How many mulards grow at home, at what age and weight to slaughter

Mulards belong to broiler crosses of ducks. The cross was developed in France in the mid-20th century. The breeders were given the task of improving the early maturity of the Peking duck. To do this, it was crossed with individuals of the Muscat breed. The result was a bird with high early maturity and good meat productivity.

Experts warn that to rejuvenate the flock, it is necessary to purchase young animals or carry out selection, creating bird families from Peking and Muscat ducks. One cannot expect offspring from the Mulards themselves. They are infertile. They are bred exclusively for meat. It is low-fat, juicy, with delicate and fine fibers. What is the description of the breed? How to fatten livestock?

Characteristics of mulards

Mulard ducks are large in size, but the body does not look loose. The physique is fit and strong. The bird has a large head, a long and wide neck, and a muscular body. The limbs are elongated, the landing is horizontal, but high. From a distance the birds look like geese. What are mularda ducks? When can young animals be cut:

• The main plumage of mulards is white. There are dark spots on the head, chest, and back. The chicks emerge with olive-colored down with dark streaks. Females and males are not separated. It doesn't matter when growing. Mulards do not form bird families. Individuals of both sexes gain weight almost equally. Both drakes and females are raised together;
• The bird's beak and metatarsals are orange. There are black spots on the beak. The length of the beak is 14 cm. It is elongated and slightly flattened at the edges. Mulards have no teeth on the inner wall of the beak;
• Ducks are characterized by accelerated growth and weight gain. Young animals are raised for up to 60 days. By this time, the ducklings gain 4 kg. Subsequently, their growth slows down;
• an adult drake can weigh up to 7 kg, the female is 500 g less;
• For Mulard ducks, cage housing is used. Dry concentrated mixtures are used as feed. Traditional feeding of ducks is used only in households if breeding is not a business;
• Mulard duck eats a lot. This is evidenced by reviews from farmsteaders and farmers. In order to get a larger liver in birds, force feeding is used.

Poultry is raised up to 2 years of age not only to obtain meat from it, but also liver. In individuals it makes up 1/8 of the body. If your body weight is 4 kg, then the liver will weigh 500-550 g. In France, this product is highly valued. Foie gras is made from it.

Short description

In appearance, mulards are similar to both Peking ducks and musky ducks. But their body weight is greater than that of each parent breed. Among other things, the characteristic features of mulards include:

• elongated massive body;
• yellow legs:
• long neck.

The color of this hybrid can be either dark or light. But most often, mulards have white plumage and a characteristic black “cap” on their head.

How to care for livestock?

Young animals are purchased from breeders. It is recommended to buy week-old chicks, but they are more expensive than day-old ducklings. For the first 2 weeks, the young animals are kept in a brooder. There are up to 15 individuals per 1 m2. For them, it is recommended to maintain a temperature of 30 C, daylight hours for 24 hours. Starting from the 14th day, the duration of daylight hours begins to be reduced.

By the 30th day it is brought to 16 hours. The temperature regime changes. Ducklings feel comfortable at a temperature of 20-25 C. They should be provided with fresh air. To do this, a ventilation system is installed in the room:

• the cages are raised above the floor to a height of 15 cm. This can protect the ducklings from drafts; small rodents, which cause great damage to the livestock, will not reach the livestock;
• the cage is a metal or wooden frame covered with a fine-mesh mesh;
• a pallet is installed under the floor mesh. Dirt and droppings will pass into it;
• pallets are washed daily;
• feeders and drinkers are taken outside the cages to keep them clean and dry;
• There is no need for a pond for ducklings. They don’t give them a container of water either.

The herd is resettled every week. At one month of age, the ducklings are transferred to spacious cages. There should be no more than 3 heads per 1 m2. Be sure to monitor the crowding of livestock. Otherwise, pecking may begin in the herd. Individuals pluck feathers from their fellows, causing them wounds. Cannibalism is very developed among the Mulards.

In some households, mulards are kept in a pen, on deep litter. In the summer, the livestock is taken out for grazing. For grazing, it is recommended to build an enclosure: fence the plant area with a net. Mulard ducks do not have a developed herd sense. It will be difficult to collect them if they are freely grazed in a wild meadow.

