Indochki: growing at home, feeding, in detail for beginners

Growing an indochka at home, feeding it does not cause difficulties, subject to a competent approach. In addition to unpretentiousness in care, birds are distinguished by high productive qualities and excellent taste. This explains the rise in popularity of the indo. Poultry farmers also appreciate the increased viability of young animals, which, under comfortable conditions, is at least 95%.

General description of indo-outs

Female with ducklings

Indo-ducks (musky ducks) are a special breed of domestic waterfowl that are ideal for breeding and keeping.Their appearance differs from the appearance of an ordinary duck, since the body of an Indo-duck has a wide, elongated shape. The fleshy outgrowth is similar to that observed in turkey. The taste of meat is high. In Muscovy duck, it is less fat, which is why it is considered dietary. This is the reason why many farmers want to keep birds.

The name comes from a certain fat deposit that appears on the head of birds with age. A musky smell emanates from it. The plumage is hard, so the Indians have not forgotten how to fly, which should be taken into account when arranging a poultry house. Another characteristic feature of musky ducks is the ability to make sounds that resemble a quiet hiss. It is impossible to hear loud sounds from them, because birds do not like to attract too much attention to themselves.

It is possible to distinguish a female from a male only by the presence of fat sacs in the latter in the beak area and a small crest on the crown. The weight of a drake reaches 6 kg, females - 3 kg. At an early age, sexual dimorphism in birds is poorly expressed.

Bird varieties

Black Muscovy duck

There are many varieties of musky ducks, but the following breeds are more suitable for breeding at home:

black - the feathers of the bird are completely painted black, they shimmer green in the sun, there are small white specks on the neck;
black and white - only the back and eyes are black, and the breast is white, while the beak of the bird is red in color, with little pigmentation;
white - the color is considered rare, and such birds cannot be found in the natural habitat;
white speckled - Indian women wear white plumage with a small black pattern that forms a beautiful pattern;
white-brown breed - almost a decorative species of birds, because it has a coffee shade of plumage with a chocolate color at the tail;
blue - has a gray-blue color, with dark edging on flight feathers.

Indian red bull breed

Now interspecific crossing is practiced to obtain new hybrid breeds, and various colors are also formed. In order to obtain a productive Indow stock, it is recommended to purchase chicks from a reliable breeder.

Pros and cons

For those who are just planning to start breeding Muscovy ducks, you should learn in detail about the benefits of these birds:

chicks and young show good survival;
high performance;
unpretentiousness to feed;
quickly get used to the owner and their territory;
good tasting eggs and meat;
rapid growth and weight gain;
balanced disposition and high maternal instinct.

By nature, these birds are given a stable immune system, which is why they have a high survival rate, are resistant to infections and are unpretentious in keeping. An ordinary small courtyard is suitable for them, where, instead of a reservoir, they can put a trough in which they will bathe, drink and train ducklings.

In the hot season, musky ducks are able to get their own food, eating fresh herbs and various insects. They are not aggressive towards relatives and do not arrange squabbles. Therefore, they can be grown even in a small area - the birds will not cause inconvenience to neighbors.

Muscovy duck meat is considered dietary because it has a low percentage of fat content. In addition, it lacks the characteristic taste that many waterfowl have.

Indout eggs

Eggs are high in protein, magnesium and potassium, as well as folic acid. The product is useful for children, athletes and pregnant women. Egg weight - about 70-80 g. The color of the yolk is rich, close to orange.

Among the shortcomings, only one is noted - indo-ducks do not tolerate high humidity, so it is difficult to grow birds in a humid climate zone.

Rules of maintenance and care for beginners

A poultry farmer who is going to start breeding indoutas from scratch should be aware of the basic rules of care:

careful observance of the temperature regime is not required - these birds are resistant even to its sharp fluctuations;
walls of the poultry house should be treated annually with a solution of slaked lime, once a week a full cleaning with the use of disinfectants and subsequent processing of inventory is required;
clean drinking bowls and feeders should be daily, as well as changing the water in a container intended for bathing;
A simple ventilation system is needed in a poultry house to prevent excessive humidity and stale air that birds cannot tolerate;
the area for walking should be regularly cleaned of debris, stones, splinters, nails, otherwise the bird may injure the goiter or pierce its paw with a sharp object;
remaining feed is removed in a timely manner;
in the poultry house it is important to immediately equip several separate nests so that each female can only look after her babies;
birds should be released for morning exercise after 10 a.m. so that the females have time to lay their eggs;
The wings of the birds are regularly clipped to keep them from flying over the fence.

Muscovy duck in the nest

The poultry breeder will get more detailed knowledge in the process of breeding and keeping.

Feeding and slaughtering adult birds

Poultry breeders noted the omnivorous nature of birds. It won't be hard to feed them. Muscovy ducks need to be fed a balanced diet. It is advisable to purchase compound feed or prepare it yourself.The basis of the diet is corn, barley, oats and wheat, mixed in equal proportions. To this mixture you need to add lupine, peas, vitamin components. A tenth of the daily diet, as a rule, is green mass.

Feeders need to be replenished three times a day. Only in this way can the herd be raised he althy and productive. In winter, grass flour, consisting of legumes, as well as silage should be added to the diet.

Indout feeding

You should pay attention to the behavior of birds - it will always tell you if they are missing something. If ducks pluck their feathers, then most likely they have an acute shortage of mineral supplements. Mineral supplements can be crushed eggshells, chalk, coarse sand or shells, which must be mixed into the feed. Table s alt is also helpful but should be given in small doses.

You can only benefit from meat if you choose the right slaughter time.Indians are developing rapidly. They are classified as early maturing. Already at the age of 3 months they are considered mature. It is during this period that the meat is most tender and has a delicate taste and aroma. At a later time, the duck begins to lay, and the meat loses its taste.

Subtleties of breeding

Birds breed well. It is considered profitable to breed several families of ducks. One family should consist of a drake and 3-5 females. It is possible to mate Indochka with other breeds, however, the offspring will have reduced reproductive qualities.

Birds mate in early spring. At this time, their fertility is many times higher than in summer. Already at the end of March, the female starts laying eggs. If it is necessary to shift the dates, then the conditions are created for the Indians by increasing the daylight hours with lamps. When at least 15 eggs appear in the nest, the female begins to nest. She can lay eggs from a nearby nest.

Newborn ducklings

Ducklings appear on the 35th day. They should be taken away from the hen, transferred under a special lamp. At the age of one day, when they are completely dry, they are returned to their parent.

Frequent illnesses and methods of their treatment

Despite strong immunity, Muscovy ducks can be prone to disease due to errors in keeping and feeding. More common among birds are:

salmonellosis or paratyphoid;
coccidiosis;
cholera;
viral hepatitis.

Infectious diseases are dangerous because they are transmitted from one bird to another. From some types of infection, ducks die a couple of hours after infection. A number of diseases are also dangerous for humans, especially for people with a weakened immune system, the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Birds are treated with antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian. The preparations are mixed into feed mixtures.The sick are separated from the herd.