A complete business plan for duck farming. Duck breeding as a business: how to open a duck farm? Duck farming business plan


Duck farming is the main component of agriculture. Breeding ducks as a business is a profitable business that requires a lot of labor from the entrepreneur. The profitability of an idea is determined by creating a detailed business plan.

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Description and products of the farm

Duck farming as a business is one of the first successful ideas that achieved high profitability in Europe. In Russia, duck farming is a poorly developed niche. Duck meat allows an entrepreneur to make high profits and raise an indefinite number of birds.

The main way to earn money is by selling duck meat

Relevance

Relevance of the farm:

  • the ability to sell duck meat at a reduced cost to retailers;
  • increasing demand for meat in Russia due to sanctions from Europe;
  • high profit after 2 years of uninterrupted operation of the farm;
  • Poultry takes less time to raise compared to other types of meat.

Market description and analysis

On the Russian market, duck meat production is about 125 thousand tons. Compared to 2017, the amount of duck meat produced increased by 19% (according to the annual report of the Ministry of Agriculture). The supply of this type of meat in the medium and small segments increased to 40.7 thousand tons according to the BusinesStat report.

According to forecasts for 2020, it is planned to increase the amount of duck meat sold to 80.9 thousand tons.

Shares of companies in the duck farming market:

Donstar LLC is a leader in the production of duck meat - they own a 5% share of the total market.

Market share by sector:

  • industrial meat processing - 15%;
  • hospitality and catering industry - 50%;
  • the remaining market share is held by retailers.

The capital's market accounts for about 60% of all duck meat production. Accordingly, competition in Moscow is extremely high.

Small Business Analysis:

  1. In total, there are over 3,000 poultry breeding enterprises in Russia. Of these, only 12% fully pays off within 2 years. Almost 60% of companies have the legal form of LLC. The rest are individual entrepreneurs.
  2. 4.5% of enterprises purchased franchises to quickly launch projects. About 70% of small businesses use poultry houses (equipment for storing ducks) up to 25 square meters in size. m. The remaining part of the companies invests in large poultry houses, rented or purchased.
  3. The cost of raising ducks consists of combined feed. As a rule, this is the main expense item for all small companies. This is followed by the supply of ducks and storage space.

On average, it takes approximately 40-50 days to fatten one duck.

Small production enterprises spend 75% of the allocated funds on creating their own combined feed workshop. This solution reduces the cost of feed by 6.5%. Only 3% of enterprises employ experienced farmers to supervise the production and rearing of ducks.

Almost the vast majority of enterprises purchase only two types of ducks:

  • young individuals requiring careful feeding;
  • breeding ducks, accustomed to living together with their relatives.

Main breeds of ducks:

  • Beijing;
  • mallard;
  • domesticated western;
  • musky American.

The target audience

The main buyer is the retail consumer in the agricultural sector (less often, enterprise managers). This means that sales will be conducted directly with the seller.

Other Buyers:

  • industrial processing companies;
  • small retailers;
  • buyers from .

Portrait of a potential buyer:

  • private buyer over 40 years of age;
  • average earnings;
  • entrepreneur in the hotel and restaurant business.

Competitive advantages

To obtain a good position in the market you will need:

  • establish in regional regions (Moscow region);
  • offer services through online stores;
  • provide discounts to regular customers;
  • selling Peking duck at a reduced price.

Advertising campaign

  • third-party online stores selling poultry meat;
  • social networks dealing with the issue of raising ducks and other birds;
  • contacting famous restaurants and cafes;
  • publications on the pages of famous bloggers;
  • advertising from production companies;
  • participation in agricultural fairs and exhibitions;
  • cold calling for retailers.

Step-by-step opening instructions

To properly organize a business, you will need clear instructions.

Action plan:

  1. Collection of documentation for opening an enterprise.
  2. Purchase and delivery of ducks.
  3. Renovation of premises and purchase of equipment.
  4. Ordering bird food products.
  5. Hiring staff.
  6. Start of activity

Do you need documents?

First, you need to register an LLC if you plan to acquire a decent number of ducks. Otherwise, you will have to limit yourself to creating an individual entrepreneur. In case of lack of funds, it is recommended to open a peasant farm. Then, the business leader - a farmer - can take advantage of investments from the state or a separate municipal body.

List of documents for opening an individual entrepreneur:

  • applicant's passport;
  • completed form form P21001;
  • bank account;
  • receipt of payment of state duty.

Place of application: Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation.

If money is limited, you can start growing it at home. Then the sale of products is allowed only to acquaintances or friends without paperwork.

The choice of taxation is a simplified tax system (income minus expenses). Activity code according to the classification: OKVED 01.47.1 - raising and breeding birds.

Additional documents:

  • health book for staff;
  • certificates from a veterinarian and vaccinations for birds;
  • conclusion of a laboratory examination for a sales permit;
  • technical documents for transport transporting animals.

Place of application: veterinary center at the place of registration of the enterprise.

The total time for registration of individual entrepreneurs and permitting documents is 1.5 months.

