The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1917-05-12
DUCK RAISING
BY G.. II. Conkey.

our allies, with all prospects, point
ing to higher prices for fowl of al
kind than we have ever known,
want to direct your attention to a
branch Of the poultry industry
which has never been fully appre
ciated. / refer to duck raising.
Duck raising IL q very profitable
occupation. Ducks are easier to
manage than chickens, have fewer
diseases and mature more quickly.
It takes good sense and proper at
tention to details, however, to
make q success Of the business.
While ducks are raised chiefly
for meat, their eggs are valuable
food. Duck eggs are large and
always command from five to ten
cents more than hens eggs per
dozen In the market. For cooking
they 20 about one third farther
With proper management and
care, the peculiar flavor which has
always been an objection can be
eliminated.
Ducks are usually Matched aud
brooded artificially In large mum
bers but where there are only a
few IL Ia customary to hatch with
hens, as ducks prove unreliable.
The eggs will require twenty
eight days for Matching.
Young ducks should not be OK
posed to tho hot sun without
available shade nor, Ia the dowDy
stage, allowed out In transforms
~ this will produce harmful re
suits.
VARIETIES
The American Standard OF Per
lection recognizes eleven varieties:
The Aylesbury, which IL the mar
ket duck Of England, white
bird, good laying and rapid grow
ing; the Rouen, brilliantly colored;
the PekIn, which is the favorite
market dnok Of America, the larg.
est white duck In the world, Of
early maturing and good laying
qualities; the Cayuga, q black
American duck; Buff, . popular
variety; Crested White; Runner,
the best laying; the Swedish
Blue; The Muscovy, white and
colo, ed; the Gray Call, used most
~ for decoye; and the East India,
white and black.
The favorites are the Pekin and
Runner. The Pekin was first
brought herefro Gilman III 1873, and
Is now used more than any other
bird for market. They are a large
early maturing, pure, white breed
and much liked for "green duck
farming az they usually weigh
over FIVE pounds In ten weeks.
The standard weight IL about s or
. pounds. The feathers command
double prices AZ they are pure
white, elastic, aud largely mixed
with down.
The Runner IL just one half ~
large 40 the Pekin, and Ia not the
equal for army purposes. How
ever, Runners are wonderful lay
ers, with y yearly average tina,
will run from $50 to 100 eggs per
duck. The eggs Of the runner are
about the same size as those of |
the larger breeds.
How TO START
Start with q good breed and fine |
vigorous specimens. Select your
breeding stock from the early
matches, az ducks will lay about |
two months before the brakes are
ht to be used for breeding. At
the beginning OF the mating sea |
son, mate the drake with from Ave
to eight ducks and later 10 the |
season increase this to ten or
twelve. Il il better to have a
pond or stream handy but this IL
not absolutely necessary. In rals
ing ducks for market, keep them
from the pools 40 they will fatteD
more rapidly. When fed on
good buttermilk starting food TO,
the critical Arst three weeks Of
their life, 90 that their organs
strengthen properly, young ducks
can be fitted for market AZ ssgreen
ducks", weighing easily five to six
In nine to eleven weeks.
HOUSING
Keep their houses % dry az pos.
sible. Ducks can stand cold and
snow but II the feet become chill
ID, egg production will immediate
y stop. Keep the litter on the
ao0r clean 40 this 10 the roostinR
place. Be sure and have : rat.
proof floor.
FEEDING
Keep plenty Of water handy day
and night but do not allow the
young ducks to 60 to the swim
ming places until they are feather
ID out. Az the duck has no crop,
10 not feed the heavy grains
nash feed Is better. Being ma.
;ural foragers, they can secure
Yrnnt HAL - R-~A a. ns |