Two Respiratory Diseases Common to Ducks

There are different common diseases that affect the respiratory system of ducks. However, with modern systems of management, and the proper observation of the signs and symptoms, one can easily avoid the spread of these diseases.

FOWL POX

Ducks of all ages and breed are susceptible to duck pox. There are two forms of duck pox. The dry form is distinguished by raised, wart-like bruises on the skin devoid of feathers. The bruises commonly heal in about two weeks. If the bruises are removed before total rejuvenation, the surface beneath would be rare and bleeding. Retarded growth is the usual symptoms of duck pox. In duck hens, infection results in a temporary waning of egg production.

The other form is the wet form. In this type, blight-like lesions near the bill can be observed. This can cause a respiratory distress by blocking the upper air pathways. A duck may be affected with either form at the same time.

Fowl pox can be transmitted through direct contact between infected and vulnerable birds or by carriers such as mosquitoes. Virus-carrying lesions also can be transmitted from infected birds and serve as a source of contamination. The virus can invade the bloodstream through the body openings such as eyes, ears and skin wounds, or respiratory passages.

There are some evidences that the mosquito remains infective over time. These insects are the primary carriers of the fowl pox on the ducks. Several species of mosquitoes can transmit fowl pox. Often mosquitoes winter-over in duck pens, and widespread contamination can happen during the cold season and early spring.

There is no known treatment for fowl pox. However, it is quite slow-infecting. Hence, it is possible to administer vaccination to stop a wide contamination. The wing-web vaccination treatment is normally administered and the thigh-stick technique is used for ducks older than 2 months.

Fowl pox in ducks confined in pens can be prevented by using a mosquito repellant spray. However, if the disease is endemic, that is common, in the area, a vaccination is suggested. Never vaccinate unless the disease is a wide problem in a large farm or in the area.

NEWCASTLE DISEASE

The Newcastle disease is also known as pneumoencephalitis. The viscerotropic type is a highly contagious and fatal form of this disease. This disease can affect all ages of ducks. Humans and other mammals are also vulnerable to this disease, but in form of mild conjunctivitis.

Basically, there are three forms of this disease: lentogenic, mesogenic, and velogenic. This disease is  distinguished by an immediate onset of symptoms that includes hoarse quaking, mucus discharge from the nose, difficulty in breathing, inflammation if the face, immobility, trembling and involuntary twisting of the neck (as a sign of invasion in the central nervous system, where motion impulses are sent from the brain and vice versa). Fatal incidences vary from 10 to 80 percent based on the severity of infection.

In mature duck layers, signs and symptoms can include lower food and water consumption and a significant reduction of egg laying. This disease can be transmitted by direct contact or by airborne ways.

Raising Ducks: Frequently Asked Questions

Why raise ducks?

Basically, ducks are raised for commercial purposes. There are around 1 million duck farmers presently around the United States, and they are the main source for supply in the US market for duck meat. Ducks are also raised for their eggs, but they are not on a large-scale since ducks are not good layers as compared to chickens. Campbell ducks are copious layers but they are small so you can’t get enough meat from a single duck.

Domestic duck keeping is gaining popularity as well. Most people find it relaxing when they watch a flock of ducks swimming through a small pond in their garden. Ornamental ducks, also called bantam ducks, are raised as pets. However, they are still edible.

Can you raise duck if you don’t have a farm?

Of course you can. If you have a spacious room or a place that is dry, well-ventilated and free from predators, you can start raising ducks for family or domestic purposes. If you want to raise baby ducks as pets, you can get a shoebox – the size depends on the number of ducks you have. Some people in suburban areas now have pet ducks.

Do I need a pond to keep ducks?

No, you don’t need a pond. Your ducks will grow healthy even if they don’t swim in a pond. However, they will be happier when they can swim. You can use a plastic pool for their artificial pond. Many have found these to be very relaxing and a great addition to their yards.

How many eggs does a mother hen lay?

During their first year, layer ducks can lay at least one egg a day. After the succeeding seasons, the rate of egg-laying gradually decreases. If you raise ducks in a suburban home, you can’t keep all of the eggs. If you decide to let them hatch, their number will increase to an unmanageable rate. Better, you can give them to your neighbors or your friend who also want to raise ducks from egg to adults.

