Vol. LXVIII, No. 3091. NEW YORK, APRIL 24, 1909. weekly, $i.oo per year. 
DUCKS AS A SIDE ISSUE ON A FARM. 
The Record of a Small Farm. 
The first egg cainc in, March 8. from our White 
Pekin clucks; one day earlier than last year. The 
next day the second duck began also, and we wonder 
if the two ducks will do as well as last year. It was 
new work for us. We had managed chicks with 
incubators and brooders until we really could carry 
on that branch of poultry with a good measure of 
success. But our lad was ambitious to try White 
Pekin Ducks. He was taking his two years’ vaca¬ 
tion, between grammar and high school, 
and was interested in all the side issdes 
possible on a small farm. He had a 
colony of bees, from which he derived 
some income, and wished to invest in 
ducks, as an experiment. His father 
agreed to go equal shares with him, 
and his mother consented to .care for 
the young ducks for the feathers. In 
November, 1907, two ducks and a drake 
were purchased at market price, 12 
cents per pound, total cost of the three 
was $1.80, a modest investment. They 
were allowed to run with the hens, dur¬ 
ing the Winter, though there was some 
protest as to their tendency to soil the 
drinking places for the hens. They 
really need a running stream, but ours 
was too far away for Winter use, so 
the water had to be changed frequently. 
We fed the ducks corn only for some 
time, but sought advice as to then- 
needs. We were told that “ducks to 
lay well must be liberally fed on soft 
mash with about one-tenth meat scrap.” 
We hoped our ducks would lay 100 
eggs each, and the lad counted on 200 
ducks in a flock, as one person had in¬ 
timated his ducks had done as well. 
One advertiser of White Pekins said 
they might be expected to lay 75 eggs 
each; but we were not satisfied with 
that, we wanted 100 eggs from each 
duck. Why should not ours do as well 
as any? We did not have 200, but it 
was not the fault of the ducks that we 
did not reach 150 ducklings. One laid 
every day until she had 85 to her 
credit, and the other 83, without cessa¬ 
tion or attempting to sit until the last. 
We set one of them on 11 eggs; she 
hatched six ducks, which she cared for 
during the season. We had a room 
for them, shutting them in every night. 
Every morning the two eggs were then 
cold, as if they were laid early, “to 
avoid the rush.” 
STARTING THE YOUNG DUCKS. 
—We decided to set the duck eggs un¬ 
der hens as much as possible, running the 
incubators, as usual, for chickens. Ducks required 
no brooders; there would be no trouble about that. 
We set two hens, as soon as we had eight apiece, 
putting a few liens’ feathers in each nest for warmth, 
and 15 ducks came out strong and lively. We took 
them away from the hens at once, it being less trou¬ 
ble to care for them without the hen. We put them 
in a box, with a litter of line-cut hay, and brought 
them in the kitchen for a few days. The lad found 
they usually weighed two ounces at first, and it was 
a constant interest to watch their actions, and note 
their growth. One would hardly believe they could 
gain so fast, who was used to incubator chicks. 
From the very first these ducks seemed determined 
to live—not one died, of all that were hatched, be- 
cause of indigestion, gapes, or any such disorder. 
One was crippled and made a stew when about two 
pounds weight; one was stepped on at feeding time. 
The others grew to market size, and were sold when 
about eight weeks old. Usually they would weigh 
o/ to four pounds dressed, and sold at 20 cents per 
pound. Our first sales were about June 1. We sold 
to a city huckster, who bought them at the door, and, 
of course, only received wholesale prices. We sold 
30 ducks at that price; then prices began to lower. 
After July we sold them alive at It cents per pound. 
In all,, our flock numbered 93 ducks for our first 
year’s experiment, and the sales amounted to $-10, 
we reserving the same number for stock on hand. 
Located as we are, 35 miles from the city market, 
we conclude that early ducks are most profitable. 
Taking out expense of feed, the lad was well pleased 
to make his first bank deposit from the sale of his 
share of the ducks. 
A MISTAKE.—We made one serious mistake, or 
discovered our ignorance. After setting a few hours, 
we decided to use our “50-egg” incubator for once, 
and do more rapid work! With no advice, or pre¬ 
vious experience, we ventured with 36 eggs, manag¬ 
ing them as we did hens’ eggs. The results were 
disappointing; only seven ducklings survivec the 
ordeal; though the eggs were nearly all developed 
they could not break the shell. The tray may have 
been too near the tank of hot water, or the air too 
dry. From that time on we used hens, and often 
hatched every egg. A tramp took a few from under 
one faithful hen, thinking them fine large eggs. They 
were nearly ready to hatch ! Poor man ! We usually 
set two or three at once, so as to have flocks of one 
size together. We had three flocks of 17 each dur¬ 
ing the season, each flock by itself, in their enclosure. 
A week’s difference in age was almost too much 
difference in size, though we had some 
in same yards a few times. 
THE YARDS.—We had small yards 
of one-foot wide chicken fencing; is 
to 20 feet in length made a yard, and 
they would not get over it until they 
were half grown, hardly then. We put 
a box inside for shade or shelter, and 
if it rained, shut them in with dry lit¬ 
ter on floor. If a long cold storm came 
we moved them to a sheltered place 
These little yards were easily moved to 
fresh grass, every day or so. A pint- 
cup or two of water was furnished, be¬ 
sides dishes for feeding. For the first 
three weeks all the brooding they re¬ 
quired was a cover or burlap at night 
over the box, but must have dry bed¬ 
ding of cut hay. We fed the little ones 
about once in two hours, and later four 
times a day. They will tell when they 
are hungry. The great requisite for the'r 
comfort is plenty of water to drink. 
We kept a fruit can outside to refill 
the dishes. When about four weeks 
old the flocks were united in a large 
yard with a colony house, and chicks 
which had outgrown the brooder. We 
found chicks throve in the same yard, 
if one of the little enclosures was 
placed in the yard, with feeding places 
for chicks. They could hop over; the 
ducks did not. But as they came to 
their feeding troughs like an avalanche 
the chicks jumped out, and followed 
after, not suffering at all. The chicks 
roosted in the house and ducks rested 
on dry litter on floor. We kept a sup¬ 
ply of crushed oyster shells and grit, 
and supply of water. 
THE FEED.—Such a colony of 
beautiful ducks attracted attention. 
They grew so rapidly it amazed us, as 
well as our neighbors. One who himself 
had White Pekin ducks visited us to 
learn how we managed. His ducks 
of same age were only about half as 
large and many died. “What do you 
feed them ?” we asked. “O! cracked 
corn. Same as the chickens!” That 
was the reason of his failure. Ducks do not, like 
chickens, eat seeds, but snails, slugs, water animals. 
Given their freedom, they will search their food in 
muddy pools or streams, and they must have soft 
food. While chicks a week old will eat seeds, like 
“chick food,” ducks will look up as if to say “What 
kind of pudding is it?” plainly showing their need 
of something else. We acted on this plan, the first 
food being a slice of stale bread soaked in sweet 
skim-milk. It was no trouble to teach them to eat 
from a can cover, and not a crumb would be wasted. 
One. slice would satisfy a flock of 15 for one meal. 
After the bread, give water. After a few days we 
added a sprinkle of wheat bran, and fine grit. After 
