Management of Fancy Ducks. 
555 
anywhere apart from the other fowls and chickens, even on the lawn or croquet ground ; and if they 
are moved now and then, so as not to bleach the grass, no mark is made, and no harm done, while 
the young birds enjoy that inestimable benefit, fresh ground. They may have the same food as 
young chickens, with the addition for delicate ducks of very small strips of raw meat, if worms and 
insects are not very plentiful. A little canary-seed or groats in their water-pan, and also a supply 
of duckweed ( Lemna minor), is very good for them. 
“ Most of the foreign ducks are hardy enough to stand our winters, especially if they have 
some thick bushes or other cover to retire under ; but in severe frost, to be on the safe side, I 
usually drive all my ducks into a cart-shed about twelve feet square. It is littered down for them 
with straw or fern, and there they stay until the frost breaks up. 
“ All wild ducks very soon get tame, if properly managed and a few simple rules attended 
to. One of the most important of these is never to come upon wild or shy birds suddenly, so as to 
take them by surprise, and especially if you are wearing clothes different to those in which they are 
accustomed to see you ; always approach them slowly and quietly ; never let them think they are 
being pursued. If, while walking through their domain, you cross their path, stop, and wait for 
them to go by ; or if you cannot wait, turn back yourself, and go some other way. Never handle 
them ; or if this cannot be avoided — as for instance in sending them to a show — at all events, let it 
be done quietly and without noise. Nothing makes them so shy as being driven about or caught.” 
As will be gathered from Mr. Serjeantson’s remarks, it is by no means easy to persuade the 
smaller fancy ducks to breed in confinement, and nearly all of them require their strong powers of 
flight to be in some way restrained. By far the best way of effecting this latter object is to 
“pinion” them, as it is called, or cut the flight-joint of the wing entirely away almost close to the 
junction or knuckle ; but on this operation, and breeding and management generally, we have 
again been favoured by Mr. Leno with some practical remarks, as follows : — 
“ The breeding in confinement of Carolinas, Mandarins, Whistling Ducks, and other small 
ornamental water-fowl, is much desired by amateurs, but I regret to say is not to be attained except 
under very favourable circumstances. To give them every possible chance a nice piece of water is 
required, and having plenty of cover, such as evergreens near the pond, so that they may be well 
secluded. During the breeding season especial care is required to keep them as quiet as possible. 
A stream of water with a good piece wired off, enclosing a nice warm sunny bank as well, is much 
to be desired ; and the larger space that can be given the better. 
“ I find the best food to be given to adult birds is split maize, barley, wheat, brank, hempseed, 
and canary-seed, varying the feed occasionally, which should be placed in a shallow pan or trough, 
adding some water to their corn, also a portion of duck-weed, which is one of the very best things 
to keep them in health. No more corn than sufficient for a day should be given at one time, 
otherwise, if lefc by them, it gets sour; any that may be left from the day previous should be 
cleared away, and may be given to common poultry. But it is recommended not to overfeed, or 
they will not come to it with a relish ; overfeeding I believe to be the very worst thing in the 
management of any kind of stock. 
“The eggs, if obtained, should be placed under very careful hens, Silkies being the best of 
mothers. When hatched and sufficiently nestled, the ducklings should be placed in a coop with 
their foster-mother, facing the sun, being shaded with some boughs if very hot ; a guard, enclosing 
several square feet of nice turf, must be kept round them for some time, to keep them with the hen, 
and when two or three weeks old give them, if possible, a larger enclosure. Commence to feed 
them at first with a small quantity of chopped hard-boiled egg, mixed with a little barley and 
oatmeal, and a little maize meal ; also some of ‘ Spratt’s Poultry Food,’ first soaked in hot or 
