Diurnal variation of duck habits
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Ducks have a natural daily rhythm that affects their behavior and health. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective duck management. Their activities, feeding habits, egg-laying times, mating behaviors, disease susceptibility, and immune responses all follow a circadian cycle.
First, ducks have distinct feeding patterns throughout the day. Under natural light, they typically feed three times a night: early morning, midday, and late evening. To optimize growth and productivity, it's best to feed them during these peak periods. Morning feeding is especially important, as ducks tend to be hungriest at dawn, which helps them gain weight quickly. During other feeding times, it's good to alternate between grazing and resting in water to maintain balance.
Second, egg production follows a specific circadian pattern. Most ducks lay eggs between midnight and early morning, rarely during the day. To support this, it’s important to create a calm and dark environment from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. If ducks start laying eggs later than 5 a.m. or if the eggs are smaller, it may indicate nutritional deficiencies. In such cases, increasing the concentrate content in their feed can help. If eggs are laid during the day, it could be due to poor nutrition, overcrowding, high temperatures, or humidity. Adjusting the environment and feeding schedule can help correct this.
Third, breeding ducks usually mate in the early morning or late evening, often on open water. Taking advantage of these peak mating times by guiding them to deeper waters can improve fertilization rates.
Fourth, ducks are more prone to illness in the late afternoon, typically between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This period is known as "transport stress" time, where ducks may become restless and crowd together, leading to trampling and higher mortality. To prevent this, it's crucial to reduce stress before and after transportation. Adding anti-stress supplements to their feed a few days after arrival can also help avoid outbreaks.
Lastly, the immune response of ducks varies throughout the day. They are less sensitive to vaccines during the day but show the strongest immune response just before midnight. Therefore, scheduling vaccinations in the early morning is ideal, as ducks are calmer, easier to handle, and experience less stress, leading to better immunity development.
By aligning management practices with the natural rhythms of ducks, farmers can significantly improve their health, productivity, and overall well-being.