How To Raise DUCKS - Simple Tips To Help You In Keeping Ducks Whatever Your Reason Is

(Cairina moschata) with wings outstretched (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Raising ducks has become more popular. Ducks can bring interest and variety to your life. Ducks can be a good source of income too. People raise them for meat or for eggs. Whatever your reasons, this guide will help you learn how to raise ducks.

The first thing to consider is your duck breed. Peking ducks are the most popular. People often visualize this white duck as the stereotype whenever they plan on raising ducks. However, there are other duck breeds that you can prefer. Another breed, the Rouen duck breed is also popular. The Muscovy duck is a good choice for pasture. Ornamental duck breeds like Wood Ducks and Mandarin Ducks are also good choices. You can always check a good guide on how to raise ducks whenever you encounter any issues.

Incubating and brooding your own duck eggs and ducklings can be considered as a start. People often use a broody chicken to hatch their duck eggs while others use incubators; the choice is yours. If you prefer artificial incubation, you may use incubators that does not require manual turning of eggs. You can choose hens if you choose to use chicken incubation as they make excellent mothers. A good choice is the Silkie breed.

Duck eggs may take about 28-30 days to hatch. They hatch longer than chickens. Other breeds like the Muscovy duck, may take up to 35 days before the eggs begin hatching.

Another important aspect on how to raise ducks is brooding. As soon as the ducklings hatch, they should be placed in a brooder. If you are using the chicken brooding method, however, the hen will do the job. Put a soft litter and make sure that the duck brooder is clean and dry. You can use wood shavings or corncob for your litter. Put a 250-watt lamp to ensure that your ducklings are getting adequate heat. About 90 degrees Fahrenheit temperature should be maintained; it should be decreased by 5 degrees on the succeeding weeks.

Chick feeds can be used as an alternative when feeding your ducklings. They are high in protein and will aid the growth of your ducks. Once they grow, you can use grower feeds for chicken. You can use an ordinary poultry waterer for their water. But make sure that the ducklings can dip their entire head and beak into it. Ducks need plenty of fresh, clean water just like any other waterfowls.

Ponds and pools are not often necessary but make sure that you put a place to keep their heads wet. If you are using a chicken coop to raise your ducks, make sure that there is plenty of space for them to roam. Brooding ducklings need about a half of a square foot. This should be doubled as they grow older.

Now you know how to raise ducks. Raising ducks can be hard but is very rewarding.

By Mary Louise - Article Source: EzineArticles

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A Duck For a Pet, in the House, Wears Diapers - Yes!

(Cairina moschata) with wings outstretched (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is surprising to hear and not many people have heard of this but; yes there are ducks that live in human homes. It is very rare but, seems to be occurring more often these days. Ducks are becoming domesticated in several areas of the country. Believe it or not, Ducks make great pets.

There is a lot involved in the care of having a Duck for a Pet. There is also a lot of learning to be done. Most families receive their ducks for Easter as gifts. Then families have no idea what to do with their duck. Families start to realize that their new duck is not around her/his mom and other ducklings that they need to grow and survive. Right after Easter, many families (if they care) have to start researching about Duck Care. Most families decide to give away their precious duck after they get them and bond with them. It is important for families to know that, within a few days of having their duck he/she has already "imprinted" with them. The family becomes his/her pack. What most families should do is learn how to care for this precious Duck without the neglect of leaving her outside, in a pen all day, and with no attention. This duck they have will need the love, affection, care, and attention that our other pets in their family always receive.

Nowadays, most duck owners start with the internet. The search can be started by searching for information on house training a duck, duck diapers, what to feed a duck, duck as pets, and much more. Pet Duck Care and Duck Diapers are easy to find in the search engines. More people are raising Ducks for Pets. But, some advice to be taken; there are all sorts of different opinions and advice for Domestic Duck and Goose Care. Pet duck owners will have to do some studying of on the different duck care sites and services that are now easier to find on the internet.

In the beginning, it will be very hard to care for this Duck. You see, ducks are very clean creatures in one way but, very messy in another. The messy part of a duck is the "Poop". It will be all over if you do not control it. If you are thinking of a way to "litter train" your duck...that will Never happen. The only thing that will control the duck poop is "The Miracle Duck Diapers". What a lifesaver and difference they will make. The diapers will allow your duck baby to be in the house anytime that he/she has the harness and diaper on. There are also Duck Outfits that are adorable and fun to sports ducks around in.

