Connecticut western news., 1886-03-03
DUCK RAISING.
A Business Which is Increas-
 ing Fast in the East.
Ducks Hatchel in Incubators and Yield
 ing Profit of $45 Each.

ing a Profit of $45 Each.
 'It is remarkable" said well-known' poultry dealer in response to inquiries made by a reporter for the New York MaI and Express, Chow rapidly duck raising has grown to be leading feature in our business. Every day shows an in- creased demand for ducks for eating pur- poses. Why is this? Because it has been found that they are great delicacy and far ahead of even chickens as broilers They command as high, if not higher, prices in the market than chickens. For the past two years a great speciality has been made of raising them in the East, especially around Boston, and now New Workers and Jerseyites are beginning to go into the business at lively rate. We have hitherto devoted the larger part of the time on our chicken ranch to the rais- ing of chickens, but so great has become the demand for ducks that we have de- termined to make that our speciality now instead of chickens. They can be matched out in the incubator the same as chicks, and they are raised more easily than chickens. They are not so liable to dis ease and do not require so much care Besides, they are ready for market when two months old and are twice the weight of chickens at the same age"
 "What kind of ducks are most in de- mand?"
 "The White Pekins, because they have no dark feathers and their flesh is a hand- some yellow, looking the best when dress ed. Why, in early market such ducks bring as high as 50 and 60 cents pound. Next to the White Pekins in demand are the Rouens and the Aylesburys. The latter are much like the White Pekins. The points in favor of the Rouens are that they grow rapidly and retain their weight remarkably well, but their flesh is not so yellow, and consequently they do not bring as good prices in the mar ket."
 "What is the average weight of ducks and geese2"
 "Ducks average in weight about six pounds and ordinary sized geese twelve pounds. But some breeds of geese grow very large, and have seen goose that weighed thirty pounds. The best food for ducks is made of brewers grains. They are great eaters."
 "Can you give an example of money made in duck-raisinnss22'
 s"I1i Here Is one that is causing much comment among all poultry dealers just now, and it is really remarkable case. It is that of a poultry producer of South Easton, Mass. He shows an actual profit of $45 from one duck and of $1, 575 from thirty-fve ducks. As a poultry journal commenting on the fact truthful ly says, that it is more than is made from herd of dairy cows and the capital required is much less."
 Particulars which were obtained from this gentleman showed that his adult
 
 the profit averaged $45 for each. He uses the Pekins, but thinks cross be- tween that breed and the Aylesbury su- perior to either. His adult ducks are allowed large trough, through which fresh water constantly flows. This is used for bathing purposes. The number of eggs last year was 40 from each duck The eggs were matched in his incuba- tors, from which 5000 ducklings were raised to the age of from eight to ten weeks and marketed, the price received pound for those that came in early and IS cents pound for these that were late, the average price being 22 cents pound. The cost of raising each duckling to the age of eight weeks was cents pound. His profit was thus IT cents pound, and as the 5000 ducklings produced 12,O 900 pounds of meat their yield was over $2,OO0. Other expenses such as quarters, attendance, etc., reduced his profits to $1, 575. The young ducks had no access to water except for drinking purposes and were fed in the same man. ner as chicks, except that they required more animal food It was found also that each duckling yielded from an ounce to two ounces of feathers, which sell for 50 cents pound Each adult duck laid 40 eggs and began to lay when five months old. The best prices, 30 cents pound, were obtained about the middle of May, decreasing to 1e cents in July. They weighed per pail one pound week for each weeks growth when eight weeks old, or foul pounds each, gaining pound week. They were raised in breeders, but were carefully watched, fed often and kept warm.