How do you judge disease in laying ducks? These methods are worth mastering
How to judge disease in laying ducks
Judging illness in laying ducks:
Observe egg shape
If the large end of the egg is undersized, the duck has been fed too little early food; if the small end is undersized, it has been fed too little mid-day food. If soft-shelled eggs appear or the eggshell has pitted, rather rough spots, it indicates a lack of calcium or VD in the daily ration.
Observe egg-laying time
Ducks generally lay their eggs between 2:00 at night and 8:00 in the morning. If the laying time is not concentrated each day, or eggs are even laid during the day, then supplementary concentrated feed should be given promptly.
Observe the duck's body weight
After a period of laying, sample and check the ducks' body weight in proportion. If they can basically maintain the body weight they had at the start of laying, then the feeding and management are relatively appropriate. If the body weight is too light or too heavy, adjust the daily ration promptly so the ducks return to normal body weight as soon as possible. A slight increase in the late laying period is normal.
Observe egg weight
When laying ducks first start laying, egg weight is about 40 grams. By about 150 days of laying, egg weight reaches 90% of the standard egg weight, and by about 200 days it reaches the standard egg weight. If egg weight increases too quickly or too slowly, find the cause and improve management practices.
Observe the rise in laying rate
Superior laying duck breeds (such as Shaoxing duck, Jinding duck, Khaki Campbell duck) generally reach a laying rate of 50% at about 150 days and enter the peak laying period at about 200 days, with a laying rate of 90%. If the laying rate rises too slowly or fluctuates up and down, this indicates an abnormal situation, so pay attention to finding the cause.
Observe the feathers of the laying duck
If the feathers are smooth, tight and close to the body, it indicates good nutritional status; otherwise, improve the quality of the feed.
Observe appetite
Whether kept in pens or grazed, high-yielding laying ducks have a very strong ability to seek food and will scramble for it. Otherwise, find out the cause.
Observe the ducks' water-playing behavior
High-yielding laying ducks stay submerged for a long time after entering the water, and after coming ashore their feathers are smooth and not wet. If they are afraid to enter the water, do not bathe, or have wet feathers after entering the water and move weakly, then find out the cause at once and add animal protein feed and cod liver oil.
Observe mental state
Healthy ducks are lively, move nimbly and rest quietly, while sick ducks are listless, stand apart from the flock in a daze, and tuck their heads with drooping wings.
Observe droppings color
The droppings of a healthy duck flock are neither hard nor soft, grayish-black in color, with a small amount of urate deposits on the surface. Sick ducks have abnormal thin droppings that are green, white, golden yellow and so on.
The above content is for reference only.
Observe egg shape
If the large end of the egg is undersized, the duck has been fed too little early food; if the small end is undersized, it has been fed too little mid-day food. If soft-shelled eggs appear or the eggshell has pitted, rather rough spots, it indicates a lack of calcium or VD in the daily ration.
Observe egg-laying time
Ducks generally lay their eggs between 2:00 at night and 8:00 in the morning. If the laying time is not concentrated each day, or eggs are even laid during the day, then supplementary concentrated feed should be given promptly.
Observe the duck's body weight
After a period of laying, sample and check the ducks' body weight in proportion. If they can basically maintain the body weight they had at the start of laying, then the feeding and management are relatively appropriate. If the body weight is too light or too heavy, adjust the daily ration promptly so the ducks return to normal body weight as soon as possible. A slight increase in the late laying period is normal.
Observe egg weight
When laying ducks first start laying, egg weight is about 40 grams. By about 150 days of laying, egg weight reaches 90% of the standard egg weight, and by about 200 days it reaches the standard egg weight. If egg weight increases too quickly or too slowly, find the cause and improve management practices.
Observe the rise in laying rate
Superior laying duck breeds (such as Shaoxing duck, Jinding duck, Khaki Campbell duck) generally reach a laying rate of 50% at about 150 days and enter the peak laying period at about 200 days, with a laying rate of 90%. If the laying rate rises too slowly or fluctuates up and down, this indicates an abnormal situation, so pay attention to finding the cause.
Observe the feathers of the laying duck
If the feathers are smooth, tight and close to the body, it indicates good nutritional status; otherwise, improve the quality of the feed.
Observe appetite
Whether kept in pens or grazed, high-yielding laying ducks have a very strong ability to seek food and will scramble for it. Otherwise, find out the cause.
Observe the ducks' water-playing behavior
High-yielding laying ducks stay submerged for a long time after entering the water, and after coming ashore their feathers are smooth and not wet. If they are afraid to enter the water, do not bathe, or have wet feathers after entering the water and move weakly, then find out the cause at once and add animal protein feed and cod liver oil.
Observe mental state
Healthy ducks are lively, move nimbly and rest quietly, while sick ducks are listless, stand apart from the flock in a daze, and tuck their heads with drooping wings.
Observe droppings color
The droppings of a healthy duck flock are neither hard nor soft, grayish-black in color, with a small amount of urate deposits on the surface. Sick ducks have abnormal thin droppings that are green, white, golden yellow and so on.
The above content is for reference only.