Not only will the new duck love being in the house with you but, he/she will just love to be in the duck bath more. Do not let them have baths for a few weeks though. They can get very ill and die is they are put into a cold bath within the first few weeks of their lives. They can also drown. The favorite thing for most ducks is bath time, rather it is by sprinkler, hose, or a special bath. They love outside kiddie pools so much and will literally swim, splash, and have a great time. Most ducks love to be out in the yard, graze the grass, and eat bugs. Their favorite bugs are mealworms. You can even raise your own mealworms. There are instructions for that on YouTube. Mealworms are getting pretty costly. If you raise them, not only will it be more economical, but there will also be more of an abundance of the worms.

If you do have or get a duck, it is important to know Exactly what their most favorite thing to do is. Their most favorite thing in the entire world is To Be With You or their Family. If you raise your duck from a little bitty baby, they "imprint" on you. You and the family become their "pack". If you put your "imprinted" duck with other ducks...your duck will not know what to do. Many people get and give ducks for Easter Gifts. Then they keep them until they are tired of them and then they dump them off where other ducks live. Big mistake! Those folks are setting their duck up for Death. A "Human Imprinted Duck" does not know how to survive with other ducks. Other ducks will not accept her/him either, and the "human imprinted duck" will not survive. Most often getting or giving a Duck for Easter is a Big Mistake. If you get or give a Duck for Easter, then you better be Serious about having one.

Did you know that Ducks have a lifespan of 20 years? It is true. It all depends on the care that they receive and the ailments that they endure.

If you are one who does have a duck or is serious about getting one, then you are more then likely looking for the right care. Experienced advice is to trust The "Gooses Mother and Father" site. You will be able to learn: the proper feeding for a duck, training, how to maintain good health for your duck, how to treat ailments or infections, and much, much more.

Just learn all that you can and the journey with your duck will be a great and a rewarding success.

By Kami Snoeberger - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Raising Chicks before CHICKENS

This is a photograph of three chicks hatching in an incubator.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are two types of chicks to raise: the ones you practically took care of from the moment they were hatched and the ones that you bought from hatcheries which are already taken care of and just needs further nourishing. Basing from the two choices, there are also two ways of properly raising the chicks before becoming the perfect chickens.

Chicks hatched from your own poultry’s eggs basically need 4 things: comfort, warmth, food and water. Comfort can be based on your own personal touch and how you hold the chicks. Warmth is taken from the mother or if you plan to separate the chicks on an early stage, an incubator or what others call as a heat lamp is essential. Usually, the incubator is composed of two or three light bulbs depending on the number of chicks that have hatched.

The very first thing to do is fix the place where you will put your hatchlings – the brooder. It must have a temperature that is neither too cold nor too hot. Either of the two extremes will contribute severe negative conditions to the chicks. Your incubator must have a temperature that’s 90-95 degrees. If you have settled with the 95-degree heat, maintain it until the end of the first week. Your temperature must decrease every week by 5 degrees until you reach the 6th week.

The floor of your chick’s pad must be made of cardboard or piles of old newspapers. This can be used as an insulator for keeping the temperature in the room in proper condition.

Have the drinking station of your chicks always cleaned? Aside from that, the proper way of refreshing your chicks is to give them boiled water. Something as little as these creatures are too vulnerable to germs. Their baby immune systems aren’t that mature to fight away bacteria and harmful microorganisms that may invade their body. Better safe than sorry. Grain coffee is also an alternative but will cost you. You have to make sure that what you give them is not that hot to handle.

To serve their drink, pour the contents in a jug, turn it upside down standing on a dish. The leak coming from the inverted jug is sufficient enough to accommodate their need for nourishment.

Chicks are a little particular with their food. They don’t eat anything “old”. They want their food dripping with freshness. Initially, you could give them milled oats. You could include bits of boiled eggs into the milled oats. If you think to give them that is a bit too mushy, you are welcome to go to feed stores for poultry raising. Some who are fond of feeding anything to their chicks have this intuition to feed them bread. Which is totally wrong. Because feeding them bread is a sin. This can kill them.

You could also include lettuce cuts into the diet. Squeamish or not, you have to provide their favorite menu – bugs and grubs. They eat these little wiggly things and gobble them up so fast.

Just don’t make any mistake of giving these to newly hatched chicks.

You have to be very particular of the space that you have provided for the young ones. Cramping must be avoided. This might result in trampling and worse, cannibalism. Chicks grow quickly. That’s why you have to ensure that their room is big enough for their proper accommodation.

Do replace the cardboard or the newspaper placed under their pad every time you notice it’s soiled. Even you wouldn’t like the idea of sleeping in your own feces.

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Different Types of DUCKS - What You Need to Know Before You Start to RAISING DUCKS

Cairina moschata or Muscovy duck with ducklings.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Raising ducks do not need to be hard if you know your reason. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than the swans and geese, and may be found in both freshwater and seawater. Some people use "duck" specifically for adult females and "drake" for adult males, others use "hen" and "drake", respectively. Somehow, they are sometimes confused with several types of unrelated water birds with similar forms, such as loons or divers, grebes, gallinules, and coots. Ducks are generally raised for eggs but when snail food gets scarce, they are sold for meat.