Do hens need a drake (male duck) to lay eggs?

No, unless you are raising a duck farm. A drake is only needed to fertilize the eggs, but – just as with any other kind of poultry animals – the hens will lay eggs whether or not there is a drake.

Are duck eggs like chicken eggs?

They are similar, but they are not exactly alike of course. The size of duck eggs vary according to their breeds. Some eggs have the same size, while some are smaller. When you cook duck eggs, they are a bit creamier than chicken eggs and have a richer flavor.

Can I raise ducks with my usual pets such as dogs and cats?

Naturally, cats and dogs are predators. So, they will chase, even eat, your pet ducks. However, if your cats or dogs are trained, they will learn not to harm the ducks if you tell them not to do so.

Raising Ducklings

Hatching ducklings from fertilized eggs, is a rewarding way to begin your own duck-keeping experience. When growing baby ducks, you can pick different ways of beginning your own flock, but, you also have the option to start a flock with mature ones. Suburban duck hobbyists can purchase mature ducks, adolescent ducks, ducklings or fertile duck eggs to begin keeping ducks. But to some, the experience is more fulfilling if they start with the brood from eggs first.

Hatching Duck Eggs and Brooding Hatched Ducks

To hatch your own fertile eggs, you will need an incubator. An egg incubator is essential for hatching duck eggs. But, you should remember that you cannot provide enough space for duck eggs in the egg incubator as you would with chicken eggs, because most of the duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs.

Most duck eggs take at least 28 days to hatch. This is about seven days longer than hatching chicken eggs. But, some eggs of various breeds can take longer. For instance, Muscovy ducks can take almost 1 month and 5 days to hatch.

Heat the egg incubator to 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. You should check the level of moisture in the incubator first before placing the eggs. At the least, it should have 55 per cent moisture or humidity for the ducks to properly develop and hatch.

How you decide to brood your newly-hatched ducklings is up to you, but you should be cautious as it is the most essential step in keeping ducklings. Most people would brood ducklings using a chicken hen. A few backyard duck hobbyists choose a chick brooder to raise their ducklings. These two brooding options have their distinct advantages and disadvantages.

If you will use a chick brooder to provide warmth to your ducklings, ducklings need a shorter period of time than chicks. Also, you don’t need a specialized set-up to brood your ducklings. You can use a cardboard box or a wood box. It is essential to have at least three to four inches of fillers that are dry and comfortable for the ducklings. You can use wood shavings or paper scraps as litter.

To provide sufficient supply of warmth and heat in the duck brooder, you can use a heater or a 250-watt light bulb. This set-up must be enough to brood up to 2 dozens of ducklings. You can also use a hover brooder, normally used for raising chickens. You should remember this, because ducklings are larger in size than chicks, a brooder set-up can only give space enough for around half of the space capacity for chicks.

Your newly-hatched ducklings require at least 6 sq. inches of brooder space and it should be raised to 10 to 12 sq. inc. of space as they grow bigger. You should adjust this setup depending to the growth rate of the ducks.

Baby ducks should be brood for about six to seven weeks after they are hatched. The period of time required in a brooder is shorter during summer.

How to Keep Ducks In Your Home

Perhaps the idea of keeping ducks in your suburban home is nearly impossible and would be quite a predicament. But, contrary to popular belief, this is very possible and can be very entertaining especially when you have kids. Your neighbors (and even your wife or husband) may find it a bit different, but soon enough they too will find it enjoying. Keeping duck is easy, if you have the patience. It is fun and can give you and your family an exciting and fresh activity to do together.

The first thing that you have to do is to acquire baby ducks. Basically, you have two choices, you can purchase from farms or you can search for an online store. The good thing about purchasing baby ducks from the internet is you will be guaranteed of their quality and get the kind of duck you want to raise. The disadvantage of online purchasing is you need to purchase a minimum number and you have to pay delivery charges. Three ducks is manageable, but the higher the number, the higher the mess they will produce. Ducks are naturally messy animals since they kind of play with their meals. It is suggested to convince a neighbor or a friend to raise ducks also and split the order.