Buying ducks

Places of purchase:

  • verified online stores;
  • agro-industrial enterprises;
  • bulletin boards from financial funds;
  • platforms for free sales (Avito).

The number of ducks is at least 30 for each species. It is recommended to purchase three or more breeds.

Breed selection

Best selling duck breeds:

  • Beijing;
  • Moscow white;
  • muscuan;
  • Rouen;
  • gray Ukrainian;
  • black white-breasted;
  • Star 53.

Requirements for breeding ducks:

  • choose only one breed of duck for quick breeding;
  • the individual should be large, but not fat;
  • the plumage is of a smooth type (the shine from the feathers is an indicator of the best quality).

White Moscow Muscovy duck Gray Ukrainian

Price

Prices for the main breeds of ducks.

Ducklings of each breed cost 5% less than the indicated prices.

Arrangement

Features for duck cage decoration:

  • the area norm for one individual is 0.33 square meters. m;
  • hole up to 10 cm high;
  • total height no more than 2 meters;
  • width is 1.5 meters;
  • walking area of ​​at least 30 sq. m.

Optional equipment

  • a fence to enclose the walking area;
  • canopy up to 10 sq. m;
  • artificial reservoirs.

Standard room Closed room Temporary poultry house

Poultry house for fattening ducklings

To raise young animals, small poultry houses with feeders should be built.

Characteristics of the duckling house:

  • front wall height - 1.8 m;
  • rear wall height - 1 m;
  • installation of a forced ventilation system to supply warm air;
  • special bedding for the floor in winter.

The approximate number of ducklings placed in an aviary measuring 20 square meters. m. - 40-50 pieces.

Poultry house for breeding birds

Characteristics of the aviary for breeding ducks:

  • content norm per 1 sq. m. - 1 duck;
  • maintenance of at least 2 married couples;
  • 1 drake per 4 ducks;
  • hole size 35x45 cm;
  • The total size of the poultry house is 50 square meters. m;
  • box for arranging nests measuring 40x50 cm.

In total, it is customary to keep up to 10 drakes.

Aviary for walking

The rule has been established - 1 square meter for two individuals. m. For example, to keep 1500 ducks, you need 800 sq. m. Also, do not forget about fencing the enclosure with a fence and placing a mesh on top for protection.

Equipment

Purchased equipment to create a farm:

NameQuantity (pcs.)Price in rubles (for 1 piece)Total for equipment (in rub.)
Poultry house for young animals1 200 000 200 000
Poultry house for breeding ducks1 500 000 500 000
Lighting20 5 300 106 000
Warming box5 9 200 46 000
Ventilation system1 150 000 150 000
Forced hot air supply system1 100 000 100 000
Drinking bowls15 3 000 45 000
Boxes-feeders20 2 500 50 000
Feather plucking machine2 15 000 30 000
Freezer (for storing finished products)2 45 000 90 000

Feeding

Specification for feeding ducks:

Total feeding you will need:

  • 15 tons of feed;
  • up to 3 months until the duck is fully grown;
  • total cost - 150,000 rubles.

The duck's diet consists of three types of food:

  • mixed vegetables and herbs (wet food);
  • dry food;
  • mineral supplements for growth.

Duck breeding

Basic rules for running a livestock business:

  1. Buy food.
  2. Buy ducks.
  3. After the first month, you need to order a new batch of ducks.
  4. Re-order raw materials for feed.
  5. Sales of the party.

If you breed 1500 ducks, you will need:

  • 8-10 drakes;
  • no more than 50 females.

In one calendar year, the farm produces about 8,000 ducklings.

The general rule is that 1 drake is needed to fertilize 5 females.

Peak sexual activity lasts 2 months. Maturity is reached at the 6th month.

Video material on the secrets of breeding breeding ducks.

Financial plan

To form a financial plan, you need to calculate:

  • starting investments;
  • regular expenses;
  • income.

Starting investments

Expense items for the first year.

Regular expenses

Monthly expenses:

Income

Generation of income for one calendar year:

Calendar plan

Action plan.

Product sales planning.

Risks and payback

Main business risks.

The payback period for the project is 1.5 years for a farm of 1,500 ducks. Small farms - no more than 100 ducks, pay for themselves in 2.5 years. Medium-sized farms (up to 500 ducks) typically recover all costs in just one year.

Duck products are less popular than chicken or turkey products. That’s why you rarely see duck meat, much less eggs, in large grocery chains. Buyers can find duck at the market or in butcher shops. Some gourmets order this bird in a cafe or restaurant. The dish is delicious and is always on the menu of a reputable establishment. In some regions, there are no duck farms due to farmers' preference for chicken. Private households are trying to satisfy consumer demand. But the market is poorly filled. A villager can expand the ranks of poultry breeders and draw up a business plan for duck breeding. The business can be profitable if the start-up costs do not drown the young poultry farmer in debt.

To evaluate the possibilities, study our example, which presents a business plan for breeding ducks with calculations.