Before you start raising ducks, here are the different types for you to consider:

Egg - Type Ducks

1) Khaki Cambell Duck

Khaki Campbell ducks have characteristics brown color, have extremely active habits, do well in good range and show little desire for swimming. These ducks are good layers, they lay as many as 300 or more eggs a year which are fairly large, thick-shelled and weigh 70 to 75 grams each. The body weight at the point of lay is about 1.50kg. On the average, this duck could lay 285 eggs up to 72 weeks of age, with a mean egg weight of 75kg. This duck can be distinguished by their pure white feathers. Their eggs are either white or greenish.

2) Indian Runner

The Indian Runner Duck is a breed of domestic duck. They are native to the Indian-sub-continent and Malaysia. The breed, it is thought, was first brought to Europe via Whitehaven, Cumbria in the United Kingdom, by a sea captain prior to 1835, as they were exhibited at the London Zoological Gardens by this date.

This duck assumes a very erect normal posture with is the almost straight neck. The back is long, straight and narrow. An adult weighs about 2.10kg, while an adult weighs about 1.80kg. The egg production characteristics of this breed resemble that of the Khaki Campbell.

3) Tsaiya

This breed was developed in Taiwan. The original color ranges from black neck to pure white. Due to farmers preference, the brown breed was selected and raised as a major variety, while the white variety was developed for the production of mule ducks. Tsaiya ducks have small body size. An adult female weighs about 1.30kg, while the male weighs about 1.40kg.

Meat - Type Ducks

1) Muscovy Duck

The Muscovy Duck is a large duck which is native to Mexico and Central and South America. Muscovy is a heavy breed. It has a plump body and yellow skin. It has three varieties: the white, the colored and the blue. Unlike other breeds, Muscovy ducks prefer to stay on land.

All Muscovy Ducks have long claws on their feet and a wide flat tail. The drake (male) is about 86 cm long and weighs 4.6-6.8 kg, while the hen (female) is much smaller, at 64 cm in length and 2.7-3.6 kg in weight; domesticated males often weigh up to 8 kg, and domesticated females up to 5 kg.

2) Pekin Duck

Pekin duck was bred from the Mallard in China. The ancestors of those ducks originated from the canals which linked waterways in Nanjing, not Beijing, and originally had small bodies and black feathers. Sometimes it is mistaken for a goose because it carries its body rather upright. Pekin ducks are good layers, and duckling is ready for market at 2 or 3 months old.

By Mary Louise - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Frequency Needed To Clean The COOP

Chicken coop and run by Oakdene Coops (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While chickens may be "simple" animals, they still like to feel comfortable and part of that comfort involves keeping your chicken coop clean. A tidy house for your fowl will not only make for happier, more productive chickens but will help fight against the disease, flies, and vermin. Chicken can be messy so how often you have to clean the coop depends on how fussy your chickens are.

It's a good idea to keep an eye on the coop as often as possible. At the very least, you should check on the condition of the housing every day. This doesn't mean cleaning on a daily basis but make sure your chickens are well fed and hydrated. Most chickens poop during the evening so you should clean this out each morning. The nice thing is you can recycle chicken poop by adding it to the soil to help provide nutrients for growing vegetables.

Each week you may be required to change the bedding of the nesting boxes. Recycling old bedding is convenient and efficient and is encouraged. The watering devices to keep your chickens hydrated should be cleaned at least once per month to ensure safety and combat potential illness and spread of disease.

At least twice per year, you should do a full coop clean out. Replacing the topsoil with fresh soil after cleaning the poop and any built-up dirt will make your chickens happier. Scrub down all doors and windows and keep the overall area nice and clean.

The main thing to remember is that by keeping a clean coop, you not only provide a safer, healthier environment for your chickens but they'll be happier and more productive in the process.

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CHICKEN BANTAM - Smallest and Most Fun Chicken?

Silkie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chickens come in a variety of sizes. The average sized chicken found in most breeds, the huge chicken that can probably feed a home for two days, and then there's the small chicken bantam.

Bantams are naturally small. You can compare them to other small chickens in size, but these guys are special because they don't come any bigger. Bantam chickens will only get as big as twenty-two ounces.

So what's the big thing about these bantam chickens? They don't make for very good meat providers, and even if they produce a lot of eggs, the eggs are probably puny - not even enough to satisfy one person. What good are they?

