DUCKS AND GEESE 



the ducklings which the hen hatches should be given 

 to her and she should be confined to some kind of a 

 coop which will allow the ducklings to run at lib- 

 erty. If the hen is given her liberty she goes 

 too far and takes too much exercise for the 

 little ducks. Where artificial brooders are used 

 any type of brooding apparatus can be utilized 

 which is used with success for chickens. It must be 

 remembered, however, that ducklings do not require 

 as high a degree of heat as do baby chicks and 

 should be started off at a temperature of about 90 

 degrees under the hover. This can be reduced rather 

 rapidly until it is down to 80 at about 2 weeks of 

 age. The length of time that the ducklings require 

 heat after this depends upon the season and the 

 weather. Even in fairly cool weather they do not 

 need any heat after they are 5 or 6 weeks old. 



It is necessary to keep the brooders clean and in 

 order to do this they must be cleaned out frequently 

 and new litter supplied. While the ducklings are 

 small the brooders should be cleaned at least every 

 other day and as they get larger, cleaning once a 

 week with the addition of fresh litter between times 

 will be sufficient. 



Feeding the Ducklings. Ducklings do not need to 

 be fed until they are from 24 to 36 hours old. At 

 this time they may be given a mixture composed of 

 equal parts by measure of rolled oats and bread 

 crumbs with 3% of sharp sand mixed in the feed. 

 This may be given them five times daily although 



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