CHAPTER Vm 

 Duck Raising on the Farm 



Duck raising as ordinarily conducted on the gen- 

 eral farm consists of the keeping of a comparatively 

 small flock purely as a side line. Ducks on the gen- 

 eral farm may be kept for the production of meat 

 and eggs, for egg production, or mainly as a breed- 

 ing proposition where the idea is to produce birds 

 of exhibition quality. On occasional farms ducks of 

 the rarer breeds are kept mainly for ornamental 

 purposes. 



Conditions Suitable for Duck Raising. A small 

 flock of ducks on the farm can be kept to best ad- 

 vantage where they can be separated from the 

 other poultry and where they can have access to a 

 pasture or an orchard which will provide them with 

 a plentiful supply of green feed. Ducks stand con- 

 finement quite well but if they are closely confined 

 it is necessary to provide for them the green feed 

 which they cannot secure for themselves. On many 

 farms the flock of ducks is allowed to range at lib- 

 erty and under these conditions the cost of maintain- 

 ing them is much lower since they pick up a consid- 

 erable part of their feed. An enclosed run or yard, 

 however, should be available where they can be con- 



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