Chicken bantams make for decent pets

Here's the thing; Bantams are small. Their small size and elaborate plumage put them in pretty much the same level as other pets. They strut around and look good without really doing anything, and people love them because they're cute.

Bantams are also good-natured creatures, which makes them safe for the kids.

Let's talk a little more on the plumage. Bantams usually do have really elaborate plumage. Sometimes, the feathers are so exquisite that bantams have become champions in chicken breeding competitions time and again.

Take the bantam breed called the Sultan. This chicken doesn't look at all like a chicken, thanks to the poofy pompadour head of hair it has that hides its wattle and comb. This little guy is the Elvis Presley of chickens, bantam or not.

Another curious chicken bantam breed is the Silkie. This bird has the curious distinction of looking like a cloud of cotton, having five toes (as opposed to the standard four), and black flesh with blue skin. It is a very docile animal that despite the sparse amount of meat it offers, is considered a gourmet delicacy in mainland China.

Bottom line is that bantam chickens may be small creatures, but these little guys have some of the most interesting breeds in the chicken kingdom. People who aren't interested in keeping chickens as livestock might be wise to consider getting a bantam instead. Or if you're a beginner who's just after the experience, bantams are easy to take care of.

By Chad B. Chad B. is an advocate for backyard chicken care and has been involved in raising chickens since he was a little boy back in 1986. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Essential Tips To Building A CHICKEN COOP From Blueprints

Chicken coop and run by Oakdene Coops (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you've decided to build your chicken coop based off of a set of plans or blueprints, the three essentials you can't ignore prior to building are: creating an open and comfortable area for the chickens, providing a safe pen to house the chickens, and making sure there is plenty of light. The more comfortable your chickens, the happier, healthier, and more productive they'll be.

You'll want your chicken coop to also provide plenty of ventilation by allowing air to flow freely. Chicken poop and heat can make for an uncomfortable environment which may upset the flock. Hot days can also cause discomfort so you want to provide chickens with a means to cool down therefore shady areas are also essential. During the colder winter months, you also want the chickens to be able to warm up and remain comfortable.

Chickens, like most birds, love to perch. Look for plans that include some sort of perching areas. By providing designated perches, chickens will be less likely to perch in areas you want to keep them away from such as water and food locations. Chickens often poop wherever they're perched so you don't want perches anywhere near areas that should remain clean and disease free.

Nest boxes are also a must-have. You want your chickens to be able to find their spot to lay eggs comfortably and nests are perfect for this. They don't have to be fancy nests as you'll need to keep them clean on a regular basis but a designated area or box is ideal.

So, by understanding the basic essentials of what makes for a good chicken coop, you'll be in a better position to choose a well-designed blueprint. It doesn't have to be fancy as your chickens won't pass judgement on your tastes but your coop should provide all the comforts that make chickens relaxed, comfortable, safe, and secure.

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CHICKEN BREEDS - The Araucana Chicken

Aracuana Rooster (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The Araucana was initially developed in South America, specifically in Chile in the early 1900s by a professor of animal science. The Breed was developed from birds kept by a native Chilean tribe, the Mapuche. Later in the 1930s, the Araucana was introduced to the United Kingdom. The unique traits of the Araucana chicken come from cross breeding of the Collonca, a small single comb bird which lacks a tail and lays blue eggs, and a Quetero, which has a flowering tail, a pea comb and lays brown eggs.

When crossed with other breeds the Araucana offspring will lay blue eggs, this is where the development or the Ameraucana came from as the Araucana have a genetically lethal allele combination that results in the death of some chicks. The aim of developing the Ameraucana was to standardise the laying of a blue egg laying breed and to remove the genetic flaw.

Araucana Chicken Breed Facts

Class

Standard, All Other Standard Breeds.

Bantam, All Other Combs, Clean Legged.

Size

Standard Cock: 5 lb. (2.25 kg)

Standard Hen: 4 lb. (1.8 kg)

Bantam Cock: 26 oz. (740 g)

Bantam Hen: 24 oz. (680 g)

Comb, Wattles & Earlobes

Small pea comb; wattles are very small or absent; earlobes are very small and smooth and covered by an ear tuft. All are bright red.

Tail

Entirely absent; saddle feathers flow over the rump.

Colour

Black. Black beak, shanks, and toes; brown eyes; standard black plumage.

Black-Breast Red. Hornbeak; reddish bay eyes; greyish yellow shanks and toes. Male: Head, hackle, and saddle are reddish chestnut changing to gold at lower extremities. Front of neck and breast are lustrous black. Tail and wings are black with reddish bay highlights. Under colour is slate. Female: Head and hackle are reddish chestnuts against a cinnamon brown body. Tails and wings have some black. Under colour is slate to light cinnamon.

