Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-23
METHODS or REARING.

METHODS or REARING.
Beginning about February, the Pekin
| Laws prolihcAlly till late IN summer n
favorable environment The eggs, large
| and pinklsh white. grade higher N
| market than the dark Puddle-dnck eggs,
and constitute one Of the Pckiu's points
Of superiority.
4 standard flock for the ordinary
| farm lot may consist Of ten ducks and
| two brakes The layers are good for
| tW0 or three wears The flock should
| have its duck-house with nests, and be
pcnned each night The next day at ten
| or eleven o clock, by which time the
daily laving Is over. they may be turned
out for the dav Many eggs are lost by
ncglecting 10 hold the flock each morn
ing have seen scores Of eggs lost on
creek-shore. due 10 negligence on the part
OF owners. On the other hand, detention
of the flock too long shortens their work
ing day and cuts the regular quota OF eggs.
The season : first eggs should be sold un-
less one has facilities for protecting the
Young from unreasonable cold snaps.
Ducklngs fare I'll II confined too closely
III one place.
The ducks NAV be permitted to incu-
bate. hatch and rear their Young, but
most raIscrs prefer the more eff1cient
plan OF using hens or incubators. This
turns the ducks out as egg-machlneS.
The sturdiness and independence OF the
little ones makes it very easy to raise
them IN houses or coops, in small Or large
hocks.
The Pckin Is a gross feeder, fact
indicated bv lis shovel-like bill II re-
allires much food for the development
OF its clumsy, heavy body, but 1t will
nglv supplements its meal-tlcket by
rowing \ flock can attend 70 It's own
wants quite canablv in summer, and
even rear later flock Of Young ones.
Various methods with Peklns prevail,
as with other poultry. Its amenable
disposition renders It good fowl for
pens. with or without range. One Of It's
star characteristics is the rapldlty with
WhicL II can be forced, No other fowl
can aSsmilate such quantities OF food
- successfully, and transmit II with
such speed into weight aS the fekln.
I.arge numbers OF dlchlmgs may be
confined IN pens opening from the brood
cr-ho,l>e The pens should include q
pond with running water Il possible.
In salt water locations, these pens are
built ON the shore, giving he ducks
sufficient bathing facility, vital ncce9-
sity To them The standard reuon IS
a SOFT mash OF bran and meal, separator
milk and quantities OF grit and sand
In ten weeks they are ready Tor market.
This method reduces labor and haStenS
marketing but inevitably forces the feed
bill also
In contrast, other varieties ot ducks
require more exercise and roughage
rheN can handle just So much feed. Il
! ~ f4sr.
better with subnormal amount Over
feeding IS apt to clog their digestive
apparatus. and rctard growth. The
pekin's ability 70 gourmandize con
tlnuntlSk is the secret Of duck-farm
possibilities. where 500 10 10000 are
raised IN comparatively small area
rEkINs HEALTn CHART
Ft4 fowls lay claim with more justi-
fication TO thriltiness and hardihood
than the Pekin II is not immune to
disease, but has apparently great resist
ancc. Pekin waddlers, with reasonable
care. after first few weeks, when they
NAV easily bc drowned are delightfully."-
Independents Of ANYTHING but Il regularly
appearing bucket Of mash Newly
hatched ducks are susceptible 10 rain
and consequent chill They soon become
umpCrVlOtIs as they supplement the
first down with m oiher coat. No gapcs.
and colds. but seldom, trouble their
Young lives Their chief concern is plenty
Of water for drinking and bathing. and
much soft iced The mistake Of giving
them water in shallow pans should bc
guarded against Ducks uf anv breed
should have water Of sufficient depth "a
plunge their bills IN to their eyes This Is
backed by a hygienic reason. Their
nostrils become gummcd and sealed so
that breathing through them is impossible
Whether soft feed j. partly responsible IS
not certain, but they must be aEle to wash
their ills 10 their hearts content. Young
ducks alternately shovel mouthful of
food, then rush to the drinking-cup, not SO
much 10 drink sss to q use their bills
ENEMIES or TIE FLocKs.
PekiHs 10 the number &c six OF e-eha
arc good backward fowls ii running
water is accessible and ones ueighbora
arc sufficiently removed not to ba Iii,
lurbed BY their quaekmg. Pekms al,
hrm believers IN voice culture, and give