HATCHING AND BROODING OF DUCKS 



ARTIFICIAL HATCHING OF DUCKS 



A PROFITABLE INDUSTRY IN WHICH THE FARMER HAS MANY ADVANTAGES- 

 HOUSES AND FIXTURES REQUIRED— BROODING AND RAISING THE DUCKLINGS- 

 SELECTING AND FEEDING THE BREEDERS— FATTENING— PREPARING FOR MARKET 



H. A. NOURSE 



Within recent years the raising of ducks has groivn from condi- 

 tions under luhich afeiv ducks raised themseltjes, so to speak, ^without 

 particular care from the oiuner, to an industry, of immense magnitude 

 managed nvith the strictest care as to details and representing an 

 annual investment of many thousands of dollars. Under other than 

 artificial means of incubating and brooding siich a •wonderful de'vel- 

 opment 'would ha've been absolutely impossible. 



It then seems fitting that in a nuork of this character the incubat- 

 ing and brooding of ducks by artificial means should receinje the atten- 

 tion 'which its importance as an industry merits. — Editor. 



YOUNG duck carrying five pounds or more of sal- 

 able weight that will command an average price 

 of twenty cents per pound can be placed on the 

 market eight weeks from the date of hatching. 

 This is quick work — turning a profit in twelve 

 weeks from the time the egg is laid — and no 

 proof is needed that a substantial profit can be 

 realized on ducks so marketed. Therefore, since the loss of 

 ducklings need not be over five per cent (frequently it is not 



over two per cent), and the equipment required is neither ex- 

 tensive nor expensive, there is money in raising ducks for any- 

 one who will make an honest, intelligent effort to get it. 



Growers of ducks frequently have everything to buy at 

 market prices and some even have to go off their faims to se- 

 cure sufficient green food for their flocks. The fanner with 

 his wide acres is prepared to feed ducks at the minimum cost. 

 He has at hand much of the grain produced on the farm at less 

 than its market value and this the exclusive duck raiser has to 

 pay good money for. The vegetables, which are often difficult 

 for the duckman to obtain, the farmer sorts out from his pota- 

 toes, turnips, beets, cabbages, etc., and places but little value 

 upon them. Fed to ducks this inferior quality will produce 

 meat salable at fifteen to thirty cents per pound. If the far- 

 mer is a dairyman the skim milk fed to stock ducks furnishes 

 the best of nourishment at little cost and if fed to growing 

 ducklings will produce twice or three times the value it would 

 if fed to swine. 



Nearly one-third the bulk of food for breeding ducks may 

 consist of vegetables and clover. The latter can be grown on 



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