At home, before grazing, they are given a little grain mixture with roughage. Hay is used as roughage, which is steamed and chopped. It is necessary to prevent birds from developing pathologies in the intestines. Individuals will not be able to eat too much grass. Otherwise, they will suffer from tympany, blockage of the goiter and intestines. In the evening they are given a grain mixture. Often cottage cheese and skim milk are added to it.

How to set up a poultry house

The room for ducks of this breed is only suitable for light and dry conditions. The barn needs more windows. Three ducks should have at least 1 m2 of free space. Experienced farmers advise covering the floor in the poultry house with a fairly thick layer of straw bedding. The barn should be insulated and ventilated only when breeding ducks in large quantities all year round. In any case, the air temperature in the poultry house should not fall below 16-18 ° C, and humidity – 60%.

Fattening with concentrates

If you breed mulards as a business, combined feeds are used for feeding. The mixtures are balanced in protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Mulard ducks eat a lot, but a large amount of protein feed promotes accelerated growth of muscle mass. Mixtures are selected according to the age of the livestock. It is necessary to monitor the Mulard ducks and their feeding so that the development of the livestock and the raising of ducklings is correct:

№	Helpful information
1	For the first 3 weeks, the ducklings are given the starting version of feed; It is recommended to use mixtures for broiler poultry. Good results can be obtained using PC 21-1. Average daily gain is about 40 g
2	From 4 to 7 weeks, fattening actually takes place. During this period, individuals gain up to 65 g daily. For fattening, the teenage version of concentrates is chosen. It is recommended to purchase PC 22-1
3	from 2 months, intensive fattening of young animals begins. He is being prepared for slaughter. At this time, the “finish” version of the feed is selected: PC 23-1. Every day the duckling gains weight up to 67-70 g

There should be enough concentrates so that the young animals are not hungry. Week-old ducklings should eat every 2 hours. Concentrates are served in the form of mash. The dry mixture is steamed in boiling water or diluted in skim milk. For normal development of the individual, chalk or crushed shells are added to the food. The total amount of feed is 75 g.

After 3 weeks, the number of feedings is gradually reduced. The livestock receives concentrates 4 times a day. The daily allowance for a duckling is 225 g. It is necessary to monitor the change of feathers. If it grows poorly, then it is necessary to add premixes, fish oil, and chalk to the feed. Otherwise, there is a risk of cannibalism developing in the herd.

At the age of 60 days, the number of feedings is reduced to 3 times. The young animals receive the same amount of feed. The daily portion is 260 g. If ducks are fattened to enlarge the liver, then the volume of feed is increased. Each individual receives 340 g per day. If the bird does not want to consume the mixture, it is not yet hungry, then the food is forcibly administered. A probe is used for this.

The forced introduction of food looks like violence, but, judging by the reviews of experts, it gives good results. The farmer is forced to use this feeding technique because the duck itself is not able to eat a large amount of the mixture. To prevent the individual from having a blocked crop, she is given a lot of water. Fattening continues for a month.

Product Name (g)	1-14 day	15-30 day	31-60 days
Boiled egg	100
Corn	80	400	700
Wheat	50	300	200
Millet	30	80	190
Return	20
Bone flour	15	80	70
Fish flour	10	90	120
Fish fat	3	10
Sunflower cake	60	120
Roughage	150	500
Yeast	40	60
Herbal meal	60	150
Chalk	25	80
Salt	5	10

Boiled eggs are given to ducklings only for the first 2 weeks. If week-old chicks were purchased, then grain mixtures are immediately used. Fish oil is given once a week. It is mixed with grain or pipetted into the beak of each duckling.

From day 14, gravel is added to the feed, 1 g per head. Grain mixtures are crushed in a crusher. They are not brought to the consistency of flour. Some of the grain is replaced with concentrates. From day 30, grain is not crushed if it is small. Birds are given 2 g of gravel per head.

Mulard ducks are not picky about food. When raising livestock at home, they are fed vegetables and herbs from the garden. They eat cabbage, lettuce, and green onions. Carrots and beets are good for them, but it is recommended to chop the root vegetables. Boiled potatoes are beneficial for mulard ducks. It promotes muscle gain. Farmers most often use seasonal feeding. In summer the herd is kept in a pen. In winter, the bird is brought indoors.

