Indian how to make them with your own hands? Dimensions and drawings. Where can musky ducks nest?

Indochka is a very good option for breeding in a backyard. Birds of this species are distinguished by a peaceful disposition and calm character. They are not prone to conflicts, do not need expensive and complex care. The survival rate of indochka chicks is high. If you decide to breed healthy offspring of this individual, then you will have to work hard and properly prepare comfortable nests for feathered wards, which are ideal for laying eggs.

When and why are nests prepared?

Indo-cats are domestic birds loved by many poultry farmers, which have a lot of positive qualities. They are not only characterized by an “angelic” character, but also by high productivity rates. Naturally, the last factor will take place if this bird is provided with competent care, and the conditions for its maintenance will be as comfortable as possible. Another of the most important factors influencing the egg production of musky ducks (another name for indo-ducks) is a well-equipped nest. If everything is done correctly, then you will have all the guarantees that the bird will rush well, and further breeding of indouts will not bring you any extra trouble.

Many poultry farmers (especially beginners) ask a reasonable question: when and why to prepare nests for these popular poultry. It is recommended to start preparing a nest for these individuals in early February. Such terms are due to the fact that it is during this period that the mating season opens in birds, they begin to actively flirt with each other. It is possible to notice such a time on your own. You will see that the females began to “flirt” with the drake, attracting a lot of attention to themselves, and at the end of February, he will already be able to fertilize absolutely all the females that are present in the house. After that, around the beginning of April, the Indians begin to lay eggs.

Between the end of February and March, musky ducks are looking for the most suitable and safe place to roost. Some farmers recommend addressing these issues in the autumn season, so that the bird quickly adapts and gets used to the new nest and has time to take a fancy to it. There is no doubt that it is much more convenient for the owner himself to prepare a suitable nest for the indoutok, and then place it in a conspicuous place where it can be easily reached. There are situations when feathered females go far from home and lay eggs there. To do this, they can choose a tree or even an ordinary area with bare earth – these are oddities characteristic of musky ducks. Then it will not be possible to control the process of incubation of eggs, and it will be impossible to simply provide the bird with competent care and protect it from dangerous predators (for example, cats). That is why it is important to make a nest for these birds on your own – this is the only way you can keep the situation under complete control, at the right time you will have the opportunity to calmly pick up duck eggs.

Important! Follow a little: if an Indian woman often began to leave her native land and disappear somewhere for a long time, then, most likely, somewhere she had already arranged a perch for herself, but it would be too difficult to find out exactly where.

Indian how to make them with your own hands? Dimensions and drawings. Where can musky ducks nest?

Indian how to make them with your own hands? Dimensions and drawings. Where can musky ducks nest?

Basic requirements

Before you start preparing a good nest for a Muscovy duck, you need to know what requirements it must meet.

  • The nest must be well protected from drafts and moisture. If this condition is neglected, then the bird may soon fall ill and die.
  • The nest must be located in a well-ventilated, dark and quiet area. It is desirable that other animals and other nests are located as far as possible from the nests of indoutok.
  • It is necessary to make nests lined with straw or sawdust. Such materials will need to be replaced from time to time depending on the degree of contamination. If this rule is neglected, the bird will be in unsanitary conditions, which will definitely not have a good effect on her and her offspring.
  • The nest for the indo should have a flooring not only from below, but also from above. It is necessary to build a kind of roof, as well as a very small threshold at the entrance. These details will be needed so that in the future little chicks do not fall out of the nest.
  • The dimensions of the nest should correspond to the dimensions of the bird. It should not be made too small and cramped.

Important! We must not forget about the basic rules of hygiene. It must be clean around the nest, and this order must always be maintained if you do not want to cause serious harm to the Indochka.

Indian how to make them with your own hands? Dimensions and drawings. Where can musky ducks nest?

Indian how to make them with your own hands? Dimensions and drawings. Where can musky ducks nest?

How to make?

Making a nest for an indo with your own hands is not difficult. The main thing is to prepare in advance all the materials necessary for this, namely:

  • thin boards and blocks;
  • chipboard boards;
  • plywood sheets;
  • nails and screws;
  • all the tools necessary for the work.

And you will also need to prepare drawings for future construction. You can make them yourself or find somewhere a diagram of another ready-made option and use it – it’s up to you to decide. If you have found all the necessary materials and tools, then you can proceed directly to the construction of a comfortable nest for the indo. Let’s consider this process step by step.

