CHAPTER XIX 



DUCKS 



If you have a yard of any size you should raise 

 a few ducks each year along with the chickens. 

 They grow rapidly, being ready to roast at eight 

 weeks, and are a delicious addition to the family 

 menu. It is not advisable on small places to 

 keep ducks over winter for eggs or breeding. 

 Hatching eggs can be purchased for a dollar a 

 dozen or less, usually about fifty cents, and the 

 baby ducks hatch out and grow with very little 

 loss. They should be eaten or sold before they 

 are six months old, as after that they grow tougher 

 and lighter, while they eat more than ever. 



Varieties.— There are several varieties of ducks 

 raised in yards and on farms. The Pekin is a large 

 white duck, coming from China, by far the most 

 popular in this country. It is heavy, quiet, and of 

 unexcelled table quality, weighing about five pounds 



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