More and more people are turning to breeding ducks in home gardens and small farms. Tasty and healthy, due to the balanced content of microelements and vitamins, meat.
Rapid and effective weight gain, not susceptibility to many diseases inherent in other poultry. This makes ducks favorites of choice among amateurs and professionals.
Consider the description and characteristics of the breed agidel. The work on the selection of this duck was started in 2000 in the “BGP“ Blagovarsky ”plant of the Republic of Bashkortostan, in 2003 the first results were obtained. Improvement of qualitative and quantitative indicators does not stop today.
Table of contents
Agidel duck: breed description
Agidel ducks have a long and large head, a wide beak of a white-pink shade. The eyes are dark, set high. The neck is of medium thickness, relatively long. Chest deep and protruding. The back is long and wide, the torso is well set and almost horizontal. White plumage, the complete absence of yellow, cream and other shades. Legs short, medium thickness, light orange.
The temperament of a duck agidel allows you to ensure its content, both in pens and grazing without losing any indicators of the carcasses received. The idea of ducks as constantly screaming and rushing around the yard or paddock, in search of food, can destroy this breed.Calm behavior, steady movement and the transition to the cry only in case of danger they add nobility. The absence of unnecessary fuss allows you to more rationally soak up feed and bring the highest possible gain in weight in a short time.
The presence of a reservoir will be an advantage for keeping and breeding ducks. In the case of his absence, do not get upset. Agidel will live well without a reservoir, but in this case it is necessary to provide access to water during the day, and for the young and at night.
The work of breeders in working with these ducks was not only aimed at improving the performance of meat and egg production, but also at resisting individuals to diseases and infections. The result achieved by scientists makes it possible to speak of the breeding of this bird, both on an industrial and an infield scale. Given the rapid weight gain and the high ratio of feed spent per kilogram of growth, many have made an economically reasonable conclusion about the feasibility of working with agidel.
Duck Characteristics
Agidel ducks are characterized by rapid weight gain. With proper nutrition and favorable conditions at 6 weeks, the weight of the drake averages 3.2 kilograms for the drake and 2.95 for the duck. Overexposure of poultry for a week from this control point will result in a score of 3.79 for the male and 3.46 for the female. Further content does not lead to a significant increase in weight, the feather coarsens. The long maintenance of the heads involved in breeding the herd is justified.
Feed consumption can vary from a large set of indicators and conditions, but according to data from major producers and forums of owners of personal plots containing this duck, this figure is close to 2.25 kilograms of feed per 1 kilogram increase. The increase in this figure was mainly due to the bad faith of poultry farms selling under the guise of line A3 (broiler) line A5 (egg). According to this indicator, agidel refers to broiler breeds of ducks.
For a private farmstead, a very important characteristic of a particular breed is the natural safety of the population during the period of full maturity.In the Agidel ducks, it is one of the highest among these birds. Safety from the time of birth to 6 weeks is 98.5%, not significantly decreasing over a period of 0-7 months to 97.5%. This is an additional argument in the choice of birds of this particular breed.
For a breed that is considered a broiler, andgidel has good egg production. A duck can carry 225 to 260 eggs, depending on the cross line. Do not forget that the higher the egg production rate of your bird, the lower the boundary weight will be and the higher the feed consumption for growth. The egg is large, with a properly shaped oval.
The weight usually ranges from 77 grams in the egg and up to 95 grams in the broiler line. It becomes obvious that the total weight of the eggs of the two lines during the productive period will be the same. Given the greater consumption of feed on the egg line of the cross, we get confirmation that the agidel is a meat breed of ducks.
The use of duck eggs in home cosmetology was known to our grandmothers. Oily skin, our older generation, has been struggling with the protein of these wonderful eggs. This is due to its properties of tightening the skin, narrow pores and remove shine.The yolk has a miraculous effect on the growth and restoration of hair, nourishes dull and brittle hair. Whole duck egg is a frequent component of the mask for combination and dry skin.
Breeding and breeding
The first question, when deciding to breed agidel breed ducks, will be the use of an incubator or a hen regrowth. Since this duck is bred by crossing different breeds and crosses, growing new offspring is more profitable from the incubator.
It should be noted that in these birds, the rate of fertilized eggs reaches 94%. The conclusion of the ducklings from hatching eggs remains at 80% and can be attributed to the disadvantages of this breed. There are no special requirements for incubators.
To minimize losses at this stage, it is sufficient to follow the following recommendations:
- Choose eggs for laying, carefully examining them. They should be as fresh as possible and without visible cracks, deflections or cones that are uniform over the surface of the shell.
- Carefully monitor the temperature. The experience of many poultry farmers allows us to talk about the following temperature change depending on the period of eggs in the incubator:
Period temperature 1-14 day 37,7 +/-0,3 15-21 days 38,3 +/-0,3 22-26 day 38,7 +/-0,3 - Turn the eggs in the incubator at least 10 times a day, preventing the embryo from sticking to the shell and freezing it.
- In the first week, maintain a humidity of 60-70% in the incubator, then lower it to 45% until the extraction itself. When the ducklings start spitting, increase the humidity to soften the shell.
- Cool the egg at least twice a day. Maintain the same intervals, the duration of 10-30 minutes.
After the withdrawal of ducklings take care of the temperature and lighting. For the first time the days of life should be lighting around the clock. Gradually reduce its intensity, not the number of hours of work.
Ducks are birds with an intense metabolism and nightly meals are common for them. Access to water is needed all the time; for young stock, the design of the trough should prevent splashing. Dry litter is a guarantee of health and increased survival of ducklings.
Food is better to produce using ready-made mixtures or chopped grain, gradually adding greens, whole grains and cake of corn and sunflower to the ration. Agidel is a breed of ducks that prefers grain to crap and mixtures.If it is necessary to switch to another type of feed, do not do this dramatically. Some time, 4-7 days, produce feeding with both feeds, after which, gradually, remove unnecessary feed. The main requirement for feeding ducks is its balance and the presence of the entire complex of vitamins and minerals.
The most significant achievement of breeders in the breeding of this breed was its immunity to many diseases characteristic of most ducks. The leukemia group of diseases is a scourge for many subsidiary farms breeding ducks.
Agidel - duck is not susceptible to these diseases. The main signs of the disease of an individual are a decrease in physical activity, a rejection of food and water, and lowered wings. If such a duck is identified, isolate it from the common flock and carefully watch other birds. Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. This will help to identify the nature of the disease, and prevent the death of the rest of the pack.
The advantages and disadvantages of the breed
- Quick weight gain.
- Resistance to diseases and infections.
- High-quality feather and down.
- High egg production for broiler breed.
- Adaptive qualities of individuals.
- The taste of meat.
Breed flaws
- Typical for broiler breeds fat content of meat.
- Getting brood from the incubator.
The Agidel duck is suitable for obtaining nutritious and tasty meat, both for a small farmstead and for a large farm. When taking into account the peculiarities of the breed and its breeding, a small livestock is able to satisfy the need for meat of a sufficiently large family.
Good evening! Very useful and interesting article, but I would like to know how many times a year, and in what period, you can breed chicks, engaged in individual farming? I would also like to know on what day after laying eggs do the ducklings hatch?