  1. You need to assemble a large box. Its dimensions must correspond to the breed of which the laying hen is a representative. It is desirable that the depth of the structure is 45–55 cm, the height is 40 cm, and the width is 33–40 cm.
  2. If you keep a large number of Muscovy ducks, then these structures will need to be equipped in such a way that one nest is enough for three females. It will be necessary to develop a device for prepared structures in advance.
  3. Half of the box will need to be covered with foil. Instead of a film, linoleum is also suitable. This must be done so that the nests inside always retain the warmth necessary for the birds, and the interior can be washed without hindrance if necessary.
  4. Before entering the structure, you will need to nail a not very high threshold. It will interfere with the rolling out of the laid testicles. In addition, due to this detail, scattering of the litter will be prevented at the moments when the ducks will sit on it.
  5. If the poultry house has a concrete floor, then the structure must be equipped with stable legs. Instead, it is permissible to use logs whose height is at least 10 cm. For birds, you need to prepare a small brick step.
  6. Then the nests are closed using slate sheets, pieces of iron or boards. In this way, the blackout required by the indo-cats at the time of incubation of the testicles will be ensured.

Nests for the described poultry can be made quickly and easily. The main thing is to take into account all the requirements and try to provide the Indians with maximum comfort.

Where to put?

If you want to get high-quality offspring from Muscovy ducks, you will need to not only arrange a nest well, but also place it in an ideal place for this. As mentioned above, nests for these birds are best located in dark and dry areas where there are no drafts that are detrimental to health. Ideally, each individual should have its own separate house, standing apart from other nests in the house. Nearby, at a not very long distance (about 5 cm), such important components as a clean and full feeder, a drinking bowl, and a bathing container should be located. It is recommended to place homemade duck nests in different corners of the barn. This should be done in such a way that the front side of the structures “looks” in the direction opposite the entrance to the house.

Nest Care

It is not enough to build nests for indouts, they still need to be properly and timely looked after. It is impossible to neglect such things if you want the poultry to be in comfortable conditions for it. Let us consider in more detail what exactly needs to be done when caring for duck nests.

  1. Mother hens that have already hatched chicks must be isolated. Otherwise, the feathered laying hen may abandon her chicks and start leading strangers to the nest.
  2. The laid clutch should be checked in a timely manner for unfertilized and eggs that have an irregular, defective shape. When the duck is not in place, such testicles must be taken from the nest.
  3. In time, you need to poison any parasites and rodents that can ruin duck nests.
  4. It is important to keep duck nests clean. Change bedding in time and clean the area around. These are very important events that should not be neglected.

Possible problems

Building a nest for a Muscovy duck can cause some problems. All poultry farmers should familiarize themselves with them, especially beginners who do not have extensive experience in breeding indouts.

  • There are cases when musky ducks do not agree to do laying in specially prepared houses for them. In such a situation, you can lay a testicle or move the chosen container to the area where the house is located.
  • When not one bird sits on one nest, but several individuals at once, then this situation can be solved as follows: the egg laying will need to be placed in equal quantities in different houses. Of course, the birds need to be seated. First, one bird will need to be removed to another room. Further, the Indians themselves will find a way out of the situation in which they find themselves.
  • In some cases, confusion of nests occurs. Most often, such situations arise if all the houses are located too close to each other – then the birds may well get confused. You can solve this problem simply – just plant each bird in your house.

Many problems can be avoided if initially several nests are placed at a distance from each other.

If all the houses are put in one place without large gaps from each other, then confusion will inevitably begin, and even in such conditions, indo-cats usually do not rush very well, as they like solitude more.

Useful Tips

    It is worth following simple recommendations.

  • If other ducklings appear in the place where the mother duck is located, then it is likely that the egg clutch will be abandoned in order to care for other people’s chicks. Such events can eventually lead to the death of the unhatched young. Keep an eye out for such things in the poultry house. Isolate females with chicks in time.
  • If you are making one large nest for several individuals, then you cannot leave it in this form. Be sure to install partitions that will separate the territory of different females from each other. Indian women “do not like” to live and rush surrounded by other birds (and not only).
  • It is not recommended to keep Muscovy ducks on an earthen floor. In cold seasons, it always freezes or dampens strongly and quickly. These factors can have a very bad effect on the health of feathered females. In addition, hens with dirty and damp paws will stain the testicles with their belly. From this, their hatchability will inevitably decrease.
  • When the seasons are hot outside, do not forget about sufficient ventilation of the house in which Muscovy ducks live. But fresh air must penetrate without drafts. You can additionally spray the ceiling and walls with water. Of course, in frosty conditions, such actions should not be taken in any case. Instead, it will be necessary to better heat the barn – indos are not adapted to severe frosts.
  • Most ducks love to swim and enjoy it a lot. Indians do not have such qualities; they do not need a nearby reservoir. Moreover, their feathers do not have grease, a repellent liquid. Therefore, do not worry if there is no free spacious reservoir next to the poultry house in which musky ducks live. It is enough to place a container with water for bathing near the nest.

For information on how to make and equip nests for indouts, see the following video.

Anna Evans

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