How to breed mulards?

If musk ducks and individuals of the Peking breed are raised on the farmstead, then it is not necessary to contact breeders to purchase mulard chicks. They create bird families at home. They consist of 3 Pekin breed females and 1 Indo duck drake. An aviary with a nest is separated for the family. The best time to create bird families is April-May. The Peking duck will begin to lay fertilized eggs, but they are not used for incubation. The material is collected only after a month of communication between birds of different breeds.

An incubator or hen is used to mature the eggs. Up to 20 eggs are laid under the hen. It is recommended to place one of the Muscovy ducks in the nest. They have a better developed maternal instinct. A quiet corner is set aside for the hen. A separate feeder, drinking bowl and basin of water are installed in it. If the duck does not leave the nest for more than a day, then it should be picked up and brought to the feeder.

The incubation period lasts 28 days, but biting begins already on the 26th day after eggs are laid under the hen. You can notice the appearance of chicks by their broken shells. The duck will throw her out of the nest. She takes wet ducklings under her wing. After they are dry, the mother takes them to the feeder and water bowl, teaching them to eat and drink. Farmers give good reviews about the young animals obtained using this method. Ducklings show good meat productivity. At 2 months, domestic mularda ducks weigh 3.5 kg.

Origin

The Mulard duck is a descendant of drakes of wild Muscovy ducks and domestic females (mainly the Peking White breed). This hybrid was developed in the mid-twentieth century.

The initial goal of selection was the desire to compensate for minor shortcomings of the main species. Peking duck quickly gains weight, but it is not clean, noisy and prone to fat accumulation, which impairs the taste and healthiness of the meat. Wild Muscovy ducks are not noisy or fatty, but they are demanding of room temperature and slowly gain weight.

The result of interspecific crossing made it possible to combine the best characteristics of the main breeds and obtain a large and easy-to-maintain meat hybrid. Due to the different habitats of the parents (South America for Muscovy ducks and Eurasia for Pekin ducks), these species do not interbreed under natural conditions. Obtaining a crossbreed is only possible under artificially created conditions. The result of interspecific selection is not capable of reproducing offspring, which is why the breed is often called a cross.

Slaughter time

Mulard ducks are used at the age of 60 days, but the farmer or farmsteaders independently decide when to take the livestock for slaughter. At 2 months, individuals weigh 3.8-4 kg. They can be cut, but if this does not seem enough, then the time of slaughter is postponed: fattening continues. At 4 months, ducks gain 4.2 kg. Further growth of the young animals will not be intensive. To obtain a large liver, individuals are fattened for up to 70 days or longer.

Be sure to take into account the molting period of young animals. Ducklings begin to change feathers at 2.5 months. Mulards are losing weight. They need a lot of protein and microelements to renew their feathers. There is a sharp decrease in body weight. It is recommended to slaughter before molting.

Before slaughter, the livestock is no longer fed. Feeders and drinking bowls are removed from the enclosure or cage. Birds must clear the intestines of food bolus. It is recommended to keep the carcass in hot water so that the feathers come off better. Water is taken at a temperature of 70 C. Boiling water is not used. This causes the meat to lose its pink tint. The presentation of the carcass will change for the worse.

Farmers note that mulards need special feeding in order for them to show good productivity. Content requirements are minimal. There must be fresh air in the room. If the livestock is kept on litter. It is recommended to change it once a week. Mulard meat is considered pure. Ducks are not fed antibiotics and are not given vaccines.

How much does a duck eat before slaughter?

To get high-quality duckling, it is necessary to correctly formulate the diet of pets already at the stage of raising chicks, strictly observing age-appropriate standards.

Small ducklings are usually fed 5-6 times a day, adults - twice a day. The basis of the diet is grain crops, to which food waste, whey and meat and bone meal are added.

The most intensive fattening regime is introduced 2 weeks before slaughter: foods rich in protein, necessary for building muscle mass, are included in the food. If fattier meat is required, boiled potatoes and porridge are added a week before slaughter.

