The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1909-11-13

Duck raising is the easiest and
most successful branch OF the poultry
business, giving quick return for tho
money and time expended, and It
seems strange that more farmers do
not raise large flocks OF ducks every
year. Ducks can be made to weigh
five pounds each in ten weeks from
the time they are Matched, and they
eat the waste products OF the farm.
have tried yardlng ducks through
the breeding season, but found Il n
failure in the small yards was com.
PEELED to use, as / tried to yard two
varieties. Now raise the White
Pekin duck only, as the white duck
has always been a favorite for tho
market.
1t is an old saying that people take
to things like a duck to water, but
/ have just Matched out a brood of
ducks that 1t is a pleasure to watch.
They never went near the water,
and apparently touched no food-did
not seem to know what their bills
were made efor. / had a week-old
duck In the same yard, and he soon
taught them by his example to eat
and drink. Often when patched
ducks in incubators had to put food
in their little mouths to teach them
the use OF their bills. In this respect
they are the most stupid of all the
feathered tribe. Once the ducks arc
started 1t Is surprising to see how
they grow and convert waste prod.
ucts into meat
To the young ducklings just out OF
the shell feed hard-boiled eggs
chopped fine in bread crumbs, with a
good sprinkling of chicken-grit. After
they are a week old l vary this "a.
ton, and give them baked johnny
cake for two weeks. Next, I prepare
mash by scalding one part corn
meal, two parts shorts and one part
bran, adding chick-size mica crystal
grit, as our Illinois soil has no grit |
feed a great many onions chop
ped fine, which keep the ducks in |
healthy condition; also pailfuls OF |
lettuce. Large quantities of green |
food make larke ducks. My ducks, |
Matched the last of July, weigh ten
pounds early in December After the 1
first few weeks turn the ducks out
on range, and they get all their liv-
ing themselves after that. We drive
them into the fields after the oats
and hay are cut, and go after them
at. night, the same as we do for tur-
keys, until they are /old enough to 7
know how and when to get home
The idea that one can not raise
flock OF ducks without a stream OF
water on the farm is all a mistake,
as they really need water only to
drink, like any other fowls. OF
they enjoy water to swim in.
but 1t is not essential to their health.
and is detrimental to young ones.
There is one very curious thing I
have noticed in young ducks. II they
ire not yarded on moonlight nights,
)ut allowed free range, they will run
themselves. to death. One OF my
leighbOrs had large flock of ducks
hat began to die, one after another.
gave him some poultry journals TO
ook over and determine the cause. II
possible. and he found an article Civ !
ng this curious fact. He yarded his
lucks after that and stopped them
rom killing themselves. Another
ause OF death to ducks is bee stings. .
bucks like white clover. So do bees.
he white clover is loaded with bees.
nd the ducks, thinking they are flies,
wallow them. The bees sting their :
hroats, shut on their breath, and In.
family kill them.-Mrs. Charles
ones, in the Indiana News.
GOOD EGG PRODUCTION. y