Description and characteristics of Cherry Valley ducks, cultivation and care

Many types of broiler ducks have impressive results in both areas of productivity - meat and eggs. Cherry Valley is a well-known and sought-after breed of duck, which is raised industrially and bred for home consumption. Strong immunity, egg production, early maturity, excellent taste of meat are the undoubted advantages of Cherry Valley ducks.

Origin story

Taking the Peking duck, popular among poultry farmers, as a basis, breeders in England created a new broiler breed.The scientists completed the task successfully - the broiler grows quickly, reaches maturity, and has high egg yields. The breed received its name from the name of the company where the breeding work was carried out. Note that in our country, ducks of this breed are sometimes called “Chilli Willy”. The result of selection is a two-line cross. The advantage of the paternal line of the breed is greater carcass weight; maternal ducks produce more eggs.

Representatives of the Cherry Valley breed were brought to our country in the 70s of the 20th century for breeding on state farms. Poultry farmers love ducks for their unpretentiousness, rapid growth, and disease resistance. They began to be purchased for breeding in the home. Despite the constant emergence of new species, Cherry Valleys remain a favorite and sought-after breed of duck. They are bred in different countries and are valued for their tasty meat and ease of maintenance. The duck breed confidently remains in the ranking of the most popular for large poultry farms and small farmsteads.

Description of the Cherry Valley duck breed

In appearance, Cherry Valley ducks are not very different from Peking ducks. You can recognize it by its pure white plumage, large body with a developed chest. Main features of the breed:

• the body is impressive, directed vertically, the short wings fit tightly to the body, due to this the duck’s figure is formed and defined;
• the chest is wide, the pectoral muscles are strongly developed, the impressive size of the sternum is noticeable through the plumage of the duck;
• the neck is thick, the forehead is wide;
• paws are shifted to the back of the body, strong, short, yellow-orange color, Cherry Valley swims well;
• the head is medium-sized, the beak is slightly curved, orange-yellow in color, the duck’s eyes are in shades of blue and blue.

Females and males of Cherry Valley differ little. Males have a more massive head and a more powerful body, although the weights differ by 0.5 kilograms. The heads of females are more graceful and miniature. Cherry Valley ducklings grow quickly, do not get sick, and the breed has impressive survival rates.

Breed characteristics

The breed belongs to the egg-meat breed and is famous for its early maturity. The meat is red and in young ducks contains a small amount of fat. In an adult bird, the meat becomes tougher, the fat content increases, but the taste remains high.

Breed standards:

• duck weight – 3.4-3.7 kilograms, maximum weight of males – 4 kilograms, females – 3.5 kilograms;
• when slaughtered at 7 weeks, the weight is 2.6-3.5 kilograms;
• females begin to lay eggs at 7 months, egg weight is 70-90 grams;
• Cherry Valleys have 2 crosses and a hybrid line of the breed with average indicators for eggs and meat.

Maternal and paternal lines of ducks differ somewhat in productivity characteristics. Paternal has the following indicators:

• egg yield – 100-110 per year;
• The weight of a duck at 7 weeks of age is 3.5 kilograms on average.

Representatives of the parent group:

• lay 120-150 eggs per year;
• weigh up to 2.9 kilograms.

Maternal crosses of ducks are purchased for breeding, sale of eggs and ducklings. Representatives of the paternal line of the breed are bred for early slaughter for meat.

Note: Duck meat is not considered dietary; it takes longer to digest than white species. It has high content of useful substances.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the broiler breed are undoubted and are noted by all Cherry Valley owners and large commercial producers.

Ducks have an easy-going nature, are pleasant to look at, cute and friendly. Note that due to their rapid growth, ducks need to have a balanced diet, otherwise by the time of slaughter the livestock will not reach the declared breed parameters.

Basic requirements for maintenance and care

Cherry Valley broilers are not distinguished by their capricious disposition; any beginner can cope with caring for the bird. What conditions are required to maintain the health and productivity of ducks:

1. The temperature in the poultry house is maintained at 16-18 °. These are the best conditions for maintaining egg production. If you keep the temperature lower, egg laying will be reduced. When growing cherry blossoms in cold regions, the room is insulated, stoves or air heaters are installed, preventing the temperature from dropping below 5 °.
2. Density. Crowded spaces increase the risk of spreading infections and parasites. Recommended norms are 3 birds per square meter of area.
3. Ventilation system. It is important to free the poultry house from excess carbon dioxide and eliminate excess humidity.Recommended humidity is 60%.
4. Illumination. When kept indoors, lamps are placed in the house, providing illumination for 12-14 hours a day.
5. Cleaning the poultry house. The droppings are removed from the premises and the bedding is partially replaced once a week. Complete disinfection of the poultry house and equipment is required once every 6 months.
6. Nests are placed along the far wall. They are made from boxes, grass, moss, sawdust, and peat are laid. The number of nests is 2 times less than the number of laying hens.
7. Poultry house arrangement. At a height of 15-25 centimeters from the floor, beams are filled to serve as a perch for the cherry valley. The width of the beam is 40 centimeters, the length is from half a meter.
8. Feeders. Long wooden troughs are made for feeding. Ducks scatter food, so they fill them only a third of the height.
9. Walking area. The area is fenced with a mesh fence, grass is planted, and a canopy is made from the sun, rain, and birds of prey. The walking area is provided with feeding troughs and drinking bowls.
10. Water. If ducks do not have access to a natural pond or river, pools and water containers are placed in the walking area. The depth is sufficient for swimming. With the onset of cold weather, water procedures are canceled and the pond is cleaned so that the ducks do not catch a cold.
11. To remove ectoparasites from the plumage, containers with a mixture of ash and sand are placed so that the ducks can be cleaned of pests. Replace the mixture once every 3-4 weeks.

