type of poultry was originally bred as "industrial". But when these ducks arrived on farms, and then on private farmsteads, the owners appreciated their excellent characteristics - fast meat production, good egg production. Therefore, the blue favorite is now becoming a popular poultry, the breeding of which has been taken seriously.
Blue ducks favorite for a walk
Representatives of this breed are large individuals with lovely bluish feathers with a smoky tint. The color of the plumage of females and males can vary from light to dark blue. This coloring is not considered a defect of nature, but occurs at the genetic level in birds of this breed.
Recommendations for creating bedding for ducks
It is more economical to make bedding material from sawdust, sunflower husks, wood shavings or dried cuttings, but last year’s straw is extremely undesirable for these purposes, as it can lead to bird diseases. It is important that the hay is free of visible putrefaction and fungi, otherwise it will lead to illness and death of the young animals.
If the poultry is planned to be kept in winter, then the layer of litter should be at least 20-30 cm; for summer keeping, 15-20 cm is sufficient.
When using bedding for young animals for the first time, a very small layer is laid out; this is done so that as it gets dirty, it is possible to add new clean layers until the animal is fully grown. When a batch of birds is grown, the litter must be completely replaced.
The deep litter is laid out in the following way: dry slaked lime is first poured onto a clean, disinfected floor in a proportion of 0.5-1 kg per 1 square meter. m., then bedding material up to 10 cm is laid on it, which is thickened as it gets dirty. By keeping the bedding in a loose, dry, feces-free state, success in raising ducks is guaranteed.
It is recommended to shake the litter with a pitchfork 2 times a day - morning and evening. If it is laid correctly, it retains 12-18 degrees of heat in winter, and at its depth the temperature is maintained from 20 to 28 degrees, so in hot, dry summers it is advisable to remove 2-3 cm of the top layer. Slaked lime is added to the damp litter, reducing its amount to exactly half the original amount.
Productivity
Lean meat of Favorites - an advantageous difference from Bashkir and Peking duck
Representatives of the Blue Favorite duck breed have high productivity indicators not only for meat, but also for eggs. For this reason, birds are classified as meat and egg birds .
The live weight of a drake is from 5 to 6 kg, and that of a duck is from 4 to 5 kg. The bird is ready for slaughter at 2 months, when its weight reaches 3 kg. Ducks gain maximum weight at the age of 4-5 months. At this point, the meat becomes somewhat rougher, and therefore not all breeders are ready to keep favorites for so long.
The egg production of birds is quite high and reaches 150 eggs per year. Their size is not very large, the average egg weight is from 80 to 90 g. Egg laying in ducks begins at the age of 8-10 months, which is noticeably later than in chickens.
The Blue Favorite duck breed shows equally good productivity both in regions with cold climates and in hot ones.
The high-quality plumage of the bird also deserves attention , which allows it to be reared on a large scale to obtain a sufficient amount of fluff with good performance.
What should be the temperature when raising ducklings?
Air temperature when raising ducklings, and especially in the initial periods, is of utmost importance. Experienced experts recommend creating the following constant temperature conditions: in the first week - 33-28 degrees, second week - 26-18 degrees, third week and further - 18-16 degrees.
The required temperature in the areas where the little ducklings are located can be created using several ordinary table lamps (well secured) or specially designed small umbrellas (or lampshades) around several electric heaters, often called brooders.
The best indicator of proper bird heating is the behavior of small ducklings. If they are cheerful, run around a lot, or even if they sit but are not crowded, this means that the temperature in the room is normal. At elevated temperatures, babies (ducks are favorites) breathe quite heavily. And at low temperatures they will crowd together, crush each other, and squeak loudly.
Reproduction
The blue favorites also have one small drawback. Like many other hybrids, females of this breed do not hatch chicks on their own. Sometimes favorite ducks still sit on eggs. But this is rather the exception than the rule. Therefore, a farmer breeding blue pharaohs should not count on natural growth of the herd.
The offspring obtained from these ducks themselves can gain weight quite quickly. Therefore, if desired, the eggs of this bird can be incubated. However, productivity indicators with this method of increasing the number of livestock usually still fall slightly. Therefore, most farmers consider it more appropriate to purchase hatching eggs or directly purebred young animals. In the first case, the costs will be minimal.
The chicks of this breed themselves are also relatively inexpensive. For one individual you will have to pay only about 50-90 rubles. Producers of this breed, unlike ducklings, are, however, quite expensive. For an adult drake, for example, they usually ask for 3-4 thousand rubles.