An approximate diet for poultry fattened for meat should include the following products:

• fresh chopped greens - 80 g;
• meat waste - 20–25 g;
• boiled potatoes - 80 g;
• mash of corn, barley or oats - 100 g;
• wheat bran - 40 g;
• grain waste - 40 g;
• cake and meal - 10 g;
• yeast - 1 g;
• chalk - 6 g;
• meat and bone meal - 3 g;
• salt - 1 g;
• small pebbles - 2 g.

Meat and bone meal

Preparation before slaughter

Duck slaughter for meat must be carried out after certain preparation:

1. Place the bird selected for slaughter on a starvation diet for at least 10–12 hours, most often overnight.
2. Place the individual in a separate room, in which the light must be turned on for the entire period of stay. This is necessary for the bird to empty its intestines.

At what age are favorite ducks slaughtered?

Experts recommend slaughtering poultry up to 5 months. Older individuals acquire a tough meat structure, and the intensity of weight gain is significantly reduced. Adult ducks

should be
slaughtered
only after feather moulting, after which no feather spokes remain on the skin.

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Processing methods

Plucking feathers from a duck carcass is not the most pleasant experience even for experienced housewives, but there are several ways to make this process easier.

Dry

This is the most common method of feather removal and the most labor-intensive, since it is done manually:

• lay the duck on a sheet of paper, pull out the feathers with your fingers: large ones are plucked in the direction of growth, small ones - in the opposite direction;
• the remaining hairs are singed over the fire, being careful not to heat the carcass to avoid melting the fat;
• After cleaning is completed, the bird is washed under running water.

Hot

This approach involves steaming the bird’s body:

• the fabric bag is soaked in boiling water and then wrung out well;
• the carcass is placed in a hot bag and tied tightly for 15–20 minutes;
• iron the plumage through the fabric with a hot iron;
• the bird is removed from the bag and plucked.

scalding method

The fastest way to process poultry, most often used by housewives:

• the duck is placed in a basin or other deep dish;
• heat the water to 80 °C;
• slowly pour over the carcass from all sides, then leave it in water for a quarter of an hour;
• they take the bird out of the water, let it drain, and then pluck the feathers;
• Upon completion of plucking, the remaining feathers are singed over the fire.

How to pluck a duck: best methods

It is better to pluck a duck immediately after slaughter, but if this is not possible, it must be done within 3-4 hours.

In practice, two methods of plucking are mainly used: dry and wet (with scalding). They are both good in their own way, they just take different amounts of time.

The scalding method

Prepare a large saucepan or basin with a volume of at least 20-25 liters, pour water into it and heat it to about 70 degrees. Take the duck by the paws and dip it in water for 5-10 minutes, then remove it and start plucking.

The pores of a dead bird lose their elasticity, the skin quickly cools, and the feathers have difficulty leaving the capsule of the bag.

You need to pull out the feathers in the direction from the paws to the head, and very quickly, until the skin cools down. It is convenient to work in disposable rubber gloves, preferably with two pairs of hands, so it would not be superfluous to get an assistant. After the procedure, the skin of the carcass becomes bright red; this is normal and should not bother you.

After “wet” plucking, the feathers suffer and can no longer be used as filler. Many housewives see this as a significant drawback.

“Dry” method

The “dry” method is acceptable immediately after slaughtering a duck, while the bird’s body remains warm. It is most convenient to perform this procedure in a sitting position. Take a low chair and place a basin or any other container on the ground in front of you. Pinch your body in your knees so that your head hangs down.

Start with the flight wings and pull them out with sharp movements. Next, holding the game by the paw with one hand, begin plucking from the tail to the head with the other. Take out the feathers one by one, in order, and not chaotically, otherwise the skin will become covered with small, difficult-to-remove feathers and fluff.

Following row plucking, it is convenient to disassemble feathers for useful purposes: large ones are used for fishing, medium-sized ones are mainly used as filler, and very small ones are used for toys and blankets.

It is better to leave the tail feathers as a “snack”; they are convenient for holding the duck during the procedure

Pull out the feathers very carefully so as not to damage the integrity of the carcass. If stumps have formed on the skin, remove them with a dull knife or special tool.