Blue. Standard blue plumage

Buff. Standard buff plumage.

Golden Duckwing. Hornbeak; red eyes; willow shanks and toes. Standard golden duckwing plumage.

Silver. Standard silver plumage.

Silver Duckwing. Hornbeak; red eyes; willow shanks and toes. Standard silver duckwing plumage.

White. Yellow beak, shanks, and toes; red eyes. Standard white plumage.

Place of Origin

Chile

Conservation Status

Study

Special Qualities

Lays blue to bluish green eggs. Has a lethal allele combination; some chicks die during incubation.

The Araucana was first admitted to the American Poultry Association (APA) in 1976.

By Kor Rassad - Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Benefits of OSTRICH FARMING

Ostriches (Struthio camelus) on a farm in New Zealand's Waikato region.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever seen an ostrich? Do you know that ostriches are the largest birds in the world? Yes, ostriches are birds but they have lost their ability to fly. Ostriches are long necked, long legged, giant birds. I'll bet you didn't know that ostriches can run up to 40 miles per hour and live for over 50 years.

For many different reasons, ostrich farming is spread all over the world. The first reason and the most prominent is that ostriches have very healthy meat. Ostrich meat is low fat, low cholesterol, and even low calorie. Ostrich meat is a healthier choice than beef or chicken. That is why many people choose ostrich meat for their diets.

The ostrich feathers are very beautiful. That is why they are desired from many of us. The ostrich's leather is even more desirable. Only the ostrich farming produces this leather. Ostrich's leather is soft but strong and it very famous with its distinctive quill patterns. The greater parts of ostrich farming profits come from ostrich's leather sales.

Ostrich farming is very lucrative because ostrich feathers and ostrich oil are much-desired products. In order to produce them, however, many ostriches are needed. That is why often ostrich farming does not focus on production of ostrich feather and oil. Too many livestock is necessary for the ostriches to complete even one order.

Ostrich farming is probably more moneymaking business than farming cattle. Ostriches are very fertile. They can produce more than 40 young animals per year. Bird's gestation period is about 42 days. Ostriches can be bred for over 30 years. You can calculate how many young ostriches ostrich farming can produce per year.

Ostriches are usually bred in pairs, in trios or in colonies. The male ostrich is able to serve to two or three females. The female ostriches lay the eggs but they often take breaks before they continue lying.

Nowadays it is very popular to talk about environmentally friendly ostrich farming. This type of ostrich farming gains more and more speed lately. Environmentally friendly ostrich farming means that farmers use a method of breeding that is environmentally friendly. Ostriches are given no steroids, antibiotics, or hormones. Animals are not forced to eat against their will. They are left to roam freely and to eat natural food.

However, birds in ostrich farming are still slaughtered and sold for profit.

Ostrich farming encounters some problems. The first one is that birds are often fed poorly and improperly. Ostrich farming does not take enough care of the birds. Many farmers experience problems with selling their products, as marketing is a problem for them.

Ostrich farming is a really wonderful alternative to cattle farming. Ostriches are beautiful birds if you enjoy watching them. Ostrich farming is an enchanting and profitable industry.

By Morgan Hamilton - Article Source: EzineArticles

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RUBBER DUCKS :-)

Three rubber ducks in foam bath (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some types of toys out there just seem to be a natural part of our culture. Most of us can remember bathing as a child with a yellow rubber duck. We also offer them for our own children. They offer plenty of entertainment and amusement in the bathtub while you are washing your child. In many instances, it will encourage them to actually get in there and to take a bath.

The earlier forms of rubber ducks were made from real rubber but today mostly synthetic materials are used. If you read the label you will likely find they are made of vinyl plastic. Of course, they are still called rubber ducks as we are just used to that. They also look the same as they once did. You will find rubber ducks in various sizes and even some different colors than yellow. You can even get a mother duck with several babies so your child will have a whole set to enjoy while bathing.

There are some rubber ducks that don’t make any sounds but the majority of them make a squeaking sound when you squeeze them. It doesn’t’ t really sound like a real duck but it is a fairly similar sound nonetheless. Some of them will even squirt water out of the mouth when they get squeezed. Children love these types of activities while they are playing in the water. In fact, they may come to view bath time as play time if they have some rubber ducks to play with.

You will find that some companies have started to release rubber ducks with different features. They may be dressed as various characters instead of just a plain old duck. Some of them are decorative for the different holidays while others are dressed as pirates, princesses, and other great images that children seem to take to very well.

Rubber ducks are very inexpensive and you can find them at many retail stores. Some people search for them in the toy aisle but they won’t usually be found there. Instead look at the bubble bath for children and you will likely find them. If your child is with you let them pick out a couple they really like. 

