A breed of duck called Aylesbury was developed in England in the 19th century. Its main advantage is meat, the quality of which is highly rated by producers. Let's consider the description and characteristics of the Aylesbury duck breed, what advantages and disadvantages are inherent in it. It will be useful for those who want to raise ducks to know how and what to feed them. How to properly care for them, how to reproduce them, how to treat diseases and how to prevent their occurrence.
Description and characteristics of Aylesbury ducks
Ducks belong to the heavy type.The birds are large, drakes can weigh 5.5 kg, smaller ducks - 3.5 kg. Ducklings, when they reach 2 months, weigh 2-2.5 kg. The body of ducks is inclined horizontally, the back of the birds is wide. The head is large, the neck is of medium length. The legs are strong and short. The feather is pure white.
Females of the Aylesbury breed are considered good hens; eggs can be obtained from them not only for reproduction, but also for food. During the season, which lasts 6-7 months, each bears, on average, 85 pieces. The main valuable characteristic of ducks, in addition to high-quality meat, is considered to be early maturity.
Main pros and cons
In England, the breed is grown not only on industrial farms, but also on private farmsteads. Drakes are used for crossing with Pekin ducks to produce hybrids.
How to properly maintain and care for the breed
Aylesbury ducks must live in a spacious nest; they do not tolerate crowded housing well. Large birds need to be allocated at least 0.5 square meters each. m. area. The poultry house should be warm, there should be no cracks in the walls and ceiling, so as not to create drafts that cause colds. Each nesting box needs to be ventilated so that there is fresh air in it.
The house should be light; lighting can be provided by large windows or the use of lamps. Lighting is also important in winter; there must be at least 10 hours of daylight for ducks to lay eggs.
It is important to maintain temperature and humidity conditions. The house must be dry, and the bedding must be dry and clean. A 10-15 cm layer of bedding can be made from straw, hay, and dry leaves. It needs to be changed as soon as it becomes dirty and damp.
In addition to the duckling house, Aylesbury ducks need a walking area where the birds can walk in the fresh air. You need to drive the birds out onto it every day. The area of the walking yard should be made approximately 2 times larger than the poultry house. We need to supply water for the ducks to bathe. If there is a pond near your house, you can graze ducks there. Birds can find food for themselves on the pond, so they can only be fed in the evening, upon returning from the pond.
What should I feed?
Ducks of this breed eat the same as others. They are omnivores, eating wet and dry food, homemade mash or ready-made mixed feed. The basis of the Aylesbury diet is fresh green food, grass and aquatic plants. In addition to grass, you need to give grain mash, the grain should be of different types and crushed. You can make mash or cook porridge. In its processed form, ducks digest grain better.
You can feed adult ducks 2-3 times a day, ducklings - 4-5 times. After each feeding you need to give the bird water. Water should always be clean and fresh.
How to breed correctly?
To get purebred ducklings, you need to crossbreed ducks and drakes of the Aylesbury breed. For 1 male you need to select 5 ducks. This ratio ensures good egg fertility and a high hatchability rate of ducklings.
Drakes of this breed can be crossed with Pekin ducks. This combination produces hybrid ducklings that are superior to their parents in terms of productive characteristics: early maturity, egg production, weight gain.However, hybrids are superior to their parents only in the 1st generation, then this advantage is leveled out.
Ducklings grow quickly, reach great weight, and by 2 months they reach slaughter weight. Therefore, most of the young livestock are fed until this age. The time of slaughter was also chosen because then the ducks begin to molt, they begin to eat a lot, and the energy of the feed is also spent on growing new feathers. After slaughter, carcasses are difficult to pluck.
For breeding and obtaining eggs, birds are left that are healthy, properly built, and have clean and bright plumage. These produce healthy, large offspring. Aylesbury ducks begin laying eggs when females are six months old and lay eggs for 6-7 months, followed by a break.
Diseases and prevention
Aylesbury ducks can suffer from infectious diseases. Infections appear among livestock due to improper care and non-compliance with maintenance and hygiene rules. Birds become infected with bacteria, viruses and parasites through food, water, and bedding. If they are kept clean, infectious diseases can be avoided.
To prevent metabolic and digestive pathologies, you need to ensure that the ducks’ diet is complete, balanced in nutrients and mineral elements.
The English breed of Aylesbury ducks is intended for raising for meat. It is bred on private plots, although it also has industrial purposes. The main advantage of the breed is tasty meat and large size ducks. Requirements for keeping and care are not much different from the rules for keeping ducks of other breeds. Representatives of the Aylesbury breed can be crossed with each other or with representatives of other duck varieties.
