DUCK RAISING ON THE FARM 



ducks can immerse their entire bill as this enables 

 them to wash the sand out of their nostrils. 



Water for Ducklings. In addition to the drinking 

 water provided duck raisers sometimes allow the 

 growing ducklings access to water in which they can 

 swim. If it is desired to fatten the ducklings quickly 

 and turn them off on the market as green ducks many 

 raisers do not consider this advisable as it induces 

 the ducklings to take more exercise and makes it 

 more difficult to fatten them. However, access to 

 water in which they can swim makes it unnecessary 

 to provide any other supply of drinking water and 

 for this reason lessens the work considerably. Unless 

 it is easy for the ducklings to get in and out of the 

 water there is danger of some of them drowning as 

 they are likely to get tired and unable to climb 

 out. Little ducklings allowed access to very cold 

 water are subject to cramp and may be drowned as 

 a result. 



Distinguishing the Sexes. It is difficult to distin- 

 guish the sexes of growing ducks until they begin to 

 reach maturity. There is, however, a difference in 

 their appearance. The drakes are coarser or thicker 

 and more masculine in appearance showing this es- 

 pecially about the head and neck. Also as they se- 

 cure their mature plumage the drake shows curled 

 feathers on top of the tail which are often referred 

 to as sex feathers. In addition, the voice of the duck 

 is harsher and coarser than that of the drake. 



Marketing the Ducks. Most of the ducks pro- 



135 



