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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
FARMERS’ BULLETIN No. 64.
DUCKS
STANDARD BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
BY
GEORGE E. HOWARD,
Secretary of National Poultry and Pigeon Association.
WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
I897.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
U. S. Department of Agriculture,
Bureau of Animal Industry,
Washington, 1 ). C., September 24, 1897.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for publication as a Farmers’ Bulletin,
an article on Ducks and Geese, prepared by Mr George E. Howard, secretary
of the National Poultry and Pigeon Association. It comprises an enumeration of
the standard breeds of ducks and geese, and contains suggestions for their man¬
agement. The practical information contained in this bulletin will undoubtedly
prove of value to persons engaged in raising ducks and geese, and its publication
and widespread distribution are respectfully recommended. The illustrations were
drawn by the author from original sketches and photographs, with the exception of
three of the cross-bred geese, which are after the illustrations published by the
Rhode Island Experiment Station, and the wild goose, which is after the illustration
in Wright’s Book of Poultry. The Luthor has received generous assistance in treat¬
ing of the practical details lWh James Rapkin, A. J. Hallock, George H. Pollard,
and others who are largely engaged an tile raising of water fowls for market.
Respectfully, ' «-
, c 1 1 1 D. E. Salmon, Chief of Bureau.
Hon. James Wilson, Secretary.
CONTENTS.
DUCKS. Page.
Standard breeds of ducks . 3
White Pekin ducks (illustrated) . 4
White Aylesbury ducks (illustrated) . 5
Colored Rouen ducks (illustrated) . 8
Black Cayuga ducks (illustrated) . 10
Colored and White Muscovy ducks (illustrated) . 12
Gray and White Call ducks (illustrated) . 14
Black East Indian ducks . 15
Crested White ducks (illustrated) . 17
Management of ducks . . . „ . 18
Starting a plant (illustrated) . 19
Buildings for breeding ducks (illustrated) . 20
Brooding houses (illustrated) . 22
Supplying water (illustrated) . 29
Feeding . 30
Mixing feed . 32
How much to feed . 32
Oyster shells and grit . 33
Killing and dressing for market (illustrated) . 33
Development of the duckling in the egg . 34
Natural incubation . 36
Artificial incubation . 36
geese.
Standard breeds of geese . 38
Gray Toulouse geese (illustrated) . 38
White Embden geese (illustrated) . 39
Gray African geese (illustrated) . 40
Brown and White Chinese geese (illustrated) . 41
Gray Wild geese (illustrated) . 43
Colored Egyptian geese (illustrated) . 43
Management of geese . 44
Mating and setting . 45
Feeding and dressing for market . 47
Cross breeding (illustrated) . 48
9
DUCKS AND GEESE.
%
DUCKS.
STANDARD BREEDS OF DUCKS.
Introduction. — There are ten standard breeds of ducks raised in this
country, as follows: The White Pekin, White Aylesbury, Colored
Rouen, Black Cayuga, Colored Muscovy, White Muscovy, Gray Call,
Fig. 1. — White Pekin duck.
White Call, Black East Indian, and the Crested White. Of these
breeds, the first six are considered profitable to raise; the two breeds
of Calls and the Black East Indian are bantams, and are bred more
for the showroom; the Crested White may be considered as almost
purely ornamental.
4
WHITE PEKIN DUCKS.
History. — Of all ducks for farm and practical purposes none stand
higher in popular esteem than the White Pekin (fig. 1). It is valu¬
able for raising on a large scale, and is the most easily raised of any.
It is a very timid bird and must be handled quite carefully. It was
/ — .
^ _ _
Pig. 2. — Group of White Peldn ducks.
imported from China in the early seventies, and has steadily grown in
popularity since its introduction into this country.
Description. — The Pekin duck has a distinct type of its own, and dif¬
fers from all others in the shape and carriage of its body. By some
it is credited with having a shape much like an Indian canoe, owing to
the full growth of feathers under the rump and the singular turned-up
carriage of the tail. The legs are set far back, which causes the bird
5
to walk in an upright position. In size these ducks are very large,
some reaching as high as 20 pounds to the pair. Their flesh is very
delicate and free from grossness, and they are considered among the
best of table fowls. They are excellent layers, averaging from 100 to
130 eggs each m a season. They are nonsetters, hardy, easily raised,
and the earliest in maturing of any ducks. The method given in this
bulletin for raising ducks is based on the Pekin as a standard, and the
treatment, food, housing, etc., is given as used by the largest and most
successful raisers of Pekin s. Other ducks are judged for practical
qualities by the Pekin. Pig. 2 shows a group of White Pekin ducks.
