Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-06-04

mashed potatoes a tough, stick mass
will be the result. Don't make the
feed sloppy; just moist enough to cling
together without being gummy. A duck
cannot eat gummy feed without vast
ing IT.. 4ft
Other vegetables. such as turnIps,
I beets. rutabagas, etc. are sometimes
used instead of potatoes. Pumpkins
when thoroughly cooked. make very
good basis for the mash The seeds
should always he removed.
When no vegetables are to be had
We use equal parts OF boiled oats. corn
meal. wheat bran. and middlings or
second -four with a little powdered
charcoal added. Salt Is added to the
feed twice a week. Some people
twho ought TO know better) put sand
and oyster shell In their duck feed.
When this is done the ducks are often
forced to consume more grit than they
| require. fl.,s
or course ducks must have plenty OF
grit at all times. but II should not be
mixed with the food. We place shallow
boxes OF grit close to the .fced-troughs.
Oyster shell and coal cinders In some
of the boxes, and clean, coarse sand
In others.
Ducks will eat grit after every meal
II It is within their reach.
They usually drink and rinse their.
beaks while eating. therefore water
should be placed near the feed.troughs.
Also green food Is necessary the year
! round.
If cabbage Is plentiful little may
be added to the mash each time. It
should be chopped raw. As bulk is one
OF the important elements In n Pekin
ducks ration. 1t is a good plan to pro-
vide an abundance of green stun
A well fed and properly housed Pc.
kin duck usually lays an egg every
"a hours during the laying season.
which begins about March LIST and
ends about July LIST. During this time
they will sometimes take a short rest,
and will miss day occasionally. but
they seldom stop for any length of
time during the laying season. The
first few eggs will not hatch as a
rule.
Ducks, both old and young should
have dry, comfortable place to stay
In at night. II forced TO sit on the
damp ground they are liable to take
cramps and cold In the head The
latter is almost certain to turn to
roup.
Provide suitable houses. n you wish
to be successful. The houses need not
be very expensive. but they should be
substantial so that they may be used
for the same purpose several years In
succession.
There Is usually some shed or build
| Ing that can be converted into duck
house at small expense Where only
a small flock is kept this plan is adj
visable.
A board floor is better than an earth
floor. because the ducks will often stir
up the ground in very disagreeable
manner where there Is the least sign
OF moisture,
Provide plenty Of clean bedding. and
change II frequently. Straw or litter
should be kept on the floors all the
time. II bedding material is plentiful
put II ON several inches thick. II will
help to keep the ducks comfortable,
and also keep the floors clean, thus
serving a double purpose.
Ducks eggs may be Matched In in.
cubators. but II is better to use large
chicken.hens when possible.
II one wishes TO hatch ducklings
early in the season, then the incubator
is the only thing that will do the
work.
Ducks scarcely ever get .broody. and
when they do, as a rule the season Is
far advanced. Besides Il Is poor policy
to place eggs under a duck.
Don't keep duck eggs over a week
after they are laid The fresher they
are the better they will hatch.
After Pekin duck egg is ten days
old, It is entirely worthless so far as
Matching is concerned. They should be
very carefully handled, as the aloumen
rs much thinner than that of other
eggs.
This fact. coupled with the age lin
It, accounts for so many poor matches,
especially whore the eggs have been
shipped.
AS soon us The eggs are laid, II not