666 



Cost of Rearing Ducklings. 



[dec., 



taken. Thus nearly 60 eggs were required to produce 40 duck- 

 lings, and the egg-cost of each one hatched was i±d. 



The cost for oil burned in a 100-egg incubator * is 3d. per 

 week (using Majestic oil at 8d. per gallon), and allowing five 

 weeks for regulation and complete hatching, this gives a total 

 of is. 3d. Although the machine used would hold more than 

 60 eggs, we may take that as the basis, which works out at yhd. 

 per lot of 20 ducklings, or 0-38^. per duckling hatched. For 

 heating two brooders for a fortnight if gallon of oil was used, 

 the total cost of which was, say, gid., or 0-28^. per duckling. 



Foods and Feeding. — During the first two weeks all the forty 

 birds were fed on soft food, consisting of the following mixture, 

 which was moistened with hot water until it was in a crumbly 

 state and given warm five times a day : — 



A. — Rearing food mixture : 



Bran 40 lb. 



Toppings ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 lb. 



Barley meal ... ... ... ... ... 36 1b. 



Linseed meal ... 2 lb. 



Meat (Crissel) 14 lb. 



Total 112 lb. 



This cost 10s. per cwt, or i'o']2d. per lb. 



After the first fortnight, Lot I continued to be fed on this soft 

 food, given four times per day, until they were four weeks old, 

 after which the food was supplied three times a day. In each 

 case it was supplied in sufficient quantity to be eaten eagerly 

 and cleared up at once. 



At the end of the first two weeks, Lot II were fed on the same 

 mixture given dry, in order to test the value of this method 

 for duck raising. Grit was supplied to both lots all the time, 

 but when given access to the stream the ducklings would obtain 

 as much as they required. No green food was given, but grass 

 was eaten freely as it was plentiful. 



After the ducklings were nine weeks old the following mixture 

 was substituted for the rearing mixture : — 



B_.— Summer food mixture : 



Bran ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 lb. 



Toppings 20 lb. 



Barley meal ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 lb. 



Clover hay, chaff ... ... ... ... ... 20 lb. 



Total 112 lb. 



This cost Js. \\d. per cwt., or 076^. per lb. 



* See report on " Artificial Incubation, ''''Journal, May, 1905, pp. 87-96. 



