Without vitamins, metabolic processes and biochemical reactions in a bird’s body cannot proceed normally. In addition to carbohydrates, proteins and fats, poultry needs vitamin compounds. Let's consider the purpose and effect of vitamins for ducklings, which are of natural and industrial origin, for which they must be given to young animals raised at home.
The benefits of vitamins for ducklings
In spring and summer, the issue of providing birds with vitamins is simpler.The green food that ducklings and mulards eat contains enough vitamins; the chicks, walking in the fresh air, receive calciferol from sunlight. But in autumn, winter and early spring there is no greenery, so poultry raised at home must be fed either with fortified vegetables, which can be stored for a long time without changing their quality, or with special premixes.
However, regardless of the period of the season, the supply of vitamins to the duck body in the first days of their life is important. The substances protect poultry from infectious diseases, normalize metabolic processes, and prevent hypovitaminosis. Ducklings, receiving vitamins, absorb feed better, the livestock is better preserved, and the mortality rate of young animals is reduced.
The lack of these components leads to morbidity and death of young animals. The growth of the chicks is stunted, they are depressed, eat poorly, and their physical and mental condition deteriorates. Violations also manifest themselves in appearance: ducklings move little, their feathers are ruffled, dull, and begin to fall out, their claws and beaks become soft. If the lack of substances is large, the ducklings may begin to peck at each other. This is a clear sign of vitamin deficiency.
It is recommended to add additives to the feed of ducklings of any breed, both sexes, in the autumn-winter period, as well as in the summer, if the products lack nutrients.
Natural source of vitamins
Many vegetables that you can grow in your garden or buy contain vitamin compounds that duck chicks need. In addition to vegetables, you can feed them with animal products and mineral supplements.
Fish flour
Fish supplements contain proteins, vitamin compounds of group B, A and D, calcium and phosphorus. Fish meal should make up approximately 7% of the food volume. You can use it to cook nutritious broths, prepare various mashes, or simply pour it into ready-made food.
Carrot
It contains a lot of carotene, from which retinol is synthesized in the body of chicks. In addition to carotene, carrots are rich in vitamins K and PP. The vegetable can be fed fresh, dried or as part of silage. It is given to ducks starting from 3 days of life; at an early age, carrots can make up 1/4 or 1/3 of the daily diet.
Pumpkin
The orange vegetable contains carotene, as well as vitamins belonging to group B and tocopherol. It contains phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc. Pumpkin can be fed to ducklings from a very early age.
Sugar beet
Beets can be given to ducklings from 5 days of age, but not fresh, but boiled and as part of grain mash. Small ducklings need to grate it. In the diet of ducks, it can occupy 1/5 of the total feed volume. Beets contain a lot of sucrose, fiber, mineral elements and nitrogenous substances.
Swede
This vegetable contains retinol, tocopherol and folic acid and other B compounds, vitamins PP, C and H, as well as iron, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium. The vitamins in it are preserved during the storage period and after heat treatment, so rutabaga can be added to mash in boiled form. The volume of rutabaga is approximately 10% of the total diet.
Potato
It contains a lot of starch and carbohydrates, B vitamins, retinol and tocopherol, ascorbic acid. Mineral elements are present, especially phosphorus and potassium.
Boiled tubers can be fed to 1.5-week-old ducklings; potatoes should make up 1/5 of the grain mash.
Chalk
Already on the 4th day, chalk fertilizer is introduced into the duck diet. This is a source of calcium, which the body of a young bird uses for bone growth. Ground chalk is mixed into wet mash or left in a bowl in finely crushed form so that the chicks peck at it.
crushed shell
The shell contains a lot of calcium, but it is also added to the food so that the ducklings can digest the food more easily. There should be water next to the mash at all times so that the chicks wash down the food with water to make it easier to swallow.
Vitamin supplements
In addition to vegetables, ready-made complex additives, specially developed for this purpose, can be added to the duck diet.
The components are selected by the manufacturers in such a way that they fully satisfy the poultry’s need for vitamins and mineral components.
"Sun"
The premix contains retinol, ascorbic acid, biotin, tocopherol, calciferol. It is saturated with substances from group B, the most important macro- and microelements. The components in the “Solnyshko” premix are contained in concentrated form. Because of this, it is economical. For 10 ducklings 1 week old, 4 g is enough; for monthly ducklings, it is enough to give 18 g every day. The premix is mixed into the mash.
"ProKorm"
The premix is made from high-quality grain, milk proteins, vegetable and animal fats, enzymes and amino acids.ProKorma contains retinol, biotin, calciferol, tocopherol, group B compounds. Mineral elements: selenium, iron, copper, cobalt, manganese. The supplement can be given on the 1st day of life after eating food: sprinkle on a light sheet of paper. When the ducklings are 3 days old, the premix is added directly to the feeders.
"Get Rich"
The premix is added to the food of young animals. It contains a lot of vitamins and mineral components; its composition is not inferior to previous products. According to the manufacturers, the complex does not contain growth stimulants or hormones. The “Rich” product is formulated in such a way that it can remove toxic substances from the body of ducklings: metal salts, carcinogenic and radioactive elements.
The premix can be added to chicks from the day they are born. It is recommended to mix it into freshly prepared food and distribute it to the chicks in the morning. Food should be at room temperature, not hot. Hot temperatures harm the bird’s digestive system and destroy vitamins.
"Siberian Compound"
The concentrated premix is prepared for feeding to young ducks as a means of supplying their bodies with the mineral elements and essential vitamins necessary for normal life.The concentrate can be added to the feed every day, and its share should be no more than 1%.
Vitamins and mineral elements that are no less important for the body must be supplied to it every day. Without them, young animals cannot develop properly, grow slowly, and remain weak. Sources of necessary components are fresh vegetables, root vegetables, herbs and ready-made premixes.
The latter are convenient because they are stored for a long time, do not deteriorate, do not take up much space during storage, and are economical. They can be bought at any store for livestock breeders, the cost of premixes is moderate, and the purchase costs always pay off.
