DUCKS AND GEESE 



The breeders should be fed in the same place. If 

 feeding is begun in the house this practice should 

 be continued. If feeding is begun in the yards it 

 should be continued there. To change disturbs the 

 ducks and interferes with their egg production. 



Coarse ground oyster shell about as large as com 

 should be kept before the breeders all the time in 

 boxes where they can help themselves. A flock of 

 700 or 800 breeders will eat upwards of 200 pounds 

 a week of this material. Unless sand is available in 

 the yards where they can get it, ducks should also 

 have access to a supply of good sharp creek sand 

 but when kept in sand yards no other form of grit 

 need be furnished. 



The usual method of feeding is to utilize flat 

 troughs on which the feed is shoveled. Only as much 

 feed should be given at the regular feeding time as 

 the ducks will eat up clean. This makes it neces- 

 sary to watch the feeding carefully and to regulate 

 the amount accordingly. It is good practice to 

 gather up any feed that is left by the ducks so that 

 it will not lie there to sour and spoil as such feed 

 is bad for the birds. 



Egg Production 



The average egg production of Pekin ducks kept 

 under commercial farm conditions will run from 

 80 to 125 eggs per head for the season. This will vary 

 somewhat from year to year and also with the man- 



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