No whispering

RAISING DUCKS FOR

PROFIT
WATERFOWALS: DOMESTIC DUCK FARMING

• Domestic ducks
(Platyrhynchos domesticus) are
decedents of wild mallard ducks.
Lightweight Breeds

• High egg production

• Excellent foragers
• Poor to Fair mothers
• Flightier & Fliers

• Campbell

• Welsh Harlequin

• Runner
Welsh Harlequin
• 250 – 340 eggs per year

• White eggs

• Campbells weigh 5 – 5 ½

• Very adaptable to a range

of climates
Indian Runner
• Comes in many colors
• Most active foragers
• 150 – 300 eggs per year
• Adapted to harse
conditions
Medium-weight Breeds
• Dual purpose – eggs & meat
• Moderately fast growth rate
• Good foragers
• Fair to Good mothers

• Ancona
• Cayuga
• Orpington
• Swedish
Ancona
• 210 – 290 eggs per year
• Eggs white, tinted, blue, green
or spotted
• Magpie weighs 6 – 7 pounds
• Best foragers and best layers
of this group
Cayuga
• American breed
• Dual purpose farm duck
• 100 – 150 eggs per year
• Eggs light grey, blue, green, or
white
• Weighs 7 – 8 pounds
Orpington
• a.k.a “Buff”
• Excellent dual purpose
bird
• 150 – 220 eggs per year
• Eggs white or tinted
• Weighs 7 – 8 pounds
Swedish
• 100 – 150 eggs per year
• Eggs white, tinted, blue, or
green
• Weighs 7 – 8 pounds
Heavy-weight Breeds
– Meat production
– Rapid weight gain
– Moderate layers
– Calm temperaments
• Appleyard
– Home bodies if well fed
• Aylesbury
– Variable mothering ability
• Muscovy
• Pekin
• Rouen
• Saxony
Silver Appleyard
• Most active foragers and best layers of the
Heavyweight breeds
• Produce more flavored meat with less fat

• 200 – 270 eggs per year

• Eggs white
• Weighs 8 – 9 pounds
Aylesbury
• 35 – 125 eggs per year
• Eggs white, tinted, or green
• 9 – 10 pounds
• White skinned
Muscovy
• 50 – 125 eggs per year
• Weight: 7 – 12
• Fly and roost
• Quiet breed – don’t quack
• Broody
• Aggressive in crowded conditions;
claws.
• Meat is lean; can resemble beef or
ham
• Living wild relatives, native to
Mexico, Central & South America.
Pekin
• 125 – 225 eggs per year
• 9 – 10 pounds
• Popular market duck
since arriving from China
• Hardy, rapid growth rate,
high feed efficiency
• Calm temperament
Rouen
• 35 – 125 eggs per year
• 9 – 10 pounds
• Excellent roaster
• Production & exhibition
strains
Important Duck breeds
• Khaki Campbell
• Indian Runner
• White Pekin
• Muscovy
KHAKI CAMPBELL

INDIAN RUNNUR
 WHITE PEKIN

28-d

MUSKOVY DUCK 35-d

 Important varieties
• Chara and Chembali (Kuttanad ducks of Kerala)
• Sythet mete and Nageswari (Eastern region)
• Aarani ducks (Tamil Nadu)
• Desi variety of West Bengal
• Pati, Deo, Cinahabh and Raj Hanh verities (Assam)
Sex identification
Sex identification,
Commercial broiler Ducks
• Broiler duck are fast growing
birds they attain their adult
body weight by 6 – 8 weeks.
• It is observed that even up to 3
kg body weight in possible at 8
weeks in ideal condition.
• In China and Korea the farming
is very intensive similar to
broiler chicken
Choices of Breeds
• The table varieties like White Pekin and Minicos
grow fast and attain 3 to 3.5 kg body weight at weeks of
age 18 wks with feed conversion of 3 to 3.5 kg gain.
• The Khaki Campbell and Indian Runner are efficient egg
– laying varieties producing 250 to 300 eggs per year.
They weight between 2 – 2.5 kg on maturity.
• Farmer can choose from these varieties depending on
type of production (meat and egg) required.
General Care and Management
• Brooding
• Rearing of adult ducks
• Housing
• Feeding
• Health care
• Male Female Ratio(1:6)
• Normal life (8 years)
Male Duck
Ducklings to 3 weeks - 20-22% protein,
non-medicated starter mash or crumbles

Adolescents 3 to 6 weeks - 16% protein,

non-medicated mash, crumbles or pellets

Females over 6 weeks - 16-18% when

laying

Males over 6 weeks of females not laying

- 14-16% protein
• Never use medicated chicken or duck
feed or feed created for other birds
• Cracked corn is not high enough in
protein and will harm pond fish
• Lay mash is excellent for adult ducks
• Crumbles and pellets are easy to use
and less messy
• Seeds and nuts are a no-no!!!
• ALWAYS PROVIDE FRESH
DRINKING WATER WHILE FEEDING
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Duck ECH
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Incubation Time for some Common Avian Species

Chicken 21 days

Turkey 28 days
Japanese quail 17 days
Guinea fowl 26 days
Pheasant, Partridge 24 days
Duck 28 days
Muscovy duck 35 days
Goose 28-32 days