REARING DUCKS. 267 



reared in thousands without swimming at all, in very small 

 space. Hence duck-rearing has been found a lucrative 

 industry in many parts of the world. 



The house for a pen of ducks need only be a few feet 

 square, but must be well ventilated above. The floor must 

 be dry, preferably of flags or concrete, sloping down a little 

 from the bed-place. On this dry straw is laid, renewed 

 clean every two or three days. If they have good range 

 they will only need a little meal and grain twice a day ; if 

 not much range they need more, and must have some 

 animal food, considerably more than fowls. They also need 

 ample lime rubbish and sharp grit, the latter of which 

 should also be freely put in a trough of water. They are 

 best shut up in the house till nine or ten in the morning, 

 by which time they have generally laid, otherwise many 

 eggs will be lost. 



For exhibition (of the larger breeds) only a few of the 

 very best of the young ones should be put by themselves, 

 and pushed on with grain and meal, but in a hardy way. 

 Both these and ducklings meant to be kept for stock, 

 however, are better not let into the water till three or 

 four weeks old. In nature the mother duck pushes them 

 in at once, and this seems to harden the skin so that no 

 harm results. But with hens or incubators they cannot be 

 thus early hardened, and catch cold, as they will also do in 

 a shower of rain. Hot sun will also kill many; and it 

 needs to be remembered, therefore, that young ducklings 

 must be kept out of both hot sun and rain. 



Ducklings for market are reared upon quite a different 

 system, which varies a little, however, amongst rearers both 

 in England and America. As is well known, thousands of 

 tons are reared yearly in Aylesbury for the London market. 

 The supply has so increased that the very high prices once 

 realised for early ones have somewhat declined, but fine 



