Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-06-09
Ponds and Rape for Ducks.

Ponds and Rape for DUCKS.
Last year was the first season that
we ever used a pond in connection
with the raising Of ducks, and the
result was SO satisfactory that we Will
! give an account of 1t for the benent
Of the readers of your paper. we
began the season with seven Rouen
ducks and two brakes for breeding
stock. Back of the barn there Is
quite good sized pond. and, as we did
not need the water for the stock, we
allowed the ducks to enjoy 1t. They
spent their days in It and very profit
able days they proved. They found all
the corn they wanted at a crib near
the pond, and all the care they re-
ceived was that they were brought up
to the duck house near the house at
night and were fed bran mash each
morning. More often than not we
found seven eggs each morning. We
sold a good many eggs and raised
owe: ITO ducklings. So much for the
utility of pond for breeding stock.
We were a little afraid OF turtles
in the pond, so kept the ducklings
away from it untfl five or six weeks
old. They were kept in yard near
the house and the well, so the work
OF. feeding, watering and caring for
them was as light as possible. Dur
ing this time they were at first fed
four times, afterwards three times
beet tops, endive or cabbage leaves
from the garden for green food. What
a jubilee there was when we first
drove about fifty of these fellows to
the pond. Such darting about, diving
and splashing. Only those who have
watched the antics of ducks in water
can imagine the scene.
After that they were fed every
morning with enough drinking water
to wash the food down so they could
eat good breakfast, then were driven
to the pond which soon became an
easy task. By feeding time in the
evening they were anxious to be
turned back, so they could come to
the house for supper and to their
house to sleep.
Our neighbors laughed at us driving
our ducks to water. There was lit
tie yard containing some blue grass
and more weeds near the pond that
was disced early in the spring and
sown with Essex Rape. The ducklings
needed no teaching as to the useful
ness of this plant, but freely helped
themselves as had the old ducks all
spring.
When 1t was not convenient to leave
them for an hour or so in the rape
patch, the rape was moved and car.
ried to them. They were as anxious
for it as for a feed of corn or mash.
or seem harder. If our yards had
been so arranged that the ducks could
have gone freely to the rape patch
and the pond, without being let
through the gates, it would have been
less trouble and no doubt have been
better. but there was other stock in
the yards. making it necessary to
keep them closed.
One thing absolutely necessary to
success in raising ducks Is that they
must all, young and old alike, have
clean, dry sleeping place. 1t does not
need to be warm, but it must be dry.
A littl0 carelessness in the matter of
supplying plenty of dry bedding when
ever it Is needed, and the little fellows
have cramp, or with either young or
old, rheumatism, and then we have
dead ducks. This is about the only
disease from which ducks suffer, and
with reasonable care can be avoided.
Danger from sudden storms at
night, also from marauding animals,
can be in a great measure avoided by
yarding the ducklings SO they cannot
wander far from their house at night.
Now a few words for the Rouen ducks.
What is more beautiful? The drake,
with his bright green head, claret
breast, ash-gray body feathers, the
black of the back and tail, the blue
ribbon band of the wing; then the
pleasing contrast of tho beautifully
penciled brown of the female, make
them birds to be admired by all who
! see them. Then they do not pull their
feathers before picking time. They
are hardy, will sit on their own eggs
il allowed and make good mothers.
They are good eating ana sell well on
! the market.
J. H. Howarth & Son,
Appanoose Co., Iowa.