

T is only a few years since the breeding of 

 wild ducks for sport and for profit was under- 

 taken in England. Everyone thought that to 

 attempt wild duck breeding simply would 

 result in providing sport for others than those 

 who reared the ducks, because they are migratory. Some experi- 

 ments, however, made with mallards, by game keepers, were 

 very successful and it was ascertained that if the ducks are 

 properly fed, and if they are not shot on or about the breeding 

 ponds, they will remain to furnish good shooting and that they 

 will attract many migrating birds to the feeding grounds and 

 waters. It was not long before nearly every country place in 

 England had wild ducks, and many shooting clubs, or syndicates, 

 as they say in England, were formed by sportsmen to share the 

 expenses of duck breeding. 



The wild ducks are more easily reared than pheasants. The 

 breeding ducks are kept about a small pond in a yard or field 

 wired against vermin with a fence of chicken wire. The ducks * 

 lay their eggs in little brush covers which are provided for them. 

 If the eggs are gathered daily they persist in laying, and on an 

 average about thirty eggs can be obtained from each duck. 



When the waters are small it is best to have one drake for 

 every two or three ducks, but on large waters it is better to 

 increase the number of drakes. The young ducks when one 

 day old are taken to a grassy rearing field where the hen is 

 confined in a coop, as in pheasant rearing, and the'young ducks 

 are permitted to chase insects in the grass. Many breeders 

 advise not letting the young go to the water until they are 

 eight or nine weeks old, and many ducks are reared by this 

 method. It is important that the young birds should have 

 plenty of water to drink, which is furnished in little pans placed 

 in front of the coops. 



It is of the utmost importance that ducklings have plenty of 

 shade, since they are affected by a complaint called "strad- 



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