BROODING AND REARING YOUNG STOCK 



with the larger yards which may or may not have 

 water. From this point on the ducks are termed 

 yard ducks. 



In all three of the brooder houses the young ducks 

 are supplied with their drinking water from pipes 

 through the houses. They are not given access to 

 water until they are moved to the yards. 



Yard Accommodations for Ducklings 



As the ducklings get to be 8 weeks old they can 

 stand ordinary weather conditions and it is not ab- 

 solutely necessary to have houses for them. How- 

 ever, it is common and good practice to provide 

 shelter where they can be housed at night and can 

 take refuge from storms. A suitable house for this 

 purpose consists of a building 16 x 24 feet divided 

 into two parts with 200 ducklings to a side. This 

 house is 5 feet high in front and 3^ feet in back. It 

 is set on posts with a baseboard around it to make 

 it tight. It can be constructed of matched stuff or un- 

 matched stuff covered with paper. The front is left 

 open but curtains are placed on the front which can 

 be used to close the openings so as to keep out the 

 snow. These are used only in the winter. When 

 the ducklings are first started in these sheds they 

 are shut in when desired by means of wire panels 

 fitted into the lower part of the open front. The 

 ducklings are left in these yards and fed there until 

 they are ready for market. 



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