214 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



very large and very hardy. These qualities, to- 

 gether with its rapid growth, have commended it 

 to breeders, and it has grown in popularity till it 

 has come to be known as the one commercial market 

 duck. On the large duck plants of Long Island and 

 Pennsylvania these ducks are grown by the thou- 

 sand for marketing as "green ducks" at from ten 

 to twelve weeks of age, when they weigh from six 

 to nine pounds apiece. 



Rankin Methods. 



James Rankin, a Massachusetts man, has been 

 called the "Father of the Pekin Duck Industry in 

 America," and his methods are still the standard 

 for Pekin duck raising. Mr. Rankin gave his ducks 

 no water except for drinking. The breeding houses 

 were divided into pens, in each of which 25 birds 

 were kept. Early in the season five ducks were 

 allowed to one drake, but later on six or eight ducks 

 to one drake. 



When the breeders were selected from among the 

 young ducks at the age of ten weeks, they were 

 turned out to pasture in flocks of 200 each, for range 

 is considered very necessary to the health and de- 

 velopment of breeding ducks. Here they were fed 

 twice a day all they would eat of the following mash 

 mixture : 



Three parts, by measure, heavy wheat bran; one 

 part low grade flour ; one part cornmeal ; 5 per cent 

 beef scrap; 3 per cent fine grit; all the green feed 

 they will eat in the shape of corn fodder, clover, al- 

 falfa, oat fodder or green rye, cut fine. 



After they are brought into the breeding pens in 

 the fall they are given, morning and night, the fol- 

 lowing mash : 



Equal parts, by measure, wheat bran and corn- 