The head feathers are usually ignored and discarded along with the severed head. At this point they are very hard and are not suitable for anything except for crafts.

Singing a bird

This procedure is not necessary in cases where, as a result of plucking, stumps and a lot of fluff remain. Carefully straighten the duck skin so that when searing, no fumes accumulate in the folds. Light the burner and run the fire over the entire surface of the carcass.

To prevent the carcass from smoking too much, before searing, sprinkle the skin with flour and pat it dry; after the procedure, the residue can be easily removed with a coarse sponge.

Then rinse the duck with warm water, remove all the insides, cut it up and cook according to the chosen recipe.

Plucking a duck is not at all difficult, the main thing is to follow the tips listed above. When choosing a plucking method, you need to look at the situation. If it is possible to pluck the duck directly after slaughter, use the dry method; if not, the wet method is more suitable. Everything will work out for you! Good luck!

When to cut ducks to avoid stumps? This question interests novice breeders. After all, if you slaughter ducks at home and do not determine the timing correctly, the carcass will lose its presentation, and its plucking and cutting will take a lot of time. Advice from experienced poultry farmers, reviews, and videos will help you correctly determine the optimal timing for slaughtering ducks.

It is not recommended to kill ducks during the molting period. The carcass will have a lot of stumps, and it will be difficult to pluck it

Cutting meat

After removing the feathers from the bird, it is necessary to cut and gut it for further storage.

1. Before gutting the carcass, cut off the paws and wings. The paws are cut off below the heel joint, and the wings are cut off at their bend.
2. A T-shaped incision is made above the anus, through which the intestines and other internal organs and fat are removed.
3. A hole is cut in the neck through which the trachea and esophagus are removed.
4. Gutted poultry must be thoroughly rinsed in running water, inside and out. After this, the carcass must be thoroughly dried and cooled for several hours on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in a cool room.

If portion freezing is necessary, the bird can be cut into pieces. To do this you will need a sharp knife, pruning shears and cutting scissors.

1. Use a knife to cut off the legs, trying to make the cut closer to the back.
2. The wings are separated using pruning shears, getting as close to the spine as possible.
3. The easiest way to cut ribs is with scissors.
4. The fillet is cut along the spine, separating it with a knife. It is important to remove the sebaceous gland from it so as not to spoil the taste of the meat.
5. After cutting the duck, only the backbone remains, which can be used to prepare broth.

First cutting stage

In order to prepare a duck carcass for long-term storage in the freezer or to give it a high-quality presentation, it is necessary to adhere to a certain procedure developed by generations of poultry farmers:

• You need to carefully cut off the bird's neck. Moreover, if the slaughtered duck is being prepared for sale or the owners themselves are going to cook it stuffed, then you should leave a large piece of skin on the neck, which will cover the cut.
• Then you should cut off the feathered legs (no higher than a couple of centimeters from the heel joint) and wings (at the first joint) .
• After this, you need to cut the duck’s belly and remove the stomach with giblets (these include the heart, lungs, and liver). The latter should be washed and, after drying, placed in the refrigerator; they can also be used for food.
• Abdominal fat needs to be trimmed. If this is not done, it will ruin the taste of the bird when cooked. It is also advisable to remove the sebaceous (coccygeal) gland located near the tail. In some breeds of ducks, it can also spoil the taste of a poultry dish.
• the crop and esophagus are removed from the duck .

After all the above steps have been completed, the carcass is thoroughly washed, dried and stored in the freezer.

Meat storage

You can store a dressed carcass in different ways:

1. Poultry meat is stored for 3–5 days at a temperature of 0…4 °C, then it must either be cooked or frozen.
2. If it is impossible to use a refrigerator, the bird is placed in a cloth bag previously soaked in vinegar.
3. Another way to preserve meat is salting. This method is used on a whole duck, not cut into pieces. You need to prepare a solution of 300 g of salt and 1 liter of water. For 1 kg of duck weight you will need 150 g of solution. Using a syringe, the brine is poured down the throat, then the neck is tied and the duck is hung upside down for a day, then the brine is poured out.

So, having examined the features of duck slaughter, it can be noted that it is important to properly prepare for the process and strictly follow the technology for further cutting. This will allow you to avoid difficulties and enjoy wonderful and healthy meat.

