Indian slider, duck: description of the breed

Recently, domestic farmers began to show increased interest in poultry. Especially popular is the Indian runner - the duck, who eats a simple food and does not try to fly away. In addition, it is famous for its juicy, delicate and incredibly tasty meat. After reading today's article, you will learn about the main features of the breeding and content of these birds.

A Brief Historical Reference

Scientists could not come to a consensus on the origin of this bird. According to one of the most common versions, its ancestors are penguin ducks. It was from the breeding of this species that the history of the Indian runner began.

Initially, these birds spread throughout the territory of the East Asian states. In the XIX century they were brought to England. In Russia, a duck Indian runner, whose photo is presented in the article, appeared only in 1926. Originally they were considered exotic birds and bred exclusively in zoos.

Description of the breed

It should be noted that these birds are very different from their relatives. They have a cylindrical elongated torso, a narrow chest, a long thin neck and straight legs. Externally, the Indian slider (duck) is more like a penguin. The average weight of an adult is about one and a half or two kilograms.

The short wings of the bird fit tightly to the body, covered with white, black or brown plumage. Among them there are also individuals of blue, light-willow, silver-wild, pea and yellowish-white color.

Features of coloring

As mentioned earlier, Indian runners are ducks, differing in variety of colors. For example, individuals of color "trout" can be easily recognized by the presence of a white, open ring that adorns the green neck. This bird has a beautiful red breast, dark back, gray wings and willow beak.

A drake of the so-called wild color can be recognized by the emerald head and the red-brown chest, which joins the neck with a white ring. Such individuals have dark gray wings and a black-green tail.

Males of silvery-wild color are easily recognizable by the red-brown breast. They have snow-white wings, a grayish belly and a black head with a greenish tint. As for females, their body is covered with yellow plumage.

Conditions of detention

It should be noted that the ducks of the Indian runner can not live without water. If there is no possibility of free walking in the birdy yard, it is necessary to organize a bathing place.

Regular water procedures allow the birds to maintain the purity of their feathers. Otherwise, they begin to lose their productivity dramatically. The Indian runners are not afraid of light frosts. They can walk even on shallow snow.

Food

These birds are good because they can be kept in free grazing. There they have no problem finding enough food. The Indian runner (duck) eats fresh greens, insects and snails with pleasure.

Feathered, which are contained in the poultry house, it is recommended to feed nettles, dandelion leaves, green salad, spinach and dill. It should be borne in mind that the representatives of this breed differ in their excellent appetite. Especially they are not indifferent to the duckweed. It can be collected in open water.

These voracious birds can not be restricted in the stern. Their diet should be varied. In addition to greenery, their menu should include root vegetables, vegetables and animal feed. On private farmsteads these birds often give waste from the master's table. In addition, the Indian runner (duck) should receive grain feed. It is desirable that the diet included wheat, corn, oats, barley and peas.

In winter, birds are enough to feed three times a day. But in the period of oviposition they are transferred to four meals a day. It is important to ensure that birds do not overeat. But they can not be kept on a strict diet.

Features of breeding

Immediately note that these birds quickly reach reproductive age. Six-month-olds are already quite capable of reproduction. The main feature of this process is that there must be five females per drake. It is this ratio that is considered optimal for breeding offspring. By the way, here there is one more nuance. To create a breeding herd, it is advisable to choose the ducklings born in the spring. Unlike other birds, runners are able to mate even at sub-zero temperatures.

It should be noted that these ducks grow quite fast. Weekly kids weigh about half a kilogram. And by the month of age, the chicks are almost no different from adults. Ducks of the Indian runner represent a rather amusing sight. They are incredibly mobile and, thanks to this, they received the ridiculous nickname "running bottles".

Indian slider (duck): reviews

According to farmers who are breeding these birds, the latter are characterized by high egg production. If there is a sufficient number of feeds, their productivity does not decrease even after the onset of cold weather. To the birds regularly rushed, the females should not be allowed to burn. Experienced poultry breeders recommend adding special vitamin supplements to the ration of these individuals, which allows to significantly increase productivity. Interestingly, the protein of their eggs completely lacks cholesterol. In addition, these birds are considered an excellent source of delicious dietary meat, which is rich in all sorts of useful vitamins and trace elements.

Also, farmers who breed Indian runners, note that the representatives of this breed are quite thermophilic. In addition, they are extremely seldom sick. The conditions for keeping these individuals differ little from those in which the same Peking ducks live. Among the mandatory requirements that must be met by those who plan to cultivate the representatives of this breed, include the availability of free access to the pond and the presence of a well-insulated poultry house.