238 



MAKING POULTRY PAY 



Growing ducks require a plentiful supply of fresh 

 water. About the only neglect that will kill young 

 ducks is failure to provide them with plenty of fresh 

 water, in a vessel deep enough for them to get their 

 heads beneath the surface of the water. One of the 

 new diseases to which ducklings are subject is sore 

 eyes. This may be avoided if they have water con- 

 stantly before them, deep enough to get their heads in 

 and keep the eyes washed. A cheap and convenient 

 water tank for ducks may be made of the bottom third 

 of an old barrel. Saw the barrel off just above the 

 second pair of hoops, making sure that the bottom is 

 whole. Bore an inch hole in the bottom, and fit with 

 a soft pine plug, and you have a cheap and convenient 

 tank that only requires 

 to be properly set in 

 the ground to be 

 ready for use. 



The best way to set 

 such a tank is to dig 

 a hole deep enough to 

 make a blind drain of 

 stones ; on these stones 

 arrange four bricks to 

 support the tank, and 

 fill in about it with 

 earth firmly packed 

 ■down. Figure 98 shows 

 a section of tank so made, and the manner of making 

 drain and the arrangement of the bricks. 



The tank is emptied daily by pulling out the plug. 

 It takes about two water buckets full to fill the tank 

 even full. When the drain becomes foul and gives off 

 a bad odor, it can be thoroughly cleansed by pouring 

 into it a bucket of water in which has been dissolved 

 two tablespoonfuls of sulpho-napthol. After using the 



FIG. 98 — WATER TANK FOR 

 DUCKS 