Project Summary

The specifics of a duck farm are in many ways similar to the breeding of chickens and other birds. You need an equipped poultry house and a place for walking in warm weather. You should not choose a closed type of duck rearing if climatic conditions permit. This will reduce the cost of feed, bedding and maintenance time.

Typically, ducks are raised for meat and sold when they reach 2-3 kg of total weight. It is profitable to buy meat breeds that grow quickly.

But the farm needs constant renewal of young stock in order for the turnover to be constant. It is not profitable to buy chicks from other poultry houses, because the cost of the final product increases and the final profit decreases.

It is rational to set aside space for hereditary families that will provide the poultry farm with the necessary offspring. For a small farm with a livestock of 300 heads, you can buy two egg-laying families (2 drakes and 6 ducks), which will provide a supply of a replacement batch.

Ducks do not like cold and drafts. The room requires good ventilation, heating, light. The bird lives on the floor; there is no need to build perches. We only provide nesting sites.

This project is focused on expanding the existing chicken farm. Otherwise, the duck line may be the only one, but it is better to start it with an existing farmer who has experience working with a poultry house.

Project characteristics

Type of activity: poultry farming. Raising ducks for commercial purposes.

OKVED: 01.47 “Raising poultry”.

Geographical location of the object: rural area. The settlement is located near the regional center. There are good transport links between points, which makes it possible to independently deliver poultry to the market or to a private shop. The homeowner owns a large plot of land. There is enough space for building a poultry house and walking ducks. The peace of the neighbors will not be disturbed.

There is water supply on the territory. Electricity supply and installation of heating equipment are required. There is a room for storing food and equipment.

Form of legalization of activity: peasant farm.

Taxation: Unified Agricultural Tax.

Opening hours: daily, 24 hours a day.

Service list:

  • Breeding ducks for meat.
  • Retail sale of carcasses on the market, according to advertisements on agricultural forums and websites.
  • Small wholesale in a catering network.

Investments

Ducks do not require a poultry house like a chicken coop, because the purpose of the business is to fatten the birds for meat. Eggs are only needed to update the batch. The building should be well ventilated, without perches, but with feeders and drinkers. The ducks are always on the floor and require constant maintenance to avoid dampness. Costs go to the substrate (up to 6 kg per 1 head). Clumping also affects weight gain and the struggle for space. When constructing a poultry house, we take into account that per 1 sq. m can accommodate two individuals. The equipment required is minimal, but the investment is necessary. The investment items and amounts are shown in the table:

Cost item Investments, rub.
Registration of peasant farms, obtaining veterinarian reports, conducting laboratory tests 5 thousand
Incubators for providing the farm with its offspring (2 pcs.) 15 thousand
Drinkers, feeders (homemade) 10 thousand
Construction materials for the complex 40 thousand
Lighting 5 thousand
Heating system 15 thousand
Water supply for construction 5 thousand
Ventilation with air heating 10 thousand
Bird litter 5 thousand
Feather plucking apparatus 12 thousand
Equipment for poultry slaughter and carcass storage 50 thousand
Feed warehouse equipment 15 thousand
Veterinarian services 5 thousand
Total 192 thousand

The amount of initial investment in a duck business may be more or less. It depends on the region and the prices of building materials. The cost of the car on which the products will be transported can be excluded from the business plan if the farmer already has transport for business needs. We will include the cost of purchasing ducks in the estimate. We select meat chicks for raising for meat and two families of egg-laying ducks for personal replenishment of the livestock in order to save money on the constant purchase of chicks from other poultry houses. We will set aside an amount of 70 thousand rubles for these purposes.

In the future, funds will be required for veterinarian services, vaccination of young animals, and prevention in the poultry house. Activities are not ongoing and services will be billed as a one-time fee. The total investment at the pre-opening stage can be about 350-500 thousand. If we exclude the purchase of transport, then investments are planned in the amount of 150 to 300 thousand rubles. This is a one-time expense that will pay for itself quickly with the right approach to duck business. Fixed costs will be only renewal of livestock, feed, bedding, utilities, taxes and transport.

We are staffing

The business plan assumes that the poultry house will be maintained by family members and will not require the involvement of outside hands. The main work is laying feed, maintaining a drinking regime and maintaining temperature. In the warm season, the bird will be in an open area. Poultry slaughter and sale at the market or in public catering are the responsibilities of adult family members. You can agree on sales with sellers on the market if it is not possible to place your own point. However, profitability will be lower.

There is no need for a veterinarian on staff. It is enough to conclude an agreement for the provision of a number of services and pay for them according to the price list. You can make reports to the tax or pension fund yourself or contact specialists without hiring an accountant on a permanent basis.

The main salary costs are individual entrepreneur contributions established by the state and deductions for one employee who helps with housework. Over the course of a year, expenses will amount to about 100 thousand rubles.

