Duck breeds for home breeding

Amazing bird - duck. Farmers are aware of rapid growth, undemanding to the content, and most importantly about its tasty meat. The variety of breeds is amazing. Consider what types are and their characteristics.

Musky (indo outcast)

Many believe that the name musk bird received, thanks to a cross with a turkey. In fact, the reason for this was the external similarity. Domestic musk duck was a long time, but we appeared in the 80s of the XX century. Since then, spread and loved poultry farmers.

The musky bird has distinctive features:

• wide, elongated body,
• wide chest
• head extended,
• big dark eyes
• growths on the face.

Pros:

• don't make noise
• healthy meat
• get along with other poultry,
• eat greens
• rush a lot.

Minuses:

• grow slowly
• do not walk the herd.

Musk (indo outcast) is widespread and loved by poultry farmers

Duck Species Blue Favorite

Appeared in the late 1990s. Place of appearance - Bashkiria. Name received for the color of plumage. The breed is large. Some poultry farmers managed to grow a “Blue Favorite” the size of a goose of the same age in six months. Feedback from farmers about the bird positive. The main reason for the popularity is a good survival rate.

The Blue Favorite stands out:

• a neck of medium length
• short legs
• large wings, tight to the body,
• blue with a smoky hue.

The advantages of this bird weight:

• unpretentiousness in food,
• growth rate (even with poor feed, the duck quickly gains weight),
• vitality
• the ability to contain in different conditions.

Of the minuses stands out that the “Blue Favorite” poorly incubates eggs.

Blue Favorite duck has good survival

Appeared recently. It refers to the type of meat broilers. Popular in countries exporting meat. Quickly gaining weight in all conditions of detention. Thanks to breeders, the bird adapts to climatic and weather conditions. Meat "Agidel" has a pronounced taste. Ducks are not afraid of common diseases.

Received a wide long body with an impressive mass. Plumage color is white. The beak is bright orange. In appearance is a meat duck. The two-month duckling weighs up to 3 kg.

• disease resistance
• fast growth,
• unpretentiousness in food,
• high productivity.

Agidel received a wide long body with an impressive mass

Bashkir

One of the best birds in terms of price and quality. Spreading "Bashkirok", the owner receives beautiful, meat ducks while not spending a lot of money on the content. The breed received two coloring options: black and white and khaki.

The Bashkir duck is productive and immune to disease, which simplifies the breeding process. On average, the weight of an adult duck is 4 kg. With good food and care, this figure increases. Does not require special conditions of detention.

The advantages of breeders include:

• cost of maintenance
• attractive feather color,
• the possibility of breeding on farms (for business purposes),
• tender meat.

Popular breed. Often found in households. Many people call the best meat duck. It was withdrawn long ago, thanks to which it managed to spread around the world.

• tight build
• wide back and chest
• bulging forehead
• massive, short legs,
• powerful wings
• white or cream plumage.

Peking ducks are an amazing breed. Thanks to them, today subspecies of these waterfowl are bred.

She has a lot of advantages. Here are the main ones:

• good growth
• unpretentiousness in food and content,
• good layers and hens,
• delicious meat.

The disadvantages are not the biggest weight by today's standards.

Peking duck different delicious meat

Mulards appeared due to the interbreeding of indoutok and other domestic breeds. This allowed us to get fast-growing and large individuals. Mulardov easy and cheap to breed. Ducks are easy to distinguish from other poultry. They have a large body and a long neck. Plumage - black or white.

The advantages of the breed, except for weight, include:

• dietary meat,
• rapid growth (with good feed, the duck weighs up to 3 kilograms already in two months),
• enough space for the content of the site.

Minuses:

• the cost of ducklings,
• grow harder than other breeds.

Mulardy have dietary meat

Cherry Valley

In demand by farmers in Russia and CIS countries. Hardy and strong ducks. They gain weight fast and are resistant to disease. For 50 days, the duckling is able to gain up to 3 kg. Provided egg production - up to 150 per year. The survival rate of ducklings is 95%.

The meat of an adult duck received excellent taste, although slightly harsh. It contains a lot of vitamins, especially if you slaughter individuals at 7 weeks.

Cherry Valley meat is slightly harsh

Low-fat meat, unpretentiousness in forage and care, slaughtering at 50 days of life - this made the French breed "Star 53" very popular among farmers. Congenital features and proper care will help grow a duck weighing up to 4.5 kg.

"Star 53" has a fast metabolism, so that the absorption of vitamins is lightning fast. Ducks do not accumulate fat, which makes meat a dietary one.

