DOMESTIC POULTBT. 



nevertheless it will be as well to match the duck's own eggs M 

 nearly as possible, for I have known instances where the dnck 

 has turned out of the nest and destroyed eggs differing &om 

 her own in size and colour. 



Concerning incubation a practical writer says : — " The duck 

 requires a secret and safe place rather than any attendance, 

 and will at Nature's call cover her eggs and seek her food. On 

 hatching there is not often a necessity for taking away any of 

 the brood ; and, haying hatched, let the duck retain her young 

 ones upon the nest her own time. On her moving with her 

 brood, prepare a coop upon the short grass if the weather be 

 fine, or under shelter if otherwise, a wide and flat dish of water, 

 often to be renewed, standing at hand ; barley, or any other meal, 

 should be the first food. In wet weather particularly, it is 

 needful to dip the tails of the ducklings, or they will otherwise 

 be apt to draggle and weaken the bird. Brood ducks should 

 be cooped some distance from any other." 



The period of her confinement to the coop depends on the 

 weather and the strength of the duckhngs. A fortnight seems 

 the longest time necessary, and they may sometimes be per- 

 mitted to enjoy the luxury of a swim at the end of a week. If, 

 however, they be allowed to stay too long in the water at first 

 they will be ill, their feathers will go rough, and they will have 

 looseness of the bowels. If this shotdd be the case, coop them 

 close for a few days, and Tni-r bean-meal or oatmeal with their 

 ordmary food. Many duck-keepers give their birds nothing in 

 the shape of food, letting them wander about and pick up a 

 living for themselves. They wiU even seem to grow fat with 

 this precarious feeding, but unless, besides this chance food, 

 you take care morning and evening to supply them with a 

 liberal feed of solid com, their flesh will be flabby and insipid. 



The simple way to fatten ducks is to let them have as much 

 substantial food as they will eat. They iriU require no cram- 

 ming, as does the turkey and some other poxdtiy, — ^they will 

 cram themselves to the verge of suffocation ; they should, at 

 the same time, be allowed plenty of exercise and clean water. 

 Bruised oats and pea-meal is the standard fattening food for 

 ducks. 



