The Road to Transformation and Breeding Experience Sharing for the Decoy Duck

The Transformation Path and Breeding Experience of the Decoy Duck. In our country, there are quite a few excellent local duck breeds. With their beautiful feathers and sturdy posture, don't they look like wild ducks? In Anqing, however, people call them decoy ducks. So what kind of inseparable connections exist between decoy ducks and wild ducks? Among our country's duck breeds, few resemble wild animals this closely. Setting aside their appearance, even their calls are exactly the same. Their blood also carries excellent wild genes, which has truly brought people many tangible benefits. Speaking of benefits, we have to start from the beginning. Initially, people used decoy ducks as bait to lure in wild ducks. Every household would tie their decoy ducks to river stakes, and many wild ducks would be attracted. The wild ducks people caught were taken to market to sell, and at that time wild ducks fetched a very good price. Through this method, people gained many tangible benefits. Later, wild ducks came under national protection, and people could no longer catch them. Decoy ducks carry wild duck genes and are all free-range raised, which makes their meat tender and full of gamey flavor. They are very popular among people. At this point, people began truly raising decoy ducks, raising them as meat ducks for sale to outside markets. Decoy ducks quickly became an important local source of income. As a result, more and more people recognized the economic value of decoy ducks and all began raising them in large numbers.
    Raising decoy ducks can bring people good economic income, and people increasingly value their breeding. Today we will explain the breeding techniques for decoy ducks. When raising decoy ducks, the duck house is very important. Farmers should choose a duck house site that meets the following conditions: relatively high terrain and dry ground. The duck farm terrain should be slightly elevated to facilitate drainage and maintain dryness. The ideal soil for a duck farm is sandy soil, which is loose in texture, highly permeable, drains well, can keep the ground dry regularly, and is convenient for cleaning and hygiene. The duck house should face north-to-south or southeast, so that it is warm in winter and cool in summer. It should be close to a water source, with water accessible along a slope. Ducks are waterfowl, and water is an indispensable condition for the daily life of a duck flock. For ducks, not only is a land exercise area indispensable, but a water exercise area is even more important. The duck house should be built near a river, lake, pond, or stream, with flowing water being the most ideal. The water depth should be 2 m, and the water surface width should match the width of the duck house. It is best if there are aquatic plants in the water, and the water quality should be clean, with no industrial wastewater or contaminating bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. that could affect the health of the duck flock. The exercise area should have water accessible along a slope, with a slope not exceeding 34. The ground and slope should be paved with bricks so that the duck flock can move up and down. The ground should be flat, making it easy for the duck flock to walk and convenient for cleaning and sanitation. Transportation should be convenient, and the location should be slightly secluded.
    In decoy duck breeding, the first consideration is feed formulation. This involves reasonably determining the ingredient ratio based on factors such as the nutritional needs of meat ducks, the nutritional value of feed ingredients, production costs, and market demand, so as to achieve maximum growth performance in meat ducks and create higher economic benefits. When formulating the daily ration, it should be close to the feeding standard to prevent conditions such as nutritional deficiency or excess nutrition. In order to meet the various nutrient requirements of meat ducks, it is best to use multiple feed ingredients and to mix each ingredient thoroughly during formulation. For example, using green feed in combination can greatly save feeding costs and improve the disease resistance of decoy ducks. In addition, ducks fed with green fodder have better meat quality. Green feed is generally based on planted forage grass, and forage varieties suitable for raising ducks are generally selected, such as hn-mc Youyou grain amaranth, hn-mc Youyou rye, hn-mc Youyou chicory, etc. When using green feed, pay attention to the combination of green feed types. When feeding silage, emphasis should be placed on combining it with concentrated feed to prevent insufficient nutrient supply and failure to meet weight-gain requirements. Generally, succulent feeds such as root tubers and melons contain more moisture, have a higher carbohydrate content, more minerals such as potassium and sodium, and a lower crude fiber content, and can account for 80% of dry matter, but they are low in calcium and phosphorus. When frequently using succulent feed to feed ducks, attention should be paid to supplementing a certain amount of mineral feed such as calcium and phosphorus, and the amount of salt can be appropriately reduced. Feeding times are in the morning, noon, and evening respectively. Accordingly, the following should be done in feeding and management:
    First, strengthen early feeding. The duck flock has a particularly strong appetite at dawn. Feeding them fully and well at this time can help laying ducks produce more eggs and meat ducks gain fat and weight quickly.
    Second, graze at fixed times. Grazing should be carried out during the ducks' 3 peak feeding periods in the morning, noon, and evening. At other times, let the duck flock rest or drive them into the water, combining work and rest. If medication is to be given through drinking water or mixed into feed, it is best to arrange it during the ducks' peak feeding periods.
    Third, keep the environment around the duck farm clean and quiet, and strictly prevent stress reactions such as flock panic. This is to avoid affecting growth. Be vigilant against rat damage, snake damage, and harm from pigs, dogs, cats, etc. Inside the duck house, spread 6 cm of thick fresh dry rice straw, keep it clean, frequently change the bedding straw, and regularly disinfect the duck house, equipment, and exercise area. 
    Fourth, do a good job in disease prevention and control. Carry out prevention and control of diseases such as duck plague and E. coli on time. At 10 days of age and 40 days of age, mix medication into feed twice to deworm against coccidia, using the dosage according to the instructions, and feed preventive medicine once a week.