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The Several Different Breeds of BANTAM CHICKENS

A bantam rooster (breed unknown)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To better understand the numerous types and kinds of bantam chickens, we need to understand the actual definition of the word. When used in relation to fowl or chickens, Bantam is used for any extremely small fowl. The way most people have understood this rating is my understanding that for most of the regular breeds of chickens there are some bantam counterparts. These are most often one-fourth to one-fifth the size of the standard chickens, thus earning them the addition of miniature or bantam to their original name.

When taking into consideration the original namesake of bantam, this chicken or fowl has no standard counterpart. The most popular and commonly known bantam chickens are the Dutch bantam, the Sebright bantam, the Japanese bantam and the Dutch bantam. Due in part to their size and ease of care, bantams have rapidly risen to the top of the list as pets used primarily for shows or competitions. Because of their size, they require far less food, space, and maintenance resulting in their previously mentioned status as preferred pets.

Some of the most widely known breeds of bantam chickens are the Cochin, Japanese Bantams, common Bantam, Barnevelder, Old English Game, Polish chicken, D'Uccle, Pekin, Serama and the Sussex bantams. The following are brief descriptions of them:

The Cochin bantam is one of the largest breeds of bantams with the male known for weighing in at a surprising 5 Kg. (11 pounds). This particular bantam breed was introduced in China as the Chinese Shanghai and later exported to America and Britain. Another Bantam breed closely related and developed from this breed is the Pekin bantam.

Japanese bantams most commonly referred to as Chao, are literally spread worldwide. These chickens are mostly used in shows and as pets.

Barnevelder bantam is among the most popular breed of chickens for shows, carcass, and egg production. Producing rich brown eggs is their speciality and they are natural foragers on top of being a medium heavy breed which makes them excellent for either gaming or food.

Pekin bantam female. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Old English Game bantams also make excellent pets for children and are a source of special shows in the United Kingdom for this specific popular breed. This bantam breed is almost opposite to its standard counterpart, the Old English Game chicken in that it lacks an aggressive nature.

The Polish chicken has primarily bred for their show abilities due to the fact their appearance is almost beautiful. Boasting such colours as pink, purple, and blue, these bantams do not sit on eggs but produce stark, white eggs.

Uccle is a town on the outskirts of Brussels, Belgium and is the namesake of the Barbu D'Uccle bantam with soft feathers. This chicken received its name from the French, translating as Bearded of Uccle.

The Pekin bantam, sporting feathers on their legs and feet combined with plumage that hangs to the ground, has often been referred to as a "walking tea-cosy". Noticeably smaller, measuring in at 20 - 30 centimetres and are well known for their mothering instincts.

The Serama bantam breed of chickens is basically still in production. Although they are currently ranked as the smallest chickens in the world, their breed has not been bred true as of yet, meaning breeding them could result in any colour, shape, size, etc.

The Sussex bantam is one-quarter the size of its standard counterpart, better known as the most common of backyard chickens in different countries around the world.

By Timothy Allan Crane - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Before You Raise TURKEYS - Terminologies and Interesting Facts You Should Know

Wild Turkey - Photo: Pixabay

Ideally, before you raise turkeys, it is helpful that you know the terminologies and interesting facts about turkeys so that you wouldn't be thrown off guard when you read any related materials about turkeys. Raising turkeys on a small farm can be fun and profitable because they can be rotated like any other cash crop on your property. If you have a few acres that you could rotate pastured turkeys on, this could be a good side business for the small farmer.

Here are some terminologies to broaden your horizon when you raise turkeys:

Tom

Adult male turkey

Hen

Adult female turkey

Poult

Young one of turkey

Snood or Dew bill

The fleshy protuberance near the base of the beck

Caruncles

The fleshy protuberance on the head and neck usually pink or red in color which appears from about 5th week of age

Dewlap

A large flap skin is seen immediately below the chin

Bread

A tuft of hair attached to the skin of the upper chest region

Strut

Mating behavior of male turkey

Shooting the red

The development of caruncles and this is supposed to indicate the most difficult time in the life of young turkey

Debeaking

Poults should be debeaked to control feather picking and cannibalism. Debeaking can be done at day old or 3-5 weeks of age. Remove the beak at about one half the distance from nostril to the tip of the beak.

Desnooding

Removal of the snood or dewbill is to prevent the head injuries from picking and fighting. At the day old the snood can be removed by thumbnail or finger pressure. At 3 weeks of age, it can be cut off close to the head with sharp scissors.

Detoeing or toe clipping

Clipping is done at a day old by removing the tip of the toe just to the inside of the outer most toe pad including the entire toenail.