Main advantages:

• unpretentious food,
• fast growth,
• immunity to disease.

Minuses:

• don't like cramped rooms
• adjustment of temperature and light is required.

Star 53 ducks don't like cramped rooms

Blagovarskaya

Breed combined in itself productivity and beauty. Farmers note the profitability of the establishment of these ducks. The breed appeared recently and bred in Russia. Have a pronounced meat type and great taste. Juveniles grow rapidly and lose a minimum of weight during the plumage.

Poultry farmers do not have to spend money on feed. In food, the individual is unpretentious, productive - from 80% of eggs, offspring appears.

Pros:

• for the maintenance of a sufficiently equipped barn,
• ducks are calm and balanced
• active growth.

Blagovarskaya duck is not whimsical in food

Indian runner

Breed 2 thousand years. Ducks run fast and swim. The presence of a reservoir is optional. When running, they do not spread their wings, which surprises poultry farmers. Breed calm - only worry when there is danger.

An adult weight is about 2 kg. Efficiency - 280 eggs per year. Meat is small, but is considered a delicacy. Breed - egg.

Advantages of "Runners":

• calm character
• productivity,
• ease of care,
• ability to live with other birds,
• attractive appearance.

Minuses:

• Low weight.

Indian runner has a rather interesting appearance.

Ukrainian gray

Artificial breed. Differs in good health and love of freedom. Has a developed musculature. Spends a lot of time in the water. It is distinguished by thick plumage and beautiful coloring. Size - medium. The legs are short but powerful.

You can keep a duck in Spartan conditions. In food, it is unpretentious. She is not afraid of many diseases. Weight can reach 3.5 kg.

The disadvantages include the love of water. Birds must be constantly released on the free-range.

Ukrainian gray can live in Spartan conditions

Russian crested

The breed is interesting to many breeders and farmers. The main feature - the crest on the head. The duck has an interesting appearance and calm nature. The bird does not grow big - the maximum weight is 2.5 kg. Very mobile, thanks to the developed muscles.

In food unpretentious. It treats reservoirs calmly. It is not worth much to feed them - you get a carcass, swum fat.

Pros:

• unpretentiousness in food and content,
• productivity,
• fast growth.

Minuses:

• little weight.

Russian crested is not whimsical both in food and in content

Bright and very beautiful breed of ducks. Color ducks - green with a metallic tinge. The breed belongs to the meat-bearing species, but is used more often for decorative purposes. Meat because of black hemp has a not very appetizing look.

Another distinctive feature is the Cayugi carry black eggs. About 150 pieces can be carried in a year. Ducks willingly hatch them.

In general, ducks are not picky, which allows them to be kept in any conditions.

Breed pros:

• beauty,
• high productivity
• beautiful hens,
• unpretentiousness.

Minuses:

• low weight
• prone to disease.

Cayuga - bright and beautiful breed of ducks

Popular breed that does not require serious care. Even a beginner farmer can cope with ducklings. They do not need a body of water and special food. Chicks grow quickly, resistant to disease, mobile. Ducks tolerate low temperatures very well.

Individuals quickly gain weight - in 7 weeks up to 3.5 kg. Meat is dietary and odorless. For a year, a duck can carry up to one hundred eggs.

Moscow white

Breed of meat orientation. Very prolific ducks with high quality meat. Have an attractive appearance. Capable to gain weight up to 4.5 kg. Excellent egg production - up to 150 pieces per year.

The breed is unpretentious in food and can do without a pond. Disease resistant. The character is calm. You can buy ducks for a low price. With the right feed, “Moscow whites” grow up to 2 kg. in 2 months.

Pros:

Disadvantages:

• maximum weight.

Moscow white ducks can do without pond

Black white

Appeared in the middle of the last century, but could not gain popularity among farmers, although it has good characteristics. "Black white-breasted" is growing very fast and does not require special feed. The weight of an adult can reach 4 kg. The meat is tender and pleasant to the taste.

The poultry egg production is 130 pieces per cycle, but it refers to broilers. Very high survival of offspring. Easily tolerate cold. The main thing for them is dry litter.

You can feed almost everyone. It is necessary to calculate the amount of food in order to get a large, healthy individual.

Black, white-breasted duck is especially good for the survival of offspring

Khaki Campbell

Breed egg and meat orientation. Very common in Russia. Are grown up both on farms, and on private farmsteads. Ducks are very active and mobile. They are small in size. The color of the plumage is “sandy”.

Pros:

• weight up to 3.5 kilograms
• egg production up to 200 eggs per year
• delicious meat.

