FAVORITE BREEDS OF DUCKS 261 



or weekly to town people, without the necessity of driving 

 to an express office. The postal wagons on all rural 

 routes will collect such packages, and Uncle Sam does all 

 the work of transporting and delivering. To make good 

 profits, therefore, from poultry, there should be incu- 

 bators going all the time, hatching either chickens or 

 ducks, which will sell readily for meat at from two to 

 six months of age. Such poultry meat is a great deli- 

 cacy, and commands liberal prices. 



Pekin ducks at two months are worth rather more than 

 chickens of the same age. Either class of birds will sell 

 at 40 cents to 75 cents apiece, according to weight. Ducks 

 eat more than chickens, and gain in weight proportion- 

 ately. Ten to 15 cents is ample to allow for feeding a 

 fowl up to two months of age. This allows a large profit. 

 Birds fattened at six or seven months have consumed 15 

 to 25 cents' worth of food, according to the advantages 

 of raising or buying it. They are then worth $1 to $1.50 

 each. There is more profit in meat than in eggs. 



In order to succeed with ducks, it is necessary to have 

 eggs from strong, vigorous stock, and they must be fresh 

 — not over one week old. Other duck eggs may be differ- 

 ent, but the Pekin's eggs are worthless for hatching pur- 

 poses when ten days old. 



Duck eggs, as a rule, require four weeks to hatch. 

 They may be hatched with either incubators or hens. 

 Only large hens are suitable. If an incubator is used, 

 keep the temperature as near 103 degrees as possible, 

 turning the eggs regularly twice a day. They should be 

 allowed time to cool a little once each day until the 

 twenty-sixth day, or two days before they are due to 

 hatch. 



When ducks begin to pip the shells, the temperature 

 may be allowed to rise to 104 or 105, but be careful not 

 to let it go higher. Protect the ventilators from cold 

 drafts, but don't shut out all the air. 



