DUCKS AND GEESE 



Equipment of the Pen. The equipment of the 

 pens is quite simple. Water is piped through the 

 house along both walls so that it is available to each 

 pen. A spigot is provided in each pen and under 

 this is placed the drinking dish, which consists of a 

 round metal pan about a foot in diameter and 3 or 

 4 inches deep. A square pan should never be used 

 as the ducklings are apt to get their bills caught in 

 the comers. One quarter inch mesh wire netting is 

 bent in a circle and placed in the drinking dish as 

 a guard to keep the ducklings from getting into the 

 pan. This guard should be made of such size that 

 there is a space between the wire and the edge of the 

 dish of about IJ inches all around. This guard 

 should be about 8 inches high. The water pan it- 

 self is set upon a wire covered frame about 18 inches 

 square under which is dug a pit 4 or 5 inches deep 

 to drain away any water which the ducklings slop 

 out of the pan. Such an arrangement keeps the pens 

 from becoming sloppy and damp. 



Each pen must also have a flat metal dish on 

 which to place the feed for the little ducks. Metal 

 pans are better than wooden feeding trays as they 

 are easier to keep clean. 



In each pen is provided a small hopper filled with 

 fine sharp creek sand to which the ducklings have 

 access at all times. Some duck growers prefer to 

 mix the sand in the feed rather than to provide it in 

 hoppers. After the ducklings are allowed to run in 

 the yards, sand need not be furnished if the yards 



86 