Minuses:

• don't hatch eggs
• it takes a lot of space and a body of water.

Khaki-Campbell ducks do not hatch eggs

When choosing a duck breed, the main thing is to know what you want to get from it in the end - meat or eggs. Many waterfowl are similar, and only an experienced farmer will notice the differences. The productivity of any ducks depends only on the efforts of the owner.

Indeodious Musk Ducks

Muscovy ducks are the native inhabitants of Central and South America. Unlike European mallards, who do not represent life without water, “American women” calmly relate to the absence of a pond, river or lake nearby. They are calm, and their content is rarely heard when kept in a common poultry yard. Because of this feature, birds are called ducks spikes. Since the birds brought from distant countries were not at all like the usual domestic ducks, the Europeans began to look for features of other species in them. It is obvious that red growths on the head of birds, especially noticeable in males, gave rise to another nickname of ducks, indouki, by analogy with turkeys, to which waterfowl have no related relationship.

Muscovy ducks may have a different color. Unlike ordinary poultry, they do not gain weight so quickly, but their meat is distinguished by its low fat content, delicate texture and excellent taste.

Thoroughbred males "Americans" can grow up to 5 kg in weight, and females, which are almost two times lighter, are well known as excellent chickens.

The meat quality of Indo-stock attracted the attention of breeders. Today, among species of poultry farmers, interspecific hybrids of musk and meat European ducks are very popular.

Peking duck

Among the breeds of ducks for home breeding, birds originating from the Middle Kingdom can be considered among the most ancient. The Peking duck became famous more than three centuries ago and has not lost its relevance so far. Early ripening, with excellent meat quality, hardy and impartial birds are happy to grow on large farms as well as on private farmsteads, and also are the progenitors of many modern breed lines and hybrids of duck meat. One of them is the famous mulardians, who are not only champions in terms of weight gain, but also give a fat, delicious liver.

Thoroughbred representatives of the Peking breed are white ducks with a robust constitution, giving a meaty orientation, a yellow-orange beak, widely spread legs. Birds have a long back, bulging chest, raised tail, strong wings and dark bluish eyes.

Peking ducks are extremely quick. Already by one and a half or two months, young individuals gain up to 2.5 kg of weight. By the time of slaughter with proper feeding, the drakes weigh about 4 kg, and the females are only 500 grams less.

The yield of meat from the carcass reaches 66%, however, these meat ducks easily increase not only muscle mass, but also fat, which must be taken into account when drafting a diet.

Moscow White Duck

Crossing the Peking ducks with representatives of other breeds and species gives excellent results, which has been repeatedly confirmed by domestic and foreign breeders. A worthy example is the Moscow white ducks, obtained from parental pairs of Peking birds and individuals of the khaki-Campbell breed.

Domestic breeding ducks resemble in many respects the Peking ancestors, and at the same time they show the best egg production, which has been maintained in the hens for several years. This quality is very useful for domestic breeding ducks. The bird perfectly mastered in different climatic conditions, unpretentious to feed and gaining weight, no less than the famous ancestors.

Rouen Breed Ducks

The French have long favored meat breeds of ducks. The old variety, bred in the vicinity of Rouen on the basis of local livestock and wild mallards, was named after the city and still enjoys the attention of poultry farmers. The French duck has retained the natural color of the plumage, but at the same time it is strikingly different from wild birds in fatness and delicate taste of meat. Adults grow up to 5 kg and compete equally with Peking and other meat ducks. Therefore, the bird of Rouen breed still participates in breeding work and is used to produce highly productive meat and meat cross breeds.

Gray Ukrainian duck

In addition to the Peking ducks, the most common in the territory of the former USSR, the white Moscow birds and the indouka imported in the late 80s, Ukrainian ducks of various varieties are still popular in Russia. Most often they say about a gray duck meat with a well-developed muscle mass, thin bones and quite good meat-yachting indicators.

In birds of this breed, differences in the coloration of males and females are clearly visible. Drakes reach a weight of 3.5 kilograms, and ducks can weigh up to 3 kg. The average number of eggs laid is 120, laying record holders can produce up to 250 eggs annually.

Black white-breasted duck

Another domestic waterfowl of the Ukrainian selection is a white-breasted black duck, obtained on the basis of the local herd, Peking breed and birds of the meat-eating variety khaki-campbell.

The name speaks eloquently about the appearance of this decent home breeding duck breed. The ducks have black plumage, and the white feather stains in the chest and the base of the broad, strong neck. The beak of these Ukrainian ducks, like the eyes and legs, is also black. In males and females strong, adjacent to the body wings, short strong legs.

