St. Landry democrat., 1888-01-14
RAISING WATER FOw, 6
a prospect That in the Future Dut.,ss
Will Command Good Pricss

Will Command Good Prices.
But little attention has ever been
given in most parts of this country to
! raising any kinds of water fowls for
the flesh they afford Till mattresses
, 1liled with hair, wool and various vrre-
table substances took the place of ticks
filled with straw and feathers reese
were raised and pluckel for the DUR
pose of supplying materials for beds
and pillows. The geese that had pro-
duced several crops OF feathers we're
not very desirable for food. and were
not sought after except by boarding.
house keepers. After the pluclsinr of
live geese was classed amoug the cruel
practices that humane people were not
supposed to indulge in. fewer geese
| were kept than before. Very few per-
sons have kept ducks for the purpose
of producing food. Some have raised
them for ornament; for streams, and
artificial ponds or for producing eggs
early in the season. Duck-raising has
never been popular in the West, be-
cause the prairie region is not we'll sup
Piled with streams and small lakes. Till
recently 1t has been believed that a
place in which ducks could swim was
essential to success in raising them
Another cause has operated against
raising water fowls Wild geese, brant
and ducks have been very plenty, and
could be Shot by any one who hal
gun. Professional and amateur hunt
ers killed very large numbers of them
and sent them to market. During sew
eral months in the year wild water
fowls We're very cheap in all our .aree
towns. In many cases their flesh was
cheaper than beef, pork or mutton. As
this was the case, there was scarcely
any demand for tame ducks and geese.
As rule. only foreigners bought the
latter. They were accustomed to them
in their old homes and occasionally
bought them for that reason MANY
have observed that poor foreigners. who
generally live on the outskirts of our
large cities, keep large focks of geese.
They find them profitable. rs they live
largely on garbage Most Americans
have no great love for the flesh of
geese. They often object to them be-
cause they see them living in cutters
and eating refuse meat and vegetables.
They are prejudiced against town
ducks for the same reason. They occa-
sionally eat wild ducks and geese be-
cause their habits are more cleanly,
and for the additional reason that their
flesh is ''gamey.'
During the past few years the de-
mand for domesticated ducks and
geese has greatly increased, especially
in the East. where wild water fowls
have become exceedingly scarce. The 7
discovery has also been made that we'll.
fattened ducks and geese of the I'M
proved breeds are vastly superior to
wild birds of very uncertain age.
Early maturity until recently has NOT
been thought to be as desirable in
geese and ducks as in beeyes and sheep.
Few paid attention to fastening their.
growth as fast as possible and thereby
saving large amount of food. and ut
the same time insuring flesh more
tender and of a better flavor. Expert
ments in England and France showed
that ducks of the Aylesboro and Rouen
breeds, and their crosses, could DE
made to weigh four pounds each when
they were three months old These
ducks, when Matched in February or
March, brought fancy prices in the
London and Paris markets, as they
were in advance of either spring lamb
Or chickens. Many poultry-raisers as
that ducks at given age
could be made to weigh more than
chickens, while they are much more
hardy and will eat cheaper kinds Of
food.
There is demand on the part OF
spicures for young fowls to eat with
The first green peas, and those who
nave given attention to the matter
ind that they can supply this demand
With ducks better than with chickens.
t is very difficult to raise chickens in
he early spring on account of the cold
md rain. With suitable protection. #
s much less difficult to raise ducks.
They are better supplied with feathers,
md appear to be more hardy. Many
Iucks intended for the Easter market
re now raised in England and France
II the kitchens of cottages or in ott%
ouses that are kept warm by artificial
eat. Ducks commence to lay very
arly in the spring, and their eggs are
atched in incubators or under hens''
he young ducks are first fed on cooked
zeal, and after they are a few days old
hey are supplied with grain and coarse
zeal. Cheap fats are mixed with meal
nd fed to the ducks a few weeks before
hey are sent to market. Boiled pota-
pes and roots and table scraps are also e
I'd to them. They are allowed water
My for drinking purposes. e
Althou h the duck is 4 water fowl
nd much addicted to going long dis
,nces in search of food and water it
as been found that it can be .ratsed to
lie best advantage in confinement, and
ept from water in sufficient quantity