WATER FOWL 239 



cess of a large city not well supplied with ducks. 

 On the other hand, many farmers who have a good 

 local market can make very nice profits out of 

 ducks, even on a small scale. There are no special 

 difficulties in the way; in fact, anyone can succeed 

 with ducks. The brooding time is only half as long 

 as that for chickens and the ducklings do not need 

 nearly as much heat in the brooders. Where only 

 a small number are to be 

 raised, hens will do the 

 hatching very successfully. 



The duck has. so many 

 good qualities, it matures 



so early and furnishes such '" ''' 



excellent meat and is so duck fountain 



easily reared that every ^i^^ frame over gravel 

 farmer should keep at least ^^^q^^^^^f '"^'^'" ^"^^^ 

 a few to supply his own 



table and make a little money from surplus ones. 

 This applies especially where the older ducks can 

 have access to a marsh, a pond or a stream, but 

 where their wanderings may be restricted. Duck 

 flesh is one of the greatest delicacies that can be 

 raised on the farm. 



A good deal of the trouble in raising ducks is due 

 wholly to neglect, and to the unjust reputation of 

 the duck as a gormandizer, a reputation based 

 largely on irregularity of feeding. Half-starved 

 ducks are not slow to take advantage of an oppor- 

 tunity to cat, so if grain or other food is acciden- 

 tally left within reach they will surround as much 

 of it as possible. On the other hand, if food is con- 

 stantly before them, especially if they have a chance 

 to forage, they will not, as a rule, eat more raven- 

 ously than other fowls. Usually under good man- 