Compared with the Peking white ducks, this bird matures longer, reaching a maximum weight of 4 kg only for half a year. Most often slaughter of meat ducks is carried out at the age of 2.5–3 months, when the carcass weighs about 2.5 kg, and the meat is the most delicious.

Birds of this breed can grow fat, which must be considered when organizing housing and feeding. For a year, the hen gives up to 130 large 80-gram eggs.

Blue Favorite Ducks

An interesting breed for home cultivation is the duck Blue favorite. This variety was obtained by breeders of the same Bashkir enterprise. The ancestors of the beautiful, with unusual bird plumage, were individuals of the local Color Bashkir duck. The gray-blue color of the steel shade is not the only characteristic feature of birds. Large meat ducks easily grow up to 5 kg of live weight, while the quality of their meat is better than that of their ancestors and the famous Peking ducks.

Fledglings ducks Favorite is remarkable for its excellent stamina and vitality. The bird grows perfectly and, with a well-chosen diet, by the age of two months it reaches 3.6 kg of weight. Under the conditions of a private farmstead, poultry farmers can receive 140 eggs from a hen for a year. According to the description of the breed of ducks and already available reviews, the bird is promising both for cultivation in industrial and in private farms.

Ducks Adigel

The Agidel ducks bred in Bashkiria are descendants of the Blagovarsky cross-breed individuals, birds of the Super M variety, and the Indian runner egg breed of ducks. When the appearance is talking about the meat orientation of the cross, the birds are distinguished not only by excellent fattening data, but also by surprisingly high egg rates.

Agidel ducks have a long massive body, dense white plumage and a beautiful livable character. Эта порода уток уже в 7-недельном возрасте демонстрирует вес около 3 килограмм, при этом за год несушка способна поставить до 240 крупных яиц, весом не менее 90 грамм.

The meat of this breed of ducks is of the highest quality, not inferior, mulardam or other meat birds of foreign selection.

Unlike broiler ducks, whose meat productivity largely depends on the production of protein feed, the Bashkir duck grows on a diet that is available in any, even a modest personal farm. Birds perfectly eat any green plants, cereals, hay and waste from the processing of cereals.

Home duck Mulard

Thanks to lean meat, precociousness and record-breaking meat productivity among waterfowl poultry, Mularards are becoming more and more popular among amateur poultry farmers and in huge industrial feeding complexes. Meanwhile, the domestic duck Mulard cannot rightfully be called a breed. This is an interspecific hybrid, obtained from the crossing of Peking or other Eurasian ducks and American hindlands.

A pair for a musk duck in obtaining hybrid offspring can be both a bird of the Peking breed and Ruan ducks, as well as individuals of other meat breeds. Mulardov are called broiler ducks because of their excellent fattening qualities, similar to meat breeds. At the same time, the bird behaves perfectly both when grown on large farms and in private farmsteads. Domestic ducks Mollard peaceful, calm and picky.

For four months of keeping the weight of a bird can reach up to 7 kilograms. Females in industrial complexes are more often raised for meat, and drakes provide an excellent liver for foie gras.

Since the hybrid generation does not produce any offspring, the parent flock does not form from the bird, the egg is not received from the mulard.

Hybridization has helped poultry farmers to solve two main problems of musk and Peking ducks. The first, having low-fat meat, cleanliness and quiet disposition, are relatively slowly fattening and have not too much weight. Peking birds are larger, but quickly increasing their weight, they can grow fat and lose meat quality.

Moulard ducks are ideal for growing, as they are both ripening and give meats of amazing taste.

Star duck 53

Heavy meat broiler duck obtained by the breeders of the French company Grimaud freres selection. It is a highly productive cross designed to feed on meat and to produce foie gras liver.

The old duck 53 has a high growth rate and an active weight gain. The bird has a white dense plumage, strong build and a wide massive chest. Already by the age of 50 days the live weight of ducklings is 3.7 kg. The breast meat, the most valuable part of the carcass, is one third of the total weight of the bird. At the same time, the quality of dietary, low-fat meat of French duck is much better than that of the majority of related varieties. In breeding, this breed of ducks has shown itself to be disease resistant, non-capricious, and very viable.

Choosing ducks for home breeding

In order for the domestic duck to please its owner, it is necessary to correctly choose the breed. All birds can be classified as follows:

Also, domestic ducks are used to produce fluff and feathers, but this is rather an additional result than the direction of productivity. Inside each category There are many breeds of ducks, which we now consider.

