CHAPTER XII. 



DUCKS AND GKKSK. 



DUCKS. 



Ducks are the meat birds among poultry. Tliey are liardy, 

 easy to handle, with the exception of picking, and make 

 the quickest gain in flesh from time of hatching of any kind 

 of domestic poultry e.xcepting possibly geese. A duck, to 

 be profitable, should weigh five i)()unds at the end of ten 

 weeks. It will take a chicken of the American varieties 

 twice as long to attain that weight. 



jMost of the domestic breeds of ducks arc Asiatic in origin, 

 though Europe and America have each made contributions. 

 The Pekin, which is easily the most important meat producer 

 among the ducks, came originally from China. It was first 

 imported into England in 1872, and reached the United States 

 in January, 1874. The Aylesbury originated with a pair of 

 wild white ducks, captured in England. The Ilouen is 

 descended from domesticated wild Mallards in France and 

 takes its name from the city of llouen. The jMuscovy 

 originated in South America where it is still found in the 

 wild state. "The Cayuga deri\'cs its name from Cayuga 

 County, New York, where it was probably developed about 

 1850."^ It resembles the Pekin in shape, but is somewhat 

 lighter in weight. Though a very good market duck, it has 

 not become widely distributed, possibly because of its dark 

 plumage. 



The Runner duck was introduced into England about 

 the middle of the last century and reached this country 

 during the last decade of that century. It is winning a 

 reputation as an egg producer, but their ultimate popularity 



' Lee, U. .S. Bulletin 697. 

 _ , ■, , , • (429) 



