340 FARM ANIMALS 



"going light." Occasionally diarrhea breaks out 

 among ducks and runs a very rapid course with a 

 high death rate. The only thing to do in such a case 

 is to separate the heatlhy from the diseased birds 

 immediately and to disinfect the premises thor- 

 oughly. 



It should be stated for the benefit of those who 

 have not raised ducks in the way of comparing the 

 troubles and profits of the business with chickens 

 that ducks are easily hatched and reared by arti- 

 ficial means, that the Pekin breed is best and should 

 average a weight of five pounds at ten weeks of 

 age. Ducks grow faster and cost less than chickens . 

 While chickens will weigh one and one-half to two 

 pounds at ten weeks ducks will weigh five pounds 

 or even more. The cost of raising ducks to the 

 age of ten weeks should not be more than forty-five 

 cents and the market price is usually ninety cents. 

 In some parts of England the best results have 

 been obtained in fattening ducks, by feeding a 

 mixture of boiled rice and meat or chopped crack- 

 lings. Various other fattening rations for ducks 

 have been suggested but the one given above will 

 prove perfectly satisfactory and various changes 

 and substitutions may be made at the discretion of 

 the individual duck raiser. The domestic duck 

 is quite polygamous, although not so strongly so 

 as the common fowl. Early in the season about 

 three to five ducks should be allowed to each 

 drake and still later the number may be increased 

 from ten to twelve. Vigorous ducks should lay 

 from one hundred to one hundred and forty eggs 

 per season and the fertility of these eggs is com- 

 paratively high, 