Meat direction

The most popular for breeding are the following:

• Beijing,
• Rouen,
• gray Ukrainian,
• swedish blue
• black and white,
• musky (indo outcast),
• Bashkir color,
• crested
• White Moscow,
• eilsbury
• Mulard
• favorite blue.

Each breed has its own characteristics, pros and cons, which we now consider.

Beijing

This is one of the popular domestic ducks, leading its history from the vicinity of Beijing. Now the duck is spread all over the world due to these advantages:

• Gaining weight quickly.
• Resistant to cold.
• Not capricious to feed.
• Fat meat.
• Excellent egg production for ducks.
• High growth rate of young animals.

Peking duck features are as follows:

• feather color is white with cream tint,
• the body is massive, large, strong,
• the average weight of an adult bird is about 3 kg,
• meat yield from carcass is about 65%, but it is important to remember that meat is quite fatty.

This domestic duck is first mentioned in sources nearly three hundred years old, but still enjoys wide popularity. Also, Peking mallards are used in breeding to breed more productive modern breeds, in particular, they were one of the ancestors of the mulard.

Rouen

Features breed ducks:

• Weight up to 5 kg.
• Long massive body.
• The color is brownish brown.
• The wing is decorated with a bright spot - a mirror, edged with a white border.

Gray ukrainian

It has three subspecies depending on the color of feathers:

The advantages and features are as follows:

• Powerful physique.
• Weight up to 3 kg.
• Egg production - up to 120 eggs per year.

Swedish blue

A very popular breed of ducks in Germany, characterized by silver-gray color of feathers and slightly elongated head. It is unpretentious in food, makes the cold, while not losing weight, rarely to meet representatives of the breed weighing less than 3 kg. Therefore, breeding birds is a pleasure!

Black white

Very beautiful bird, the main part of the color of which is black, but the breast is snow-white. The weight of an adult individual often exceeds 3 kg, the number of eggs per season is 130 and higher, and the meat is very tender and juicy, so many owners of farms and household farms love the breed.

Musky (indo outcast)

This guest from South America can have one of five types of feathering:

Distinctive features of the breed allow it to stand out from among other representatives of the duck world:

• Large massive body.
• Podklyuvnye formations that make the duck look like a turkey.
• Weight males up to 5 kg. The female rarely gains a mass of more than 2.5 kg.

Such musk ducks will perfectly survive the absence of a pond in the yard, which compares favorably with European mallards, while being virtually silent.. The breed is very tenderpractically devoid of fat.

• Heat loving.
• Low egg production.
• Low growth rate in young.
• Steep temper - often when feeding you can observe a brutal fight between the representatives of the breed.

Bashkir color

This is an artificially obtained hybrid of various variations of the Peking duck breed, and the poet has a large number of positive qualities:

• High productivity. Meat yield up to 70%.
• The average weight of an adult individual is about 4 kg.
• Tender meat with low fat content.
• Unpretentiousness to the content.
• Resistant to most diseases.

You can find out the representatives of the breed by wide-spread paws, a concave beak and a flattened head. According to the color of feathers, it is customary to distinguish two colors - khaki and black and white.

Crested

Thanks to the cheerful tuft on the head, this bird looks very unusual and bright. To preserve the signs of the breed, it is necessary to have a tuft of both parents. Weight tends to figure 2 kg, egg production is low (less than 60 eggs), but the breed is valued for its decorative qualities.

White Moscow

In the photo you can see that such ducks have a snow-white color and a slightly elongated neck.

The advantages of breeding domestic ducks are many:

• The ability to carry on for a long time, without reducing the rate.
• Weight up to 3.5 kg.
• Gentle lean meat.

Aylesbury

• White feathers.
• Weight about 4 kg.
• Low egg production rate.
• Gaining weight quickly. In two months the bird weighs more than 2-2.5 kg.
• Capricious in content.

Breed in Russia is rare, but very popular in Europe, where the climate is milder.

Adigel

Bashkiria is considered the birthplace of these white beauties, while breeders managed to achieve not only good meat productivity, but also egg production. Breed features:

• Massive slightly elongated body.
• Dense white feathers.
• Peaceful nature.
• Egg production is about 230 eggs per year, while eggs are large in size.

The meat has excellent taste and is not inferior to the meat of representatives of pure breeds.

Mulard

Guest from distant France, a hybrid. Features include:

• Laying is not possible.
• Grown only for meat. At the same time they are champions of meat productivity - the weight can reach up to 7 kg.
• Exquisite light meat with great taste.
• Very high in cooking valued liver mulard, this is a real delicacy!

