MANAGEMENT OF DUCKS 145 



because the. worms and grubs come to the surface in greatest 

 abundance then, and they can get as much in an hour early in 

 the morning as they can in several hours after the sun is high. 

 The principal objections to leaving them out at night are that 

 they may be attacked by animals that prey upon them, and that 

 the ducks may lay their eggs where they are not easily found. 

 The person in charge of the ducks has to use his judgment as 

 to whether the risks in his case are so great that the ducks 

 should be confined at night. 



When a flock of ducks on a farm has liberty to wander at 

 will, it often makes a great deal of trouble, because ducks are 

 prone to stop for the night wherever they happen to be when 

 they have eaten their fill late in the day. 



Feeding. If the ducks are kept in until they have laid, they 

 should have a little food when they are let out. It does not 

 make much difference what this is. If a mash is made for other 

 poultry, some of it may be given to them. Otherwise, a little 

 whole grain will make them comfortable until they can pick up 

 a more varied breakfast. The best method of feeding the young 

 ducks will depend upon the conditions. As a rule it is better to 

 keep them quite close for the first two or three weeks and feed 

 them well. The ideal way is to coop them on grass, or in a 

 garden where they can get a great deal of green food and worms. 

 Treated in this way they will get a better start and will grow 

 much faster and larger than if they are allowed to wear them- 

 selves out by running about while small. On a farm where 

 there is no water near the house, but where there is a stream 

 at a little distance, the young ducks should be so placed that 

 they cannot make their way to this stream. Very small ducks 

 at liberty will often find their way alone to water so far from 

 their home that it was not supposed that they could locate it. If 

 they have an opportunity to do so, small ducks are much more 

 likely than older ones to wander off in search of water, and 

 instinct seems to direct them toward it. 



