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Waterfowl F.A.Q.s |
What are commercial waterfowl?
The major commercially important waterfowl include ducks and geese.
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What are the main products of waterfowl?
Duck and goose meat and duck eggs, liver pate and feathers.
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What is liver pate?
Liver pate is produced by force feeding maize to ducks. The higher energy in the diet results in enlarged or fatty livers, which are harvested and sold as "foie-gras" or "liver pate".
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Is there a market for waterfowl feathers?
Some slaughter plants in BC harvest and clean and dry waterfowl feathers. The marketability of the feathers depends upon the quality of feathers produced. The quality of feathers is dependent upon keeping the birds clean through proper litter management.
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What breeds of ducks are used in commercial operations?
Khaki Campbell, Indian Runner and Brown Tsaiya, and Itik breeds are used to produce eggs. Meat ducks include the Pekin, Muscovy and White Tsaiya. In BC, the Pekin duck is used most frequently for meat production. There is a growing interest from duck buyers for Muscovy ducks.
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What breeds of geese are used in commercial operations?
Toulouse, Emden and Chinese are most often used in commercial operations. Toulouse is the heaviest of the three breeds and Chinese are the lightest. Toulouse lay approximately 35 eggs; Embden 40; and Chinese 50. In BC, goose eggs are largely used for reproduction of meat geese. Some goose eggs are consumed in the Asian communities of BC.
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How long does it take to hatch a duck or a goose and what are the appropriate incubation conditions?
For most breeds of ducks the eggs are incubated for 25 days at a dry bulb temperature of 37.5 C (99.5 F) and a wet bulb temperature of 29.4 - 30.0 C (85 to 86 F) then transferred to the incubator hatcher where the temperature is held at a dry bulb temperature of 36.9 C (98.5 F) and a wet bulb temperature of 34.4 C (94 F) till they hatch on day 28. During incubation the eggs should be turned at least three times daily.
Mallard ducks hatch in about 26.5 - 27.5 days while Indian Runner ducks take about 28.5 days.
Muscovy ducks take 35 to 37 days to hatch. They are held in the incubator at a dry bulb temperature of 37.5 C (99.5 F) and a wet bulb of 29.4-30.0 C (85 to 86 F) and transferred at the 31st day to the hatcher with a dry bulb temperature of 37.5 C (99.5 F) and a wet bulb temperature of 34.4 C (94 F).
Duck eggs are placed in the incubator large end up. Eggs are turned through a 90 degree plane as gently as possible and turned a minimum of 3 times daily during incubation. Eggs need not be turned in the hatcher.
Geese hatch in 28 to 34 days depending upon the breed. The incubation temperature should be a dry bulb temperature of 37.2 C (99 F) and a wet bulb temperature of 30.0 - 31.1 C (86 to 88 F) for 25 days with a wet bulb temperature of (32.2 C) 90 F in the hatcher.
Geese eggs should be incubated on their sides, turned 4 times a day and turned through a 180 degrees. They are not turned in the hatcher. Setting them on their small ends and turning them 90 degrees like duck eggs significantly reduces the hatchability. Only goose eggs weighing at least 140 g and no more than 200 g with good shell quality should be set. Eggs from the lighter breeders start pipping at 28 days while heavier breeds take 35 days. Thirteen percent water weight loss during the incubation period (not including the hatching period) is optimal for a good hatch.
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How are commercial ducks raised?
Ducks may be raised on litter or on wire or on mixed litter wire systems. Nipple waterers are preferred over cup waterers to reduce water spillage on litter or into the waste pit. Waterers are best placed over wire flooring to prevent litter from becoming excessively wet under the waterers. It is important to prevent litter flooring from becoming excessively wet and becoming anaerobic, as this can lead to strong odors that can annoy neighbors. Two methods to do this include adding litter to the barns daily and venting excess heat from the brooder barns through the grower barns to pick up moisture and cause the temperature dependent fans to turn on.
Ventilation fans should have hoods on them which point towards the ground as duck operations produce significant dust. By reducing the dust, the odor is reduced. Wire floor systems, with liquid manure storage under the wire, support higher bird densities and efficient production but can lead to odor complaints from neighbors.
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How are commercial geese raised?
Geese are often raised on litter or on slatted floors. In drier areas they are raised on pasture. Goslings should not be allowed access to swimming water for two weeks after hatch.
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Do ducks and geese require special diets?
Yes, feed for waterfowl does differ from that of other types of poultry and one should obtain quality feed from a commercial feed mill to ensure the waterfowl receive adequate nutrition.
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Can I rear my ducks/geese using a stream, or watercourse passing through my property?
Ducks should not be raised commercially by using natural lakes, streams or water courses running through your property because of environmental considerations. Commercial duck/geese operations can reside on fields supplied with water troughs but these kinds of operations can suffer from heavy predator losses, lack of control of nutrition and poorer economic performance.
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Is there a market for waterfowl in British Columbia?
BC has a large market for waterfowl because of its diverse ethnic population and large Asian population.
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Where do I get my ducks and geese slaughtered?
The BC market for waterfowl is supplied by three large federally registered processing plants located in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. For further information please contact:
Stewart Paulson
Poultry Industry Development Specialist
Abbotsford Agriculture Centre
1767 Angus Campbell Road
Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3
Telephone: 604 556-3083
Fax: 604 556-3080
Email: Stewart.Paulson@gov.bc.ca
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How can l market my waterfowl?
Before going into the production of ducks or geese, one should find a processing plant that is willing to slaughter the waterfowl, and possibly market the meat. A producer may custom slaughter the birds at a processing plant and market the birds by themselves.
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Is there a reference text available on rearing waterfowl?
Yes. "Nutrition and Management of Ducks" is an excellent general reference book on all aspects of duck rearing and management.
"Nutrition and Management of Ducks"
by Milton M Scott and William Dean
published by M.L Scott of Ithaca, NY
P.O. Box 4464
Ithaca, NY 14852
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Is there a recent market study on waterfowl?
Yes. The University of British Columbia produced a market research study entitled, "Market Study on the British Columbia Ratite, Waterfowl and Game Bird Industries" dated January, 2002. The authors were View West Marketing Inc. and Zbeetnoff Agro-Environmental Consulting. For more information, contact Dr. Kimberley Cheng by email at kmtc@interchg.ubc.ca
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Whom do I contact when my game birds have health problems or if I want information on vaccinating my birds?
The first step should be to contact a private veterinarian. If you require a listing of avian veterinarians in your area, contact the:
British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association
Suite 107, 828 Harbourside Drive
Vancouver BC V7P 3R9
Telephone: 604 929-7090
Toll Free 1 800 463-5399
http://www.bcvma.org/
For diagnostic laboratory services, contact:
Animal Health Centre
1767 Angus Campbell Road
Abbotsford BC V3G 2M3
Telephone: 604 556-3003
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/ahc/
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