20 DUCK DOLLARS 
Ducklings are given a vast amount of water to drink between meals, 
also, and this fattens them. Water fattens ducks more than any other 
poultry—they absorb a lot of it in the course of a day. 
The Webers say they do not know of anything raised on such a 
cheap and simple ration as ducks, as above described. No expensive 
grains are needed. That is where the profits come in. The producing 
cost is low but the selling price is high. Even when sold to middle- 
men, the price is from three to five times the cost of the feed. 
How to Start with Ducks 
Those who, after reading this account, may wish to start breeding 
ducks should bear in mind the following: The best way is to buy the 
eggs. A trio of two ducks and a drake, or of more ducks and drakes. 
may be purchased; but it should be borne in mind that ducks cannot 
stand much transportation. If you live within twenty-five miles of a 
duck farm, so that you can go there yourself and take home in your 
wagon a trio or more, that is feasible; but if you are situated so that 
the ducks and drakes will have to be shipped you by express, better go 
slow, for live ducks, as a rule, cannot stand long railroad journeys. They 
become alarmed, lose appetite, refuse to eat or drink, and may die in 
transit, or shortly after arrival. It is not possible to 
ues Hard ship them with any degree of safety from the Atlantic 
to Ship to the Pacific states. They will be dead on arrival, 
or will die shortly after. The express companies will not pay for such 
deaths or disablements. Shipments by express of live stock are made 
only at owner’s risk. The express companies will settle only for losses 
of ducks caused by wrecks, or something of that nature. Duck shippers 
will not take the risk of guaranteeing safe delivery, as the birds are out of 
their control when receipted for by the express company. The result is, 
that in the case of deaths in transit, the loss has to be borne by the pur- 
chaser, often to his intense disappointment and sometimes resentment. 
The birds have cost him generally at least $2 apiece, and sometimes as 
high as $6 apiece, and the loss comes hard, especially as the buyer is in 
no way to blame, except, perhaps, for taking the risk. So we advise 
that you avoid this risk and disappointment by buying duck eggs. 
A start with duck eggs is a different matter, there being a minimum 
of risk. Eggs for hatching are being shipped all over 
the United States and Canada daily. The Webers have 
- shipped their duck eggs as far as Germany with success. 
Of course the beginner cannot expect to go into the markets of his 
city and town and buy duck eggs fit for hatching. Generally in the 
markets there are found only duck eggs which have been rejected from 
the incubators because of the very lack of that fertility which the begin- 
ner wants. Also there are eggs found in the markets laid by ducks with 
which no drakes have run. The beginner must buy of a duck breeder 
only those eggs which are sold for the special purpose of incubation, 
Start 
with Eggs 
