The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-22
Ducks ON a Large scale.
1-onsfon AGRICULTURAL Gazette

LONDON AEFtSHftufA oa4fttf.
While Il is true that the duck Industry
OF Rsekinghamshlre and Bedfordshlrs is
both large and OF great value - the pso-
pie OF those counties. this business Is car
rfed out ON larger scale In America
The most extensive duck farm we have
seen in England u one where about ten
thousand duckiings ara annually pro-
dueed. This is however, very exception
al. and there would probably be ten places
where a couple Of thousand are reared TO
ono where three. much less Eve, times
that number is the output. But In Amer
lea they do things on a bigger scale. on
authority which we have no reason 10
doubt, which show that ten thousand
duck farm IS by no means rare.
An interesting report Of visit paid on
May last to the establishment run"
of the Messrs. Weber. ia New England.
Is given in a recent number OF Farm
Poultry. From this we ieara that this
firm expected 20 rear this season fifteen
70 sixteen thousand ducklsngs, and at the
time named twelve thousans had already
been Matched. The space occupied by
thep was three 70 four acres. showing
that the quantity OF land required for this
industry ~ comparatively small. AZ the
time OF this visit a thousand duckiings
were Matching per week, and they vera
dressing and shipping between co and
700 IN the same time. As II the case here
the young birds we're being got TO the
New York and Boston markets In order
20 take advantage ~ the higher prices OF
the first half OF May, and the AVERAGE
weights were . TO 10 pounds per pair, the
returns bringing about sc cents per pound.
or $3.50 20 $40 per couple, which are de-
cldcdly below London market RATES. The
custom Is IS prices fan on the auckiinRs
gain another week. then two weeks, OF
life. and are thus marketed a, one 70 two
pounds per pair heavier II IL stated that
the cost OF raising fucllings 10 narketa-
bic size ss only cents per pound; bat this
point would require further paFslcalarixa-
ton for confirmation. II correct, there Is
undoubtedly monQy tn ducks.
A very suggestive statement Is made as
10 the rgse and saH ia fertility OF duck
eggs. When tho ducks first begin 20 lay.
early in the winter, they lay perhaps one
egg ror week. and those eggs are almost
wholly infertlle. As the season advances
the egg tide increases. and the fertility
also. until they arc producing very nearly
an egg a day apiece. and ttoss eggs viii
run as many as 30 per cent. fertile. This
high tide lasts bat a short time. and then
begins 70 fAil agsin. the eggs gradually
growing fewer. and the percentage OF fer
tile eggs lower. until July or August,
when IL wifi have practically ceased
All the duckings are Matched artihci-
ally. aud the account Is better reproduced
entirely. The machine. II way~. was packed
as ran as II could be OF yellow, active
bnli-shapef life, which focked towards
the light, siidtnE down by an incline made
by the inner (giassl door 70 the Dor await
ing them Ty actual count there were
RS sucklinrs taken out Of the machine
The highest hatch this year was s7s. and
they have had severa. matches OF 30 or
go zach: this would Be from about 800
egg The webers use sco-egg Monarch"
tncubafors. sixteen OF them. and each ma
chine wiz hold about 40 duck eggs. They
have two small machines they uss az
tenders" putting abort fifty eggs into
one % the trays when the machine - Get
when tho Eggs are tested out they put
all the fertile eggs with i've germs info
the large machine, and these goodly
nafrhe. are che result.
The feeding adopted differs distinctly
from that met with on thls side. The
arst feed - dry stale bread mixed wifh
hars-boiied infertils eggs. ground fine Ia
a meat ohoppsr. the proportion being
about four OF bread n one 81 egg. After
warts ira older 6uckllngs have mix
tora OF shorts. Indian neal. ssaio bread
soaked IN sour mix. some beef SCRAPS.
and a little sifsed oyster shells or grit
Green food IN the shape OF re ar young
clever. run through 4 cgttsr, r. fed daily.
Rolled oats and skim milk are used lih-
orally: but rec, whsch is 50 largely en-
pioye1 on this side. does not seem 70 be
adopted.
Afrer the bird is Killed ara pluckaf. shs
dnck r. plunged into cold water until the
animal beat - all cut. when the siDxs
are tl-d Gloss 20 the body. the blood rinse1
from the north. ard tho carcass aepon-
tied II tong tsrsE % ire water - osc0Tns
thoroughly cooled. art tn the barrels used
Tor packing. tee Is freely used