PO UL TR T- CRAFT. 245 



grain the flesh is made firm, and will " stand up," as the dealers say. Fish is an excellent 

 food for young ducks, but if very much is fed it taints the meat. The " beef scrap " 

 duck is the best flavored, and will bring the best price. 



(4). Rations for Ducklings. (POLLARD). At first feed 3 wheat bran, i Indian 

 meal, wet to a crumbly mass with milk, either skimmed or whole, but not cooked. 

 Cover floor in front of hover for some distance with fine gravel or sand ; six or eight 

 inches from the hover place small dishes containing food slightly sprinkled with sand 

 the first time, and a fountain of lukewarm water. After all this simply keep the 

 ducklings warm, and let nature work. If worth rearing they gradually get out from 

 under the hover, and it is astonishing how quickly they will begin to stow away the food 

 and water. Keep food before them all the time for the first three days, and water all 

 night. After this they may be fed every three hours, till seven or eight days old. After 

 the fifth day they may be fed 5 per cent of beef scrap instead of milk, or both may be 

 given. At two -weeks make the food i meal, i bran, and add 10 per cent beef scraps. At 

 three -weeks 3 parts each of bran and meal, with i part low grade flour, and 15 per cent 

 beef scraps; continue this food until killing time, not changing for any heavier or more 

 fattening food. After the fifth week feed only three times a day. Feed green food, or 

 not, as convenient ; it is good for those intended for fattening, but not necessary for 

 market ducks. 



368. Hatching and Brooding With Hens. For the management of 

 sitting hens see ^ffl 2 3 2 2 35> 2 3$ 2 44- The principal faults of hens as duck 

 mothers are that they usually trample too many ducklings in the nests more 

 ducklings than they would chicks ; and that hen brooded ducklings are apt to 

 be affected with lice. The first fault may be partially remedied by removing 

 the ducklings as fast as hatched, returning them when the hatch is complete, 

 and they are stronger. For the other the hen should be treated with insect 

 powder, and the ducks provided with drinking pans deep enough to allow 

 them to get their heads entirely under water. The hens must be kept confined 

 to coops, such as are used for hens with chicks, and the ducklings to pens built 

 around or adjoining the coops. If the coops are reasonably tight and warm, 

 the ducklings require brooding only about three weeks in moderate weather. 

 In warm weather they pay little attention to the hen after the first few days. 

 If the grower is raising chicks and scalding or baking food for them, it can 

 be used for the ducklings as well; it will not be necessary to prepare food 

 specially for them. Some authorities say food for ducklings must be ivet 

 (besides there being water to drink at hand) or they cannot swallow it. In that 

 they are wrong. Coops and pens should be kept clean. 



369. Management of Ducklings After Weaning is the same, whether 

 previously kept in brooders or with hens. Those intended for market will be 

 grown quicker and at less cost if given only as much yard room as they need 

 to keep themselves and their yard decently clean, when the keeper does his 

 part at regular and not too long intervals. The flocks should not be too large ; 

 one of the best authorities on the subject gives fifty as the largest number that 

 should be kept together. The market ducks grow faster if not given water for 

 swimming. 



