380 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
and marketed. A large part of this farm is divided by wire divisions into pens, a stream of water runnmg 
along the whole length of the pens. A tramcar also runs along the lines of pens in order to distribute the 
food. Each of these pens or divisions measures 13 x 75 feet. The water is distributed by artificial means, the 
supply being drawn from the creek. A building at one end of the farm is the slaughtering place for the 
Ducks. On the opposite side of the creek are three duck-houses and yards, where the adult Ducks are 
kei)t. All of the Ducks raised on this farm are of the I'ekin variety. The young Ducks are quite ready for 
market at from 8 to 12 weeks old, and then weigh 4[, lbs. or more. The 400 grown Ducks lay from 25 to 
100 eggs per day. Nearly the whole of the [)roducts of this farm are disposed of in the New York market. 
To come a little closer home we know of one farm in this country whose annual output of Ducks for 
market averages between 3000 and 4000 head ; there are various breeds kept, but the proprietor informed 
me, in answer to a question, that he considered the Aylesbury was the best, as he could market them from 
8 to 10 weeks old. Another farmer has an output of nearly 3,000 head, but assures that he will double 
this quantity in another year ; on this farm various breeds are kept, though this farmer favouring the Muscovy 
Pekin cross as making the best and heaviest carcasses at marketable age from 9 to 12 weeks. On both of 
these farms, hatching is done entirely by incubators, in the former all loo-egg machines are used, in the 
latter mostly 200-egg machines are preferred. The latter farm has incubators sufficient to hatch 1,500 
ducklings at one time. Both of these farms are as yet in their infancy as far as surroundings are concerned, 
but with the good prospect looming ahead, much improvement in buildings and surroundings is con- 
templated. One thing that struck us more than another, was the limited space required to accommodate a 
thousand or two head of Ducks, which would be quite inadequate to house and run with any likelihood of 
success one-fourth the number of Fowls. 
One of the largest Duck farms in this country is that owned and conducted by Mr. Samuel Ellis, Bay 
Street, Botany, N.S W., and whose interest in Duck raising for market, offers the opportunity of an excellent 
object lesson, as every information is given to visitors. 
The output of this farm averages 7,000 head of Ducks, and 90,000 eggs per year. There are 150 head 
of Muscovy Ducks alone reserved for breeding, and 300 hens for market eggs. The bulk of the breeding 
stock of Ducks are Pekin Drakes and Aylesbury Ducks, which Mr. Ellis states he finds the best for his 
purpose. The sheds, duck houses, fowl houses, hatching shed, sheds for egg storage, etc., are all arranged 
in a systematic manner. There are eleven incubators of 100 egg capacity kept constantly going, and to give 
an idea of the amount of food consumed daily, in answer ,to a question, we were informed that 500 Ducks 
consumed 48 gallons of food per day on the average. The animal food is brought from the Glebe Island 
Abattoirs daily. The breeding ducks are kept in flocks of 60 Ducks with 12 Drakes, the latter being one 
year old birds, the Ducks being in their second year. The breeding stock are allowed free access to water, 
and are fed on bran and pollard every morning with wheat every night, a plentiful supply of green food daily, 
and meat twice per week. No corn is ever fed the breeding stock on the grounds of its overfattening 
tendencies, and the natural result, weak ducklings ; and as an alternative diet with the meat, potatoes mashed 
to which a little salt is added. The small proportion of Drakes, that is, one to five Ducks is rather different 
to other duck-breeders' experience, who, as a rule, allow two Drakes to every five Ducks. The young 
ducklings are taken from the incubators in batches of 70 to 100 head, and placed in the foster mothers or 
clean dry straw. These foster mothers are double, each having a rim attached, being heated with hot air to 
about 85° Fahr. for a few days only, the young ducklings, requiring less heat and more ventilation than 
young chickens, after they are 24 hours old, they receive their first meal, which is composed of soaked bread, 
mixed with oatmeal and pollard in equal parts ; the moisture well squeezed out and rubbed between the 
hands into a crumbly state. Great attention is given in making this food the right consistency, as if too wet 
and sticky, it clogs up their bills and eyes, and they refuse to eat it. This food is placed in wooden troughs, 
four feet long three inches wide, and one inch in depth inside measurement ; the trough placed on a clean 
bag so that any food dropping over the sides will be eaten up clean. This food is continued for three days, 
then changed to oatmeal, pollard, and bran, till they are a week old, then green food and meat minced up 
