Duck Farming in Kenya Duck farming in Kenya is very popular and a lucrative business. Incidentally, all hen of the world comes from red w...
Duck farming in Kenya is very popular and a lucrative business. Incidentally, all hen of the world comes from red wild hen, which scientific name is garaus banbinda. Everyone knows that duck is an aquatic organism. Duck without water and pond without fish are considered as same.
But it is wrong. You can not imagine pond without water, but duck can be raised without water. Thousands of ducks can be raised without water by keeping them in house like chickens and other poultry birds. But, keep in mind that in this system the ducks will lays unfertilized egg. It is not possible to hatch and produce baby ducks from this egg. If you want fertilize egg, male ducks and water is essential. As ducks can raised easily without water, they need water only for reproduction or mating purposes.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Peculiarity of Ducks
The body of the ducks are covered with oily feather so that water can’t touch its body easily. It has a layer of fat under its skin which helps it not to get wet. For this reason if the ducks spend a couple of hours in water its body do not get wet. Another peculiarity of duck is its leg. Three fingers of its leg is covered with thin skin, which is called ‘web’. It works as the paddle of boat.
Finger ends in nail. Some species of ducks use this nail for defense purpose. Generally the lip of the ducks are red or orange colored and very strong. With this lip they can eat moss, insects, fish egg, hard snail etc. They send all to the stomach which they found between their lip. It also used to defend to enemies. Hen lays egg all over the day.
But ducks start laying from night to morning. For this reason, farmers don’t release their ducks before 9 am. If you observe ducks very closely, you will find that they are very clever and intelligent. You can spent your leisure time easily by watching their activities.
Ducks generally eat almost all types of food they find. They also can be feed like chicken. But some extra element should added in the duck feed. As some ducks lays more eggs than hen, so ducks are now being keeping in a scientific way. And nutritious feed should given according to the duck breeds and their growth rate. For domestic farming, ducks can be feed rich dust, household garbage and a plenty of snail. Keep in mind that, ducks eat a lot of food daily. So, they should feed well if you want proper egg and meat production.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Market of Eggs and Meat
There is no anxiety about the market of ducks egg and meat. People all over the world like ducks egg and meat from the ancient time. People like ducks eggs and meat most than hen. Ducks eggs are likely big than hen. But ducks meat is less popular than its egg. However, there is no tension about the marketing of ducks eggs and meat.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Duck Breeds
There are many types of duck breeds.
- Meat productive duck breeds
- Egg productive duck breeds
Famous for both meat and egg production.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Famous for Meat
There are many breeds of ducks famous for meat production. Peking, Ayleshbari, Maskovi, Ruel Kagua and the Swiden ducks are most popular for meat production. The male ducks famous for meat production weights about 5 kg and female weights about 4 kg.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Famous for Egg
Indian Runner is a breed famous for laying eggs. There are three types of Indian runner. White, greyish and like pencil over the back. Khaki campbell is also very highly egg productive duck breed.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Famous for Both Meat and Egg
Khaki campbell ducks are of this species. They comes from Indian Runner and Ruel Kagua. First one is famous for laying egg and the second one is for meat. Its color is khaki or brown ash.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Housing
The main advantages of duck farming is its accommodation. Housing of duck is not difficult like dairy or cattle housing. It can be keep in low, high, wet, dry and any other place. Ducks like watery and wet place to live. It can be raised by using a big basket of fruit, wood-speech or oil drum putting in a suitable place.
Wherever you keep the ducks the door of the house must have to be higher. Because they enter house raising their head high. Other thing should keep in mind to maintain the sufficient follows of air in the house. It should well ventilated. 2-3 square feet of space is required per duck. You have to be sure about the safety of ducks.
They should keep free from all enemies/predators, especially from fox and dog. If you want to keep them like chickens in a concrete floored house, then you have to make a deep liter inside the house. It would be better if the liter depth between 5-6 inches. In this system the egg of ducks will not affect.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Breeding Process
For reproduction of ducks water is a must. Without water they do not inspired in mating. One male duck is sufficient for mating 10 female ducks. High quality duck breeds start laying eggs at the age of five months. Each egg weights about 50 to 60 grams.
You can use hen to hatch the egg instead of duck. Do not keep the newly born baby ducks in water at the first week of their birth. Because by keeping the baby in water they can caught by cold. It takes 28 days to hatch and produce baby ducks from egg. During the hatching period of eggs the eggs should be sprinkle with water occasionally, two or three times per week. Electronic or diesel incubator can be used to hatch the egg. But many farmer prefer hen than incubator to hatch the eggs.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Storage of Eggs
Eggs can be kept in various ways from being rotten. It can be kept in refrigerator, mixing with lime water or pyraphine. Actinium glass water can be used to store eggs.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Sex Determination
It is not so difficult to determine the sex of newly born baby ducks. Raise up the tail of the baby ducks and press on its ass, if there is a penis like thorn it will be male and if not it will definitely a female duck. The easiest way to determine male is the feather of tail of male ducks are curled up.
Duck Farming in Kenya – Selling Eggs
Before sending the eggs to the market you have to wash out the dirt of eggs shell well. Don’t wash the eggs with water. Eggs should clean with knife, soiled paper or towel. Eggs basket or carton is very popular for caring. Each cartoon contains at least 30 eggs. You can also use bamboo basket, wooden box and other thing to transport eggs to market. A deep layer of hay or rice dust should make before using those methods.
However, to be success in duck farming you have to be more careful on taking care of ducks, feed management, accommodation, brooding and marketing. If all are well managed then you can make a handsome income from duck farming. You also have to be conscious about the disease of ducks and its preventing methods.
