The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-09
Money in Ducks.

lied country in the world. This is part
Iv owing to the circumstance that wild
Waterfowl have till recently been so
common in most parts OF the country
that hunters have kept the market very
we'll supplied at those seasons OF tho
year when these birds are most in de-
mand. 1t is evident, however. that the
rapid settlement OF those paris OF the
country where wild water-fowls have
bred their Young and the great increase
of hunters will soon reduce the number
Of these birds in tie market. This has
been the case in Great Britain, where
wild ducks were once very plenty but
are now quite scarce, AS the markets
are no longer supplied with wild birds,
| falmerS and cottagers have turned their
attention to raising them. During the
past few years the raising of ducks has
become an important and very profit
able industry. They are extensively
raised in village cottages, as well as on
farms. In the t wa of Ayles ury, Ia
nous for the breed of ducks named for
it, thousands are raised every year for
the London market Those that are
Matched during the winter and are
large enough to cook during the Easter
holidays bring almost fabulous p ices:
These ducks are raised in warm rooms
attached to dwellings,, and are supplied
with water kept in tubs or troughs.
Many persons in England raise early
ducks in buildings partly co, cred with
glass. BY forcing tier growth while
they are Young their flesh is very t nder
as well as juicy, and is regarded as a
great deicacy. Epicures in cities are
willing to pay very high prices for
spring ducks, Fine ducks are also in
good demand at all seasons of the year.
Ducks possess many advantages over
other domesticated fowls. They are
very hardy, and ate liable to bit few
diseases. They take to confinement
much better than most kinds of fowls
A very cheap fence is sufficient to keep
them in the place desired. They are
not liable to be in ured by vcrmin.
Their feathers are of cons derable value.
They stand transportation when alive
or dressed better than most kinds OF
fowls. They are great egg producers.
1t is true that they are heavy eaters,
but they make good showing for the
food they consume. and will eat almost
ANYTHING, vegetable or animal, that
any bird or animal will. They are not
liable to stray Off long distances, as
turkeys and geese are. Ducks are not
as reliable sitters as hens, neither are
they as good mothers. On these ac-
counts it is better to allow hens to hatch
the eggs and "bring up" the young
ducks, Generally ducks show little
disposition to st a'ter they have laid
their first litter OF eggs before they show
disposition to take to the nest. Two
: litters may be hatched by hens, and the
J last may be hatched by the ducks them
selves. Hens VII ordinarily be more
successful in raising good tlocks. This
, is largely owing to the fact that they
$ keep the birds away from the water
: when quite young. BY so doing they
keep many of them from being destroyed
} by snakes, turtles and water animals.
Ducks will be much more likely 20 live
and thrive if they are not allowed to 60
t into the water till they are at least six
. weeks old Hens will keep them from
it, while ducks will encourage them to
swim almost as soon as they are out OF
: the shell. If young ducks are raised in
r an inclosure, a tub or half hogshead may
e be sunk in the ground and filled with
| water for them to swim in. Security
t may in that way be insured against
g their enemies.
4 People who desire to raise ducks otter
tla n,lr of wi
a on the shores of lake or the banks o.
:. large stream or river. They think ;
. large body of water is almost essentia
/. to raising ducks successfully. They dC
J, not take into consideration the fact tina
:. water-snakes, minks, muskrats and tur
! ties are likely to abound in these places
3 or the additional fact that large bod,
of water often tempts ducks to swim OF
II to a long distance and become lost Small
7 bodies of water, under the control o
n the breeder, are much better than lakes
n rivers, or even very large st cams.
h comparatively small spring will affor'
Il sufficient water for several hundre'
3 ducks, if the supply is properly man
y aged. Small and quite shallow pond
- can be excavated along the line of tn
overflow and their sides covered wit
gravel or sod BY taking pains to form
y little islands in these ponds they may b
,, made ornamental as well as useful. Al
~ 81 tifcial ponds suitable for the uses C
% ducks may be filled with the water eS
u u Gaping from artesian wells, raised fror
y ordinary wells by wind power, or ful
', :, nished by tile laid for drainage pur
=, poses. Good ponds may also be mad
/" by building dams across small stream
t. that flow from farm. If these sma
4, ponds are kept free from grass an
n n bushes they will not be likely to be il
- ~ tested by animals or reptiles that wi
n n prey on the young ducks. They can b
y readily cleaned out when they becom
u + foul, by cutting off the supply of watt
l and allowing that which is foul to floV
., of, An ordinary dry-goods box with
y door cut in one end affords goo
e, house for a flock of growing duck
ia These little houses may be located q
to the islands in the ponds or on the sidC
'ui of them. If there are several ponds G
III a place each one may be devoted to OF
es flock of ducks. The superintendent
nc of the public parks about this city hay
DIX shown how ducks and their habitatiol
may aid in rendering place beautiful
Ducks while laying should be kept