Home duck and its types

Ducks along with chickens, geese and turkeys are a popular poultry. They are bred in private household farms and large farms. These birds are quite favorable for breeding, because, in addition to eggs and tasty meat, they are a source of valuable feathers, and fat. However, what you will get in the greatest quantity depends on the breed of the bird. Like other domestic birds, according to the productivity of isolated egg, meat and mixed species of ducks (taken from Http://klyv.ru/utki/vid-i-poroda/).

Homemade duck and wild

All home our ducks originate mainly from one species of wild relatives – mallards. Like wild birds, domestic short webbed feet, a relatively small head, elongated torso, short neck. They all belong to a single group of waterfowl. In nature, wild ducks live near fresh bodies of water or on the seas, and settle in swampy areas. As wild relatives, domestic ducks also prefer to eat vegetable food and small underwater creatures (shells, mollusks, fishes).

Classification types

So, as we have said, all the breeds of domestic ducks are divided into three main types according to the type of productivity. Consider the basic indicators of each of them:

• Meat – the most popular type of ducks, which is characterized by high fertility and precocity. They have a large body mass (up to 2.5 kg in two months), and females able to produce up to 50 ducklings every year. With good nutrition and necessary conditions for the offspring are fast gaining weight and ready for slaughter at the age of 2-2,5 months. This group includes such breeds as white Moscow, Rouen, gray Ukrainian, Beijing, black black.
• Egg – breeds of ducks that have a low mass, but with high egg production. However, these birds are the least in demand, as though their productivity is not inferior to chickens, but in content they are not profitable. But these ducks are very mobile and often have a beautiful appearance. The most unusual and quite popular are the Indian runners.
• Masaichi – this versatile breed, which won the most popular among private owners. Home duck this species has an average size and is characterized by oviparous both good performance and excellent meat. As meat breeds, they also gain weight quickly, but unpretentious in food and care. These include mirror ducks and khaki Campbell.

Who are the musks, or Muscovy ducks?

Another type of domestic ducks, which every year is becoming more and more popular. This type is somewhat private, as not derived from mallards. Their ancestors are the wild birds of South America and Mexico. By the way, there still exist wild populations of musk ducks. From other domestic breeds, they are more diet lean meat, as well as more versatility in the content.

Musks do not require the presence of a pond on the property, they are quiet and have a calm disposition.