Rouen duck: description and features of the breed, rules of keeping
Species of meat ducks are always popular with Russian farmers. Among these varieties there are birds with interesting characteristics. Consider the description, advantages and disadvantages of the Rouen duck, how to properly grow and feed it in the household, how to treat diseases, as well as the rules and features of breeding.
History
The Rouen duck is not bred from other breeds of domestic duck, as is usually the case in breeding work. Everything is much more interesting - these are wild birds, domesticated quite recently. The breed was obtained in France, the most promising and productive were selected from the wild stock, then bred according to the standard scheme.
Rouen duck is not a common breed, it is quite rare in farms. The breed in the original version is bred only in France, in England individuals with a more massive build and dark color are bred.
Characteristics and description of the breed
The appearance of the Rouen duck is remarkable, because it has not only a special build, but also a beautiful plumage color. It immediately attracts attention, and some poultry farmers keep it as an exotic bird. The body of ducks is inclined horizontally, muscular, with a wide deep chest, oval back. The head is small, light, the neck is curved, the legs are short, the beak is thick, short, yellow with a greenish tinge, with a black spot at the end. Weight of adult drakes - 4 kg, ducks - 3.5 kg.
The color of plumage is similar to wild birds. The bulk of the feather of ducks is of partridge color, on the wings there is a wide blue-green stripe with a white border.2 dark stripes run along the sides of the head. In drakes, the chest and wings are dark brown, the tail is black, the back and sides are gray, the head and upper part of the neck are green, under them there is a narrow white ring. On the wings there is a blue-green stripe, like that of ducks. Paws are dark orange.
In a year, a duck can lay 90 large eggs of 70-80 g each. The meat looks and tastes like game, it is dark, but juicy and soft, not hard, not greasy.
Pros and cons
It is believed that Rouen ducks are bad mothers and do not raise ducklings, so they can only be bred in an incubator.
Rules for keeping and caring for Rouen ducks
Keeping this breed is as easy as most other domestic ducks. They can live in a small room, but it must be clean and bright, insulated if the bird is kept in it in winter. You need to put a litter on the floor and ventilate the room every day while the birds are walking on the street. Keep drinkers and feeders clean, especially those in which ducks received wet mash.
Near the duck house you need to organize a paddock in which to place water containers: Rouen ducks love to swim. If there is no special bathing container, they will spill water for drinking and make mud in the poultry house. Otherwise, Rouen ducks do not bring problems, they are calm in nature, do not quack, get along well with representatives of other types of poultry.
What to feed the birds?
Due to the breed's tendency to become obese, these ducks need to be properly fed. They quickly gain weight, but when there is an excess of nutrients, they store them in the form of fat. The quality of the meat is deteriorating.
The diet for Rouen ducks is the same as for the rest. But carbohydrates and fats, both vegetable and animal, should be less in it. Feed only in accordance with the regimen, and not ad libitum. The frequency of feeding Rouen ducks is 2 times a day, optimally in the mornings and evenings. Ducks are fed with cereal mixtures and fresh grass, vegetable mashes with the addition of chalk or premixes. If there is an opportunity to expel them to the reservoir, then it should be used. Ducks can eat aquatic plants and small fish all day, so they don't need to be fed.
In winter, the diet of Rouen ducks consists of grain mashes with the addition of any grated vegetables and root crops, fresh or boiled. They need to mix herbal flour, chalk, s alt, solder solutions of vitamin and mineral preparations.
Overfed fat ducks do not lay well. This must be taken into account if it is planned to receive eggs from females. In order to have more fertilized eggs, it is necessary to keep the birds on a diet.
Features of breeding
Drake and ducks must be purebred to obtain thoroughbred young Rouen ducks. Crossbreeds will not inherit meat characteristics and original plumage.
Since Rouen ducks do not incubate eggs, you need to take care of a hen from a different breed or purchase an incubator. For a household, an average power device is enough. Only selected material is laid in it: eggs must be fresh, with a whole shell, large or above average size. The ducklings hatch well and almost all survive, but require more attention until they are fledging.
In the first month they are raised in a brooder, separate from the rest of the birds. It should stand in a warm room, not damp, without drafts. Lighting and heating are provided by a red lamp. You can feed with mixed fodder, and be sure to give water. If the option with natural feeding is chosen, then the ducklings should be given a mash of finely crushed grain, grated vegetables and root crops, accustomed to grass and aquatic vegetation.
Diseases and their prevention
Rouen ducks can suffer from infectious and helminthic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, young animals and adults are affected. The reasons for the development of diseases are unsatisfactory conditions of detention, non-compliance with hygiene in the room. Especially often the bird gets sick when it is crowded, if it is not possible to walk on the street.
Improper feeding with the use of products in which nutrients, vitamins and mineral elements are not balanced leads to a deterioration in well-being, weakening of the immune system.The lack of vitamins in the feed leads to the development of hypovitaminosis, which can be determined by the deterioration in the he alth of birds and the type of their plumage. Bird pecking at eggs and each other is also a sign of a lack of vital compounds.
Prevention of infections and helminthiases: cleaning the duck house, changing bedding, cleaning and disinfection of feeders and drinkers. Prevention of hypovitaminosis and metabolic diseases: feeding with green fodder, grains of various types of cereals and legumes. Inclusion in the diet of all kinds of vegetables, root crops, potatoes, premixes, waste from the fish and dairy industry.
Rouen duck is a rare breed, not only because of its origin, but also because it is unsuitable for industrial cultivation. Raised only by private farms for the production of game-like meat and tasty eggs.
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