Management Practices in Raising Ducks

Housing the Ducks      Ducks do not require expensive housing like chickens. Bamboo and nipa are the cheapest materials used in constructi...

Housing the Ducks
     Ducks do not require expensive housing like chickens. Bamboo and nipa are the cheapest materials used in constructing their houses. Enclose the three sides of the house and allow one side as the door. The house should be well ventilated, dry and well-lighted to stimulate proper growth and egg production. The house should be provided with artificial pond measuring 10 by 8 feet and two feet deep to allow the immersion of duck heads. The ducks eye get scaly and crusty when water supply is limited. In addition, ducks clean and wash their bills periodically.
     House the growing ducks according to their age to avoid quarrels. Younger ducks are pushed by older ducks into the feeding trough. Ducks are mostly raised by range method where the ducklings are allowed to stay out door at day time.

Selection of stocks

   There are factors to consider when selecting or purchasing stocks. Ducks must be healthy. They must be free from pest and diseases and free from injury. Be sure to buy stocks from reliable dealers.

   Determine the age of the birds. The type of birds to raise depend on the availability of equipment needed such as brooding house. Prepare the needed equipment first before buying the chicks to save time and effort.
   Size and weight of the birds should meet the standard size requirement for the breed. Choose the color of the bird according to the standard color of the breed. Make sure that the pure breeds have been selected.
   Select ducks with strong and vigorous body for both male and female. Birds that show sign of paleness are    susceptible to pest and diseases.

The stock can be purchase in three ways

1. Buy eggs and hatch them.
2. Buy day old chicks.
3. Buy pure breed ducks just before they lay eggs.

Determining the Sexes

    Male and Female ducks are raised separately. separate the sexes as they can be determined. Sexes can be determined when birds are 7-10 weeks old. Ducklings develop and grow better when they are separated from male. The following steps should be followed in determining the sex of ducklings.

1. Hold the eggs upside down with the left hand. Press the base of the tail with your thumb and expose the cloaca.
2. Open the vent by pushing with the right thumb of your hand.
3. Slightly stretch the vent and press the pink colored cloaca. If there is no penis present, then it is a female duckling.

Brooding

    Just like in raising poultry, the ducklings need artificial heat to maintain their body temperature. The hen can only brood a few ducklings. During the first week of brooding, the temperature should be maintained at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. the battery brooder is a modern way of brooding chicks. During cooler months, the temperature should be maintain to keep the chicks warm. The behavior of the ducklings indicates whether the brooding temperature is right. The ducklings huddle close to the light when temperature is low. When the ducklings are six weeks old, the ducks can be transferred from the brooder house to the growing house.  

Brooding

Culling

This is done by removing undesirable chicks in the flock. Cull the ducks during egg production. Cull injured or sick birds of any age. remove crippled ducks and those with pendulous crooked beaks. Hens that have stopped laying eggs should also be culled.

Control of Pest and Diseases

Although ducks are more resistant to pest and diseases than chicken, strict sanitation should also be practiced to ensure a free-diseases zone.

Feeding
The recommended rations for ducks are as follows:

Kinds of Ration	Age of Animal
Starter mash	1-6 weeks old
Growing mash with 16 crude proteins.  This feed should be supplemented with finely chopped grass or left-over vegetables.	6 weeks to 4 month old
Laying mash.  Provide fresh snails to the ducks to help increase egg production.	4 months old to laying stage

Parasites
These are plants and animals living with other living organisms for food and shelter. There are two classes of parasite. One is external parasite which includes lice and mites. The other kind of parasite is internal parasite which include intestinal worms.

A.      Parasite	Nature of Attack/Symptoms	Control
1.       Lice. The most common parasite of chicken and duck. 2.       Mites. Three kinds of mites ·         Red mite live and lay eggs in crevices of poultry house. ·         Feather mite ·         Scaly leg mite 3.       Worms. The common worms are round worms, tape worms, and pin worms.	They bite off and chew the scales of duck skin and feathers causing irritation. The ducks loss appetite and capacity to lay eggs. They suck the blood mainly at night. They are gray in color when empty and bright red when full. This kind of mite stays on the body of ducks but do not give serious damage. It causes irritation and reduces egg production. This mite live under the skin or shanks and feet of ducks. Heavy infestation causes the shanks to disfigure. Infested birds loss their appetite and body weight  and retarded growth.	Follow clean culture management Treat the poultry house with malathion. Follow strict sanitation. Clean the house and disinfect thoroughly before stocking. Soak the affected shank of duck in oil or kerosene. Regularly remove the duck dung. Clean and disinfect the houses before stocking. Clean the feeder and waterier daily. Remove spoiled feeds from the feeder. Keep the duck house and surroundings clean at all times.
B.      Diseases	Symptoms/Nature of Attack	Method of Control
1.       Avian pest 2.       Fowl  cholera 3.       Infectious coryza	Coughing, sneezing, and harsh breathing. The diseases is cause by a bacteria called Pasteurella multocida. It is acquired through contaminated feeds and water. Ducks appear weak and sleepy. This is a chronic disease that causes the face to swell and watery discharge from the nose. This is caused bacteria called Hemophilus gallinarium acquired thru direct contact with infected birds and contaminated feeds.	Vaccination. Feeding and watering equipment should be disinfect. Cull sick birds. Add sulfa to drinking water to control the disease. Observe sanitary feeding. Disinfect duck quarters. Vaccination program should be followed strictly. Add sulfa drugs to drinking water. Practice sanitary feeding and maintain clean surroundings.

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