Favorite blue

• Lean meat
• Weight up to 4 kg.
• High egg production.
• Rapid growth.

Such a domestic duck looks very beautiful thanks to the feathers of two colors - blue and gray. In the photo you can see that these birds look really original and will become a real decoration of any farm.

Broiler crosses, a breed artificially bred as a result of crossing other breeds of meat, are also raised exclusively for meat. Broiler features are:

• Great weight.
• Meat is almost fat free.
• The young growth is growing rapidly.
• Unpretentiousness in nutrition and care.

Important! It makes no sense to grow broilers for more than 3 months, by this time they are ready for slaughter.

Meat-egg breeds

Here we can distinguish five main breeds of domestic ducks, the most common in agriculture.

Mirror domestic duck

• Very beautiful in appearance - feathers on the body of a delicate beige or light brown shade, and on the head and wings the plumage is mirrored.
• The average mass of representatives of the breed is about 3 kg.
• The egg production rate is high - about 130 eggs per year.

Cayuga

• Very unusual color, black with green tint, will be the most noticeable spot of your poultry yard.
• Originally from the USA.
• The average weight of an adult bird is just over 3 kg.
• The egg production rate is about 150 eggs per year.
• At the same time, ducks perfectly incubate eggs and are distinguished by a developed maternal instinct.

Saxon Domestic Duck

• The result of crossing the Rouen, Beijing and blue Pomeranian ducks.
• Powerful body.
• Multi-colored feathers: red, gray and red, even yellow and green can be found on the drakes and ducks of this useful breed.
• More than 200 eggs per year.

Orpington

It is the result of crossing several popular breeds at once.

• It has an original appearance: a slightly elongated powerful body, yellow-red feathers unusual for ducks.
• Average weight - up to 3 kg.
• Egg production is about 160 eggs per year.

Khaki Campbell

It is the result of crossing several breeds of ducks.

• It looks very unusual: the plumage is of a bronze-brown color on the chest and neck, and the head and beak are dark.
• It has a friendly temper.
• The average weight is about 3 kg.
• Impressive egg production figures: more than 300 eggs per year.

Egg direction

Extremely underdeveloped, since duck eggs are inferior to more familiar chicken and in quantity and taste.

The only breed - a representative of this direction - the Indian runner, a very mobile duck, moving fast running. These birds can carry eggs year-round, but only in a warm climate and with proper care - they endure cold very badly. They have a long body, resembling a bottle, and several flowers in plumage. They have a small weight - no more than 2 kg, but at the same time the meat is very tasty and unusual, popular among gourmets.

The choice of breed ducks for breeding - serious and responsible businessTherefore, it is very important to focus on this issue, to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each direction. The best breed for a beginner - Peking duck or agidel - unpretentious in the care, ready to eat almost any food, while giving a lot of meat and livable.

What are the breeds of ducks

In the direction of productivity, all ducks are divided into meat, egg and meat-egg (Figure 1). Meat is considered the most popular, since the eggs of these birds are not eaten, but are bred mainly for meat.

However, for farms in which poultry are grown, other species are also of interest, since they make it possible to produce healthy and productive young animals for further breeding.

Each direction of productivity includes a wide variety of breeds. For example, the popular meat include Beijing and white Moscow. Mirror ducks with unusual pearlescent plumage belong to the meat-and-egg direction. Among the breeds of the egg direction, Indian runners are distinguished, which differ from other species by an unusual exterior.

Figure 1. Birds in the direction of productivity: 1 - meat, 2 - meat and egg, 3 - egg

Each breed has its own characteristics and distinctive characteristics, which must be taken into account when breeding and keeping.

Special features

General distinctive characteristics can be distinguished in the direction of productivity.

Meat birds have a high fecundity, they quickly gain a live weight, and meat has high taste qualities. In addition, they differ in fairly satisfactory egg production and in a year about 50 units of young stock can be obtained from one female.

Egg breeds are not too common. Since duck eggs are not eaten, they are used only for breeding. The most common breed of this direction is Indian runners, but their weight is too low for slaughter, and it is unprofitable to breed such birds for meat production.

Meat-eggs have an average weight, but egg production is quite high. Thus, they can be used both for breeding young animals and for obtaining high-quality meat.

Popular duck breeds with photos and descriptions (in the direction of productivity) will be described below.