Threats and consequences of incorrect content
Any incorrect temperature regime will negatively affect the growth of small ducklings and lead to increased culling. And in order to keep most ducklings healthy during rearing, it is necessary to strictly observe normal temperature conditions and avoid excessive dampness and especially drafts in the premises.
Often the main cause of death of small ducklings is a simple cold due to insufficient heating temperature or hypothermia during transportation to the place of permanent rearing. The ideal humidity in the rooms where ducks are located is up to 70%.
Origin and distribution
The steppe spaces of Europe and the deserts of Africa are considered the homeland of birds. Ducks were also found in small numbers in Central Asia. The Asian bird population is in constant migration, reaching China, India and Taiwan.
In Russia, ducks are found everywhere today. The bird appeared in Moscow in the 20s of the 20th century, when the first individuals were brought to the zoo. They multiplied quickly and soon occupied the reservoirs of park areas.
Due to their very attractive appearance, birds have become a natural decoration for ponds and lakes.
Not too shy, they have adapted well to city conditions and feel very comfortable.
Optimal planting density
The growth of young ducklings depends on how they feed and receive warmth. Because they are bored, they begin to push each other aside and put pressure on each other. And therefore the growth of ducklings stops.
For proper growth, weak and frail representatives need to be planted separately. Sorting your ducklings at least once a week will help produce bigger, healthier ducks. Babies mainly appear as a result of their mass rearing. They don't have enough food. Be that as it may, one part of the ducklings will lag behind in their development, since not all of them pay attention to feeding. As a result of all this, animals grow small and weak. In order for such ducklings to develop well, you need to feed them with a pipette at first. Make a mixture of egg yolk and warm milk.
Diseases and their treatment
In blue ducks, young animals are more likely to get sick than adults. This is not surprising: in all representatives of the animal world, adult individuals have higher immunity. However, in general, birds demonstrate good resistance to various types of pathologies.
Below is a description of the most common diseases of Favorite ducks.
Avitaminosis
A pathology of non-infectious nature that occurs due to insufficiently balanced bird feed. Ducks especially often lack vitamins D, A and E.
There are a lot of symptoms and they are all different:
- if there is a lack of vitamin A, ducks lose their appetite, they develop conjunctivitis, a runny nose - such symptoms can easily be confused with signs of a real infection;
- if there is not enough vitamin E, birds may experience paw cramps, lack of appetite, and general lethargy;
- Due to a lack of vitamin D, rickets is likely.
To cope with vitamin deficiency, you need to make the birds’ diet more healthy and nutritious, introduce fish oil, synthetic vitamins, and herbs into the diet.
Cuticulitis
It is also a non-infectious disease that affects ducklings in the first month of life. Symptoms are apathy, loss of appetite, dark diarrhea with dense inclusions. Cuticulitis is treated by drinking potassium permanganate from a pipette on young animals: the solution should be very weak, light pink.
Coccidiosis
This is a pathology of an infectious nature; coccidiosis most often affects ducks older than one and a half months of age. Sick birds suddenly lose their appetite, become apathetic, lethargic, and move reluctantly and slowly. Ducks develop bloody diarrhea. The disease cannot be treated: affected birds are immediately isolated from the flock and destroyed.
Salmonellosis
This disease is an acute intestinal infection. The pathology is caused by pathogenic microbes of the genus Salmonella entering the bird's body: note that the disease is also dangerous for humans.
Sick ducks must be isolated from the rest of the flock and treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics of the tetracycline spectrum are often used as medicine.
How and when to let him out for a walk correctly
The reason for the mass death of ducklings is often the very early release of these birds for walking, when the dew has not yet completely disappeared or in damp weather. Up to 4 weeks of age, ducklings are very sensitive to any hypothermia.
If the weather is warm, then the ducklings are allowed to walk from the fifth day. Children can and even should be allowed to go for walks. The walk should be fenced with fine mesh or other available materials to a height of up to 1 meter. In inclement weather, if it is not well closed at the top, it is better not to let them out there. Otherwise, all the little ducklings will freeze quite quickly under the cold wind and rain and may even get sick.
