218 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



one per cent fine oyster shell; a liberal supply of 

 green feed mixed in the mash. Feed four times a 

 day. 



Six to eight weeks : The following, three times a 

 day: Equal parts wheat bran, cornmeal and 15 

 per cent low grade flour; 10 per cent beef scrap, 

 10 per cent green food and 3 per cent grit. Keep 

 oyster shell before them. Feed three times a day. 



Eight weeks till finish : One-half cornmeal ; equal 

 parts bran and low grade flour; 10 per cent beef 

 scrap; 3 per cent grit. Oyster shell is kept before 

 them and green feed given less freely till within ten 

 days or two weeks of market time, and then omitted 

 altogether. All mashes are made dry and crumbly, 

 never gummy or pasty. 



Moist Mash Best. 



Ducks of all ages thrive best on soft food. Cracked 

 corn and sometimes a little wheat may be fed, but 

 only in limited quantities. When a moist mash is 

 given morning and night cracked corn may be fed 

 at noon. 



After ducklings are two or three weeks old any 

 good mash mixture may be given such as the Maine 

 or the Cornell mash, care being taken to watch the 

 amount of beef scrap and regulate it according to 

 the condition of the bowels. Ducklings are rather 

 more easily affected by too laxative food than chicks, 

 and whenever the bowels seem too loose the amount 

 of beef scrap should be cut down. 



Runner ducklings do not need as forcing a ration 

 as those given to Pekins. Some breeders give them 

 after the first month a mash composed almost en- 

 tirely of bran with a little beef scrap added, and 

 cracked corn at noon, with plenty of green food 

 either in the mash or between meals. 



