VOL. LII. No. 2264 
NEW YORK, JUNE 17 1893. 
PRICE, THREE CENTS 
*l.oo PER YEAR. 
A 1,000-DUCK POWER DUCKERY. 
PEEKING INTO A PROMISING PEKIN BUSINESS. THE LARG¬ 
EST DUCK FARM IN AMERICA. 
[EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.] 
The Farm and Its Fixtures. 
On a bright morning in the latter part of May, I'left 
the train at Speonk, on the Long Island Railroad, 73 
miles from New York, in search of the native heath 
of the celebrated Long Island ducks that are such a 
feature in our New York market. My special desire 
was to see what is known as the Atlantic Farm, which 
is said to be the largest Pekin duck farm in America, 
owned and managed by Mr. A. J. Hallock. Mr. Ilal- 
lock is a young 
man, but has 
grown up with the 
business, and adds 
to his thorough 
knowledge of its 
every detail a re¬ 
markable execu¬ 
tive and business 
ability. 
The farm lies 
between two in¬ 
lets that extend 
up from the Great 
South Ray. The 
houses are built 
a short distance 
from these, and 
the inclosed runs 
extend into and 
include a portion 
of water with each 
yard. The soil is 
sandy and dry and 
is just suited to 
the poultry busi¬ 
ness. Little farm¬ 
ing is done, the 
most important 
crop grown being 
beets for feeding 
the ducks. No 
stock is kept ex¬ 
cept the horses 
necessary for 
doing the work. 
The houses for the 
breeding stock 
and for the older 
young stock are 
built near the 
water ; those for 
the young stock 
for the first few 
weeks after they 
are taken from 
the incubators are further back. Instead of being 
built facing the south, they extend north and south, 
the roof sloping both ways, and have glass in each 
side. The brooder pipes extend through the center, 
and the cover forms a walk through the building. A 
lower house, cheaper to build and easier to heat, is 
thus rendered possible. The brooders are heated 
with the hot water system, top heat. The heater is 
placed in the center of the building instead of, as is 
usual, in one end, and one end at a time may be heated 
independently of the other, if necessary. , 
Some Facts About Duck Breeding. 
“ How long have you been in the duck business ?” 
I asked Mr. Hallock. 
“ My father started in a small way about 35 years 
ago. He kept only a few ducks as a sort of experi¬ 
ment, using hens, of course, to do the hatching. The 
business has been growing ever since until it has at¬ 
tained its present proportions.” 
“ How many breeders do you keep ? ” 
• “ We started the season with 1,000, but have about 
800 now. Some of the layers break down, some are 
injured by the drakes, so we kill them off.” 
“ How many ducks do you allow to each drake ? ” 
“The number varies. At first we allow seven or 
eight; later, when the weather grows warmer, more 
are given, until sometimes we have as many as 12 with 
one drake.” 
“ Do you keep each drake and his family separate, 
or allow several together in one pen ? ” 
A Pair of Pekin Ducks. 
“ We have as many as 35 or 40 together. It isn’t 
necessary to keep all males separated as it is with 
fowls.” 
“ What breeds are your ducks ? ” 
“ All Pekins. They are the best for our purpose ?” 
“ What strains do you keep ? ” 
“ No particular strain. We want the best, regard¬ 
less of the strain.” 
“ How do you select your breeders: from the 
earliest hatched or from those hatched late in the 
season ? ” 
“Neither. We select the strongest, most vigorous 
specimens from all of the yards. Those which have 
made a more vigorous, larger growth than the rest 
of the Hock of the same age are best suited to our 
purposes. Having about 20,000 young birds to select 
from, we are able to get a fine lot of breeders.” 
“ Do you inbreed ?” 
“ No more than we can help; but just there is 
where we have a great deal of trouble. We have ex¬ 
changed with other breeders on the Island until it is 
impossible to find a flock not related. We have to go 
a good ways from home now to get new blood.” 
“ What is the average weight of your breeders ? ” 
“ Probably close to 12 pounds. Some of the heaviest 
will weigh more than that ” 
“ How early do you begin hatching ? ” 
“ Just as soon as the ducks begin laying eggs that 
will hatch. We are a month behind this year on ac¬ 
count of the severe winter. My neighbor, Mr. Wilcox, 
got the start of me this year, as his buildings are 
more protected 
than mine and 
therefore are 
warmer. It takes 
a warm house to 
get early eggs. 
Does a Duck Really 
Need Water ? 
“ Do all of your 
breeders have ac¬ 
cess to the water?” 
“Yes, every yard 
extends into the 
river.” 
“Do you con¬ 
sider water a ne¬ 
cessity, except for 
drinking pur¬ 
poses ? ” 
“ No, for some 
of the duck farm¬ 
ers do not have 
water, and they 
appear to raise 
just as large ducks 
as we do with 
water.” 
“Of what advan¬ 
tage is it then ? ” 
“ The ducks are 
cleaner. They 
look better, o f 
course; and then 
it isn’t necessary 
to wash them 
when we are kill¬ 
ing them. The 
feathers must be 
clean when they 
are picked, or they 
cannot be sold, 
and the ducks can 
do this work bet¬ 
ter than we can. 
Fewer drakes are 
required, too, when the ducks have water. Alto¬ 
gether, it seems the more natural way, and the ducks 
are much more contented and would naturally be ex¬ 
pected to thrive better.” 
“ Do you let your young stock run to the water?” 
“ Yes, after they get old enough to stir around 
lively. Of course the weather makes some difference. 
If the weather is cold, they mustn’t be allowed in 
the water so soon.” 
“ Is the water in the rivers fresh ? ” 
“Yes; it comes from springs. In very high tides 
it may be a little salt.” 
“ Do you keep your old stock confined all the time?” 
“ No ; I let them out late in the season and they go 
off down to the bay, about a half mile.” 
“ Do you ever lose any by their straying away ? ” 
“ No, they always come back.” 
