Black and white duck with a tuft: names and descriptions of breeds, their breeding
Ordinary ducks have smooth and short feathers on their heads. But there are breeds of black and white ducks with a tuft. The decoration gives the birds an unusual look, they immediately stand out from the rest, for which they are valued by poultry farmers. Consider the description and characteristics inherent in breeds, their pros and cons, how to properly maintain, what to feed, how to breed crested ducks.
Breeds of black and white ducks with a tuft on their head
The appearance of crested breeds is attributed to the 17-18th century. In their genus, local breeds without the presence of a tuft and crested ducks. They can be attributed to a separate group called Crested Duck.It includes several breeds, with differences in characteristics, but with a common feature - a lush tuft on the head.The plumage color of crested ducks is different, depending on the color of the breeds that took part in breeding. But there is a certain pattern - if the feathers are dark, then the color of the legs and beak is dark.
Russian Corydalis
The duck has a light, squat body, slightly raised, well muscled. The bird's head is rounded-elongated, the neck is short and curved. The back is wide, lowered towards the tail, a voluminous belly. Feather dense, adjacent to the body. The tuft is large, lush, consists of long narrow feathers, lighter than the general plumage.
The color of ducks is white, black and white, multi-colored, orange paws.
Ukrainian Corydalis
The color of the Ukrainian crested is brownish-gray, pure white, brownish. White ducks have a stripe of a different shade on the neck. On the chest, back, sides, feathers of a characteristic wild color, like those of a mallard. There are 2 dark stripes on the sides of the head.
Weight, build, characteristics and productivity of Ukrainian Cresteds are the same as Russians.
Bashkir Corydalis
The body is strong, muscular, convex chest, short neck, legs with large flippers.
The Bashkir ducks are white and white and black in color, plumage is khaki with a pattern like that of wild ducks.
Crested Duck
This is a wild duck with white and black plumage, which is common in Russia and Europe. Birds have a stocky build, drakes weigh 0.8-1.2 kg, ducks - 0.7-1.1 kg.
Drake colors - white belly, sides and breast, head, neck, back and tail - black. White specks can be seen on the wings, shoulders and back on the feathers. On the wings there is a wide white stripe with a black border. Paws are black. The females of the Crested Duck are dark brown, with a white feather on the belly, with a dark gray beak.
How to choose?
When choosing the best representative of any breed, you need to pay attention to the correct addition, he althy appearance, purity of plumage and pattern. Ducklings must be properly developed, large, have a good appetite and activity. Adult ducks should have the characteristics of the breed, showing good egg production.
Pros and cons
Crested ducks are not raised on industrial farms, but are kept in private yards as exotic rare breeds. They are not interesting for production, because the average weight of a drake is 3 kg, ducks - 2-2.5 kg, and egg production - 55-60 eggs, the weight of which is not higher than 80 g.
Content Features
Wild ancestors gave domestic crested ducks unpretentiousness.They are omnivorous, undemanding to the content. Birds can be kept in street pens, but it is better if they live on a free range. Corydalis can find food in such a volume in a reservoir that they do not have to be fed. If there is no reservoir nearby, ducks are fed with soft grass, grain - crushed or germinated.
Give wet mash with vegetables and root crops, kitchen waste, chalk, s alt, premixes. They also eat compound feed.
Care rules: placing no more than 4 birds per 1 sq. m, cleaning straw or peat bedding, cleaning and disinfection of feeders and drinkers. Daily airing of the room and lighting in winter for 10-12 hours.
Cultivation of Corydalis at home
The crested gene is not inherited by all ducklings. If one of the parents is without a crest, then the ducklings will be ordinary. To obtain ducklings with a characteristic trait, crested birds, both females and males, must be selected.And not in one, but in several next generations. But even in this case, the appearance of ordinary ducklings is possible.
You can breed chicks in an incubator or under a hen. The female can incubate 12-15 eggs.
Egg production and procreation
Corydalis can lay 60 eggs per season. If you keep drakes with ducks, you can use them for breeding. Usually all eggs are fertilized, ducklings hatch well. The vitality and resistance to diseases inherent in wild ducks allow them to survive even in adverse conditions. With natural breeding, the females themselves take care of the offspring and keep it without loss. When breeding in an incubator, ducklings are grown in a brooder, when they reach the age of one month, they are transferred to a poultry house.
Crested ducks are raised not as meat and egg, not for profit. Their value is in their decorative form and bright plumage. As a decorative bird, Corydalis is kept in private houses to decorate the courtyard.Despite low productivity and rarity, enthusiastic poultry farmers are trying to preserve the breed and maintain interest in them.
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