RANKIN'S DUCK BOOK 



Ducklings when confined to yards are sometimes troubled 

 with sore eyes. The adjacent parts become inflamed, the head 

 slightly swelled. This is caused by feeding sloppy food, and 

 from filthy quarters. The feathers around the eyes become 

 filled with the food, the dust adheres to them. The eye is na- 

 turally inflamed. Washing out thoroughly and bathing the 

 eye with a little sweet oil will usually effect a cure. 



Diarrhoea. 



Young ducklings are sometimes afflicted with diarrhoea. 

 This disease is caused more by overheating brooders and the 

 exhausted condition of the mother bird than from improper 

 food. Do not over-feed or overheat the ducklings. Feed bread 

 or cracker crumbs, moistened with boiled milk, into which a 

 little powdered chalk has been dusted. 



Abnormal Livers. 



This disease is the most dangerous to which young ducks 

 are subject. It is seldom prevalent except during the warm 

 weather, and usually in young birds of from two to six weeks 

 of age. The livers of the young birds enlarge to such an ex- 

 tent as to force up their backs, — a deformity which will cling 

 to them through life. It is caused by a complete stagnation of 

 the digestive organs, and often makes its appearance after a 

 heavy rain, or long wet spell, when the yards are invariably 

 wet, sloppy and offensive. The young birds will, while in con- 

 stant contact with this mud, absorb more or less of it, clog- 

 ging the digestive organs, and deranging their appetites. Re- 

 move the birds to some dry, shady place, feed sparingly, and 

 give a little of the "Douglas mixture," which may be purchased 

 in any drug store, in the drinking water. 



Ducklings Must be Carefully Yarded While Young. 



A great mortality often occurs to young ducklings when 

 allowed free range during warm weather, from devouring in- 

 jurious insects. Bees, wasps, hornets, bugs of all descriptions, 

 are eagerly swallowed alive but not always with impunity, and 

 the birds often pay the penalty with their lives. Always con- 

 fine them, even when designed for breeding purposes, until 

 they are six weks old, when they can be allowed their liberty. 



The most of the diseases to which ducks and fowls are 

 subject can usually be traced to some infraction of conditions, 

 and of course are always more or less under the control of the 

 careful operator. Two young men called here a short time ago 

 wishing to know what was the trouble with their fowls. Hith- 

 erto they had occupied a cold building, so open that the snow 

 sifted through on them, and they had never to their recollec- 



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