When most people think of a turkey they think of Thanksgiving dinner. While most who raise turkeys raise them for eating, some keep turkeys as a pet. And some do both, keep some as a pet while eating the others. There are many different breeds of turkeys, however, there are two varieties, domestic and wild. The wild turkey lives and breeds in the wild and some are kept as pets. It can fly and is said to be smarter than the domestic.

The domestic turkey is the type eaten on Thanksgiving and they cannot fly. The domestic and wild turkeys are physically different. Domestic turkeys are much larger than the wild turkeys. Wild turkeys have brown tipped tails, while the domestic is white. A wild turkey is much faster than the domestic turkey. The fastest wild turkey can run up to 35 mph, while a full grown domestic turkeys pace is a slow walk (females are a little faster because they weigh less than the male). Wild Turkeys have better eyesight and hearing than domestic turkeys. Only male turkeys gobble, female turkeys make a clucking sound but cannot gobble. Only the male turkey can fan his tail feathers, females cannot.

The turkey's crop is also called the craw. When turkeys feed they swallow lots of food which is stored in their crop. They then go to a safe place to loaf and process the food. Before you raise turkeys too, you need to know that turkeys don't have teeth, but they grind their food (even hard seeds and nuts like acorns) in their second stomach, the gizzard. This is the muscular stomach below the crop which is the glandular stomach. Look for the gizzard in the giblet bag.

All commercial turkeys produced today are the white broad breasted turkey breed. This breed was first used for commercial turkey production in the late 1950's. By the late 1960's the majority of the industry used this turkey breed.

The cost of raising a turkey is affected by many factors, including buildings, equipment, labor, feed costs, and interest on loans. Feed costs amount to almost two-thirds of the cost of raising a turkey. Geographic location, degree of automation, and size of the farm all contribute to differences in the costs of raising turkeys.

By Andrew Grey Andrew Grey is the author of "The Essential Beginners Guide To Raising Turkeys". If you would like to learn more tips on how to raise turkeys and avoid the costly mistakes. Learning the right path to start to raising turkeys is vital for new turkey owners. Don't forget to claim your FREE "Fast-Start Guide: What You Need To Know Before Raising Turkeys" eReport! Article Source: EzineArticles

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Raising TURKEYS

The turkey is a large bird, native to North America. It is distinguished by its white plumage and a bare wattled neck and head. The name turkey was first applied to the guinea fowl that was thought to have originated in Turkey. However, the American turkey is a quite different species from the guinea fowl, though the name remained. In fact, the wild turkey was a staple food in the North American diet. It was known as a "Peru" in the 18th century. Some common breeds of turkey are Narragansett, Bronze, White Holland, and Bourbon Red.

There are three stages in Raising Turkeys: the breeder farm, the hatchery, and the turkey farm. The breeder farm is the place where the hen lays the eggs. These eggs are collected and sent to the hatchery. In the hatchery, the eggs are kept in special incubators after cleaning. These incubators provide the right temperature and humidity levels for allowing the eggs to hatch. Generally, turkey eggs take 28 days to hatch. The baby turkeys, also known as poults, are kept in the hatchery until they are moved to the turkey farms. 

In the turkey farms, the hen turkeys and the tom turkeys are reared separately. The poults should be fed properly and watched carefully, at least until they shed their down feathers and get the outer feathers. For this, they are put in climate-controlled barns that have soft flooring covered with straw or wood chips. They are fed on a soft powdered mixture of soybean, corn, and wheat. Other nutrients like barley, milk powder, meat meal, limestone, salt, vitamin premix, methionine, lysine and insoluble grit can also be added. Adequate water should also be provided.

Today, many advances have been made in the genetics of turkeys. This has helped to increase the size of the bird with lesser feed and in lesser time. The white broad-breasted turkey has been the most common commercially raised turkey breed, since the 1960s. There are also different strains of the white broad-breasted turkey that are reared in different parts of North America. Turkeys are bred specially to have more meat in the breast and thighs. White feathered turkeys are generally preferred since they do not leave any ugly pigment spots when plucked.

Turkeys take around 4-5 months to grow to full size. Birds less than 8 months of age are known as young turkeys. The hen turkeys take 16 weeks to mature completely and average around 8 to 16 lbs in weight. The tom turkey takes around 19 weeks and weighs anywhere between 16 and 24 lbs. Larger tom turkeys may weigh up to 40 lbs. These take a few more weeks to mature. A breeder tom turkey can generate up to 1,500 poults in a hen's six-month laying cycle.

Turkeys are given a balanced diet comprising mainly of soybean and corn. This is also supplemented with minerals and vitamins. A 30-pound tom turkey (male) needs around 84 lbs of feed on an average. The cost of the feed is generally 2/3 of the total cost. Use of growth hormones for Raising Turkeys is banned. Sometimes, antibiotics are also given to turkeys to prevent diseases and to increase feed efficiency. The quantity of antibiotics to be given and the withdrawal period are determined by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service). 

