FATTENING DUCKS. Ill 



man's commission for the ducklings (5 per cent.) are 

 reckoned at about 3d. per bird, and duck fatteners 

 commonly estimate that, after deducting carriage and 

 commission, they receive on the average about 3s. 3d. 

 a duck. Mr. Spencer, however, is inclined to think 

 that this estimate is rather under than over the mark, 

 for in August, when he visited the district, prices were 

 still as high as 6s. to 7s. a couple. 



As regards accommodation, it appears that a small 

 back-yard or garden attached to a cottage affords 

 sufficient room for the bringing-up of some hundreds 

 of ducklings. Some shedding is required for the pro- 

 tection of the young ducks from the weather, and the 

 ground is usually divided by planks into pens so as to 

 keep the ducklings of different ages apart. As a rule, 

 the young ducks do not go into water, but are supplied 

 with water in troughs or shallow vessels. 



Contracts are usually made between the duckers 

 and farmers for a supply of eggs right through the 

 winter, and the average price is from 3s. to 3s. 6d. the 

 dozen, but during periods of scarcity 10s. to 12s. per 

 dozen is often paid, and we were informed by one 

 breeder that he has paid as high as 15s. per dozen. 

 Hatching operations commence in October, and to 

 secure eggs at this period young ducks, bred early for 

 the purpose, are mated with older drakes. In this 

 way, as the two-year-old ducks do not commence 

 laying until a later period, a constant supply of eggs 

 is obtained, and not much harm would be done if the 

 ducklings were killed off when a few weeks old. The 

 eggs are set ialmost entirely under hens, and when the 

 ducklings come out they are allowed to remain with 



