Show SUCCESS IN RAISING DUCKS one of first essentials Is to have quarters dry and clean keep old and young separate uy by ANNA 0 gaughen GAU Allf flir OHEn n ducks always sleep on the floor or on tho the ground therefore there fora nil all such places should bo be ns as clean and dry ny no possible keep tho the floors covered with clean litter or straw and change it avor day or as often as necessary it a largo large number are housed together once a day la Is none too often keep old and young separate and dont keep ducklings duc klings of different sizes together the larger ones will abuse the smaller ones especially at teed feed ing ine time it Is best beat to keep not more than 30 35 in a flock as aa they grow faster than when a largo large number are kept kent together pekin ducks that have been well fed and cared for through the winter will usually begin laying very early in tho spring sometimes before the cold weather is over ours oura used to begin about the last week in february hut but it la is difficult to keep the eggs from getting chilled when they begin to lay fly so BO early and besides the first few eggs aggs a pekin lays each cach season will not hatch batch if the weather Is not too cold march Is la about the proper time to b egin begin ear ing as the eggs remember they will not keep beep in condition very long wrap each egg in paper and keep in macool place 60 to 60 degrees to la about right and turn every day until placed for hatching these directions direction 11 should be observed in caring tor for other eggs it if incubators are the duck lings will bo very thirsty after they are hatched open the outside door A 1 1 1 hii VV 7 l F A bad arrangement for fop a auck house and look through the glass once in a while if they are too warm they will bo be panting with their mouths months open they should be removed at once and nd given B P drink of tepid water it the air to Is cold they should be placed I 1 in n a brooder as voon soon as aa taken from the incubator be sure to have the brooder properly regulated the temperature should bo be be about SO 00 at first keep thy tho bentila tors in operation all the time and lower the temperature as the duck lings get older i when two weeks old 75 7 degrees will bo be warm enough when four weeks old they need not be kept in a brooder tit ht night it they have a comfortable house to sleep in dont overcrowd or overheat in brooders broaders bro oders the first feed jor for the ducklings duc klings Is dry bread soaked in sweet skim milk or water dont lot let it soak aoah too long or it will got get gummy and that to Is what ducks do not like they cannot or will not eat sticky feed they simply shake it out of their mouths and then it Is wasted old ducks do the same thing place some clean water beside the feed each time cold water will do when the ducklings duc klings grow older some coarse clean sand should bet placed in the water each time or in some shallow vessel near the feed ot or water they need both grit and water while eating i 1 but do not add sand or any other grit to the teed dont confine ducks to one kind of feed they like a variety never give young ducks milt milk to drink they will smear their heads with it and become very mossy corn bread la Is very good tor for young ducks but it la Is very fattening we never teed feed raw mixtures to newly hatched ducks they will eat raw food of course but it will sometimes cause bowel trouble too much milk will sometimes cause caus it also green food Is essential from the start if there Is 13 plenty of grass in the yard that willbo will do although they like it best beat when it Is added to thelt theli grain food we use green clover clever green rye cabbage dandelions onion tops oto etc green oats are also good tor for this pur pose all A should be cut small enough tor for growing ducks to eat with easo ease we do not often begin feeding ral ra mixtures until the ducks are severa weeks old although some green Is added once or twice a day the pekin ducks should be fed foul or five times a day from the time the they are hatched until ready for market the best beat time bosell to sell ducks Is whet aher from 10 to 14 weeks old at this og ag they should weigh anywhere from foul to seven pounds each |