FARM ANIMALS 337 



quite strong fliers and in a wild condition nest in 

 trees. They are unsatisfactory for farm ducks 

 on account of their nervous disposition and quarrel- 

 some habits. It is not possible in this connection 

 to enter into a description of the form and qualities 

 of the colored and white Call ducks, Black East 

 Indian ducks, Crested White ducks, which are 

 merely ornamental and not capable of yielding 

 profits to the farmer. 



The Management of Ducks. The duck industry 

 has developed rapidly during the past twenty years. 

 Previous to that time there was not much demand 

 for ducks as food and this was due partly to the 

 fact that little attention was given to feeding them 

 and they were allowed to eat fish and other aquatic 

 animals so that their flesh was badly flavored and 

 quite unsuited for human food. Recently, how- 

 ever, the number of special duck farms has in- 

 creased considerably so that there are now farms 

 which raise ten thousand to twenty thousand ducks 

 per year and use as much as three tons of food 

 daily in fattening the birds. Ducks are well 

 adapted to raising on a large scale and it should be 

 stated at the outset that it is not necessary to have 

 ponds or other water supply for them to swim in. 

 It has been demonstrated beyond question that 

 ducks do equally well or perhaps better when they 

 are not allowed access to water except for drinking 

 purposes. Duck eggs may be hatched under hens 

 or in incubators, for as a rule the modern duck is 

 not a good sitter and has the very irregular habit of 

 laying her eggs on the ground or wherever the idea 

 occurs to her. It is therefore necessary to gather 

 them and put them under hens or in incubators. 

 The period of incubation is about twenty-eight 

 days and the eggs require about the same treatment 