Finding baby ducks locally is not an easy task. They can’t just be purchased at your local pet store. They are seasonal pets. You should find a farm or specialized pet stores in your area that market ducks for domestic purposes. Normally, most types of ducks are hatched during spring. For their food, a local feed store is the best place where you can buy food pellets and proper materials for feeding and raising baby ducks.

When you have purchased your baby ducks, place them in a high-fenced plastic container with paper or cloth sheets in the bottom. Place this container near a source of light that can run about 40 – 80 watts, suitable to keep the area warm. If you have a lamp, you can use it, but do not use lamps with bulb more than 40 watts, since too much warmth can be harmful. You can observe their behavior when they are not comfortable with the heat. If they keep away from the lamp and keep pushing their legs from under, they feel too much heat. If they huddle closely together very near the lamp, the heat is inadequate.

If they are ready for outdoor fun, allow them to roam around your yard, that is if you have one. However, you should keep them in at night to protect them from predators such as cats, raccoons and dogs. You should note that it will be difficult to raise ducks when your cat is not trained not to harm them.

Probably the most enjoyable experience with having pet ducks is swimming with them or at least watching them swimming your pool, even in an inflatable one. Duck have natural oil coating in their feathers that keeps them dry. You should take note that baby ducks acquire oil from their mother, so it is unwise to let them play in water when they are too young. They can get colds, or even get drowned.

Keeping Pekin Ducks

Pekin ducks, also known as Long Island ducks, is a duck breed of domesticated ducks used largely for meat production. They can also be raised for their eggs but they are often raised by farmers for meat because they are capable of growing in a short period of time. The Pekin duck was bred from the Mallard duck in Peking, China (hence the name). The ancestors of these ducks originated from the water vessels which linked water canals in Nanjing, and originally had petite bodies and a jet black plumage.

With the relocation of the Chinese Capital to Peking (now Beijing), the supply barge traffic increased going to the new capital that would often spill grain, crops and other feeds during the barge trips, providing a great source of feeds to the ducks. As a result of this, the ducks gradually increased in size and grew white feathers. In five dynasties in China, the evolved species of Mallard ducks had been raised by Chinese farmers.

In 1873, nine ducks were exported from Peking to Long Island, New York, thus it is also called Long Island ducks. It is the most widely known duck meat in the United States, even though some farmers had relocated to Indiana from New York. Today, about 90% of duck meat consumed in North America is the Pekin Duck.

Hatching

Pekin duck eggs take around 28 days to hatch at an incubator with an environment of 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 per cent moisture. A heartbeat can normally be observed in the third day of incubation during candling. The duck eggs should be regularly turned during incubation. This is to imitate the natural turning of duck hens, as she shifts the position of the eggs while sitting on it for hatching. For artificial incubation, there are machines that can turn the eggs instantly.

When incubated artificially, the eggs are transferred to a hatcher at least three days before they are expected to hatch. This has a slightly decreased temperature and the percentage of moisture is increased, to add the level of survivability for the newly-hatched ducklings while their protective egg sheaths develop.

Compared to other poultries, duck eggs are quite easy to hatch as they are very adaptable in variations in warmth and moisture.

Fully matured adult Pekin ducks can weight about 8 to 11 lbs in confinement. The average lifespan is about 9 to 12 years. Their outer feathers are white, sometimes with a tinge of yellow or orange. This is clearer with ducks that have been brooded inside pens and not exposed constantly to sunlight. The ducks have increased upright posture than dabbling ducks, and have overturned remains.

A mature Pekin will produce an average of 150-200 eggs every year. They will normally lay an egg every day. They will lay eggs in what they think is a safe place and sometimes, where another duck has already laid their own. Ducks can be tricked into laying eggs when desired by placing a lure such as a golf ball or alike objects in a place where you want them to lay their eggs.

Raising Ducks For Meat

Duck raising was just a small business venture in the past, but now it is slowly growing in significance in the poultry industry. With the rapid growth of demand for duck meat, the industry of duck farming has started to follow the same pattern of the chicken broiler industry. This could be seen in the establishment of more particular business ventures with modern poultry farmers, processing for greater packaging and presentation to consumers.

About 12 million duck meats are produced every year in the United States. Most of these are produced under intensive confinement in some commercially duck farms scattered in the country. Duck meat producers usually raise Peking, Muscovy, Cherry Valley and Jawa breeds because they grow in just a short period of time.