Mulard ducks are a special hybrid form of poultry obtained by crossing the Indian duck and the Peking variety.

They are distinguished by a high productivity rate and are valued for the high taste qualities of not only meat, but also liver. This variety of poultry is used to produce the famous French delicacy foie gras.

Is it possible to breed Mulard ducks at home?

It is quite possible to breed this hybrid yourself. It is necessary to prepare male Beijing variety birds and female Indo-ducks for crossing.

If this is not possible, you can mate without adhering to this recommendation. It is enough to take females of one breed and drakes of another. The output will be hybrids. If desired, it is worth experimenting by crossing indo-ducks with different types of ducks.

It is better to entrust the hatching of eggs to a hen , since the yield of offspring in the incubator is noticeably lower. For successful hatching, the female must periodically swim to wet the eggs. For novice poultry farmers, it is recommended to initially buy ready-made ducklings of this breed in the spring. And start breeding after gaining sufficient experience.

Productivity

Hybrids are characterized by high productivity rates. They belong to the category of meat breeds. For 2-3 months. the bird gains 3.5-4 kg. And when it reaches 120 days, its weight is 6 kg. The fat ratio is minimal and reaches 3% of total body weight.

Mulards are also valued for the high taste of their liver. Its weight, when properly fed, reaches 550 g. The hybrid meat is tender and juicy. It does not have a specific smell, which is typical for other breeds. In terms of performance, it is compared to beef.

Mulard eggs are large in size and are consumed after heat treatment. They cannot be eaten raw due to the risk of developing salmonellosis. The feathers of hybrids have a dense structure. They are used as a filler for pillows, feather beds, and outerwear.

Origin and description, productivity characteristics

Mulards are interbreed hybrids that are obtained by crossing Muscovy ducks (drakes) and Peking ducks or breeds such as Rouen, White Allier and Orpington.

The goal of breeding ducks of the Mulardy breed, or more precisely, a hybrid, was to obtain excellent quality meat, which was successfully achieved. The result is a large bird that grows quickly, gains weight, produces lean meat and has a calm, balanced character.

Mulard duck is perfect for breeding in private farms, as well as for growing in industrial complexes. Adults are significantly larger in body size and weight than their parent forms. Males weigh up to 7 kg, females are slightly smaller: the weight of an adult duck reaches 6.5 kg. Due to their rapid growth, ducklings can already weigh up to 1.5 kg at 2 months, and as much as 4-6 kg at 3-4 months.

Hybrid ducks have a distinctive appearance that makes them difficult to confuse with other domestic ducks. Their plumage, like the Peking birds, is predominantly white. There is a black spot on the head, and some individuals have black markings on the wings and tail.

The Mulards' description is as follows:

• the body is elongated, dense;
• the neck is quite long;
• oval-shaped and medium-sized head;
• dark colored eyes;
• the beak is light yellow in color, elongated, flat;
• the wings are long, fitting well to the body;
• short tail;
• legs yellow-orange, short.

These are general criteria that birds, both drakes and ducks, must meet.

The productivity of this meat hybrid is high. From Mulards you can get not only meat that is less fatty than ordinary ducks (only 3% fat), but also liver, which is used to prepare the famous dish foie gras. To achieve this, drakes, like geese, are fed by force feeding. The liver of Mulards specially fattened in this way can weigh up to 0.5 kg.

The meat of these ducks is also valued because it does not have a characteristic taste or smell, it is nutritious and tender, and is suitable for baby food due to its low fat content. At the same time, the period of economically profitable fattening of Mulard for meat is only 4 months.

Features of keeping mulard ducks

The hybrid form of ducks must be raised in compliance with all requirements . If ignored, it will be difficult to achieve the desired productivity, since the lack of normal conditions will affect the immunity of the livestock.

Mulards are also valued for the high taste of their liver.

Beginning poultry farmers should study in advance all the features of keeping this type of bird in order to avoid significant losses.

Conditions of detention

Hybrids need an insulated room and a spacious area for walking. The required temperature is 15-25 degrees.

The optimal indoor humidity level is 60-70%. During the day, it is recommended to keep the house door open so that the ducks can freely enter if weather conditions worsen and they are tired.

