POULTRY-CRAFT. 241 



decided benefit to the breeding stock. As is often said, they can do without 

 it ; they will do better with it. Swimming, paddling about in marshy places 

 and along margins of streams, is to the duck what scratching is to the hen 

 a natural and favorite exercise. Ducks in all dry yards are in the condition 

 of hens in bare yards and on bare floors they have nothing to do between 

 meals. The benefits of such exercise as can be secured in even a little pool 

 just large enough for a few ducks to paddle in at once, are immediately 

 noticeable when such a pool is furnished ducks which had been kept without 

 water. * Water for bathing ought to be considered as necessary for ducks, as 

 the dust bath is for hens. The important results of giving breeding ducks 

 water range, are : greater fertility of eggs, more vigorous ducklings, and the 

 birds themselves always looking 'well groomed. 



360. Cleanliness is important. Feed troughs and drinking vessels 

 should be kept clean. The floors of the pens are generally littered with 

 cheap hay, shavings, or similar material, and cleaned out and the bedding 

 renewed as often as is necessary to give the ducks reasonably clean dry bed- 

 ding at all times. The yards need to be swept or scraped occasionally, and 

 the accumulation of droppings removed. Many breeders so arrange that the 

 yards can be disinfected by plowing up in the fall and sowing to rye. This 

 serves the double purpose of purifying the soil, and furnishing green food for 

 the ducks in winter and spring. 



361. Gentleness and Quietness are all-important in the duck yard. 

 Pekin ducks are absolutely fearless until it has been necessary to catch some 

 of them when they have grown too large to be taken easily by the body in 

 the hand. After some of a flock have been caught by the neck, all become 

 shy of the keeper, and if an attendant is hurried and reckless when moving 

 among them, or if they are disturbed by visitors or dogs, the egg yield usually 

 falls off. The breeding pens once made up, no birds should be removed. 

 Stock for sale ought never to be kept with breeding stock. 



362. About the Eggs. When the ducks have access to water, it is 

 necessary to keep them from it until all have laid in the morning. Usually 



*NOTE. Without doubt some ducks kept without water do better than some given 

 constant access to water; there may be differences in breed, feed, and general care; but 

 as between water for swimming, or at least for bathing, and water for drinking only, 

 it seems incredible that any one who has tried both "with the same ducks could have any 

 other opinion than that enough water for bathing is a necessity, and that more is 

 desirable. Pekin ducks which have not been accustomed to water may seem shy of it 

 if an attempt is made to drive them to water away from their quarters, and may 

 hesitate, but not for long, to plunge into a pool prepared for them in a yard where 

 there had been none. 



