144 Ducks. 



while too young to the pond, dragging them under beetling 

 banks in search of food, and generally leaving half of them 

 in the water unable to get out ; and if the fly or the gnat 

 is on the water, she will stay there till after dark, and lose 

 part of her brood. Ducks' eggs may be advantageously 

 placed under a broody exhibition hen. (See page 88.) A 

 turkey is much better than either, from the large expanse 

 of the wings in covering the broods, and the greater heat 

 of body ; but if the duck is a good sitter, it is best to let 

 her hatch her own eggs, taking care to keep her and them 

 from the water till they are strong. The nest should be 

 on the ground, and in a damp place. Choose the freshest 

 eggs, and place from nine to eleven under her. Feed her 

 morning and evening while sitting, and place food and 

 water within her reach. The duck always covers her eggs 

 upon leaving them, and loose straw should be placed near 

 the house for that purpose. 



They are hatched in thirty days. They may generally 

 be left with their mother upon the nest for her own time. 

 When she moves coop her on the short grass if fine 

 weather, or under shelter if otherwise, for a week or ten 

 days, when they may be allowed to swim for half an hour 

 at a time. When hatched they require constant feeding. 

 A little curd, bread-crumbs, and meal, mixed with chopped 

 green food, is the best food when first hatched. Boiled 

 cold oatmeal porridge is the best food for ducklings for the 

 first ten days ; afterwards barleymeal, pollard, and oats, 

 with plenty of green food. Never give them hard spring 

 water to drink, but that from a pond. Ducklings are 

 easily reared, soon able to shift for themselves, and to pick 

 up worms, slugs, and insects, and can be cooped together 

 in numbers at night if protected from rats. An old pig- 

 stye is an excellent place for a brood of young ducks. 



Ducklings should not be allowed to go on the water till 

 feathers have supplied the place of their early down, for 

 the latter will get saturated with the water while the former 

 throws off the wet. " Though the young ducklings," says 

 Mr. W. C. L. Martin, "take early to the water, it is 

 better that they should gain a little strength before they 



