IJO BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



the fattening of fowls. When marketed they should be 

 plump, yellow as gold, and not over-fat. Experiment with 

 the machine has produced this result in a shorter time, and 

 with no more labor than other methods. 



A poultryman can combine all branches of the market in- 

 dustry just described, or, better yet, can combine some one 

 branch with the production of ducks for market. The rais- 

 ing of broilers will conflict less with the ducks than will the 

 production of roasters, as they are turned over more rapidly, 

 and easier to drop when work on ducks becomes burdensome. 



A great number of small, as well as large poultrymen, 

 specialize on producing market ducks. In some sections, and 

 on some farms, the industry has reached enormous propor- 

 tions. Two mammoth plants have an annual capacity of loo,- 

 ooo ducklings. Many others, perhaps better money makers, 

 produce 25,000 to 50,000 per annum. Besides these many 

 large plants, the number of farmers, or farmers' wives, taking 

 up this branch as a side issue is rapidly increasing. They are 

 making money in every instance where they go about it right. 

 Perhaps a few hints as to the way we raise ducks on our farm 

 will help some of you. 



Our location, on sandy land, gently sloping to the shore of 

 a beautiful lake, is almost an ideal one for ducks. Our breed- 

 ing ducks have runways into the water, and we find our eggs 

 more strongly fertile than are those laid by birds without swim- 

 ming pools. To encourage those of you without available 

 water, and who wish to give ducks a trial, will say that two 

 of the most successful growers of ducks in New England do 

 not have any water for their breeding birds to swim in, and 

 think they do exactly as well without it. 



We begin setting duck eggs about January ist, and con- 

 tinue until they begin dropping off badly in fertility, or cease 

 laying early in July. We hatched a few late in August this 

 year, but eggs ran so poorly in fertility at that time of year it 

 hardly paid us to bother with them. 



When our ducks finish hatching, we remove trays, and let 

 them dry off in the incubator, as we do the chicks. Removing 

 them to the brooder house at 36 or even 48 hours of age. 

 Our first feed is a crumbly mixture of rolled oats, kiln dried 

 bread crumbs, thoroughly mixed with raw egg beaten up, and 

 milk. To this we add plenty of fine grit, and give pure water 



