668 Cost of Rearing Ducklings. [dec., 



19 • 1 oz. ; and in the third three weeks, 25 oz., or a total of 

 3 lb. 2 -94 oz. Table I shows that the average cost per bird in 

 the first three weeks was 2*15^. ; in the second three weeks, 

 4- 43d. ; and in the final three weeks 8-22^., or a total (inclusive 

 of grit for the entire period) of 14-98^. It will be seen that 

 the least gain made was in the fifth week (May 28th to 3rd June) 

 and the greatest gain in the following week (4th to 10th June). 

 Climatically there was no explanation for this variation, as the 

 weather was pretty much the same. It was, however, on 1st 

 June when the birds were admitted to the running stream, and 

 it may be that the change together with the exercise taken 

 when first given access to the natural element was the reason. 

 Whatever was lost was more than made up during the next 

 week. Table I shows that no difference could then be traced 

 in the food consumed. 



The weight of the twenty birds at 24 hours old was 2 lb. 9 • 12 

 oz. At the end of nine weeks they weighed 66 lb. 4 oz., so that 

 the total gain was 63 lb. 10 -88 oz. 



Experiment II. — Dry Mash (Hopper Fed), 20 Ducklings. 



The object of this experiment was to test how far the dry 

 mash system of feeding as applied to chickens* was suitable for 

 the rearing of ducklings. In the case of this lot the birds were 

 fed during the first fortnight on moist food, after which they 

 were given the A mixture in dry condition, but water to drink 

 was available all the time. The gross consumption and cost 

 of food is given in Table III and the average weekly weights 

 and increases in Table IV. 



Table IV shows that the average gain during the first three 

 weeks was 5-94 oz. ; in the second three weeks, 20-2 oz. ; and 

 in the last three weeks, 22 oz., or a total of 3 lb. 14 oz. From 

 Table III will be seen that the average cost per bird in the first 

 three weeks was i-Sd. ; in the second three weeks, 2-41^. ; 

 and in the final three weeks (inclusive of grit for the entire 

 period), 9 -2yd., or a total of 15-25^. In this case the gain was 

 least in the fifth week, as in Lot I, and was greatest in the 

 sixth week, when from some reason not explained, those 

 fed on soft food grew much more rapidly, and finished with an 

 average excess of 2-8 oz. over Lot No. II. 



* See "Cost of Feeding Chickens, "Journal, January, 1908, p. 611. 