Duck meat breeds (description, features, advantages)

The most common birds in this area of ​​productivity are (Figure 2):

It is characterized by good vitality, high egg production and good hatchability. Egg production persists for two years.

Plumage have a gloss, white color, without a yellowish tint. In addition, they resemble a Peking breed.

It is considered the most common among meat. She was brought out by China's poultry farmers more than three hundred years ago. Delivered to Russia in 1925.

Note: In most household farms of our country, it is Peking ducks that are bred because they are very hardy and tolerate harsh winters well. Their bodies are long, slightly raised, covered with white plumage with a creamy shade.

Egg-laying begins from 6-8 months and the number of eggs laid in 7-8 months is from 80 to 120, the shell has a white or brown color. While females rarely incubate eggs, on average, hatchability of ducklings is 75% with good viability of the young and adult birds.

Figure 2. Popular meat birds: 1 - Moscow white, 2 - Beijing, 3 - Ukrainian

Cherry Valley is a two-line cross, which was first introduced to Russia in 1971. From 6.5 months they begin to lay eggs, and in 7 months of laying the parish is 150 eggs. Birds have a massive horizontal torso.

Birds are white, gray and clay. A characteristic feature is a well-developed body, a deep and bulging wide chest. Easily forage on the pond.

Ducklings grow well and by two months can reach a live weight of two kilograms. The live weight of an adult duck reaches 3 kg, and the drake - about 3.5 kg. Up to 120 eggs are carried annually.

Peking Duck: description

Peking ducks are the most common among meat species. As can be seen from the name, the birds were bred in China, and they gradually spread throughout the world.

Figure 3. External features of the Peking ducks

The popularity is explained by the fact that birds quickly reach the weight necessary for slaughter, do not need special care and tolerate low temperatures well. Adult individuals are white with a bright orange beak and legs, and a wide chest and fleshy torso make them valuable for meat (Figure 3).

The young growth reaches a suitable weight already at the age of two months, therefore breeding birds is economically advantageous.

Breed of Mularda ducks: characteristic

Mularda are excellent for both domestic and industrial breeding. The breed is a hybrid of musk ducks with Peking, and is distinguished by many positive qualities (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Mularda

The advantage of poultry is that the carcass contains at least fat - only 3%. For high-quality carcasses, it is advisable to fatten the young for 4 months, which is slightly longer than the fattening period of other species. But at the exit you can get a lot of high-quality lean meat. In addition, Mulardam not necessarily equip the reservoir. They have enough light house and walking. As feed, you can use grain, greens, animal feed and kitchen waste. Regardless of the diet, birds quickly gain weight.

However, when breeding it should be borne in mind that the species quality and characteristics are preserved only if the breed is pure. Therefore, Mulardov is not recommended to be kept together with other ducks.

Duck egg breeds

Of the egg species in Russia, Indian runners are popular, which come from Southeast Asia. Appearance differs in almost vertical statement of a trunk on high legs, and also a long neck. The color of the plumage may be red-ashen, brown or white. The latter is the most common (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Indian runners of various colors

Begin to be born at the age of five months. For the year can give 200 eggs, the weight of which is 70-80 grams. A record number of 363 egg production was recorded. Скорлупа яиц имеет белый, гладкий как бы восковый вид. Вкусовые качества яиц не уступают куриным.

Утки Фаворит: описание

Порода уток Фаворит была выведена с Пекинской. They have beautiful gray-blue feathers (Figure 8). In addition, birds have high precocity, and meat is considered low-fat, which distinguishes birds from Beijing or Bashkir.

Figure 8. External features of egg ducks Favorite

However, when growing, one should take into account some features of the content. The young growth is very fast and reaches slaughter weight at the age of two to three months. In addition, females have high egg production, so about one hundred young stock can be obtained from one individual per year.

The constitution of birds is quite dense, but at the same time they do not differ in their demands for feed. Successful breeding is possible even at minimum cost for feed, and if there is an open range on the farm, the birds will successfully search for food on their own.

Choice of breed

Before you buy ducklings on the market, determine for yourself what goals you set, intending to start a duck farm in your yard? Depending on what is preferable for you (meat, eggs, or both,) you need to make a decision. In order to understand what characteristics each category stands out, look at their key benefits.

When it comes to duck meat rocks, among the remarkable features are:

• intensive process of growth and maturation of individuals,
• high fertility rate
• trouble-free process of adaptation to different climatic conditions (it is interesting that a duck can fly during a relatively cold season),
• The laying rate of eggs in meat ducks is average, but poultry farmers, preferring these breeds of poultry, rely primarily on meat rather than eggs.

