Arizona republican., 1895-01-18
: ON A DUCK RANCH.
Pennsylvania Farm Sells Twelve
Thousand Ducks a Year
An Interesting Account of a Visit to This
Unique Institution the
Fowls Are Handled and
Marketed.


man, l found in a valley under the
shadow of the Blue mountains of Penn
sylvania what the proprietors called
duck ranch" The name struck me as
being odd. If it means broad acres
ranch is a misnomer; if it 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 We're about four thou
sand nearly ready for market, and such
q multitude of pure white birds was
pretty sight. The variety grown is the
Pekin, that at maturity will weigh
fourteen to twenty pounds to the pair
They have rich, yellow skin, and Or
ange 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 in iured In market value.
The Pekihs are prolific in eggs, lay
ing from 125 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
from 100 eggs. The duck naturally, or
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 habit, and have found their
eggs as fertile in winter as at any other
time. Is not this lack of fertility at
tributabl rather to the fact that the
natural habit of the duck is not COM
pletely revolutionized by domestica-
lion? By nature the duck is mono
ganous-that is, the drake mates only
wi, h one auckland it is probable that
IN l7rge fioclls 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
Inent Of the polygamous habit to the
same extent as barnyard fowls. The
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 fill a
machine. On we'll managed duck
farm the ducklings should begin to
peep about the 1st of February, and
incubators are kept running until the
1st of July. The ducks are reared IN
der artificial breeders in their houses
and in small yards, and not allowed ac-
cess to water for bathing until month
cid. I presume in winter they never
go out of their yards until killed
From the time they are Matched until
ready for market the duckings 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 l 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 a 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 paying business was evil
dent. 1t is proposed to try and real
10000 ducks at this ranch next year
1t is estimated that Pekin ducks may
be reared to the age of ten weeks fol
cents a pound, and the price re
ceived will probably average 20 cents
pound. The earliest shipments viii
realize 30 cents a pound or more, ant
is cents is about the lowest figure foi
them at any season.
There is one peculiar feature in thu
market for choice ponltry-the breede,
need not consign his stock for sale AM
take the chances of the market /
class of New York dealers are Away
in search of poultry of superior quail
ity, and will buy it outright at excel
lent prices. These dealers supply tn
large fashionable hotels and restaur
ants, that will have only the best, an
it is often more of question of abilit
to get what they want than of price
The house handling these ducks i
New York was getting 20 cents