Top 5 breeds of duck with a tuft and their description, pros and cons and breeding rules
All breeds of the ornamental tufted duck originated from the Chinese crested variety. The productivity of these birds is relatively low, but the decorativeness and originality of their appearance make it possible to use them as a living decoration of park and backyard ponds and lakes. Crested breeds are not capricious in nutrition and maintenance, even inexperienced people are engaged in poultry farming.
History
It is impossible to find out exactly how the tuft duck appeared. Presumably, a Chinese crested beetle was crossed with a wild drake. The resulting crested birds were brought to Europe from the southeast of Asia by the Dutch three centuries ago. Western European painters of the 17-18 centuries often depicted game with tufts in landscapes and still lifes. Gradually, the crested duck spread throughout Europe. Today there are many domestic breeds with a tuft adorning the head. There is also the wild black corydalis.
General description and characteristics
Each crested breed looks different, but there are external features that unite birds into one category:
- medium-sized, but strong and sinewy body;
- drake weight - up to 3 kg, female - 2 kg;
- elongated, moderately broad back;
- rounded, slightly convex chest;
- elongated, narrowed, flattened beak;
- the neck is of medium length, slightly curved forward;
- slightly developed legs and wings;
- tough, densely spaced feathers;
- a crest on the crown of the head, consisting of long and thin feathers, sticking out as a cap;
- variety of colors determined by parental genes;
- active, non-aggressive behavior.
The saturation of the beak and limbs depends on the color. With a dark color, the beak and paws are faded. Light-colored birds walk with an orange beak. In each brood, a fifth of ducklings are without a tuft, because the gene for a crested head is cumulative, that is, it is lost if one parent does not have the specified trait.
The productivity of the breeds is low. A duck is laid from 5 months of age, producing 50-60 eggs per year. One egg weighs no more than 80 g. In some individuals, increased egg production, they are capable of producing up to 100-120 eggs.
Varieties of ducks with a tuft
Despite its not impressive productivity, the tufted duck is in demand among breeders; it is sold as an ornamental species. The most popular are Russian, Ukrainian, Bashkir breeds.
Russian
The duck of the domestic breed is distinguished by a harmonious physique, muscular, but not massive. The head is ovoid, the neck is curved. The limbs are strong, thick, covered with feathers up to the fins. The belly is round. The wings are small, fit tightly on the body, crosswise superimposed on each other with flight feathers. The eyes are brown, the paws are light orange, the color is white or variegated. A fluffy hat on the head is a couple of tones lighter than the main color.
Bashkir
The miniature breed is distinguished by high productive qualities, a variegated color, which is dominated by bluish-gray, black and brown shades. On the head is a large and dense tuft, reminiscent of a pom-pom from a hat. Strong and well-developed wings are decorated with a pattern. The physique, though compact, is strong. The musculature is developed, the chest stands out noticeably forward.
Ukrainian
The crested duck was bred in Ukraine by crossing common domestic and wild gray. The result is a pearl-gray bird with a large physique. The body is covered with brown specks. The short white neck is transversely decorated with a dark stripe. The Ukrainian duck is active, mobile, so it does not gain fat, but muscle mass.
Chinese
Also called the crested sheath. The Chinese have bred it for a long time, today a duck with a tuft is rare, it is included in the Red Book. In terms of external characteristics and way of existence, it is a cross between a domestic and a wild duck. The back is brown, the neck and belly are white, the chest is black with a green tint.
Crested duck
This is a tufted mallard duck that lives in the British Isles, in the northeastern regions of Europe, in the North of the Urals, in Western Siberia, the Volga region, in the Far East. Due to its interesting color, the Corydalis is popular with breeders of decorative waterfowl.
The drake is larger than the female, its head, back and tail are black, and the chest and belly are white. The crest does not look like a hat, but like a long tassel, reaching 4 cm in the male and 2.5 cm in the female. The limbs are black, the iris of the eyes is yellow. The female is brown, with a white breast and a gray beak.
Advantages and disadvantages
Subtleties of maintenance and care
It is possible to keep the crested duck in spacious cages, but poultry houses with walking pens and ponds are preferable. Birds do not feel well in crowded housing. 1 m2 the house should have less than 4 birds. If the livestock includes at least 15 individuals, then it is recommended to divide it into groups, for each to make a separate spacious block.
The poultry house should be well-lit, clean, ventilated. Since the end of autumn, artificial light sources have been installed. The optimum air humidity is 60-70%, summer temperature is 18-20 ° C, winter temperature should not fall below +5 ° C.
The crested duck can survive without swimming. But still, in the absence of a natural reservoir, it is worth putting a pool or a voluminous basin with water near the poultry house so that the birds splash around. The bedding in the poultry house is made from straw, sawdust, a mixture of these materials. Replaced with fresh regularly. The feeders are installed so that each individual has at least 15 cm in length.
Diet
Domestic duck with a tuft is not capricious in nutrition, willingly consumes any food offered by the owner. The diet should be varied, based on grains and herbs. The birds are given food once a day.
It is recommended to include in the diet:
- juicy and dried herbs;
- whole grain and crushed grain;
- cereal seedlings;
- silage;
- boiled root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips);
- wet mash;
- compound feed for poultry;
- vegetable peelings;
- chalk, shell rock.
To strengthen the body, ducklings are given cottage cheese and whey mash. During the walk, the duck finds a significant part of the feed itself, which makes it economical to keep. Swimming in the reservoir, birds get algae, plankton, insects.
Breeding rules
A duck with a tuft reproduces both naturally and by hatching. In the first case, it shows the maternal instinct well, does not leave eggs and brood ahead of time. Ducklings hatch strong, developed, begin to feed immediately after drying. Growing fast. But in winter, growth slows down even with increased feeding. To preserve the breed characteristics of chicks without a tuft are discarded.
