DUCKS AND GEESE 



poor rations, by over feeding, by failing to gather 

 up feed not eaten by the ducklings and leaving it 

 to sour, or by lack of cleanliness of the feed and 

 water dishes. Where the pens aref allowed to be- 

 come damp and sloppy this may also cause some 

 lameness. 



Sore Eyes. Occasionally duck growers complain 

 that their ducklings suffer from sore eyes. This may 

 be due to a cold causing a discharge from the eyes 

 or may be due to the use of too sloppy feed which 

 adheres to the eyes and causes an irritation Af- 

 fected birds should be placed in a separate pen from 

 the others and the eyes should be bathed with an 

 antiseptic solution. 



Feather Eating or "Quilling". This is a bad habit 

 which is apt to cause more or less trouble when the 

 ducklings are about two-thirds grown. It is much 

 more likely to occur when the birds are kept in 

 cramped quarters. It is usually started by one or 

 a few individuals but when the feathers are injured 

 so that they begin to bleed, which they will very 

 quickly do, the vice will spread among the whole 

 flock and serious damage will occur. It is therefore 

 necessary to be on the lookout for this trouble, and 

 as soon as detected, the birds responsible should be 

 removed. If the culprits are placed with older 

 birds which are already feathered, they will not 

 trouble by trying to eat the feathers. It is the blood 

 in the growing feathers which attracts them. If the 

 habit has become general, it is more difficult to 



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