How to Raise Ducks? A Detailed Guide to Farming Techniques and Precautions

China is a major duck-raising country, and the number of ducks farmed in our country ranks first in the world. Such a long history of duck raising has become experience accumulated from generation to generation, which has led farmers to understand more and more about how to raise ducks. With the market in a state where supply cannot meet demand, the prospects for duck farming are very bright. So how do you raise ducks? Let's take a look together.

How to Raise Ducks

1. Duck nest: You can make a duck nest of an appropriate size in a place with good sunlight, drainage, and ventilation to raise ducks. Generally, a plastic foam box is used, which provides very good warmth.

2. Temperature: Newly hatched ducklings need a temperature of 30°C. However, if you are raising ducks in winter, it is impossible to reach this temperature, so it is best to buy an incandescent bulb and hang it 30-50 cm above the duck nest, and place the box next to a radiator to help keep it warm.

3. Free-range raising: Ducks should be raised free-range. During free-range raising, the ducks will forage on their own. Ducks move clumsily and cannot climb trees to peck for food, which provides a guarantee for low-fence grazing in orchards. Any orchard with good soil and water source conditions and with taller trunks or older trees, such as apple, pear, apricot, hawthorn, persimmon, and walnut orchards, can be used for free-range raising.

4. Cleaning: After a period of time, the bedding will become damp and there will be a lot of droppings, so the bedding should be replaced regularly.

Duck Farming Techniques and Precautions

I. Farming Techniques

1. Stocking density: Determine the stocking density according to the size and strength of the ducks being raised, and follow the principle of being sparse rather than dense. Generally, 20-30 adult ducks are raised per 0.067 hectares of orchard.

2. Designating rotational grazing areas: Designate rotational grazing areas according to the number of ducks being raised and the orchard area, using 50 cm high nylon net fencing to enclose several areas for rotational grazing. For ease of management, it is generally appropriate to raise about 400 ducks per 0.335 hectares per area. When the orchard area is small and the number of ducks raised is small, it is not necessary to divide into areas, but intermittent grazing should be carried out according to the growth and reproduction of weeds and insects in the orchard. Sufficient drinking water should be provided for the ducks in the rotational grazing areas.

3. Strengthen supervision and strictly prevent rodent damage: When raising ducks free-range, strict precautions must be taken against attacks by wild animals such as lynx and weasels. Beasts that attack ducks are all afraid of nets, so using nylon net enclosures for the free-range area is an effective safety defense measure. No matter how many ducks are raised or how large the area is, nets must be used for enclosure, and a dedicated person must be assigned for management.

4. Epidemic prevention and disease control: Epidemic prevention for free-range ducks should also adhere to the policy of ”prevention first, with prevention more important than treatment”. Vaccination should be carried out regularly according to routine defense procedures, and epidemic prevention and disease control work should be done well.

II. Precautions

1. Pay attention to reducing stocking density. The density of the duck flock in the duck house should not be too high, as that will cause the ducks to crowd and pile up, causing duck deaths. While reducing the number of ducks in the enclosure by dividing the houses, additional drinkers and feed troughs should be added.

2. Pay attention to reducing sunlight radiation. Long-term exposure of the duck house to scorching sunlight will cause heat damage to the duck flock, so sunlight radiation should be minimized as much as possible. Building a tall and spacious duck house is a relatively effective way to reduce the thermal impact of sunlight radiation.

What Is the Technique of Raising Ducks in Fish Ponds

1. Raising ducks in fish ponds, combining fish and ducks (that is, raising fish underwater and ducks on the water surface), is an ecological farming model promoted in recent years. Raising ducks in fish ponds can add oxygen for the fish.

2. Fish growth requires sufficient oxygen. Ducks are active and constantly swim, preen, and play on the water surface. On the one hand, they can press air directly into the water, and on the other hand, they can also stir the saturated dissolved oxygen water in the upper layer into the middle and lower layers, which helps improve the dissolved oxygen status in the middle and lower layers of the fish pond. In this way, the investment in using flowing water or installing aerators can be saved.

How Long Do Ducks Need to Be Raised Before They Can Be Eaten

An adult male duck weighs 1.76 kg, and a female duck weighs 1.78 kg. Generally, once they reach this weight, they no longer grow rapidly, and they can be eaten. More than thirty days means they were raised with hormones. If the breed is good and the feeding is proper, they can generally be eaten at three months. Farm-raised ones need half a year to grow to full size, and waiting until they lay eggs takes about ten months.

Ducks are suitable for people with internal heat and excess internal heat to eat. Because fluffy, cute yellow ducklings are very appealing, many people like to raise ducklings. So when raising ducks, pay attention to the methods and techniques to avoid death. Those raised yourself are more flavorful than those on the market.