Calendar plan

Based on the fact that there is no need to look for a plot of land and draw up a large list of documents, starting a poultry house will not require much time. It is necessary to erect a building for the main livestock and ducks with young offspring. If you hire a team, the work can be completed in a week. The rest of the time will be spent on equipping the poultry house with water, light, drinkers, feeders and purchasing pets. It is advisable to start looking for clients before receiving the first batch of meat livestock. In many regions, April allows you to start construction and take chicks into your farm. In the table we note the approximate dates:

Procedure Period
March April May June
Submission of documents for legalization of activities and confirmation of intentions to engage in poultry farming +
Preparation of drawings and estimates for the construction of a poultry house and installation of communications +
Purchase of materials. Construction stage. Communication equipment +
Arrangement of a poultry house, economic block. Purchase of equipment, refrigeration chamber +
Search for farms that breed chickens for sale. Purchase of the first batch + +
Purchase of feed. Putting the poultry house into operation +
Finding clients for meat sales + + +
Obtaining documents for selling meat at the market or in public catering +
Placing advertisements on the Internet and print media + +
First meat sales. Work on breeding young animals +

A mini-duck farm can make its first profit two months after purchasing the bird. Difficulties arise in the first sale of products if the farmer is unknown to anyone. It is necessary to study the market situation and agree on the possibility of personal trading in duck.

Benefits

The profitability of agriculture largely depends on the knowledge of the farmer, the correct choice of animal breed and the creation of favorable conditions for the farmer. Not the last factor is profitable sales. The business involves only retail sales. The cost of one bird depends on the weight and price range in a particular region.

Let's calculate the profitability of a duck farm. The chicken reaches marketable shape (2-3 kg of weight) at the age of 8-10 weeks. In a year, 800 ducks weighing 3 kg can be raised and sold. One chilled duck carcass can bring an income of 1,000 – 1,200 rubles at a price of 350 rubles/kg. Annual revenue will be 800-900 thousand rubles in the absence of force majeure circumstances.

In addition to meat, feathers and down will remain from the duck, which can be sold in small wholesale to textile companies. The amount of income depends on the terms of the agreement with the customer.

Now let’s calculate the net profit, taking into account investments and fixed costs of the duck farm:

In addition, peasant farms pay taxes on land and transport. Amounts depend on individual circumstances. Let’s assume that the profitability of a duck farm for the year will be 450 thousand rubles. Investments at the start-up stage amounted to 300 thousand rubles, which means that in 8-9 months the duck business will pay off and begin to generate net income of 50 thousand per month or more.

Eventually

Breeding ducks for profit can be done if you have an idea about their maintenance and there is a demand for the products. The main demand among poultry meats is chicken and turkey, but duck is not inferior to them in its taste characteristics. The first revenue can be received in 2-3 months, but it will take time to return the investment. The first year in the duck business is difficult for a newbie, but waiting will yield good results in the second year of keeping ducks.

According to experts, duck breeding as a business for subsequent sale has great prospects. To organize a small farm does not always require a lot of finance. Build a poultry house, equip it correctly, make an aviary for walking, purchase young animals and feed, calculate profitability, draw up documents, which is not difficult. But this is not enough for successful business. The tips in this article will help those who decide to start a duck breeding business.

General information

To turn duck breeding into a business that will become the main source of income, take care to constantly increase the number of ducks. If the farm is small in size, 250-270 birds can be raised on it. To maintain the poultry population in such quantities, you will have to constantly buy 50-60 young birds. To reduce production costs, provide conditions for keeping breeding ducks in your business plan. It is more profitable to update the composition of ducks with hatched ducklings than to buy them.

How successful this business will be depends directly on the choice of breed. Meat breeds are kept to sell duck meat. These ducks quickly gain a lot of weight, which reduces the time it takes to keep them.

If the young animals are fed correctly, after two months they will gain weight up to 2.5 kg. Ducks of meat breeds can lay up to 30-40 eggs each period. Several breeding individuals are enough to regularly change and replenish the bird population.

Ducks of egg-laying breeds gain less weight than meat breeds, but lay much more eggs. Conventional breeds have good meat quality, although they lay fewer eggs. The best poultry representatives are selected for breeding, and the rest are used for meat.

In order for duck farming as a business to be successful, Peking ducks are bred. They can lay up to 170 eggs per year. To maintain the livestock, two duck families are needed. Two drakes and about 10 ducks are enough.

Poultry house for young animals

It is not necessary to build large premises to raise ducks. The front wall of the poultry house is made 1.8 m high, and the back wall is 1 m high. Such dimensions are used during construction not for the sake of saving materials, although this is also important.

Duck rearing occurs in five periods, each lasting two months. The initial cycle occurs at the beginning of winter, and the last at its end. It is during this cold time that the room needs constant heating, but since it is small in size, energy consumption is reduced.

A duck breeding room needs constant ventilation. In order not to ventilate the room by opening doors, it is better to make a forced air supply, preferably warm. This will incur some energy costs, but only in winter. During the warm season, the bird spends most of the day in the enclosure. The floor requires bedding. In summer it is practically not used, and in winter it will require 6 kg per duck.


The area of ​​the room can be calculated quite accurately. To keep three ducks you need at least 1 square meter. m. It turns out that in a poultry house of 20 square meters. m. you can raise 50 individuals. Next we calculate taking into account the expected number of livestock.