They accustom pets to walking gradually, in addition, they carefully monitor their behavior all the time. Seeing that all the ducklings begin to gather in groups, they immediately need to be driven indoors. Daily prolonged exposure to fresh air, and for longer and longer periods of time, will harden the body and make it less susceptible to any colds. But excessive overheating of ducklings in the open sun can have a very depressing effect, so when walking you need to make a shelter from plant branches or build shields. Walkways must be kept clean and dirt and debris must not accumulate there.
general description
As can already be judged by the name of the hybrid, the plumage color of this duck is in most cases blue-gray. Individuals of this breed look truly impressive. Their body is very powerful and massive, and their legs are short and strong. The beak of this hybrid is usually gray.
Despite the fact that Blue Favorite ducks are not a breed, but crosses, in some cases they can be bred “inside”. The offspring bred in this way practically do not lose good productivity indicators. However, the feather color of ducklings obtained through natural breeding of favorites can vary significantly. Cream, white-breasted and simply white individuals appear in the herd.
Actually, the plumage of these ducks itself is very thick. Therefore, in summer they can be kept simply in an enclosure under a canopy, and in winter - in an unheated barn.
Basic tips for choosing a diet and feeding at different stages of a duck’s life
So, you have a favorite in keeping ducks. What to feed these birds? From the first days of life, it is recommended to feed ducklings with special granulated feed. Both young and adult ducks should receive adequate nutrition. The favorite, whose breeding is usually put on stream, is no exception.
These feeds are well balanced and easily digested by the bird's stomach. Granules should be purchased from 4 mm. Following the rich experience of farmers, the amount of feed is increased every 10 days. If it is not possible to use compound feed, they are replaced with mash; they must be fresh. Favorite ducks are very picky.
Since the building material of the body is protein, a sufficient amount of it is necessary in the diet of the chicks. In the first week of life, a hard boiled egg is good. You can add fermented milk products such as low-fat cottage cheese to it. It will also be useful to add chopped green onions and dandelions.
Reviews
- Oleg, 45 years old: “Duck has been my favorite for about 5 years. During this time they showed themselves only from the good side. Of course, there are some nuances in terms of their breeding. But I have already found a way out. So, chickens sit on my eggs, and after the chicks are born, I do more of their upbringing. It’s good that they are not picky about food. I give them finely chopped nettles and prepare mash with fishmeal. Since there is no pond nearby, I made one from an old trough. I dug a hole, placed a container there and poured water. The ducklings really like this “pool”. I keep these birds for eggs, although sometimes my wife and I feast on delicious meat.”
- Veronica, 49 years old: “I took my favorite for breeding 2 years ago. I can’t say that I’m delighted with the ducklings. Of course, their productivity is high, but in terms of content, I’m tired of them. I have other ducklings on my farm, and they are absolutely picky. But I've already adapted. I feed them 3 times a day. The already strong ducklings spend the whole day near the pond. There they eat duckweed, and I also give them dry food. But in the evening they eat mash at my place. I also like the fact that the duck itself doesn’t hatch the eggs, so you have to look for a replacement.”
The Favorite is a popular breed of domestic duck that can be used to produce tasty meat or eggs. Representatives of this breed have certain disadvantages, including an undeveloped maternal instinct, and they are also demanding in terms of keeping conditions. But if you provide the birds with proper care, they will respond to you with high egg production and tasty, tender meat. In our other articles you can read a description of the Mulard duck breed.
Complicating food
From the second week of feeding, boiled porridge with whey or sour milk should be introduced. In order not to fill the stomach, porridges should be crumbly. Add chopped nettles and boiled root vegetables, such as potatoes, to them. From the 15th day, enrich the diet with water duckweed, it is very useful for small ducklings. After the third week, introduce grated vegetables: zucchini, beets. It is with vegetables that all the necessary vitamins for growth come. From the age of one month, chicks can be fed grain mixtures. With proper feeding, the favorite duck gains up to 4 kg by two months. From this moment on, the poultry can be slaughtered.
Duck appearance
Pharaoh (Blue duck) – industrial cross of gray-blue color
The appearance of the bird can be assessed by studying the description of the Blue Favorite duck breed and looking at the photo.
Blue ducks are large and reach a weight of up to 5 kg . At six months of age, the bird is almost as large in size as geese of the same age group. The duck's body is dense and heavy. The chest protrudes strongly forward, the body is long and low-slung. The neck is strong and of medium length. The wings fit tightly to the body of the bird, are short in length, and massive. The legs are strong, short, gray or yellow in color. The beak is wide, large and gray. The eyes are large and dark.
Blue Favorite ducks had a persistent, characteristic smoky gray color only at the beginning. Today this breed has many color variations .
Variety of colors
The colors of these ducks can be:
- blue;
- gray;
- black;
- white;
- redhead;
- combined.
