DUCKS AND GEESE 



Shade. Shade is important for the ducklings as 

 soon as the sun gets hot. Exposure to the sun with- 

 out shade will cause quite a heavy loss in ducklings. 

 If natural shade is not furnished by trees, some arti- 

 ficial means must be adopted to supply the shade. 

 This may take the form of shelters or low frames 

 covered with boards, brush or burlap. 



Feeding. The first feed and water is given as soon 

 as the ducks are placed in the No. 1 brooder house 

 or when 24 to 36 hours old. They are fed 3 times a 

 day, in the morning about 6 a. m., at noon, and at 

 night about 4:30 or 5 o'clock. The time of feeding 

 should be regular, and fairly early in the morning 

 but not any earlier in the afternoon than one can 

 help so that the time between the evening and the 

 morning feed will not be too long. Some growers 

 prefer to feed 4 or 5 times daily for the first week or 

 two. The birds are fed as much as they will clean 

 up at each feeding and if any feed is left it should 

 be gathered up so that it will not sour and cause 

 digestive troubles. 



The first feed consists of the following: — One 

 measure corn meal, one measure bran, one measure 

 ground crackers, stale bread or shredded wheat 

 waste, one measure in 10 of beef scrap or fish, one 

 measure in 6 of creek grass or other very fine green 

 stuff. Green rye or oats should never be used for 

 this purpose after it becomes jointed. If the feed 

 is mixed up with cold water about i measure of low- 

 grade wheat flour should be used to cause it to stick 



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