WATERFOWL 243 



upper edge. A button on its lower side will secure the 

 door during the night. As this shed is aimed iriainly 

 to be night quarters, one four or six-pane sash is ample 

 to admit sufficient light for the few days or hours of 

 really bad weather when the birds must remain 

 indoors. 



A shed eight by ten feet of floor space, six feet 

 high in front and four feet in rear, is large enough 

 to hold comfortably from twelve to twenty ducks or 

 from six to ten geese. Let the temperature be your 

 guide as to the sufficiency of air inside. If you find 

 upon opening the house in the morning, that all walls 

 are damp and the air close, ventilate more thereafter. 



The mixing of ducks and geese in one shed cannot 

 be recommended, as owing to the quarrelsome habits 

 of geese, the ducks would not get the peace and rest 

 they must have at night in order to produce best 

 results. Teach your geese from the beginning that 

 they must not feed or mix with the ducks and soon 

 they will not trouble you any more, when attending to 

 the latter. Geese are not in need of a closed shed, 

 such as mentioned, but should such a one be allowed 

 them, leave the door open, as they always need plenty 

 of fresh air. In order to make their home attractive 

 to them, provide empty barrels in a'd corners laid side- 

 ways and securely fastened down ; half fill them with 

 straw and add a few china nest eggs. This will save 

 many a step in spring hunting their eggs. Make them 

 familiar with their surroundings and future nests and 

 eggs stolen away will become rarities. Ducks lay at 

 night or early in the morning and should be confined 

 during the laying season until 8 or 9 o'clock in order 

 that all eggs may be saved. 



