Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-08-04
DILwORTHS'
CARE OF DUCKLlNGS.
Conditions Which Favor Their
Growth and Development.

Growth and Development.
The incubating of ducks eggs is not
different from Matching of hens eggs,
but the care of young ducks is radically
different in many respects from that
required for chicks, says II. A. Nourse
in Reliable Poultry Journal Unlike
chicks, the ducklings must be removed
from the incubator very soon after the
hatch is complete and the young ones
dried off. The nest of the brooder after
the ducks are in should be little less
than that of the nursery in the incu-
bator from which they are taken. This
rules from 50 to 100 degrees, and
should be continued for twenty-four
hours, during which the ducks should
be kept under cover most of the time.
The first feed should be given when
they have been in the brooder few
hours, and nothing is better than stale
bread moistened with skinned milk,
in which is sprinkled a little coarse
sand or fine grit. 1t should be fed on
shallow tin plates. which are easily
cleaned and frequently scalded. After
the first day food should be offered
four or five times a day and any not
eaten promptly removed If a sufficient
quantity is available, the bread and
milk diet should be continued for two
or three days, when wheat bran and
cornmeal in the proportion of two
parts bran to one of meal may be
added, gradually increasing quantity
from one-third at beginning to three
quarters at the end of the week. A
proportion of one-quarter bread may
sand or grit should be 5 per cent of
the whole from this period on. Pow
dered charcoal sufficient to make it
pretty black may be sprinkled in the
food once each day, and graduated
charcoal and grit need to be within
reach of the young ducks constantly.
Water with the chill taken off should
be within reach. Ducks must have
water even though they spend their
spare time in distributing the contents
of their drink dish over the surface of
the pen, creating a condition decidedly
detrimental to their we'll being. To
avoid this it is sometimes advisable to
remove the water after each meal, a
fresh supply being provided for the
next.
If the beginning of the second week
finds the ducklings strong and full of
life, it augurs well for a fast and
steady growth to killing time or to ma
turity The ration and manner of feed
ing it may remain unchanged, but the
youngsters must have more exercise,
part Of which should be in the open
air and on grass when convenient
Green food should be provided from
this time forward. II early in the sea-
son, chopped cabbage or mangel wur
zels may be fed separately, or steamed
cut clover from which the strong stems
have been removed may be fed in the
mash, making 20 per cent of the whole.
But when green grass or clover can be
obtained it is much to be preferred and
should be gathered, cut fine and fed in
the morning while the dew is on.
Animal food is needed after the first
week. Beef scraps are most in favor
for this purpose on account Of its avail
ability and keeping qualities. It should
be sifted for the young ducks until
they are three weeks old and may be-
increased In quantity from per cent
Of the mash during the second week to
10 or IL per cent at the end Of three
weeks.