The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-12-09
PROFIT In DUCKS.

The raising Of ducks Is among the
must profitable Of home industries, 90
the early part Of December should be de
voted % preparing quarters for them
says Kate Saint Maur 10 her article, "a
5elf-Supporting Home" IN Pearson's
for December.
LIZ your memory Of ducks is Of the old
fashioned "puddler," which spent all
its time grubbIng 10 the mud and mire
of the creek, wandered far from home,
dropping its eggs promiscuously every
where TO feed water rats, eventually end
! ing an Improbable life, a prey to some
carLivorous animal, the Imperial Pekin
Duck will be revelation in its size and
beauty. They are almost as large as
geese, with plumage which ia white,
deepening to rich cream at the quill,
! bright yellow bills and legs-in fact, they
look Just what they are, the aristocrats
of the duck species. At ten weeks old
they weigh from to G rounds, bringing
an average price of Is cents q pound.
Their addition to the farm is not a Sc
rious consideration. because, beyond the
outlay of the fret cost of the birds, there
is little expense.
clean, dry straw, or some sort of bed
dung about foot deep on the floor, re-
newed every three days. 1t is not
much SO to put in nests, for ducks seem
to prefer dropping their eggs around
ANY, here. Put one box not more than
three inches from the floor 10 corner
with china egg, it viii sometimes at
tract the m.
-. 81 .of
be exercised in gathering eggs, the ducks
generally lay very early 10 the morning,
an egg frozen or badly chilled will not
hatcn. Another need for care is neces-
STATED by their habit of laying all over
the coop and covering the eggs with
straw, leaves, or whatever the floor litter
may be Until l became used to the
trick some possible ducks we're crushed
under foot. If you are going to let the
ducks have free range, contrive to keep
them cooped till about 10 a. M, or you
will lose their eggs.
Though the fences around the yards |
need only eighteen inches of height, the |
netting must be securely fastened to the |
ground for ducks seem to possess al
normal powers when it comes to creep
ing under anything.
First Cost of Ducks.
trio of good. ordinary market
stock should be purchasable for about
81. Ducks are not like hens; they DO
not lay all the year round. but when
they start they are attentive to the
BUSINESS of egg production daily. so
hat couple of mature Pekins will
provide you with setting In six days.
As you will want to keep some of the
7oung ones for next years stock, ask
The breeder you buy from to ship you
birds two years old. as their progeny
s stronger.
Pekins never want to sit, so hens
must be used for Matching until your
took is large enough to ill an incu-
'ator in few days; artificial duck
aising is without doubt the best
'hink of one farm in Massachusetts
hat markets $4,000 young ducks an
ually; sells two tons of feathers, and
eeps ], 200 breeders Would such an
immense business be possible in the
Id way?
Though Peklns don't mead water to
vim in, they must have quantities to
rink, always fresh and clean, which 4
leans that drinking pans must be re- =
lied three times day, and be so con-
ructed as to enable the bird to sub
leIge the whole bill In the wateI 9
ny? Because there are two small =
oles at the base of the bill which 2
scome clogged with feed or mud. and =
Mess they can rinse these out when 2
linking the poor things smother. =
A man who had broiler farm near g
If ace, three years ago, bought a
lndred ducKs' eggs, Matched out fine 2
{ of youngsters and lost every one Y
thin two weeks through using water Z
untain in the brooder that was too =
allow AS had lots Of ducks at the Z
ne, he brought some over for me to
Q. There was nothing whatever the q
after with them except that their little -
strils we're all stopped up with the soft
I'd. 80 pray remember this very i'm
rtant direction when you are arrang
3 drinking water for ducks, young or
1-they must not be able to get into
3 pan with their feet or bodies, But
Dir entire heads must have free en- D,
Ince. IL