You need to lay a warm straw bedding 10-15 cm high on the floor. This will create comfortable conditions in any weather. The litter needs to be changed regularly, because when it gets dirty, the likelihood of pathogens developing in it increases.

Attention! Hybrids are susceptible to drafts, which negatively affects their health.

Livestock should be housed at the rate of 3 adult flocks per 1 meter of area, for walking - 2 meters per 1 duck. There is no need for special reservoirs for hybrids; it is enough to fill a basin with water where they will bathe. This allows you to get a clean and high-quality pen.

Hybrids are not left for the winter, because their offspring are not needed. To obtain young animals, crossing is carried out annually.

The basis of proper care is the presence of a sufficient number of drinkers and bird feeders. It is important not only to ensure the right amount of food, but also free access. This will allow you to receive food without jostling and without throwing it on the floor.

Primary requirements:

1. Place containers for water and food at the rate of 12 ducks per duck. Their length is for mulards older than 2 months. should be 140-150 cm, width - 23-25 ​​cm. For younger ducklings, the length is 100 cm and width 15 cm. To prevent spillage, a bar must be installed on top of the containers to prevent the beak from being thrown back high.
2. Install deep drinking bowls in free access. Change the water in them regularly as they become dirty. Remove any remaining food from the feeders at night and rinse the containers.
3. It is recommended to whitewash the walls in the poultry house annually with slaked lime for the purpose of disinfection.
4. There is no need to fence the walking area unless there are special circumstances. Mulards belong to the category of calm birds. They do not create conflicts and do not leave their usual habitat on their own.

Features of behavior

According to all farmers without exception, this hybrid is completely problem-free. Although mulard ducks (reviews from owners of homestead farms allow us to judge them as one of the calmest breeds) can fly a little, they do not need to be clipped with their wings, like musk ducks. The weight of this bird is significant. And therefore, in any case, she will not be able to fly over the fence.

Mulards are usually kept using the floor method. These ducks are not left on homestead farms for the winter. They are not capable of producing offspring, and it is not advisable to keep them for fattening for more than three months.

Breeding offspring

To obtain healthy young animals, it is necessary to crossbreed ducks at 10-12 months . For 4 females, 1 drake is needed. A male cannot be kept at the same time as females of his own breed, since he will only cover “his own”.

The most favorable period for crossing is the end of April - beginning of June. If the drake initially ignores the female, then you should not despair. He will cover it after adaptation.

Collect eggs for hatching 2-3 weeks after settling together. The collection lasts 7 days.

An Indian duck should be chosen as a hen. The nest for it is placed in a secluded place, and containers with water and food are placed nearby. It is recommended to place 15-20 eggs under it so that it can completely cover them. On the 30-31st day the chicks will appear.

Raising young animals

On the first day, the ducklings should be given a weak solution of potassium permanganate from a pipette, then fed with crushed boiled eggs. You need to sprinkle it on the backs of the ducklings, which will allow them to develop a grasping reflex. If the ducklings cannot take food on their own, they need help by putting food in each person’s mouth.

Young animals need to be fed three times a day

For the first 20 days, the chicks should be placed under an infrared heating lamp at a distance of 50 cm. Subsequently, turn on additional lighting in the poultry house using a 60 W light bulb per 3 meters of area. Do not turn off the lights at night for up to 2 months, as birds eat and grow better at this time of day.

Temperature for successful rearing of young animals:

Age (days)	Temperature under the lamp (degrees)	In the poultry house (degrees)
from 1 to 3	38-40	24-25
from 4 to 7	29-32	22-23
from 8 to 14	27-29	20-21
from 15 to 21	24-25	18-19
from 22 to 28	20-22	16-17
more than 29	–	15

Walking ducklings is carried out on the 3rd day after birth, if the temperature outside is not lower than 18 degrees.

For the first 7 days, young animals should be fed crushed grain with the addition of eggs. The mixture should be crumbly so that the crop does not become clogged. Starting from the 8th day, the egg should be replaced with boiled potatoes.

New components should be gradually introduced into the feed of young animals in small portions. There must always be water in the drinking bowl, because chicks often get clogged sinuses, and they must rinse them.

