282 THE DFCK-FATTENING INDUSTRY AT AYLESBURY. [March 1895. 



bringing-up of some hundreds of ducklings. Some shedding is 

 required for the protection of the young ducks from the 

 weather, and the ground is usually divided by planks into pens 

 so as to keep the ducklings of different ages apart. As a rule, 

 the young ducks do not go into the water, but are supplied with 

 water in trouo-hs or shallow vessels. 



Duck fatteners have to pay highly for sittings of eggs and 

 sitting-hens early in the season. Sometimes as much as 8s. to 

 12s. is paid in January for a sitting of eggs warranted fertile, 

 and 4s. for a hen. The food for the young ducks consists 

 principally of chopped eggs, rice, greaves, and barley meal. 

 For the rice, about 16s. per cwt. is paid ; for greaves, 12^. to 171. 

 a ton ; and for barley meal, 9s. a sack. A duck farmer at 

 Haddenham, who fastens about 3,000 ducks amiually, informed 

 Mr. Spencer that he reckoned his outlay on greaves in 1894 at 

 100?., on barley meal at 200?., and on rice at 91. He said that he 

 owned his own house, and land of about four acres in extent.- 

 He employed reg-ularly one man to help him with th^ ducks. 

 He kept about 60 stock-ducks for laying, and had a horse and 

 cart for taking the ducklings to the station. He also collected 

 and forwarded to London ducklings reared by other people la- 

 the neighbourhood, who did not possess a cart of their own, 

 charging Id. a duck for collection and carriage. He added to 

 his " ducking " business, the buying of feathers from other 

 people, and he also sold hens' eggs. His view of the business 

 generally was, " We pay our way, but do not make a fortune." 

 It seems that the young ducks require the closest and most 

 careful attention during the fattening season, especially in the 

 early months when the weather is cold and inclement. Even 

 with the greatest attention, a certain proportion are always lost, 

 and there is a risk of occasional large losses owing to disease or 

 unhealthy conditions. A rearer at Weston Turville is said to 

 have lost 1,000 out of 2,000 ducks from disease in 1893. The 

 ducklings are killed when 8 to 10 weeks old, and are sent to 

 London plucked. 



Duck fattening has long been carried on in the district, and 

 at Haddenham Mr. Spencer was told that " everybody seems to 

 go in for it. Many farmers have taken to it on account of 

 the bad time^," and it was stated that prices had iallen on 

 account of the increased competition. Mr. Spencer is of opinion 

 that notwithstanding this, and in spite of the somewhat heavy 

 expenses and frequent risks which attend upon the industry of 

 duck fattening, it pays very fairly if practised v;ith skill. The 

 fact that the industry has increased is said to point to this 

 conclusion. 



The duck rearers do not appear to suffer to any great' extent 

 from difficulties in the way of disposing of their produce. The 

 ducklings are consigned to salesmen in Leadenhall Market, who 

 return to the rearers the price made less 5 per cent, commission. 

 It is said to be always easy to dispose of the ducklings, and 



