In raising your own livestocks, breeders should consider the option of choosing ducks who are able to lay commercial eggs. This is to optimise all parts of the ducks that can be marketed to the public. Egg laying ducks also have a high value in the market for their meat, for their tenderness and taste marks higher than any other ducks would.
Considering the high benefits the egg laying ducks carry, it is no wonder that this bird has become a popular choice of breeders everywhere. If given the chance, most breeders would want to invest on egg-laying ducks instead of other birds alike due to the multiple benefits they could get. So if you’re considering on raising an egg-laying duck of your own, be sure to read through this article for some basic tips on how to raise your own egg-laying ducks.
- Choose The Right Living Spaces
Breeders should never underestimate the influential power of choosing the right living spaces. A farm’s living space should isolated away from any stress inducing factors such as loud noises, predators, or extreme heat/coldness.
Breeders should also consider the size of their living spaces. It should be able to accommodate the farm well enough that they have enough space to move around. An overcrowded living space could be a platform for diseases if you find one of your farms infected with a contagious illness.
Breeders should also consider the water access from the location as well. Ducks require water for both their living spaces and to consume, so it would help breeders if they have clear access to a reliable source.
2. Living Space’s Sanitation
Another factor breeders should take in mind would be the sanitation levels of their living spaces. Egg-laying ducks should not live in unkept dirty living spaces in order to grow healthily, for virus and bacterias could foster in every corner of said living spaces. Additionally, egg-laying ducks living in cleaner and healthier conditions will produce higher quality eggs than egg-laying ducks that live in dirty unkept places. Therefore, breeders must pay close attention to the sanitation of the living spaces to be able to raise a healthy farm.
3. Invest on the Right Pair
To start raising a farm, breeders must first invest on an initial pair for them to reproduce. Therefore, breeders should keep in mind the quality of the initial pair to ensure that the farm that they’d raise is healthy. In terms of healthy, the initial pair should not be carrying any diseases that are hereditary and or contagious. For beginners, it is also advised to consult professionals of the field for advise on choosing the right pair.
4. Learn From Professionals
Though prior research is very important to have a basic understanding on kick starting your farm, beginners could also learn a thing or two from professionals. Find a community where you could reach to ask about advises and more from experienced farmers. You’d never know what kind of advises you’d find that is beneficial for raising your own farm.
5. The Humidity and Temperature of Their Living Spaces
Egg-laying ducks live and reproduce better in a healthy and warm environment. In order to produce good quality eggs in a good number, the humidity and living temperatures of their living spaces should be taken into good consideration. Egg-laying ducks when uncomfortable and in stress would not be able to grow as healthily as their healthier counterparts.
6. Feeding A Nutritional Diet and Extra Vitamin Supplements
Aside from feeding them a nutritional diet in order to grow healthily, egg-laying ducks should be prescribed extra vitamin supplements if needed. Much like humans, egg-laying ducks require extra vitamin supplements to go about their day with stronger stamina and a better quality of life in general.
More so, egg-laying ducks are more likely to reproduce a better quality eggs than those who are less healthy than the others. This, and the overall value of their bodies and meat, would be rank high in value in the market – thus providing more profit for their breeders.
7. Special Caging Care
As previously mentioned numerously, the conditions of the farm’s living spaces plays a strong role in the farm’s health. Therefore, breeders go about and beyond to be able to raise the perfect farm. Sometimes, they adopt unconventional practices that could help raise the overall quality of their farm.
One of these unique practices adopted by breeders is to layer the surface of the living spaces with non-toxic natural chalk. This chalk is used to reduce the smell of their messes and provides antibiotic purposes that helps with the sanitation of said living spaces. Formalin is also used to sanitise the areas. However, when handling these foreign chemicals, breeders should consult experienced and professional breeders to ensure that they are not toxic and are best for your farm.
8. Provide a Big Container of Water
Much like their other duck cousins, egg-laying ducks require big bodies of water to dip and live comfortably in. In order to provide the comfort and healthy living, breeders are advised to provide a big container filled with water that would act as a dipping and bathing station. Additionally, if breeders would like to use this container as a feeding station too, be sure to replace the waters once every 3-5 days.
So there you have it, some tips on how to raise your own egg-laying ducks. Remember that these are just basic tips on how to raise one, and that every farm may require different needs. Whenever you’re in doubt with what your farms may require, it helps to ask around professionals and experienced farmers on what to do. Building a community around similar interests would help both your and other farms grow.