Important! From 2 weeks of age, it is important to add crushed duckweed, which will accelerate the development of the chicks and increase immunity.

The basis of nutrition during this period is bran and meat and bone meal: this will strengthen bone tissue. It is worth adding boiled carrots and fodder beets, chopped on a grater. If the young animals have a sagging belly, then vegetables should be temporarily excluded from the diet. Young animals need to be fed three times a day .

Separately place a container with crushed eggshells, shellfish and chalk. If necessary, each duckling will independently take the mineral mixture.

The following should be used as additional additives to the main feed:

• low fat cottage cheese;
• milk;
• yeast (1 g per 1 duckling).

Ducklings 1 month old. should be switched to two feedings a day, and additional complementary food will be grass when walking.

Possible diseases and vaccinations

Hybrids have increased resistance to infections.

But there are several diseases that appear in this breed:

1. Aspergillosis. A fungal disease that develops when maintenance standards are ignored. The cause of infection is moldy food and rotten bedding. Symptoms: lethargy, apathy, vomiting, heavy breathing. In the absence of therapy, paralysis of the limbs develops. For treatment, the cause of the spread should be eliminated, and then 15% copper sulfate should be added to the water and Nystatin to the feed.
2. Partial baldness. The reason is close housing, lack of vitamins and minerals. For treatment, it is necessary to enrich the diet with vitamin A, D and improve living conditions.
3. Cloacite. The pathology is characterized by protrusion of the mucous membrane of the inflamed cloaca. Ulcers and cracks form on the surface. The reason is a lack of vitamins A and D. For treatment, wounds are treated with iodine, and zinc or penicillin ointment is applied on top. The diet should also be enriched with deficient vitamins.
4. Polymorphosis . The cause of the disease is the polymorphus parasite, which affects the small intestine. Symptoms: weight loss, diarrhea, developmental delay. For treatment, Dichlorophene is added to the feed once at a rate of 0.5 mg per 1 kg of mixture. For prevention, a 0.1% solution of copper sulfate is used for drinking twice a week.

When growing hybrids in areas unfavorable for viral hepatitis, vaccination should be carried out. Vaccination is carried out using dry vaccine of the VGNKI strain.

The drug is administered intramuscularly into the thigh area with a dose of 0.5 ml per 1 duckling. Immunity is developed on the 4th day.

When can you cut?

Up to 3 months All nutrition goes towards building muscle mass, so the fat ratio will be minimal. At the age of 70 days, mulards molt, so slaughter should be carried out at 2 or 3 months.

Features of the face

Before slaughter, poultry should be prepared in advance. This will help simplify subsequent processing of the carcass.

Main stages of preparation:

• put the mulards on a starvation diet 10-12 hours before the procedure;
• place the birds in a separate room and leave the lighting on, which will help to empty the intestines.

In the morning you can start slaughtering.

Sequence of actions when performing the procedure:

1. Tie the paws and hang them upside down.
2. Press the wings to the back.
3. Pull back the neck and cut the carotid artery, while holding the knife at an angle to the neck.
4. Leave the carcass hanging for 15 minutes.
5. After the time has passed, remove, cut and remove the giblets.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

The main disadvantage of this breed is the inability to produce offspring. But this drawback cannot outweigh its advantages.

Advantages of mulards:

• excellent meat yield:
• low maintenance requirements;
• high taste qualities of liver and meat;
• rapid weight gain;
• high level of profit.

This hybrid is suitable for personal gardening and professional cultivation. The popularity of this type of poultry is growing every year.

It should be taken into account that the cost of young Mulards is higher than ducklings of other breeds.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
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Advantages of the breed

Muscovy ducks are valued by farmers primarily for their cleanliness and relatively calm disposition. The meat of this breed of bird is tasty and completely lean. However, Muscovy ducks have one rather serious drawback: they gain weight very slowly. The Pekingese breed is well known to all homestead owners. It is this duck that is bred in most cases in villages and suburban areas. The main advantage of this breed is its rapid weight gain. However, all farmers without exception consider Peking ducks to be extremely unclean and too noisy. In addition, their meat, in the opinion of the overwhelming majority of poultry house owners, is too fatty.