Poultry Feeding. 



359 



Ducks and Geese. 



These, it must be remembered, are water-fowl, and should 

 therefore be fed very largely on soft food. If hard corn be given 

 them it should only be fed as a mid-day meal, and should be 

 put in the birds' water troughs, together with a plentiful allowance 

 of grit or gravel. 



If water-birds are fed entirely on hard corn they will not do 

 themselves justice as layers. 



If ducklings get leg weakness it means that their food is too 

 highly concentrated, and they should be given food largely 

 composed of bran, green food (especially chopped cabbage), and 

 a large amount of grit and cooked meat. Sick birds must 

 always be yarded and fed separately. 



If the ducklings show signs of sore eyes the treatment is 

 the same as for leg weakness ; if fed very sparingly they will 

 generally be well again in three or four days. 



When symptoms of diarrhoea arise isolate the sick birds, feed 

 sparingly on drier food, giving less green food and bran and 

 more meat and grit. 



If the little birds are properly fed and cared for no one 

 should lose more than 5 per cent, of them from sickness. 



Should they at any time get panic stricken — and if unwell 

 they are very likely to become so — hang a lantern up in their 

 yard ; they must be kept quiet, as one night's fright will 

 counteract a whole week's careful feeding. 



Ducklings cannot stand direct sunshine, and must have plenty 

 of shade to which they can retire at will. Until they are ten- 

 weeks old they are no hardier than chicks, but after this they 

 will stand practically anything in the way of weather, and they 

 revel in heavy rains and snow. 



The best green foods for ducklings are onion tops, dandelion,, 

 chickweed, green clover, green rye and green oats. 



If hatched in March, or early April, and fed properly, young; 

 ducks will often begin to lay at five months old, but in this case 

 they should be fed very largely on meat and bran, so as to hold 

 them back as much as possible. This is to some extent a 

 matter of breed and feeding. In the winter four or five ducks 

 may run with a drake, in the summer seven. 



A duck -may be bred from for four seasons. 



