The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
CHOOSING THE BREED


 The varieties of ducks best suited to the production of ornamental fowls and as pets are many. They include about dozen varieties in our Standard of Per fection-the Mallard duck, semi domesti- cated, and surprising number of wild ducks, of varied and mostly brilliant
 plumage and raised chiefly for exhibition and for sale as ornamental stock. These
 may be seen in large numbers disport- ing themselves in artificial ponds at the large shows. One that attracts instant attention everywhere is the plump little Chinese Mandarin duck, related despite hs Imperialism to the Wood duck of America The drake sports a most gor- geous coat of many colors, largely warm
 brown, with yellow and red. The Chi nese regard these easily domesticated ducks as models of conjugal affection Black, white, blue, gray, brown and all mixtuhes of these ornamental ducks have great beauty.
 Since the big market breeds, some of then weighing as high as r pounds to the Iair, alive, are not well suited to being bred especially for laying, it be- hooves the prospective breeder to care fully consider which line he likes best and whether all conditions favor his choice. This fust mean knowledge in advance of adopting the work. The Standard of Perfection is clearly definite admitted varieties, and there are also a few available books dealing practically with Runners and with market ducks in general. Really, however, the only ducks worth while to breed as layers, exclusive ly, are the (blacl0 Cayugas, the Indian Runners and perhaps the Orpingtons now called Buff ducks. Only the Runner lays ali egg exactly fitted to market needs and with the popular white shell. Individuals in some strains of the Runner lay eggs nearly robin-egg blue tint. Most ducks lay well in early spring,s but the Run ner is an all-the-year-round layer The meat breeds may be narrowed down to the Pekin, here in America while England favors the big Ayles- bury, and the Rouen. French duck. The Runner also has a most delight ful tenderness and sweetness, and is well suited to the epicure. It is grown largely for critical private trade, in- cluding that of high class restaurants BREEDING AND MATCHING Breeding, for market and laying birds, is scarcely more than placing selected drake with well descended well grown, selected, segregated fe-
 males-five to 10 according to variety and providing some sort of bathing and exercise pond. This pond" some- times shrinks to a mere tub, in the case of the Indian Runners; but some bathing facilities are almost impera- tive, for several reasons: fertility is likely to be better; the birds get varied and therefore more exercise, and wa
 ter keep them free from lice.
 The feed for breeding birds should not be so fattening as that for market ducks. It should be mixed with milk:
 or as substitute ground beef scrap should be used, up to 15 per cent and fed twice day, provided insect life is not plentiful. A goodly allowance of green feed is mixed with the rations for yarded breeders
 Matching may be done either with
 hens or with incubators The big mar ket duck-producing farms use incuba : tors and the matches are very good A lower temperature for the first week ana more moisture than normal for
 hens eggs are found necessary. The
 longer incubating period-four weeks is rather more trying. naturally. CARE OF DUCKLINGS Both artificial and natural breeding
 ae successful. Small growers prefer to
 use hens. After 36 hours. the duckIines are removed to a sanded, short t-littered
 hoored coop, in a sunny spot in cold weather. but lightly shaded during hot spells. It Is mistake to feed them he fore they demand it; also. to feed tben,
 without supplying water of a mild tenn perature. Usually, they want water first especially in summer.
 The very best first feed known is bread, milk soaked, squeezed and cleaned-sanded lightly. Most growers reed four times day at first. After three days little sprouted oats may m fAol bran is added gradually with the dust or ground meat soap. Then corn meal. m1ddlings, very little linseed meal or any good. smooth muscle building feed may be used Soaked ground clover and beet pulp as a foundation Tor the mash. grow good ducklings.
 Ihese feeds are added gradually after
 the first month.
 Penning is best for the youngsters.
 Floored coops with close-netted frames
 for night closing, are imperative if
 rats abound. for sweet, tender duck
 llngs are very toothsome to these
 pests. For the first few days close
 supervision is necessary, lest the flat
 ducklings should get helplessly cast on
 their backs, and chilled For three or
 four days they are most sensitive to
 cold; arter that, quite independent of
 mothering, except in rain. Convulsions
 rom chilling or bowel stoppage is
 about the only ailment to be feared.
 Accident from their swarming under
 loot or getting hung in the hens gum
 my feathers. take a few Indigestion
 goes with injudicious overlooking, and
 the adult birds occasionally have rheu
 matism; but aside from these, I know
 of no diseases which attack ducks. and
 it is easy to raise 90 per cent of those
 matched. year after year, 10 per cent
 loss allowed including those lost
 through accident. These facts show
 duck breeding far safer proposition
 than chicken raising. after the very
 simple methods of handling are
 grasped.
 POSSIBILITIES IN DUCKS
 Green" ducks for market are espe-
 cially profitable, as the money invested
 can be turned over twice as often in d
 season. the ducks being marketed at
 10 to 12 weeks, weighing several
 pounds. For small farm. a private
 market can easily be found
 Ducks lend themselves to commer-
 cial production in large numbers, for
 the demand for them has grown to
 enormous proportions. A leading firm
 in New York handled 10000 barrels
 last season.
 Most of the green ducks which come
 into New York are listed as Long
 Island ducks They are quoted almost
 the entire year and while the price in
 later years is in no sense a million aires price. it is one of the most stable.
 ranging low only short time and