The ideal brooding technique for meat production is a mixture of pen heating and local heating.

Meat ducks do not need a very specialized housing as compared to chicken broilers. The pens are normally made of inexpensive materials such as wood and wires.

If you would build your own duck pen, its walls should at least be 20-25 inches from the ground and are made of concrete planks. The rest of the wall can be built using wires. In building the floor area, it is cement, earth or slatted wire that is needed. To provide fillers, you can use wood shavings, dry straws, husks or fine sands to cover the floor for a depth of about eight centimeters.

With the roofing, the design and shape is normally based on the direction of the wind, the sun rays and frequency of rainfall in the region. These factors aid to provide proper ventilation, moisture and dryness of the fillers, and the pen in general. The other important factor in building the housing pen is to make sure that the ducks are comfortable and well-provided with adequate space while they are inside. Inadequate space and overcrowding can result to malnourishment, fighting and the spread of diseases.

After brooding the duck broilers, the ducks can now be reared for their meat. Rearing habitats with proper ventilations, away from intense sun heat, heavy rain and predators are the proper place for your ducks. The floor should be kept dry at all times, not too crowded and can give enough space for feeding and drinking. The ideal space for rearing is 2.5 – 3 sq. feet per duck. Fences of 18 inches to 24 inches are designed so as to allow at least 350-450 ducks in each pen. This is done to ensure their proper maximized growth.

In about seven to eight weeks, meat ducks are ready for slaughtering, but to get the desired meat produce, considering their food and feeding is very essential.

The quality of the feeds is vital, particularly in the first three weeks of the ducks existence. It is crucial to sustainable growth and proper nutrition, and to fortify their bodies to avoid diseases. You can give them medicated-feeds, but you should consult first a breeder, as the type of feeds, protein mixture and medications depends on the duck breed, and the desired production.

Raising Crested Ducks

With powder-wisp of feathers planted on the head, the Crested Duck is certainly an eye-catcher. An average-weight duck breed, the Crested ducklings can grow fast, making them very prolific ducks for their meat, and they are also good egg layers.

A mature crested drake can weight about 6-7 lbs, and the mature Crested female can weight about 5-6 lbs. The American Poultry Association recognizes two Standard of Perfection for Crested ducks, the Black and White varieties. Other types such as the Grey, Blue and Buff have been a good interest for raisers, and crests can appear on other varieties as well. Crested ducks usually have a large body and should be symmetrical on the forehead when in idle position.

The crested feature of this breed is linked to the fatal situation during incubation. Duckling with both genes for the crest cannot hatch. Of these ducks that hatch, usually a third of them will not have the crest. It is very easy for a raiser to see how the crest will develop on the ducklings, so they can choose which stock to raise and sell the rest as baby ducks, instead of feeding them until they mature.

The crest is basically an abnormality appearing in any color. This is a result of the mutation linked with bone deformities and is has been known for centuries. There are those raisers who claimed that the deformation first appeared in Britain and that is a notion that has been a subject for debate, but it has been recorded in guide books and poultry manuals already as early as the 17th century. The mutations can appear occasionally on any breed of ducks. Careful breeding can increase the number of ducks with the same features.

The crest can appear from a lump of fatty tissues, which surface through a small hole in the skull. From this tissue, protruding feathers grow. The crest can differ from concentrated crests, plump crests, powder puffs, and contorted lumps with just a few plumages, or the rare ear lump when the hole glides near the ears.

The crested breed can be cross-bred with any duck breed excluding the Muscovy, as a parent Crested will produce only a small percentage of crested ducks. Most crested ducks rarely breed successfully but when they do, they are very good livestock. If you are using a crested female with a large crest, you should observe that the male duck will use the crest during the copulation, and the female can be injured during this. The clump of feathers on the head of the female, that rarely appears and is known as an object of attraction, when selected and bred for the offspring, will not carry the crested gene to the line, so a crested male will be needed to turn any breed crested, so watch them during mating.

As you have realized now, breeding crested ducks is a very challenging task and not for amateurs; also if the crest is very large and it hampers the eating and basically, living of the duck, you should trim it to give them a normal life.