Middletown transcript., 1915-06-19
(By ANNA GALLIGHER. }

During the past 10 years we have
been raising and marketing ducks,
keeping several different Breeds but
were long ago convinced that the I'm
perial Pekin is the market duck par
excellence.
As a general-purpose duck we like
the Rouen; and for eggs alone, the
Runner stands at the head of the list.
There are two varieties of Pekins-
the small, or medium-sized white duck
so often seen around farmyards, and
the large kind known as the Imperial
Pekin; the latter being only a little
smaller than the common goose, and
having beautiful cream-colored plum
age. This is the variety of Pekins
kept by the larger breeders in the
East
A common mistake, especially among
farmers, is that ducks and chickens
are fed and housed together, the re-
suit being a lot Of half-starved speci-
mems which have bodies outstripped
in growth by beak and feet.
Pekin duckling will eat, at one
meal. as much as three or four chicks
Of the same age, and gain in weight in
proportion; but the food must be Of
a somewhat different nature from that
required by chicks.
For instance, dry feeds, such as
wheat, cracked corn, ETC., are insult
able for ducklings, though they make
excellent feed for growing chicks. In
| IN OF d1ffAnRnaA 4n
growth a pair of Pekin ducklings and
pair of White Wyandotte chickens
were weighed when fourteen weeks
old
Ducks and chickens were hatched
the same day; both were well fed, but
neither was forced. The two chickens
weighed four pounds four ounces,
while the two ducklings tipped the
scales at IA pounds.
We use both hens and incubators for
Matching, those hatched under hens
being kept for breeding stock. Our
ducklings are kept in large yards
fenced with poultry netting, while
small. Twenty-Five is the usual mum.
ber for each yard, and ducklings OF
different sizes are never yarded to-
gether.
Each yard is furnished with a sepa
rate house for the ducklings to sleeI
in at night These houses are cleaned
every day and fresh litter put In fol
bedding. For the first week we feed
light bread (at least two days old
crackers, corn bread, cooked rice anC
rolled oats.
The bread is crumbled and eithel
fed dry or moistened with sweet milk
We never confne our ducklings t
any one kind of feed, because a va
riety gives much better results.
Green food is essential at all times
For this purpose we grow large quaint
ties of lettuce, onions and dandelions
These are chopped and fed in addition
to grain food several times a day
while the ducks are small.
They relish these green's" no mat
ter how plentiful grass may be, an,
when mixed with other food the green
+. furnish bulk, which is an importan
( point in duck feeding.
, A great quantity of food is required
> but 1t must not be too highly conceT
r trated. For this reason wheat bra
+ is a prime factor in the feeding G
n ducks.
We feed our young ducks all the
will eat Ave times a day, the hours fo
feeding being 4 a. m, 8 a. m, IL m
p. m. and 8 p. m.
There is little danger of overtaxin
a Pekin duckling's digestion, provide
2 good judgment is used in the selectio
Of food and plenty of grit and shar
:. sand are provided.
, The latter we put in the drinkin
= water. This is important. We hav
known instances where whole flocl