NATURAL LAWS. 39* 



The first two weeks the eggs are not very fertile, but after 

 February 15th the eggs will get fertile and then you can 

 start your machines. They will then lay almost every day 

 until June. After June let them in a free range, with only 

 one feeding a day. No shelter is necessary until fall or 

 snow flies. 



Ducks lay their eggs during the night and before nine 

 o'clock in the morning. Never let them out of the house 

 before nine o'clock during the laying season. 



In May watch the drakes, and if they ride the ducks too 

 much take one-half of the drakes away, and also the ducks, 

 which are weak from the drakes riding them too much. 



Don't feed oyster shells to laying ducks as the shells 

 make the egg shells too hard for the ducklings to break 

 when hatching. 



Care of Ducklings From Egg to Market. 



When ducklings are hatching in the incubators, don't 

 open the door at any time until all are out. If you open the 

 door it lets out the moisture and chills the ducklings while- 

 wet and hatching. The cold air striking them is fatal. 

 When they are all hatched and dry open the incubator door 

 a little to accustom them to the outside air. This you must 

 do gradually. When they are thirty-six hours old take therm 

 out in a covered basket or box with sand in the bottom.. 

 Before putting them in the brooder dip their bills in warm' 

 water for a drink. This gives them a good start. For their 

 first feed, give them stale bread soaked in water with a lit- 

 tle oatmeal mixed in. Feed this for a few days every two- 

 hours. Then feed one-half bran, one-fourth oatmeal and 

 one-fourth bread all wet up in warm water. Always give- 

 them a dish of water to drink from while feeding. Never- 

 feed ducklings sour food or cold water until they are tern 

 days old. 



When ten days old feed one-third cornmeal, one-half 

 bran, a little middlings and second grade flour. Never feed 

 much cornmeal, as it is too fattening, and 