When thinking through a business plan for breeding ducks, it is necessary to take into account the organization of the place where the birds will be walked. If there are, for example, 100 ducks, it is enough to make a fence over an area of ​​50 square meters. m, for 2 ducks 1 sq. m. A pond should not be made in the walking area, otherwise the designated area will turn into a dirty puddle.

Room for keeping breeding ducks

If the farm is designed to raise 250 ducks, then for each period of replenishment of the poultry population, 50 ducklings will be required. Where can I get them? It's easier and faster to buy them. But it costs extra. In the initial period of growing a duck business, this is noticeable. There is no profit yet, but the cost is increasing. While the Peking duckling grows up, an amount equal to its purchase will be spent. It is more economical to keep breeding ducks.


Let's take Peking ducks as an example. This is an egg-laying breed, and its young are guaranteed. Productivity is greatly influenced by the duration of the light regime. The longer it is, the better. When building a poultry house for breeding birds, this will have to be taken into account.

The plan for building the premises is the same for both young animals and breeding individuals. They differ only in area, since adult ducks need more space than ducklings. For two married couples, each of which consists of a drake and 2-3 ducks, you need 4 square meters. m. Two families are enough to get 250 ducklings.

Equipment and inventory

After completing the construction of the premises for keeping and breeding poultry, install equipment in it and in the aviary. You will need feeders and drinkers. For young animals, place feed containers in several compartments. While the ducklings are small, they will need an automatic waterer, which you can make yourself. It is enough to use a water container and a tray on which to install it. For an adult bird in the summer, you can install a drinking bowl in the aviary from a piece of plastic sewer pipe with oval holes in the upper part. Don't forget about the nests.

Additional equipment will also be required to run this business. If you plan to raise young animals on a farm, purchase an incubator. You may need two, since duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs and fewer can fit in the incubator.

To speed up the processing of slaughtered poultry, you will need a plucking machine. The cost of purchasing it is less than plucking it by hand. You will also need a refrigerator or freezer. The carcasses may not be sold immediately, so they need to be stored somewhere.

Business registration

We choose the business registration form depending on the number of birds, the size of the farm and the volume of products planned to be sold. For large production volumes, you can register as an individual entrepreneur. If you draw up documents for an agricultural enterprise, it will be possible to receive additional tax benefits. But keep in mind that getting them is not easy.

If the business plan for raising ducks involves breeding poultry in small quantities, it is better to create a subsidiary farm (LPH). Although no special benefits are expected in this case, paperwork is cheaper and easier to do. It is enough to obtain a certificate stating that you own or lease a plot of land. There are both pros and cons to registering private household plots: although you won’t have to pay taxes, it is prohibited to sell meat in large volumes. You can sell the meat as surplus from what you raised for your own consumption.

Documents for implementation

When breeding ducks as a business, it is advisable to take care in advance of documents that allow you to engage in trade, so that there are no problems with the sale of poultry meat.

When slaughtering poultry, the presence of a veterinarian is necessary. He must examine the bird and issue the appropriate certificate. Another certificate is issued after slaughter, which indicates that all necessary slaughter measures were observed.

If a batch of meat needs to be transported somewhere, get a certificate from the local veterinarian and stamp the carcasses. The meat undergoes final inspection at the market, where a permit for sale is issued. If the doctor has any doubts about the quality of the meat, he may suggest re-examination. This happens extremely rarely.

This is a non-conclusive description of the required documents, as the procedure for issuing them may differ in some regions.

How to sell products

Due to its qualities, duck meat is in great demand among consumers. There are several marketing options. A good option is to negotiate with the administrator of the restaurant or cafe. In such establishments, poultry meat is always in demand. Another advantage is that you can receive the money immediately. If the products are of good quality, there should be no problems with sales. Over time, when you have regular customers, you will be able to more accurately plan the required number of birds for the future.


The market is also suitable for selling ducks. But trading on the market is convenient for those who have free time or the opportunity to hire a permanent seller. With this sales option, the profit is greater, since the price of meat in the market is higher than in a cafe or restaurant. The only inconvenience is that you will have to undergo an examination each time, and, accordingly, pay for it.

Expenses and revenues of the business, calculation of profitability

It is difficult to give a general estimate of costs for the start-up stage of a business. In stores, prices for building materials can vary greatly in different cities. Approximately calculate how much initial capital should be enough to open a duck breeding business. First, find out what ducklings sell for in the area and decide how many young animals are needed for the farm. Knowing the number of future livestock, you can determine how much area the poultry house will occupy and what needs to be purchased to build it.

The purchase and installation of equipment will also have to be included in the duck breeding business plan. It's a little easier here. You can find out the price for an incubator, a refrigerator and a plucking machine right away. The cost of feeders and drinkers can be included in the construction materials item. Also consider how much money you will need to purchase the first batch of feed.

