324 



TURKEYS, DUCKS, AND GEESE 



Fig. 114. — Pekin ducks. 



Only Drinking Water Necessary. — Ducks are given fresh 

 clean water to drink, which is very essential, but none to 

 play or wallow in. The expert duck grower has his bird 

 ready for market in ten weeks from the shell. It is larger 

 and many times more toothsome than the six months old 

 duck sent to market by the farmer. 



Caring for the Eggs. — A good strain of breeding ducks 

 will lay an average of at least one hundred thirty-five eggs 

 per season, which should, with proper feed, be eighty-five 

 per cent fertile. Ducks do not care for nests. They pre- 

 fer to drop their eggs on the floor. They lay between four 

 and eight o'clock in the morning. They should be fas- 

 tened in their houses the night before and fed in the yards at 

 8 A.M. and 4 p.m. daily. The eggs should be collected 

 after liberating the ducks in the morning. If the pens are 

 clean the eggs will be clean. The soiled ones should be 

 rinsed in tepid water and dried with a towel. 



Hatching with the Incubator. — As soon as enough eggs 

 have been collected to fill an incubator they should be set. 



