Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-04-05
PROFIT m DUCK RAgSsMG..
BY JENNIE E.
From The Farmer aud Tribune.

From Tho Farmer aud Tribune.
II Is not very often that one sees
I good sized licck of ducks on a farm
m inns part of the country. This is
partly due To the prevailing idea that
luck raising requires much water, and
partly To the notion that ducks are val
liable only for feathers.
IN regard to the water idea: 1t Is n
TACT that ducks love to frequent a
stream. hunting for such insect life
as may be found in the mud and water,
but a good sized trough In which wa
ter may be kept especially for them
VIII be all that is really essential for
their welfare. AS for the profits In
duck raising: the feathers are only
one side of h enterprise. Ducks lay
a good many eggs from carly spring
on throughout the season. Not so
many as the best laying hens perhaps.
out VIII come up to the average OF
some of the larger breeds no doubt.
The eggs sell as well as hens Eggs on
the market and are generally larger In
size. Then. in addition, you have the
feathers. Not plucked once, and that
after they are killed. u every six
weeks during the warm weather.
But the more profitable side OF duck
culture comes from the raising of
ducks for market. II one gets them out
early there Is good money in the bust
ness. Try raising a hatch of young
u'N ~ NiiS odtitC ydIu Wltu IL ldICn OF
chicks or same age. weighing each at
the end OF every week. The ducks will
soon show yOu where their food goes.
a good thrifty flock OF young ducks
VIII easily gain from a quarter to a
half pound each in one weeks time.
and II OF one OF the improved breeds.
such as Imperial Pekin. will weigh
over two pounds at eight weeks. when
they are ready for the broiler market.
There are something like fifteen or
sixteen varieties OF ducks I'm existence.
but the most COMMON varieties, and
perhaps Inc best for farm use. are
Pekin. Rouen or Aylesbury. The Pekin
is the largest and also the easiest
raised with small privileges as rega
water. The Aylesbury Is considered n
better layer than the Pekin. which they
resemble In color. The Pekln. how
ever, have yellow or orange beaks and
legs. while those of the Aylesbury are
pink.
DUCKS differ from chickens in one
important terIstic-they do not
injure gardens by scratching. Indeed,
AFTER the seeds are up and we'll started
ducks are considered n benefit to a
garden by destroying vast amounts OF
injurious insects. A small flock of ducks
may be safely given the run of the
garden. Ducks are a nuisance IL al
lowed about the well and horse troughs,
but n one wing be clipped the COM
MOI WoVen hog fencing will turn them
80 there is no need of giving them the
liberty of the whole premises. About
ten ducks and IA couple of brakes will
furnish quite n flock of young duck
hngs. and these may easily be kept
within reasonable bounds Duck eggs
4an be Matched either under hens or
IN n common incubator. the length OF
time for incubation being twenty-six
days. h little ducklings are not hard
to raise If one starts right. the first
few days being the critical time as
with chicks. They do not want to be
allowed to get wet until three weeks
I'D at least. as young ducks are decid-
edly foolish about water. They WIN
stand out in a hard rainstorm until
drowned. making no attempt to seek
shelter as a caick does. If one is rails
ng a great many young ducks there Is
40 need of a brooder after the frs. cold
months of s,ring. We always brought
ours into the kitchen at night while
hoy were little. covering them over
NTH a cloth in their little box. When
hey become larger so their own bodies
generate a great d.al of heat they do
nicely IN Il dry. warm coop outdoors.
For the swimming pool for young
iucks "a little salt added to the water
Us said to make them harder. The pool
should never be allowed to get filthy
and Shiny or disease will result.
Ducks should be provided with warm
clean quarters, which should be built
since they must be bedded like
geese. Bedding should be changed Of
ten enough to secure perfect cleanli-
ness.
II n wishes to 10 in for fancy trade