The turkey's health is inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or other state systems, and it may also be graded for quality. Turkeys that have been on antibiotics are not allowed to be processed for some time until the residue of the medicine has cleared from the body. Turkey farms are generally comfortable, providing shelter from harsh weather, predators, and disease.

By Peter Emerson - Article Source: EzineArticles

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MALLARD DUCK

Two Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos). Male and female. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Mallard duck is the most common species you will find around. It can be found in areas around the world where there are fairly warm temperatures. Most of them head down South for the winter months though. They feature beautiful colors and you can easily tell the males from the females. Only the male Mallard ducks feature the beautiful emerald green color on their heads and upper body. The females feature a very light tan or brown color in that area of their body.

During the warmer times of the year, it is common to find Mallard ducks relaxing on the waters of ponds and small lakes. They quickly catch on to the fact that people will come to these areas to feed them. Their natural diet consists of seeds, plants, and even small fish and frogs. They will also eat bread and popcorn when people come around with it. In fact, they will fight each other for it even though they aren’t hungry. They will consume all that is coming their way.

Even so, Mallard ducks are considered to be a wild type of duck. They are decedents of the various forms of domestic ducks out there though. They do seem to be comfortable around people. Those that have become accustomed to getting fed by them will even go up to people and take what they have to offer. 

Mallard ducks breed quite easily as long as their basic needs are being met. They will lay approximately 10 eggs at a time. The young ducks will hatch in about 60 days and the mother will take very good care of them. They know how to swim instinctively from the moment they hatch. She will teach them how to stay away from predators as well as how to search for food. They are very loving and caring mothers to their young babies. 

Some individuals keep Mallard ducks as pets. They have a small pond on their property that they ducks live on. If they have well cared for them will return to the same location year after year. Some people put them in cages but they tend not to do well in such isolation. They will refuse to eat and many will die if you don’t allow them to have the freedom to explore. 

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A Complete Guide on Setting Up Your Own POULTRY FARM

Some people even those living in big cities are still a very country at heart. They crave the morning crow of the rooster and the smell of freshly picked eggs from the farm. If you are one such person who loves poultry and the country life you can be very successful in poultry farming. But this is not less than any other business that anyone would start. This requires a lot of careful planning, a lot of investment in all the equipment that will be required and even some research on the methods, techniques, and market that you plan on serving with your business. 

On top of that, there are legal regulations pertaining to starting poultry farming which mostly restrain you to the place where you can start it. Most laws will discourage you from starting farming in a residential area where your neighbors will be disturbed by the constant crowing of roosters and the mess that poultry makes.

Once you have cleared all legal regulations related to poultry farming you need to start by first getting knowledge regarding chickens, what they eat, how to keep them healthy, what kind of lifestyle to give them, their lifespans, the shelter they will need, and most importantly information about their egg laying. All this information is crucial to the success of your venture and having this knowledge beforehand is what is important to ensure you get a good start with your business. You can find some great resources on the internet related to poultry farming that will give you some great advice on how to get started with it.

Another important thing you need to clarify before getting started with this is the aim of your business. Do you intend on raising chickens for their eggs or do you plan on raising chickens for their meat? This decision is important because the type of breed you will get for your poultry depends on whether you intend on selling their eggs or their meat. The more information you have regarding the different breeds of chickens and their needs the more equipped you will be in handling all problems related to managing this business.

Now if all that has been clarified you need to begin the search for an appropriate place for the setup. As mentioned earlier it is illegal to start poultry sheds in areas like residential zones, therefore, you will need to look for an appropriate place that is well outside the city so you can have your sheds there without worrying about any neighbors being disturbed. But then again that location might get too far from your own residence in the city. If possible you might want to consider relocating for the sake of your poultry.

Running it from far away will not be as efficient as running it if you are living on the farm yourself. Once you have found an adequate location for your poultry farming you need to decide how big or small you want it to be. The number of chicken you plan on raising will determine the size of your farm. You also have to keep in view any forecasting regarding the increase in chickens and expanding your business. Do leave adequate space for the future expansion of your business.

Now you have to get onto the last step of purchasing the chickens and rooster for your poultry farming. The breed you choose should be decided very carefully and only purchase from a well-reputed supplier to ensure that you are not getting any second-hand fake breed of chicken.

By Efren Evans Poultry farming is only available to local rural places. Forming Poultry units only need a low budget and a small land. So it is like generating income that is sufficient for the rural population. Click here for Poultry farm Article Source: EzineArticles

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