DUCKS AND GEESE 



carrying capacity. For breeders of market ducks, 

 birds which are active, well matured and which are 

 not extreme in size for the breed are preferable as 

 the fertility is likely to run better than with the ex- 

 tremely large birds. Where birds are bred for exhi- 

 bition purposes, it frequently happens that it is 

 desirable to use large breeders and to hold them for 

 breeding purposes as long as they are in good breed- 

 ing condition. Where this is the case it becomes 

 neccessary to mate a smaller number of females to 

 a drake than would be the case with smaller and 

 younger breeders. Where old birds are used as 

 breeders better results will be secured by mating old 

 ducks to a young drake or vice versa than by mating 

 together old birds of both sexes. While ducks of any 

 of the meat breeds are kept primarily for meat pro- 

 duction,itis essential thattheegg production be good 

 throughout the breeding season in order to raise as 

 many ducklings and secure as great a profit as pos- 

 sible. Selection of the females as breeders should be 

 made therefore on the basis of good egg production 

 as well as good meat type if the conditions under 

 which the ducks are kept are such as to make it 

 possible to check this in any manner. 



In selecting the mating in the Runner breed it is 

 necessary to keep in mind that the general type of 

 body is quite different from that of the meat breeds, 

 being much slimmer and much more upright in body 

 carriage. For this mating select thrifty, healthy 

 birds and those which are active. Some breeders 



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