I simply recommend it. It is a paperback book of 316 pages and consists of 18 chapters plus a comprehensive set of useful appendices. The book is written to offer something to every reader, from the novice contemplating the purchase of ducks for the first time to the experienced waterfowl breeder. For example, there are detailed comparisons of the qualities ducks versus most other forms of poultry in both general terms and later in very specific ways such as the nutritional content of the eggs, costs per unit of meat, foraging ability, and resistance to disease to name but a few. All aspects of keeping ducks are discussed in great detail from characteristics of their behavior to their requirements in feeding, housing, protection from predators and good rearing practices.
Chapters take the reader from selecting the right breed to fitting birds for exhibition.
The author is not dogmatic in his approach to the subject and does not pretend that his system is the only good one. It is hard, however, to ignore the advice of someone who hatches 10,000 ducklings and goslings consistently year after year. Chapter 10 is what I have been waiting for. Entitled Understanding Duck Colors, it is a thorough explanation of the genetic makeup of almost every color pattern involved in any breed of domestic duck. Included in the coverage of each color pattern are common faults and breeding tips.