**Preparation for Ducklings Before Raising**
The duck house should be located in a dry, sheltered, and sunny area, with a small paddling pool built around it. Three days before raising the ducks, the ground inside the house should be filled, rat holes plugged, and windows and doors repaired. The area should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected using 20% lime solution. All brooding equipment—such as heating devices, drinkers, feed chutes, and duck baskets—must be prepared and maintained, then disinfected with 2% caustic soda.
The access roads between the brooding area, playground, and water source should be leveled and free of puddles to prevent dampness.
**Selecting Healthy Chicks and Sexing**
Choose healthy ducklings that are born at the right time, with clean umbilical areas, strong bodies, bright eyes, and active behavior. Avoid those with blood spots or slow movements. To determine the sex, use the anal pinch method: hold the duckling with your left hand, gently grip its neck with your thumb and index finger, then use your right hand to gently squeeze the anus. If a small bump appears, it's a male; if flat, it's a female. This method is safe and does not harm the ducklings.
**Scientific Feeding Practices**
**Watering (Test Water)**
"Watering" is crucial and should be done after the ducklings have eaten. It should take place on a sunny day when the temperature is above 14°C. Use cold water and submerge the ducklings up to their backs for about 5 minutes. Place them in a flat-bottomed basket, slowly dip into the water, and allow them to dry before feeding. Avoid soaking their feathers to prevent hypothermia.
**Feeding (Teaching the Mouth)**
Do not feed within the first 24 hours to allow the yolk sac to be fully absorbed. On the second day, if the ducklings are dry, moving their heads, and showing foraging behavior, you can begin feeding.
**Feeding Method**
Feed rice mixed with rice water and 10% chopped buckwheat. Offer small, frequent meals. From day 1–7, feed 6 times daily; from day 7–21, reduce to 5 times; and from day 21–28, feed 4 times. Divide groups into 250 ducklings each. Gradually transition from soft to hard food, and increase quantity gradually.
**Early Introduction to Animal Feed**
On day 3, introduce animal feed at 10–20%, such as snails, small fish, shrimp, or river clams. Ensure the feed is fresh, chopped, and mashed. Compound feed with fish meal can also be used.
**Feed Formulation**
Metabolizable energy: 11.7 MJ/kg; crude protein: 20%; methionine: 0.4%; lysine: 1.1%. Vitamin A: 1 million units/kg; calcium: 1%; phosphorus: 0.7%. A sample formula includes: corn 50%, cabbage 20%, broken rice 10%, bran 10%, fish meal 7.5%, bone meal 1%, shell powder 1%, salt 0.5%. Another option is brown rice 40%, corn 18%, bran 3%, cottonseed cake 5%, vegetable cake 14%, bean cake 10%, fish meal 7%, bone meal 2.5%, salt 0.5%.
**Incorporate Green Feed**
From day 3 onward, add 10–20% green feed like duckweed, bitter leeks, or vegetables. Using dandelion, comfrey, or other greens can help prevent diseases.
**Strengthen Management**
**Temperature Control**
Day 1: 32°C; Days 2–7: 31–28°C; Days 8–14: 28–25°C; After 15 days: 25–20°C. Monitor the ducklings’ behavior—smooth feathers, active movement, and good appetite indicate proper temperature. If they huddle, appear sluggish, or have diarrhea, adjust the heat. Keep the area dry, well-ventilated, and protected from drafts, especially during rain.
**Stocking Density**
Days 1–7: 25–30 per square meter; Days 7–14: 20–25 per square meter; Days 15–28: 15–20 per square meter. Adjust group sizes accordingly.
**Lighting Conditions**
First 3 days: 24-hour lighting; Days 4–7: 23 hours; After day 8: 1 hour per day until natural light. Low illumination helps deter pests.
**Exercise and Paddling**
After release, let ducklings paddle in shallow water for 3–5 minutes, in batches. Avoid windy days. If they shiver, dry them immediately. At 7 days old, when indoor and outdoor temperatures differ by less than 5°C, allow 20-minute exercises. Provide sand in the yard for natural feeding.
**Disease Prevention**
Limit non-essential visitors. Disinfect entry points with UV light and tools with disinfectants. Clean the site daily and disinfect regularly—once every 7 days in spring and autumn. Vaccinate ducklings with an attenuated hepatitis vaccine on the day of hatching.
EAS Detacher
Eas Detacher,Security Tag Detacher,Hard Tag Remover,Eas Security Tag Remover
Wenzhou Boshine Electronic Security Co. Ltd , https://www.boshine.com