The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-30
VARIETIES OF
ORNAMBNTALDUCKS
Prospective Breeder Must Con.
slider Wide Range Of
characteristics.
MARKET PRICE GROWING
~ Q. o.

! -
~ o. o. VALENTINE,
Author and Practical P~eultRyaan.
The varieties Of ducks best suited to
the production Of ornamental fowls and
as pets are many They include about
a dozen varieties in u standard Of
perfection: the Mallard Duck. semi.do- /
mesticatcd. ana a surprising number Of
wild ducks. Of varied and mostly brill !
liant plurIage. and raised chiefly for ex. !
hibition and for sale as ornamental
stock. These may be seen in large num-.
ponds at the largo shows. One hat ~.
tracts instant attention everywhere Is
tho plump little chinese Mandarin Duck,
related. despite his imperialism. to the
Wood Duck Of Amerioa. The drake
sports . most gorgeous coat Of many
colors, largely warm brown, with yell
low n red. The Chinese regard these
easily domesticated ducks ~ models Of
conjuGai affection. Black. white. blue,
gray. brown and all mixtures Of these
ornamental ducks have great beauty.
INV Nv WI bIi0A NOT OkCVOyp EVIUV VI
them weighing as high 10 seventeen
pounds to the pair alive. arc not we'll
suited TO being bred especially for lay.
iEg, II behooves the prospective breeder
to carefully consider which line he likes
best. and whether ali conditions favor
his choice. This must NEAR knowledge
in advance Of adopting the work. The
standard OF perfection 10 clearly DEFINITE
about shape. weight and fsathering Of
admitted varieties. and there are ALEC .
f"w available books dealing practically
with Runners and with market ducks In
general. Really. however, the only DUCKS
worth while to breed al ayep exclu-
s!vely. are the (black) Ca,usas. the In.
dian Runners and perhaps the Orpinx-
Runner lays an egE exactly fitted to
market needs and with the poular white
shell. individuals in some strains OF the
IuniIcr lay eggs nearly y robin's 8
blue tint. Most ducks lay we'll In early
spring but the Runner is an Sl,-ths.
ycar-round layer. :
The meat breeds may be narrowed
down to the Pekin. here in America,
while England favors the big Aylesbury
and the ftouen, a French duck. Tho
Runner also has n most delightful ten
derness and sweetness. and II we'll suited
! to the eplcure. 1t IL grown largely Tor
critical private trade. including that Of
high-class restaurants.
Breeding Tor market and laying birds
IS scarcely moro than placing a selected
drake With we'll descended. well grown.
selected. segregated females-nve to ter,
according TO vaifety--and providing
soms sort Of bathing and exercise pond.
This pond sometimes shrinks TO a
mere tub. in tho case Of the indian Rum
rers: but some bathing facilities are
. AMIDST imperative for several reasons
vT.,tg'F,.. g.. ,tAAf,. a. - l.St.,.. NiA. Ityla
sc. varied and therefore more exercise
: and water keeps them free from lice.
;, The feed FOR breeding birds should moi
he So fattenirY AZ that for inarke: ducks
II should 10 mixed with milk. or as "A
substitute around beef SCRAP should DO
used. up 70 Is per cent. and fed twice a
day. provided insect life IL not plentiful.
4 goodly allowance Of green feed -
, mixed with tho ~iations FOR ya.ded breed
ers.
iIatohins may be done either With
hens Or with incubators. The big ,IaT-
k.t duck pronuc,ng farms use incuta-
tors and the matches are very good. \
! lower temperature for the first week and
? more moisture than normal for hens
. eggs are found necessary. The longer
, !ncubat,nE per:od-four ~e,is-is rather
, more tiN nag naturally.
Both artificial and natural orooi.ng are
> successful. Small rower prefer =" use
n'us. After thlrty-s.N hours the duck
...gs are removed TO II sai,ded. sho-t
l uttered. ioore coop. in u sunny spot IL
| cold weather, but lightly shaded during
G hot spells. 1t Is u mistake 90 feed
them before they demand Il also TO feed
!. tuem without supplying water Of a mild
temperature. Usually they want water
hlst. especially n summer.
The very best Feed known IL bread.
mNk soaked, squeezed ard clean sanded
! ghtly. Most growers feed four times
= . day AZ first. After thu ee days a lizzie
J.. sl-outed oats may Ice given for one feed.
e -, this time bran - added Eradually
! with the dus. Of ground meat SOAP.
. Then corn meal. msddl!ngs, a very little
, i.nseed meal or any good, smooth, mus
: clo building Feed may be used. Soaked
e ground clover and bes, pulp as a founda-
e ton for the mash grow good ducklines,
Z These feeds are added gradually after
= tie first month.
P.unlmg is best for the youngsters
Floorcd coops with close net,ed frames
!, Tor nielt closing are imperative Il rats
= abound, for sweet. tender duokiirgs are
{ very ,oothsonfe to these pests. For the
S first few days. close supervision II nee.
essayy, lest the nat ducklinEs should ge,
helplessfy cast on their ba cks and chilled
. For three or four days they are mos
sensitive IN cold after that, quite indie.
pendent Of motherinE, except in rain
Commissions from chilling or bowel stop
page is about the only ai,ment 10 III
= feared. Accidents from their avarrina
: under foot or get.ing hung In the hen,
5 guinrny feathers take a few. Ind.ges'
G ton goes with in1udicious overlooking
n and the adult bnds occasionally have
rheumatism: hut aside from these
, know OF no diseases which attack ducks
= and II IL easy to raise 30 per cent. OF
U those Matched. year after year. the II
I per. cent. loss allowed including thos'
2 lost through accident. These facts SHOW
n duck breeding a Far safer proposition