Once you know the number of ducks on the farm, you can plan what operating costs are expected. The bulk of the funds will be spent on purchasing feed, paying for electricity, water and equipment repairs. It will take 3.5 kg of feed for the duck to gain 1 kg in weight. In approximately two months, the consumption per duck will be 10 kg of feed. Knowing the price of concentrate and the quantity of poultry, you can have an idea of ​​future operating costs.

If we talk about income, you can find out based on the price of meat per kilogram. A duck reaches an average weight of two kilograms. Knowing the price of one kilogram, we calculate how much one duck will cost, multiply by the number of livestock, and find out how much can be received from the sale of the entire bird. From the proceeds from the sale of meat, we subtract operating expenses and find out the net profit. The amount should be decent, since the profitability of one small farm reaches 70%.

If you properly organize the keeping and care of poultry, and find a market, you can make a good profit. Many experienced farmers claim that if you build a farm from new materials, even in this case it will pay for itself in a year. And if you use available building materials, perform some work without involving outside workers, for example, make drinking bowls and feeders yourself, then the payback period for a duck farm will be significantly reduced. The main thing is not to make a mistake with the choice of duck breed, since the final result depends on this.

One of the oldest ways of housekeeping is the sale of some kind of poultry, in this case, duck breeding. These birds belong to waterfowl and are bred everywhere in villages near water bodies. If there is no pond near your home, it doesn’t matter, just use more of the necessary feed. These birds are bred for eggs, meat and feathers. You can do this both at home and in industrial settings (video at the bottom of the article).

During the season, one duck lays 100 eggs. From this number of eggs, 50 ducklings grow, and when the duckling grows up, it will produce up to 2-2.5 kg of meat. It turns out that in one season we get about 50 eggs and about 100 kg of meat from one duck.

The best duck breeds for breeding for meat

The most popular and best breeds are:

  • Beijing. This breed of duck is the most popular for commercial use, as it is released for slaughter already at 8-9 weeks. This is the fastest time! All large farms mainly breed it for meat.
  • Mutes (indot, musky). This breed is popular due to its taste. Its meat is tastier and has less fat than Peking. The weight of the duck is also greater, but the slaughter time is further: the first one is 13 weeks, and the next one is from 20-24 weeks.

Remember that slaughter must be done before molting, since during molting the bird begins to lose weight and it becomes more difficult to pluck the carcass.

Duck breeding as a business

They are unpretentious to the effects of temperatures. However, when the temperature drops below zero, they stop rushing.

Day-old ducklings need a temperature of 30 degrees and lighting throughout the day. After the first week of life, the temperature is reduced and daylight hours are gradually reduced. Hatchery ducklings grow very quickly; by two months they already weigh 2 kilograms.


When ducklings are hatched by a duck, she teaches them how to survive in natural conditions and get their own food. It happens that ducklings are placed under the chicken. But in such cases, they cannot be released into the reservoir.

Eggs need to be monitored, because unlike chicken eggs, there is a high risk of infection. Bad eggs have a hydrogen sulfide odor and must be removed to avoid contaminating other eggs. Before laying, you should never wash the eggs - because the protective film is washed off. If a duck takes poor care of its offspring, they need to be taken care of: given a weak solution of potassium permanganate from a pipette, fed with hard-boiled yolk and porridge, while placing the food on a green leaf. Afterwards you can sprinkle the food on them, they will follow their instinct and catch it. The next day, offer liquid food - mix porridge and yolk. Soon the ducklings will eat themselves.

Video about a farm in Germany:

Ducks eat almost everything. If they swim in a pond, they do not need complementary feeding, but if not, then feed them with vegetables, kitchen waste, duckweed, and grass. You can also prepare liquid food using milk. Mineral supplements should be mandatory in the diet.

Let's calculate capital investments. Grown-up ducklings cost 40 rubles, they are already more adapted to life. Daily allowances cost 3-5 rubles, but they are a lot of hassle and the mortality rate is higher.

The profits from duck are as follows: duck meat costs 140-160 rubles per kg. One duck weighs 2-3 kg, for it we get 300 rubles. on meat for 1 kg, and for eggs 3 thousand rubles. in one season. You can also get about 90 rubles per kg for down and feathers.

Along the way, you can produce blankets, pillows, and warm clothes from duck down. It is also a very profitable business.

So is it profitable or not to run this business? Of course yes, because if it was not profitable, then farmers would not do it, but any business must be approached correctly. It is worth talking about large incomes only with an appropriate number of birds. As a business at home, or rather running your own household, it is simply ideal under the appropriate conditions in the form of a reservoir, or perhaps an artificial one. But when doing business on an industrial scale, ponds are not made at all.

Creating a duck farm is a promising business project. With well-organized work, the farm will pay for itself in 1–1.5 years and will generate a stable income ( its profitability is 50–70%).

To start farming, you need to buy a plot of land, equip a poultry house and aviary, purchase the necessary equipment, purchase feed and ducklings, and also establish a market for finished products. But before you start, you should draw up a business plan.

Creating a duck farm should be undertaken by a person who lives in a rural area and owns a large plot of land (at least 1500 m2).

