The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-11-12
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tcoNonRMNa RAISING on DUCKS.

CONCERNING RAISING OF DUCKS.
Duck raising is the easiest and
most successful branch Of the poultry
business, giving quick return for the
money and time expended, and II
seems strange that more farmers do
not raise large foclSs of ducks every
year. Ducks can he made to weigh
i've pounds each in ten weeks from
the time they are Matched, and they
eat the waste products of the farm.
I have tried yarding ducks through
the breeding season, but found it q
failure in the small yards was conf
PEELED to use, as tried to yard two
varieties. Now l raise the White
Pekin duck only, as the white duck
has always been favorite for the
market.
1t is an old saying that people take
to things like duck to water, but
/ have just Matched out brood OF
ducks that it is pleasure to watch.
They never went near the water,
and apparently touched no food-did
not seem to know what their bills
were made for. I had a week-old
duck in the same yard, and he soon
taught them by his example to eat
and drink. Often when Matched
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 are
started it is surprising to see how
they grow and convert waste prod.
ucts into meat.
TO the young ducklings just out OF
the shell I feed hard-boiled eggs
chopped fine in bread crumbs, with
good sprinkling of chicken-grit. After
they are week old vary this ra-
tion, and give them baked johnny
cake for two weeks. Next, I prepare
a 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 duckss
Matched the last of July, weigh ten
pounds early in December. After the
frst 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
know how and when to get home
themselves.
The idea that one can not raise
flock of ducks without a stream of
water on the farm is all mistake,
as they really need water only to
drink, Hike any other fowls. OF
course, they enjoy water to swim in.
but 1t is net essential to their health.
and is detrimental to young ones.
There Is one very curious thing
have noticed in young ducks. If they
are not yarded on moonlight nights,
but allowed free range, they will run
themselves to death. One of my
neighbors had a large flock Of ducks
that began to die. one after another
I gave HIN some poultry journals to
look ever and determine the cause, If
possible, and he found an article civ
ing this curious fact. He yarded his
ducks after that and stopped them
from killing themselves. Another
cause of death to ducks is bee stings.
Ducks like white clover. So do bees.
The white clover is loaded with bees.
and the ducks, thinking they are flies,
swallow them. The bees sting their
throats. shut off their breath, and In
skantly kill them.-Mrs. Charles
Jones, in the Indiana News. .