POULTRY. H09 



dew and rain, and away from the ponds and streams until they 

 are some six weeks old. 



"As soon as the ducklings are well out of the shell, whether 

 the mother be a hen or duck, coop them up in a coop with a 

 pen like the one I have already described for turkeys. The 

 ducklings can not climb over the sides of this pen, and should 

 be confined to it for about a week. Water that has had the 

 chill taken off may be supplied in shallow pans, and the ducklings 

 will dabble around in it and enjoy it. Have your duck coops as far 

 as convenient from the stream or pond, and they must be moved 

 at least three times a week to fresh ground. After the duck- 

 lings are a week old, if they had a hen mother, the pen may be 

 opened on pleasant days after the dew is off the grass, and the 

 mother and her brood allowed liberty to wander around in 

 search of food. By the time they are six weeks old their under 

 feathers will be well out, and they may be allowed unlim- 

 ited range. 



"Ducklings are great eaters, and will eat almost any thing 

 in the shape of food. Feed cooked food, with plenty of green 

 food, until they are old enough to give free range. Almost 

 any kind of food that you would give chicks and young turkeys 

 is good for ducklings. Until they take to the pond or stream, 

 unless insect forage is plenty, feed a little cooked meat. Feed 

 often, but never give all they can possibly swallow ; sometimes 

 ducklings will eat until they kill themselves. After they take 

 to the water the ducklings will pick up a large amount of the 

 food that suits them best, and for this reason ducks are most 

 economically raised in the neighborhood of ponds, streams, wet 

 marshes, or near the sea." 



To get fine, large ducks, keep them growing from the begin- 

 ning, and for three weeks before sending to market feed extra 

 rations of cooked potatoes and corn-meal, with whole corn at 

 night. Ducks that are to be kept over for breeding stock 

 should be fed through the winter on grain, with an occasional 

 meal of green food. Keep the best for breeding stock, and 

 allow one drake for every three ducks. 



In regard to picking live ducks the following directions (from 