The variety of colors of the favorite duck is due to the fact that during its breeding, Peking ducks were combined with many other breeds. This genetic diversity causes color variations.
It is not uncommon for a pair that has the same color to have offspring with feathers of a completely different color. This is not a defect or a defect.
Duck favorite: description of the location of drinkers and feeders
Ducklings need to be given water at about 20 degrees Celsius. The drinking bowls should be installed away from the feeders, since, while chewing the food, the duckling tends to drink it right away, and some of the food is washed off with water without getting into the stomach. Vacuum drinkers work well. Until the age of ten days, ducklings need to have drinking bowls of such a depth that the chick can immerse his head in it, after which the height needs to be added. Water should always be clean and fresh. Calculate the number of feeders as one for 20 heads, the size is from 6 to 15 cm in length, depending on the type of food. For dry - less, for wet - more. The material for feeders can be iron or wood, in particular, well-planed wood.
How to make a shed
In most cases, owners of homestead farms keep this bird, since it is distinguished by its early maturity, only in the warm season. You can house these ducks in the summer in an aviary. But we still recommend setting up a small shed for them. It is better to collect it near a pond or lake. Of course, not every site has natural bodies of water nearby. Therefore, an artificial pond that is not too deep can be set up for ducks. To do this, you just need to dig a hole, waterproof it and fill it with water.
If the construction of an artificial pond is impossible for some reason, it is allowed to build a poultry house for blue minions just in the yard. There is no need to make the barn too high. However, the room should still be quite spacious. The favorite ducks are large in size. In a small shed it will simply be cramped for them. When designing a poultry house, it is worth considering, first of all, the number of individuals in the flock. It is believed that there should be 1 m2 of space per duck in the barn.
Blue favorites, unlike representatives of many other breeds, are not afraid of dampness. After all, their plumage is really very thick. Therefore, if there is no pond, bathing troughs can be installed directly in the barn. However, it is better to place them nearby - on the street. This will reduce the risk of developing colds.
In the poultry house, only feeders, nests and drinkers are usually installed. The latter must be designed in such a way that ducks cannot climb into them. It is not recommended to release these birds into a village pond. There is a risk that one day they will not return.
Farmers about the breed
Here, perhaps, is all you need to know about breeding ducks of the favorite breed; reviews from experienced farmers speak for themselves. Poultry farmers say that if you follow all the recommendations strictly, you can achieve excellent results. Today, more and more people are looking at farming as a means to earn money. That is why poultry farmers speak positively about breeding birds such as the favorite duck. Raising this breed for meat is one of the most promising areas, since it is relatively unpretentious in its maintenance. In addition, farmers producing duck meat never have problems selling their products. And this is one of the main criteria for a successful business.
Breeding
The process of breeding blue ducks at home is fraught with certain difficulties. The fact is that females of this breed are useless mothers and refuse to sit on eggs. Fortunately, the young Favorites are quite resilient and can survive without the help of their biological mother.
To solve the problem, many farmers simply throw the laid eggs to other birds for hatching: both turkeys and geese are suitable as foster mothers. If there are no other birds, it is necessary to buy an incubator at the same time when purchasing blue ducks.
Select only whole, large eggs without any signs of damage for incubation. Any cracks, even small ones, not to mention more serious defects, are unacceptable.
In the incubator, eggs mature within 28 days: since they contain a lot of fat, eggs need to be periodically cooled for full development.
Immediately after birth, the chicks should be placed in an insulated box, where drink and food will already be located. The chickens are provided with 16-hour lighting.
Another breeding method that works well is purchasing already hatched day-old ducklings from poultry farms or markets. Since young animals have excellent immunity and high survival rate, this method has proven itself well.
Diseases characteristic of the favorite breed
An important condition for the survival of young animals is compliance with hygienic conditions of detention. Before receiving livestock, the room is washed with soda ash. Chickens are given water with potassium permanganate to drink. But the immune system of the chicks is still weak, they need to be protected, avoiding overcrowding. If there is only one room before slaughter, 8 heads per 1 square meter are placed in it.
Water for drinking must be clean, which means you need to arrange drinking bowls so that birds do not swim in them. For bathing, from the age of two weeks, young animals are provided with a trough. A balanced diet and good lighting will protect ducklings from vitamin deficiency, urinary disease and cuticulitis. Infectious diseases can wipe out an entire flock. These include coccidosis, tuberculosis and intestinal infections.