Ducks in the poultry house are protected from drafts. In winter, ventilation is provided, as Cherry Valleys love fresh air.

Diet planning

Cherry trees grow quickly; to gain weight, you need to choose a balanced diet. The fast metabolism of ducks ensures the digestion of different types of feed.The simplest type of feeding is when kept on a water run, which is often practiced in households. Cherry valleys happily eat grass, algae, small aquatic inhabitants, insects and receive a full set of vitamins, micro- and macroelements. But this method of content is not available to everyone. Most poultry farmers are forced to create their own diet and select a menu for ducks. There are 2 feeding methods:

1. Dry – consists of mixed feed, grain, granulated mixtures. This diet is practiced by large farms, where feeding is automated; the mixture is poured according to the norm into a mechanical feeder.
2. Combined – using a varied set of feeds. Typically used in households.

In small farmsteads it is advisable to use a mixed type of feeding. Feed composition and basic rules:

1. Ducks need to be fed 2-3 times a day.
2. Succulent food consists of forbs - dandelion, nettle, meadow species. They give cabbage leaves, chopped carrots, pumpkin, zucchini. To strengthen the muscular system, add boiled potatoes. The grass is crushed, dried, and steamed.
3. Grain mixtures – crushed wheat, oats, barley, millet. In summer, legumes are introduced into the diet.
4. Boiled porridge, leftovers from the table.
5. Cake is given to increase the calorie content of feed.
6. Protein components – different types of bone meal, waste meat, fish.

In the morning, Cherry Valleys receive roughage (hay), grass, and mixed vegetables. When walking, juicy components do not need to be used. Ducks need roughage to start digestion and stimulate intestinal motility. For evening feeding, a mixture of grains is given. In cold weather, the diet is supplemented with protein feed to prevent the ducks from freezing.

Note: the tenderness and aroma of duck meat largely depend on the composition of the feed.

Use of feed

Growing cherry wellies only on mixed feed significantly reduces the labor costs of creating a menu and preparing food for ducks. Combined feeds contain a full range of substances in the proportions necessary for the health of the bird.

This method is used by all large poultry farms, rationing and supplying feed using a mechanized method. For private owners and small farms, the main difficulty is to choose a high-quality, inexpensive composition so that profitability does not suffer and the ducks get everything they need.

Subtleties of breeding

Raising ducklings at home does not cause difficulties even for inexperienced poultry farmers. Cherry Valley ducks have a developed maternal instinct, they willingly sit on the clutch and hatch ducklings. Ducks reach maturity at 7 months. Along with hatching, incubation is used in small farms.

When crossing, it is important to select ducks of appropriate lines that will not spoil the breed or lead to degeneration and loss of properties. A duck can hatch up to 20 eggs at a time. For the first two days she does not get up, she settles down on the masonry. Water and food are placed nearby so that the duck can eat without losing sight of the eggs.

In terms of survival, Cherry Valley ducklings do not lag behind young Indian ducks (92-96%). In the first days after birth, it is important to provide heating of the poultry house (28-30 °), lighting for a long time.

They start feeding the ducklings with finely chopped eggs, then gradually introduce porridge and cottage cheese, diluting them with fermented milk products. Feeding – 5-6 times a day. Week-old ducklings are given greens, which are finely chopped and steamed with boiling water. 7 week old ducks are ready for slaughter.Their meat is distinguished by tenderness, low fat content, and a pleasant aroma without the characteristic pronounced smell of an adult duck.

Possible diseases

One of the significant advantages of cherry valley ducks is their developed immunity. They rarely get sick if the conditions of detention are followed and a nutritious diet is provided. Possible diseases of ducks:

• infection with ectoparasites - treatment of ducks with insecticides, disinfection of the poultry house;
• colds - insulate rooms, protect from dampness;
• intestinal - normalize the nutrition of ducks, treat with antibiotics;
• hypovitaminosis – diet, use of vitamin supplements, premixes.

Due to their rapid growth, it is important for ducks to have a diet rich in vitamins, provide exposure to air, sun, walks and swimming in a pond.

Cherry Valley ducks are an excellent choice for large farms and private owners. The excellent quality of meat, unpretentiousness and rapid weight gain are appreciated by poultry farmers all over the world and ordinary consumers of duck products.