The Effects of Stocking Density on Growth Performance of Pekin Ducks

The experiment was designed to investigate the effects of actual stocking density on the growth performance parameters in Pekin ducks. A total of 240 ducklings were used with stocking densities of 3, 5 and 7 poults m-2 during the 42 day growing period. Live Weight, Live Weight Gain, Feed Consumption, Feed Conversion Ratio, Mortality Rate and Productivity Index parameters were investigated to determine growth performance. As the stocking density decreases, LW values were found to be increasing visibly after 3 weeks of age (P<0.05), Live Weight Gain and Total Live Weight values were found to be increasing after first week (P<0.05). The achieved total live weight in unit area increases parallel to increasing stocking density catching the peak at 7 ducklings m-2 stocking density (P<0.05). Stocking density was found to be affecting Feed Conversion values and from first week of age, Feed Conversion was found to be increasing by declining stocking density (P<0.05). Therewithal, Feed Conversion Ratio was found to be increasing with declining stocking density till the third week of age (P<0.05) but, hereafter this effect was disappeared (P>0.05). Mortality occurred in the trial was found not to be affected by Stocking Density (P>0.05), whereas by declining Stocking Density, Productivity Index was found to be increasing however in parallel Live Weight per unit area was also found to be decreasing together (P<0.05). When a general revision is made from the research, increasing Stocking Density has a positive effect on performance parameters of Pekin ducks except Total Live Weight per unit area.