To implement this idea, a city resident will need to buy or rent a plot of land and move to the countryside. The farm needs constant attention, so you should be prepared for persistent and hard work.

The project will require large investments at the first stage: equipping poultry houses and purchasing ducklings are not cheap. However, within 2 months, when the first batch of birds is slaughtered, the farmer will receive income. After 1–1.5 years, the costs will be recouped, and the farm will begin to generate large income.

Farm products and their demand

The main product obtained from a duck farm is tasty dietary meat. It is much healthier than chicken, which is why it is popular among consumers. It is purchased by supermarkets, restaurants and markets.

The duck farm also produces other products:

  • down and feather (used as filler for pillows and blankets);
  • eggs (bought for later);
  • chicks (purchased by beginning farmers for fattening and breeding);
  • manure (used as soil fertilizer).

Thus, the duck farm is a waste-free production.

Buying ducks

Breed selection

Duck breeds are divided into two groups: meat and egg-laying ones. The first ones gain marketable weight in 2 months, but produce a small number of eggs (40–70 per year); the latter have to be fattened for 3–3.5 months, but they produce much more eggs (140–170 per year).

Popular breeds:

  • Peking duck. A strong, hardy and omnivorous bird. Produces 80–120 eggs per year; fattens well and by 2 months gains weight of 2.5–3 kg.
  • Muscovy duck. A non-conflict and calm bird. Produces 100–110 eggs per year; by 2 months, gains weight of 2–2.5 kg.
  • Black white-breasted duck. A bird with high egg production (120–130 eggs per year), but slow weight gain (marketable weight - 2.5 kg - gains only at 3 months).
  • Mulard. Hybrid of Peking duck and Muscovy duck. The bird is characterized by slow weight gain: by 3 months it weighs 4 kg, by 6 months – up to 7 kg. It feeds mainly on grass and cannot have offspring.

Cost of buying a herd

In order for the farm to function properly and quickly generate income, the herd must have at least 1560 ducks(1500 birds for fattening, 50 breeding females and 10 drakes). Since the survival rate of ducklings is 95%, 1640 ducklings will have to be purchased.

The cost of a day-old duckling depends on the breed and averages 100 rubles. To purchase 1640 ducklings you will have to spend 164 thousand rubles.

Farm arrangement

On a duck farm there must be a poultry house with two sections (for fattening ducks and for keeping breeding birds), a pasture for and a utility room in which equipment is stored. All these structures are located on an area of ​​about 1500 m2. The poultry house will occupy 700 m2.

Poultry house for fattening ducklings

The area of ​​the poultry house for fattening ducklings is calculated taking into account the number of birds: no more than 3 individuals can be accommodated per 1 m2. For 1500 birds you will need a room measuring 500–600 m2.

To save materials, the walls of the poultry house are made of different heights: the front wall should have a height of 1.8–2 m, the back wall – 1 m. Ducks do not need high ceilings, since, unlike chickens, they can do without perches. Nests for laying hens should be located near the far wall.

Poultry house requirements:

  • protection from moisture and drafts;
  • good ;
  • heating in winter;
  • electric lighting;
  • ease of cleaning and.

On the south side, at a height of 5–10 cm from the ground, a vertical hole measuring 35x45 cm is cut, which leads to an enclosure for walking.

Poultry house for breeding birds

The section intended for breeding birds must be equipped in the same way as the section for fattening young animals. However, its area is calculated differently: per 1 m2 there can be no more than 2 breeding birds. For 50 females and 10 drakes, 30–50 m2 of space will be required.

Particular attention should be paid to the arrangement of sockets. They are made of boards and are boxes measuring 40x50 cm and 25-30 cm high. The front wall should be lower - only 7-10 cm - so that it is convenient for the bird to climb inside. It is advisable to place the nests near the far wall of the house. Their number should be equal to the number of females. The nests are covered with sawdust, moss or straw.

Warming boxes for small ducklings can also be placed in the poultry house. They should be heated from below and illuminated from above by lamps with red light.

Poultry house equipment

The following equipment must be placed in each poultry house:

  1. Lamps with red light. Even if the poultry house has windows, there will not be enough natural light in the autumn-winter period. Therefore, you need to install lamps in the room that will provide a lighting intensity of 5 watts per 1 m2.
  2. Heaters. Birds do not tolerate cold well. To prevent the temperature in the poultry house from dropping below 11ºC, it will have to be equipped with heaters. The most economical option would be to install a stove-stove with a water circuit and radiators. It will cost much more to heat a poultry house with infrared lamps or electric convectors.
  3. Litter. The poultry house should be covered with straw, shavings or sawdust; this bedding will be changed as needed. One bird per year will require up to 6 kg of litter.
  4. Ventilation. In order to simultaneously ensure ventilation and heating of the poultry house, it should be equipped not with conventional supply and exhaust ventilation, but with ventilation with forced supply of warm air.
  5. Food feeders. Birds should have portable feeders for dry food and wet mash. The feeders have the shape of an elongated trough, 25 cm wide and 1–1.5 m long. Their depth is 15–20 cm. They are equipped with a bar on top that prevents birds from climbing inside and scattering food.
  6. Feeder for mineral supplements. It looks like a regular feeder, divided into 3 sections: for chalk, gravel and shells. Attached to the wall at a height of 20 cm.
  7. Drinking bowls. Drinkers are made of wood in the same dimensions as feeders. To prevent moisture from deforming the wood, it must be tarred and painted. If there is a water supply on the site, you can install flow-through drinking bowls from a metal pipe cut into two parts. You can also equip the poultry house with nipple or drip drinkers, and the boxes for young animals with automatic drinkers.

