1869.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
209 
Ducks as Profitable Poultry. 
7^&tfS 
If farmers or others are situated so as to be 
able to give ducks proper attention, even our 
common mongrel varieties may be made the 
source of great profit. Next to the pigs, there 
are no animals on the farm which will dispose 
more rapidly of a 
quantity of feed, or 
show by rapid 
growth that it is bet- 
ter digested. In fact, 
we presume that 
were weights care- 
fully taken, it might 
be shown that ducks 
would convert a 
given quantity of 
graiu and grass in- 
to meat in a shorter 
time than even pigs, 
and very likely they 
would beat the 
swine, both in time 
and quantity of 
meat. We should be 
glad to record some 
careful experiments 
bearing upon this 
point. In selecting 
varieties for profit in 
eggs and flesh, two 
breeds present them- 
selves which are de- 
cidedly superior to all others, and between 
which there is little choice. These are the 
Rouen and the Aylesbury. Both are of the 
largest size, and both good layers, setters, and 
mothers, though the Aylesbury is claimed to 
be less awkward and clumsy. This claim, we 
think, is founded more upon the fact that it 
ordinarily weighs a little less, than upon any 
positive graces. There is a well-founded claim 
also in favor of the Aylesbury?, that they are 
earlier and longer 
layers. This is dis- 
puted by some of 
the champions of the 
Rouens, and there 
is probably really 
much less difference 
between the choice 
specimens of the two 
breeds than between 
different birds in 
the same duck yard. 
The Wild Mallard 
(Amis bochas), is 
probably familiar to 
almost all of our 
readers, either in its 
wild state, or in the 
market. This fine 
bird is regarded as 
the parent of all the 
varieties of the com- 
mon duck. The 
plumage 01 the 
A}desbury is perfect- 
ly white, while the 
colors of the Rouen 
correspond in both ducks" and drakes with 
those of the Mallard. These colors, it may be 
noticed, are the most usual among our com- 
mon ducks, from which the Rouens apparently 
differ chiefly in size ; they are, however, a dis- 
tinct breed, the more subtle characteristics of 
which must be closely adhered to in successful 
breeding. One of their most useful peculiari- 
ties is, that the ducks approach the drakes in size 
more nearly than in any other variety. The 
general form of the Rouens is long, and deep, 
and broad. They are broad backed and broad 
breasted. The legs are short, the thighs thick, 
and set wide apart. The skin of the abdomen 
is loose, and often hangs in a fold, like a boat's 
TRIO ROUEN DUCKS. 
keel ; and it is probably this lack of support 
from the skin that causes the tendency in over 
fat birds to become " down behind," that is, to 
have the abdomen hang down, and drag upon 
the ground. The bill of the drake is long v (the 
longer, the better), broad, rather wider at the 
tip than at the base, and nearly straight from the 
crown of the head to the tip ; it is greenish 
yellow, without other color except the black 
" bean " at the tip. The head is long, fine, and 
TRIO AYLESBURY DUCKS. 
green; the eye, dark hazel. The neck is long 
and slender, green, like the head, and having a 
clear, narrow ring of white nearly encircling 
the neck, from the throat backward. The legs 
and feet are orange colored, witli a tinge of 
brown. — The duck's bill is brownish orange, 
with a dark blotch on the upper part. There 
are two pale brown stripes from the sides of the 
bill, past the eye, and a distinct " ribbon mark " 
of purple, edged with white, on the wings. The 
plumage, is generally distinctly pencilled — 
rich dark brown upon a grayish brown ground ; 
on the back and tail coverts, the colors shade 
into light brown, marked with greenish brown. 
The legs are orange, or brownish orange. The 
general form of the 
Aylesburys is simi- 
lar to the Rouens, 
but more delicate, 
especially about the 
heads and necks. 
The plumage is pure 
white throughout — 
the snowier, the bet- 
ter. The bill is long, 
broad, straight from 
the top of the head 
to the tip of the bill 
of a delicate flesh 
color, free from spots 
of any kind. The legs 
are bright orange. 
Ducks begin to lay 
in winter or spring, 
as soon as the 
weather moderates, 
and, if well fed and 
housed, they rarely 
fail to lay au egg a 
da} r , until near the 
end of their season, 
for two or three 
months, or even longer. Duck eggs must be 
carefully handled, or they will not hatch; 
and though ducks are careful and good set- 
ters, they are not so easily managed as moth- 
ers as are hens; hence it is usually best to set 
the eggs under hens. The young should be 
kept in a close, dry pen, with a dish of water 
not large enough for them to wet themselves in 
at first, for which a tub or trough is afterwards 
substituted. They eat any coarse meal wet up ; 
crushed oats and 
barley are excellent. 
They need some 
green "food, and are 
benefited by fresh 
meat in small quan- 
tities. As soon as 
they are fledged, the 
hen may be remov- 
ed, and the ducks 
given their liberty ; 
when in marshes or 
ponds, they will pick 
up nearly as much 
food as they need,un- 
less they are forced 
for earl}- marketiug. 
They bring about 
the same price as 
chickens, and are 
usually fit for market 
much earlier. Duck 
eggs bring a good 
price, selling at 5 
cents each when hens 
eggs are worth 3, and 
. are well worth the 
difference. With many persons, they are a fa- 
vorite article of food simply boiled, aud in cook- 
ery they go much farther than hens' eggs. Tho 
slight difference in flavor is observed by few, 
aud while that of duck eggs is esteemed by 
niany^ it is, so far as we know, disagreeable to 
none. The color of duck eggs varies from bright 
blue to white, but the smooth alabaster texture 
