MANAGEMENT OF DUCKS 143 



soon as they leave the nest. Dabbling in it will not hurt them 

 in the least if the weather is pleasant, if the water is not cold, 

 and if they can leave it when they are tired and go to their 

 mother and get dry and warm. Much of the pleasure of growing 

 young ducks is in watching their behavior in the water. For 

 this purpose a large pan or a small, shallow tub may be placed 

 in their coop. It should either be sunk in the ground, so that 

 they can get in and out easily, or two short pieces of board should 

 be nailed together at such an angle that they will form a little 

 walk from the ground outside, over the edge of the vessel, and 

 to the bottom inside. This walk enables the ducklings to get 

 out if the water gets so low that they cannot scramble from its 

 surface over the sides of the pan or tub. The best way to teach 

 the little ducks to use the walk is to put a little pile of sods or 

 earth beside the vessel containing the water. The ducks will 

 learn very quickly to go into the water in this way, and will soon 

 find their way out by the board walk. After they have come out 

 by the walk a few times, they will begin to go in by it. It is 

 very important to make sure that if young ducks are given water 

 to play in, they can get out of it easily. Many who have not had 

 experience in handling them neglect this and feel very bad 

 when some of their ducklings are drowned. 



If proper provision is made for the safety of the ducklings, 

 they afford a great deal of entertainment. One of the first 

 things a little duck does when it gets into the water is to go 

 through the peculiar ducking performance that gives the name 

 to its species. The little fellows duck their heads to the bottom, 

 and their tails and feet go up into the air while they mechanically 

 feel with their bills for the food which instinct seems to suggest 

 should be there. They play in the water, going through all the 

 motions of feeding in it. If the sun is warm, they are as likely 

 to lie down together in the sun when they leave the water as 

 they are to go to the hen to be brooded. As they lie on the 

 ground they often turn one eye toward the sky and look steadily 



