17 



DUCK-HOUSES. 



The cheapest style of house is one with a slanting roof. It should be 

 6 ft. high in front and 4 ft. 6 in. high at the back. There should be 

 one window with a sash of six lights, 9 in. by 12 in., for 10 running 

 feet of the building. Provide plenty of ventilation. The ventilators 

 should be near the roof, and so arranged that there will be no draught. 

 Seven square feet of floor-space should be allowed for each bird. Wire 

 netting 2J ft. in height will be ample to divide the flock. The interior 

 of the building must be kept clean, and dry straw used for bedding. 

 The birds will make their own nests in the straw, so there is no need to 

 provide nest-boxes. In the northern parts of New Zealand it is unneces- 

 sary to provide houses for ducks the climate is so mild that the ducks 

 will not make use of a building. 