Meat-egg breeds of domestic ducks not bad combine in themselves both the good taste characteristics of the meat and the completely productive process of egg-laying. Nevertheless, in comparison with the meat category of poultry, meat and egg ducks are much smaller in size and weight. As for all egg-type breeds, their meat tastes more like chicken, but eggs are laid regularly and in large sizes. It is believed that for beginner poultry farmers the best solution would be the purchase of meat-egg ducks. Care of them is not too scrupulous, and as a result you get not only tasty and tender meat, but also a significant amount of eggs.

Video "Breed ducks"

From the video you will learn about the most common duck breeds.

Peking domestic ducks were bred in China more than 300 years ago, however they still do not lose their popularity. And all thanks to their unique abilities to get used to various climatic conditions. In addition, whatever food you choose for them (of plant or animal origin), poultry will certainly eat it.

An important advantage of the breed is the fact that its representatives are gaining weight faster and are actively developing, it is the largest breed of ducks. It is possible to breed such poultry by means of an incubation method.

If you want to achieve visible results, you should not rely on ducks, as their maternal instinct is weakly expressed. As for the disadvantages of this type of poultry, they are undoubtedly present. Peking ducks create a lot of noise, they consume huge quantities of food, respectively, and the meat will be very fat. However, despite these drawbacks, the breed as a whole includes positive characteristics that have been appreciated by farmers in many countries.

Gray ukrainian

Among the types of popular domestic ducks, gray Ukrainian are also distinguished. These birds have a strong build. They are also distinguished by the presence of thick plumage. The head of such a duck is small, but with a massive dark yellow beak. Representatives of this breed can be purchased at a reasonable price, and they have many advantages.

They can grow quickly and give a decent amount of meat: a mature duck reaches 3 kg in weight, while drake - 3.5 kg. At the same time, the intensity of the egg laying process in gray Ukrainian ducks is also quite good: they will bring up to 120 eggs to the farmer a year, and this is not the limit. If you maximize all the necessary conditions for their habitat in the compound, egg production rates can reach 250 per year.

Black white-breasted

Black-breasted white-breasted ducks belong to the category of Ukrainian poultry: they were bred by crossing Peking ducks and representatives of khaki-campbell (meat and egg individuals). By the name alone, the key species characteristics of poultry become clear.

Their plumage is black, but there are white areas on the breast. If we compare this breed with Peking ducks for maturation rate, here the second option is more successful. Black white-breasted ducks will take about six months to reach 4 kg in weight. Another important point, it is recommended to control the feeding volumes of these poultry. They are prone to excessive weight gain, so do not independently bring them to obesity.

Swedish blue

Representatives of this breed of ducks have a soft and calm temperament. They can be tamed in such a way that they will not be afraid of their master. Since this breed was bred in a northern European country, its representatives are well able to adapt to cold weather. At the same time, they consume not so much food, but quickly gain weight.

Bashkir colored

This breed is primarily popular due to the high quality of the meat product. At the same time, both ducklings and mature individuals take root in various climatic conditions, they, moreover, are frost-resistant and only in rare cases are they amenable to diseases.

The high level of productivity of Bashkirka made it quite popular poultry among domestic poultry farmers.

For those who are looking for a quiet, unpretentious in the care and at the same time quite productive poultry, the indoutut or musky will be the best option. What is a remarkable breed? If the majority of duck specimens, in principle, can not do without water, then the indutku all this deficiency is not terrible. Another characteristic name of the species is the spikefish, It appeared due to the fact that musk poultry do not create a lot of noise, they are almost not audible in the yard.

This hybrid of French origin will take its place in your compound. What is good breed, so it is high meat productivity and good taste of meat. As for laying eggs, this species is not adapted. Representatives of this breed belong to the meat category. Interestingly, the liver of domestic ducks, mulard is used in cooking for the preparation of fuagra. Breed these birds in industrial poultry farms and households.

These ducks were tamed in Normandy (France). As a result of lengthy breeding work, the breed was bred, giving very tasty meat. The constitution of this bird is quite massive and strong. Her beak is green with a touch of black on the tip. If your goal is exclusively nutritious meat, this type of poultry will be the best option for you.

Favorite blue

Poultry of gray-blue color are allocated with quite good productivity. Adults can weigh up to 5 kg and give incredible tasty and nourishing meat. At the same time, this breed adapts well to different climatic conditions, it is considered resistant to diseases. Choosing representatives of this type, you will provide yourself with useful meat. In addition, it is possible to grow such a breed both in poultry farms and in private farms.