Introduction

Duck farming is a very lucrative business. Ducks are highly valuable birds around the world, reared for egg and meat production. Ducks occupy an important position next to chicken farming in India. They form about 10% of the total poultry population and contribute about 6-7% of total eggs produced in the country.The duck, till recently, was practically reared only by the small and marginal farmers mostly in the Southern and Eastern coastal areas, North-eastern India and Jammu and Kashmir. People keep ducks for different reasons. Some keep ducks for breeding, others keep ducks for the meat or duck eggs, or both. Others may keep ducks to keep down the fly population on a farm that has livestock.

Advantages of duck farming

Duck farming is easy because of the following advantages when compared to the rearing of other species:

• Ducks require lesser attention and thrive well in scavenging conditions.
• Need less space for raising ducks
• Highly resistant to common avian diseases
• Can eat all types of feed available
• Ducks lay more egg per bird per year than chicken.
• The size of the duck egg is larger than hen egg by about 15 to 20 gms.
• Have a longer profitable life. They lay well even in the second
• Ducks are quite hardy, more easily brooded.
• Ducks lay 95 – 98% of their eggs in the morning before 9.00 AM. Thus saving a lot of time and labour.

Egg-Producing Duck Breeds

Khaki Campbell

• Originated from England
• Medium sized breed
• Gain about 1.5-2 kg weight within two months of age
• Lay white coloured eggs
• Lay about 250-300 eggs per year

Indian Runner

• Originated from India
• Small sized duck breed
• Breed is white in colour
• Stay well both in ground and water
• The colour of theegg is white.
• Lay about 250 eggs per year

Bangladeshi Egg Laying Duck Breeds

• Originated from Bangladesh
• Small sized breed
• Lay about 60-70 eggs per year
• Very suitable for the weather of Bangladesh and other Asiatic countries

Magpie

• Originated from England
• Black and white in colour
• Eggs are large and white in colour
• Lay 220-290 eggs per year

Ancona

• Originated from England
• Medium sized breed
• Produce avariety of white, cream, blue-green
• Lay around 240 eggs per year

 

Duck Egg Nutrition

• Higher in protein content than chicken eggs
• Have little more cholesterol than chicken egg
• Have higher fat content
• Have more vitamins and minerals
• Have high Omega-3-fatty acid
• People who are allergic to chicken eggs can tolerate duck eggs

Egg production in Ducks

Ducks usually begin laying at about 6–7 months of age and should be laying at a rate of about 90% (i.e. 100 ducks laying 90 eggs daily) within 5 weeks of the onset of laying.The incubation period for duck egg is 28 days but Muscovy eggs hatch after 35 days. Duck eggs may be hatched naturally by placing them under a broody duck or even a broody chicken hen.In artificial incubators, satisfactory results are attained at a temperature of 37.5-37.2°C (99.5-99° F). The wet-bulb reading on the thermometer should be 30-31°C (86-88° F) during incubation for the first 25 days and 32.7-33.8°C (90-92° F) for the last three days of hatching. Eggs are sprinkled with lukewarm water having sanitizer once a day from 2^nd day to 25^thday and cooled for a maximum period of half an hour. Candling is done on the7^thday. The eggs are turned hourly. Eggs are transferred to hatcher on the25^thday.

Rearing of adult stock

High egg laying strains of ducks come into production at 16 to 18 weeks of age. About 95-98% of eggs are laid by 9.00AM. One nest box of size 30x 30 x 45 cms(12 x12 x18”) to every three ducks be provided. In case of laying breeds a mating ratio of 1 drake to 6-7 ducks. Light for 14 to 16 hours per day is essential for optimum production.

Factors to maximize egg production

• Provide good quality feed
• The Proper quantity of feed: for maximum production a duck must have limited feed from 3 weeks of age until they are laying well, not more than .35 pounds of feed/duck/day, otherwise they become overweight.
• Good water
• Proper lighting: an increasing day length (Jan-June) brings sexually mature ducks into egg production and decreasing day length (July-Dec) slows their egg production. Provide artificial light along with natural light for upto 17 hours.
• Lack of stress

Conclusion

Ducks occupy an important position next to chicken farming in India.They form about 10% of the total poultry population and contribute about 6-7% of total eggs produced in the country.Raising ducks can be a profitable and enjoyable experience. Providing a protective breeding environment and attention to egg production and handling can increase one’s success with raising ducks.

 

Authors

Tania Gupta^1*, Sheikh Firdous Ahmad¹, and Kanika Mahajan²

1. ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly (U.P.)

2. Guru AngadDev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU), Ludhiana

*[email protected]

 

 

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