DUCK DOLLARS 31 
Ducks saved for breeders are fed on the same food which they had 
while growing to killing age, but instead of being on a dirt range they 
should be on a grass range. 
This food is given to them twice a day, morning and evening. 
They should be watered more often during the day. This water is an 
important factor in their growing. They can be watered 
five times a day in addition to the two times at which Plenty of 
they feed. The value of water is strikingly seen in the Water 
case of strawberries. By giving plenty of water to his berries the straw- 
berry grower can double the size of his berries. 
This food for the birds saved for breeders is as follows (by meas- 
ure): Vegetables, ten parts; green stuff (or cut dried clover), ten parts; 
beef scraps, ten parts; low-grade flour, twenty parts; . 
bran, twenty parts; corn-meal, thirty parts. In addition, The Feeding 
grit and shells and a pinch of salt should be put in. Formula 
About one per cent. of grit is enough, also one per cent. of shells. For 
salt, use the common fine table salt. Do not use the coarse salt such as 
is used in making ice-cream. That is too coarse. Nearly all animals 
need salt to keep them in a healthy condition. It will improve their appe- 
tites and keep their blood in good order. 
About once a week put into the ration one per cent. of ground 
charcoal. The object of this charcoal is to sweeten and ; 
clean the stomach of the bird. It corrects any acidity Charcoal 
in the stomach. 
The food ingredients above are mixed up dry first so as to get them 
thoroughly stirred up, then water should be added until the mixture 
becomes lumpy but not sloppy. Test it by picking up a handful. It 
should be lumpy and crumble, but should not stick to the hands. If it 
sticks to the hands, it has too much water in it. 
Use one of your food pails to measure the various 
ingredients. 
Feed the mixture as soon as you have it mixed. In the winter 
time, to save labor in‘the morning, you can mix at night and have it all 
ready to feed in the morning. 
A pen of thirty ducks should eat about a pailful of this at each 
feeding. 
When ducks are laying well, they should be given a quart of whole 
corn at noon. We mean that each pen of thirty ducks should have a 
quart of whole corn. They like it and begin to ask for it about noontime, 
each day. The object of this whole corn is to stimulate 
, ; :, A Quart of 
and fortify the system. Cut open a duck’s egg after it 
has been germinating two weeks and you see the large Corn 
amount of blood in it. Draining this out of the duck at the rate of one 
egg a day is quite a strain on her system, and the corn is fed especially 
to strengthen the bird. 
Clean food is essential. Do not let the food boards get dirty. When 
the ducks are through feeding turn the food boards over, face down, so 
as to keep them clean. 
It is said that you can get hens and pigeons too fat to lay, but this 
‘Measure the 
Feed 
