DUCK DOLLARS 71 
The ducklings do not lose weight between their last feeding and 
killing time provided they have all the water they want to drink, 
A large plant will kill and ship on an average 200 ducklings a day, 
when busiest 4oo a day. An average of 350 to 375 a day will keep nine 
pickers at work. 
Every twelve ducks will give up a pound of feathers, worth on an 
average forty-five cents. This price may vary in different parts of the 
country. We have been getting fifty cents a pound in 
late years—more than ever before. There are feather Value of the 
buyers everywhere. Their advertisements may be seen Feathers 
in many journals, 
The feathers are taken from the picking room several times a day 
and put in the feather loft. We throw them on the floor of the loft and 
stir them up with a pitchfork once a day for three or 
four days. By that time they are dried at the roots and Keep the 
can be pushed together into a pile to make room for new Feathers Cool 
feathers from the picking room. Turn the pile over with a pitchfork 
once a week. The idea is to get the feathers loose. Do not let them 
pack up and get heated, and ferment. 
To ship the feathers to market, use bags made of white cotton cloth. 
Formerly we made the bags at our own expense, then we found out 
that the feather men, if we asked them, would send us the bags, so we 
got rid of this expense. Write to your feather man; tell him what you 
have, and he will send you the bags. A feather bag is 
generally six feet long and two and one-half feet wide. 
The feathers are packed into it tightly by hand. Sew up 
the top of the bag with string. The weight of a bag packed properly 
How to Ship 
Feathers 
Pen of Ducklings on Dirt Run a Week Previous to Killing 
