DUCKS AND GEESE 



cure good fertility, and many duck farmers still be- 

 lieve that better results can be secured in this way. 

 On some of the dry land duck farms, however, 

 breeding ducks are successfully kept without such 

 swimming places. The young market ducklings do 

 not require water to swim in although some raisers 

 prefer to have it and it is commonly allowed where 

 readily available. On the dry land farms provision 

 is made simply for a continuous supply of fresh 

 drinking water for the fattening ducklings. Duck- 

 lings kept out of the water, do not take as much ex- 

 ercise and, in consequence, fatten a little more read- 

 ily. 



Making a Start in Duck Farming 



Duck farms or plants are sometimes operated on 

 a considerable scale at the beginning, the plans 

 being carefully laid by some experienced duck man. 

 In these cases, operations at the start may be of 

 sufficient magnitude so that the output will amount 

 to 15,000 or 20,000 ducklings in a year. In most 

 cases, however, these places have been the result 

 of a more gradual growth from a small beginning, 

 a condition made necessary either by the inexpe- 

 rience of the grower or by lack of capital. Not infre- 

 quently men engaged in other forms of farming but 

 possessing a suitable location will keep 200 or 300 

 breeding ducks and from this gradually build up a 

 good sized duck plant. 

 Equipment, Capital, etc. Required. The estimates 



44 



