144 OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS 



upward, as if they knew intuitively that one of their most dan- 

 gerous natural enemies might appear from that quarter. In every 

 way they comport themselves just as old ducks do and not at 

 all in the ways of their hen mother. 



The young ducks may be fed, as the old ones are, on mash, 

 but should be fed oftener, unless their coops are where they can 

 eat all the grass they want and can get a great many flies, worms, 

 and insects. They are expert flycatchers, and if there is any- 

 thing in their coop to attract flies, they will get a great many of 

 them. Under such conditions three feeds a day will be sufficient. 

 If they have no grass they should be fed five times daily and 

 should be supplied with tender green food of some kind. For 

 the first few days the mash given them should have a little very 

 fine gravel or coarse sand mixed with it about a heaping table- 

 spoonful to a quart of mash. At any time after that when the 

 ducks seem dull and weak, a little fine gravel in the mash will 

 usually tone them up. 



Little ducks grow very fast and in a few weeks are entirely 

 independent of the hen. At ten or twelve weeks they are fully 

 feathered and almost full-grown, and are ready to be killed and 

 eaten as " green ducks." 



SMALL FLOCKS ON FARMS 



General conditions. The small flock of ducks on the farm is 

 usually most profitable if it can be given the run of a small pas- 

 ture or orchard where the birds have good foraging and have 

 access to a pond or stream but cannot wander away. Ducks on 

 the farm are often allowed to run with other poultry. This may 

 do very well if the flocks of all kinds are small and can separate 

 when foraging, but as a rule it is better to put the ducks where 

 they will be away from other poultry. A small flock of ducks 

 properly placed on a farm should require very little food and 

 very little attention. If possible the birds should be free at night, 



