Breeding indo-ducks is a profitable and interesting activity; even an inexperienced villager can raise mute ducks. These are birds with a calm disposition and excellent survival rate of offspring. They grow quickly and do not require complex care. Preparing nests for Indian ducks with your own hands will not take much time and will help the bird hatch and raise its chicks in comfortable conditions.
General Tips
Muscovy ducks are usually called turkey ducks, for their external resemblance to turkeys and mute ducks, for the absence of noise from the flock and the quiet hiss that the birds make. They grow quickly, after 3 months they reach a weight of 3 kilograms and are suitable for slaughter. Indo duck eggs can be eaten boiled or fried, add to baking dough. They are larger than chickens. Therefore, muzzles are popular in rural farmsteads.
In February, the mating season begins for Indian ducks; they start laying eggs in April. Before this, the duck finds a dark, quiet place to set up a house for the chicks; If you do not equip it in advance, it will be very difficult to find the masonry later. The bird can organize it in a tree or on bare ground; the nest can be destroyed by predators (rodents, cats) or the bird will abandon it if it gets scared.
Therefore, it is better to prepare in advance and build comfortable nests for the mute birds, where you can control the incubation process and observe the chicks. They are made away from the main bird population, for several females at once. You can arrange secluded corners for hatching chicks in the fall or early winter so that the birds have time to get used to their new home.
For nests, choose dry, warm and dark corners; you need to make sure that no one disturbs the bird, that the Indian ducks do not confuse the nests and do not see the little ducklings (in this case, they can abandon the clutch and start raising other people’s babies).
Drawings and dimensions
You will need a structure with a depth and height of 40-45 centimeters, a width of 30-35 centimeters. It is better to make the structures single, but you can separate 3-4 nests with dense opaque partitions. The dimensions of the houses vary slightly depending on the size of the ducks.
It should be taken into account that Indian ducks prefer deep nests.To make it convenient for birds to climb into the house, you can place a brick in front of the entrance.
Necessary materials
Available materials are suitable for production: leftover blocks, plywood, chipboard, boards, leftover furniture. Tools you will need:
- roulette;
- wood hacksaw;
- nails, screws;
- hammer, screwdriver or screwdriver.
Experienced farmers recommend using old car tires for nests. They are deep enough and retain heat well. To insulate the house and protect it from moisture, a piece of polyethylene, old linoleum, or rubber will be useful.
Such a covering on the floor of the house will allow you to thoroughly clean the nest.
Instructions for making a nest for Indian ducks
It is not difficult to make; even a novice poultry farmer can do it. You can involve children in the activity; they will probably be interested in the process.
- First you need to decide how many nests for ducks the structure will be designed for.
- Then, from the available materials, you need to put together a large rectangular box or several separate boxes for nests.
- If a large structure is selected, it should be divided into several sections with pieces of plywood or chipboard.
- A waterproofing material (film, linoleum) is laid on the floor.
- A threshold up to 15 centimeters high is nailed above the entrance.
- The structure is installed on legs or bars 10 centimeters high.
- Plywood or a piece of slate is used as a removable cover.
Sawdust or straw is placed in the nests. They are replaced when they become dirty. Hay is not used for bedding; it is too wet and creates additional dampness in the bird house.
Where to put
The nests are placed in the warmest and driest corner, away from the main duck population.The compartment with the nests must be quiet and dark, otherwise the birds will abandon the clutch.
Containers with food and water are left near the bird houses. The Indian duck should not stray far from the nest. In addition to food and water, the bird should have access to a bathing container and a bath of ash. Add food and change water carefully so as not to disturb the mute fish. The litter is changed when the bird leaves to feed. The water should be changed daily, food and drinking containers should be thoroughly washed with hot water 1-2 times a week.
Possible problems
If an Indian duck has built a nest on its own in an old box or plastic bucket, you should simply move the structure to the nesting site, the bird will quickly get used to the new location.
The clutch is checked with an ovoscope, leaving only fertilized eggs under the duck, of the correct shape, without spots or defects. No more than 15 eggs are placed under 1 duck. If the bird does not cover the clutch completely, the chicks will not hatch. Black eggs from under the duck are removed immediately; a chick will no longer emerge from them.
A duck that has already had ducklings is separated from the females sitting on the nests, otherwise they will abandon the clutch. It is necessary to ensure that there are no rodents in the poultry house; they should be poisoned periodically. If the duck does not want to sit in the finished house, you can place an egg made of wood or plaster into the empty nest to stimulate the duck. Ducks can accidentally confuse the nests if they are located next to each other, then the birds need to be seated in their places.
Indian ducks love to splash in the water, but they don’t like to swim, they don’t need a body of water nearby for normal development, so the likelihood of salmonella developing on eggshells and in the eggs themselves is lower.
If houses for indochkas are made with high quality, they can be used for several years.Birds produce strong offspring with excellent survival rate. With minimal, simple care, the number of ducks on your own backyard will quickly grow; watching the development of chicks is interesting for children and adults; this allows them to gain the knowledge and experience necessary for the development of their own farm.
