The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-21
THEY BRING MONEY
Pennsylvania Farm Sells Twelve
Thousand Ducks q Year.
An Interesting Account OF . Visit to Thu
Unique Institution How the
Fowls Are Handled and
Marketed.
During NV vacation DAYS last sum-


man. found in a valley under the
shadow of the Blue mountains of Penn
sylvania what the proprietors called a
duck ranch" The name struck me as
being odd. If it means broad acres.
ranch is a misnomer; If il signifies a
place where large numbers OF animals
or fowls are reared, this place was well
named, since during the past year
twelve thousand ducks were reared on
the few acres of the ranch.
The story told by the proprietor was
confirmed by their New York buyer.
At the time OF my visit. early in Sep
TENDER, there were about four thou
sand nearly ready for market, and such
q multitude of pure white birds was a
pretty sight. The variety grown is the
Pekin, that at maturity will weigh
fourteen to twenty pounds 10 the pair.
They have rich, yellow skin and or
enge colored bills and legs. They bear
confinement well, and it is claimed they
may be reared successfully with water
sufficient only for drink. However, it
is found that without water in which
to wash themselves their plumage is
soiled by the mud, and the feathers,
worth from forty to fifty cents pound,
are injured IN market value
The Pelins are prolific in eggs, lay
ing from l25 to $50 each in a year, but
many of the eggs are infertile. In fact,
the proprietors of this ranch thought
they did not get to exceed fifty ducks
rT7ha t,,r,1lv-
as ordinarily kept on the farm, rarely
lays before spring time. Ducks reared
in the approved modern style, Matched
in May, will begin to lay about the
holidays and continue laying all win
ter, and this weakens their vitality.
But why is not the constitution weak
ened also in respect to making rapid
and great growth of frame? The barn.
yard fowl has undergone the same rev.
olution of ha bit, and l have found their
eggs as fertile in winter as at any other
time. Is not this lack of fertility at
tributable rather to the fact that the
natural habit of the duck is not COM
pletely revolutionized by domestica-
ton? By nature the duck is mono
Is. Tic OILY
with one duck-and it is proba BILE that
in large hOcks there are brakes that
will mate each only with one duck,
while other brakes will care for two or
more each, and thus the fertilization
proves unequal and irregular. Ducks
at their best do not show the develop
ment of the polygamous habit to the
h..
best authorities recommend in-breeding
only five or six ducks to one drake
The eggs are Matched in incubators,
which are set in operation as soon as
there is a complement of eggs to eli 4
machine. On a well managed duck
peep about the LIST of February. and
incubators are kept running until the
list of July. The ducks are reared I'M
der artificial breeders in their houses
and in small yards, and not allowed ac-
cess TO water for bathing until a month
old. / presume in winter they never
go out of their yards until killed.
From the time they are Matched until
ready for market the ducklings are fed
all the wholesome food they can digest,
and at ten weeks old the Pekins should
dress ten pounds to the pair.
Of course. such weights are obtained
only by farmers who thoroughly I'M
derstand the business. The men 1 Wis
tied had been in the business several
years and had learned by practical ex-
perience how to achieve success. For
anyone to try it, relying on book
knowledge alone, would simply be in
viting failure. In competent hands
poultry farming may be successfully
conducted on large scale; hence it
was great satisfaction to see this no
ton illustrated on this ranch. did not
inquire how well it was paying, but
that it was a paying business was evil
dent. 1t is proposed to try and rear
10000 ducks at this ranch next year.
1t is estimated that Pekin ducks may
be reared TO the age of ten weeks for
8 cents a pound, and the price re-
ceived will probably average 20 cents
a pound. The earliest shipments viii
realize 30 cents a pound or more, and
Is cents is about the lowest figure for
them at any season.
There is one peculiar feature in the
market for choice ponltry-the breeder
need not consign his stock for sale and
take the chances of the market A
class Of New York dealers are always
in search of poultry Of superior quail
ity. and viii buy it outright at excel
lent prices. These dealers supply the
large fashionable hotels and restaur-
ants. that viii have only the best. and
II IS often more OF question Of ability
to get what they want than of price.
The house handling these ducks IN
New York was getting 20 cents a
pound for choice spring chickens when
what | regard as very good poultry
was selling at = cents Their custom
ers don't 90 shopping. but buy where
they know what they get is superior,
and they are willing % pay a good
round price for IL Eager buyers seek
for good article, while poor article
has 10 hunt for q market
These ducks rapidly grown are Ike
rapidly grown lettuce OF radishes-
very tender. Their market vas orig
inaly made on this tender, fat coudI-
ton. without the use OF celery 70 add
10 the flavor
The wholesome food, Of course.
changed the quality Of the flesh. ana
now the supply IS not equa! - the de-
mand- They are fed celery finely cut
and mixed with their food fer prob
ably q month previous 20 killing.
There - no distinct tsste % celery On
the flesh. hut - union with the nat
ural qualities Of the flesh impa-ts .