Mr Deden
Banyuwangi-East Java
I plan to raise laying Ducks. But I am confused regarding the selection of the cage. I want to ask, what is the difference between a postal cage or ranch and battery cage if used for Phase duck layer?
Answer :
Dear. Mr. Deden, thank you for the question. Cage ranch is a type of cage that is quite popular because it provides a wider place as a place for ducks to play. Cage ranch also called umbaran cage. This cage is equipped with drains for drinking water sources and where ducks clean themselves or cool the body during the day.
Cage type ranch divided into two parts, namely the part of the cage that uses the roof and the other part that is open. The roofed part of the cage becomes a place for ducks to rest at night and a place to lay eggs in the morning. The roofed part of the cage, the floor must be made higher so that rainwater does not stagnate in the cage. The floor of the cage is given a layer in the form of a mixture of sand, lime, dry straw, or chaff. In addition, it can also be made a stage so that dirt is easier to clean. In the part of the cage without a roof, where the Ducks Nest, a fence with a door is made.
The size of the cage can be made with a length of 10 meters. The length of 10 meters is divided into two parts, namely 4 meters for the roofed cage and the second part measuring 6 meters in the cage without a roof. In the barn ranch, besides can be used as phase duck cage layer, can also be used ducks for mating mainly with the aim of obtaining eggs for breeding.
The advantages of cages ranch among the cages are easier to clean and ducks can be more active to support their health and productivity. But even this cage has disadvantages such as farmers have to drive the Ducks into a roofed cage, for example, in the afternoon or when it rains.
Battery cage is a cage that is often used for adult ducks phase layer. However, this type of battery enclosure requires a relatively high cost so that the investment cost for maintenance is usually higher than other types of cages.
In the battery cage, Ducks are not free to move. The goal is that ducks do not spend a lot of energy so that they can produce optimally. The eggs produced are usually consumption eggs and not for hatching because they are not through mating with a male duck. Even if you want to produce hatching eggs, artificial insemination must be carried out. For that on the maintenance of breeding ducks in battery cages, breeders must take into account the cost of Labor inseminator (artificial insemination expert) into production costs.
The advantages of battery cages include duck health control is easier to do so that Disease Control can be done optimally. In addition, the resulting eggs are cleaner and whole. Feed consumption was more evenly distributed because the Ducks are not scrambling to obtain food so that the growth of ducks more uniform. The nature of individual Ducks can be easily controlled so that farmers can minimize duck stress. However, behind these advantages there are disadvantages of using this type of battery cage, including the cost of making a relatively more expensive cage. In addition, the activity of ducks is limited so that the fulfillment of the needs of ducks is very dependent on the breeder. Ducks will tend to be more sensitive because they are confined in cages.
Based on the explanation of differences in cages ranch and the battery cage, it can be concluded that the cage ranch can be used for Phase enclosure layer especially when the Ducks are going to mate to produce breeding eggs. While the battery cage can be used to phase Ducks layer mainly to produce consumption eggs.