Aviary for walking

There can be 2 individuals per 1 m2 of open space. Therefore, for a flock of 1560 birds you will need an aviary measuring 800 m2. To prevent the birds from scattering, the pasture must be fenced with a high fence and covered with a net on top, which will protect the ducks from attacks by predatory animals and birds. Part of the aviary (approximately 200 m2) should be under a canopy so that the birds can hide from the sun.

If there is a natural pond on the site, birds will happily splash in the water. This will reduce feed costs: after all, the birds will receive almost the entire daily food requirement naturally. If there is no natural reservoir, there is no need to equip an artificial one: it will quickly become polluted.

Cost of equipment of premises

Arranging a poultry house and aviaries will require large investments:

  • construction of poultry houses - 1 million rubles;
  • installation of a ventilation and heating system – 100 thousand rubles;
  • installation of lighting fixtures – 100 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of warmer boxes for chicks - 50 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of drinking bowls and feeders - 100 thousand rubles.

Costs can be reduced if you make drinking bowls and feeders yourself.

Equipment

The farm must have the following equipment:

  1. Incubators. If you plan to artificially hatch ducklings on your farm, you will need to purchase at least 10 universal incubators. A device designed for 100 chicken eggs can accommodate 70 duck eggs. The purchase of incubators will cost 100 thousand rubles.
  2. Feather plucking machine. It will not be possible to manually process a large number of carcasses, so a large farm should have a machine for plucking feathers. Its cost is low - only 15 thousand rubles.
  3. Freezing units. It will not be possible to sell the finished products immediately, and to prevent them from spoiling, you will need to store them in freezers. An industrial freezing unit with a capacity of 4.7 m 3 will cost 60 thousand rubles.

Duck breeding and principles of breeding flock formation

A duck farm requires regular replenishment of the flock. After the slaughter of the first batch of young animals, you will need to purchase another 1,500 for fattening. In order not to waste money on young animals, it is worth taking care of the self-reproduction of farm resources.

To maintain a flock of 1,500 birds, you will need 50 females and 10 drakes. They will give birth to about 7,500 ducklings per year. For the best fertilization of eggs, there should be 1 drake per 5 females.

Breeding birds must comply with the breed standard. Large but lean individuals with smooth shiny plumage and a strong build are selected for breeding. Ducks reach sexual maturity at 5–6 months.

Hatching chicks

Chicks can be hatched in two ways: natural incubation and using an incubator. With natural incubation, egg hatchability is 90–95%. The eggs are incubated for 30–35 days, so one hen can hatch 3 batches of 14–19 eggs during the laying period.

Breeding chicks using an incubator gives a low hatchability rate - only 60–70%. Eggs for incubation are collected from nests daily, sent to a special room and stored at a temperature of 15ºC for 15–18 days. In order not to make a mistake in the timing, each egg must be marked with the date of removal from the nest. When a sufficient amount of material has been collected, the eggs are placed in the incubator.

Feeding

The ducklings are fattened for 2 months and then sent to slaughter. During this period, the duck eats 10 kg of feed (3.5 kg of feed provides a weight gain of 1 kg). It turns out that a duck population of 1,500 individuals needs to purchase 15 tons of feed for 2 months.

Ducks are unpretentious in food, but their diet must include:

  • wet mash (a mixture of various vegetables, herbs, plant tops with whey or broth);
  • ready-made dry feed;

The cost of 1 kg of feed is 10 rubles. This means that 15 tons of food will cost 150 thousand rubles.

Cost calculation

Organizing a farm will require serious investments:

  • purchase of ducklings – 164 thousand rubles;
  • arrangement of premises - 1 million 350 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of equipment – ​​175 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of food for a batch of ducks – 150 thousand rubles.

Current expenses will consist of paying for electricity and paying salaries to employees. This will require about 200 thousand rubles. per month.

Consequently, opening a duck farm will cost 2 million rubles.

Income calculation

The main source of income is the sale of duck meat. Its cost is 200 rubles. per kg. The average carcass weight is 2.5 kg. Consequently, one carcass can be sold for 500 rubles. A batch of ducks of 1,500 individuals will bring the owner 750 thousand rubles.

Up to 5 batches of ducks can be bred per year. This means that the annual income is 3 million 750 thousand rubles. Even if we take into account that you will have to pay monthly for electricity and the labor of hired workers, the farm will pay for itself in about a year.