The standard-bred Pekin has a long finely formed head, a bill of
medium size, of a deep yellow color, that is perfectly free from any
mark or color other than yellow. The color of the bill is very important
for exhibition birds, and it is not infrequent that one of the best ducks
in a showroom is disqualified for having' a faint tracing of black in the
bill. The eyes are of deep leaden-blue color. The neck of a Pekin
should be neatly curved ; in the drake it should be large and rather
long, while that of the duck is of medium length. The back is long and
broad; breast is round, full, and very prominent. The body is long
and deep, and the standard gives for adult birds a body approaching
the outlines of a parallelogram. The wings are short, carried closely
and smoothly against the body. The birds can not sustain flight, a
2-foot fencing being ample to restrain them in an inclosnre. The tail
is erect, more so than in any other specimen. The curled feathers in
the tail of the drake are hard and stiff. The thighs are short and large;
shanks short and strong, and in color are a reddish orange; toes
straight, connected by a web, and reddish orange in color. The plum¬
age is downy, and of a faint creamy white throughout. Recently it has
been noticed that preference in the showroom is being given to birds of
whiter plumage. The breeders are selecting as their show birds those
that have the snow-white plumage instead of the creamy white, as
given in the standard.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult drake is 8 pounds; adult
duck, 7 pounds; young drake, 7 pounds, and young duck, 6 pounds.
WHITE AYLESBURY DUCKS.
History. — The White Aylesbury ducks (fig. 3.) are second to the pop¬
ular Pekins for market purposes, and are bred in large numbers in
England and Europe. In this country they are not so extensively bred
as the Pekin, neither have they been found so good as the latter. These
ducks receive their name from Aylesbury, the county town of Bucking¬
hamshire, England. They are of large size, pairs occasionally reaching
the weight of 18 pounds, the male birds weighing 9 or 10 pounds, and
the female 7 or 8. Birds weighing 15 to 16 pounds to the pair are the
average.
Description. — The head of the Aylesbury duck is long and neatly
6
formed; tlie eyes of a deep leaden-blue color; the long, wide bill is of a
pale flesh color or pinkish hue, and should be free from dark spots, bills
marked with black being a disqualification; the neck is slender, long,
and gracefully curved; the body is long and oval; the breast is full
and round; the strong shanks are of brilliant light-orange color; the
wings are strong and nicely folded; the back is both long and broad,
and the tail formed of stiff, hard feathers.
The soft white plumage is one of the chief attractions of the Ayles¬
bury breed, and like most white plumage has a tendency to assume a
yellow hue if exposed to the sun. The beak will also lose its delicate
pink hue and become yellow if exposed to too much sunlight in summer.
The bill of the Pekin should be yellow, but the bill of the Aylesbury
should be a delicate pink or flesh color, and birds intended for exhibi-
7
tion must possess this quality or they will suffer at the hands of the
judge. Birds raised for exhibition purposes must be guarded against
too much exposure to the sunlight in the summer. Of course, these
delicate points are of no consequence to the market poulterer other
than to show the true type of the breed.
For farm purposes the Aylesbury is to be recommended, second only
to the Pekin; it possesses the many good qualities of the Pekin, and
can be bred with almost the same success. The advantages claimed
for Aylesbury are the ease with which it is acclimated, thriving in every
country and climate; its early maturity ; its great hardiness; its large
size; its great prolificacy, and the real beauty which it possesses.
Kaisers recommend for raising exhibition birds one drake to two
ducks, or two drakes to five ducks, all being allowed to run together.
Duck raisers who raise large numbers for market breed them as they
do Pekins, using from four to eight females to one male, according to
the season of the year. Fresh blood is introduced every year to keep
up the size, and breeding stock is seldom kept longer than the second
or third year.
The Aylesbury being an English duck, it will be of interest to note
the methods employed in their native place for raising them, as given
by an English writer in the following statements:
In and about the town of Aylesbury very many of tbe cottagers maintain, each of
them, a set of ducks, about 4 ducks to a drake. These they keep in any outbuild¬
ing attached to their dwellings and, failing such a place, in the cottage itself.
From them the “duckers” (dealers peculiar to the trade) collect the eggs, and
generally bargain with the owners for their whole supply at a given rate for the
season. They begin their collection in October, and the contract is often made for
the wrhole produce up to June. The breeding stock of a “ducker” who does an
average trade consists of six drakes and twenty ducks; these all run together, and
the brooks and ponds are looked upon almost as common property. They are sepa¬
rated at night, driven up to their respective homes,, well fed and warmly housed.
The eggs which were laid during the nighttime are set, as soon as possible, under
large and attentive hens, for which purpose good Dorkings and Cochins are consid¬
ered best. The ducks themselves are never allowed to sit, though they may desire
to do so, as the result would be almost certain failure.
Thirteen eggs comprise a setting, aud these are easily covered by a large hen.
Hens are set either in fish pads, small hampers, or, in what we have found most service¬
able, the round boxes in which cheeses are packed. In the bottom of these is placed
some lime or wood ashes, and then a nest of hay or some soft straw ; there the hens must
be kept as quiet as possible. Special care must be taken to guard against the intru¬
sion of rats or other vermin by which the hen mother may be disturbed and, as is
often the case, the whole setting be destroyed thereby. The period of incubation is
twenty-eight days, and during the last week of that time care must be taken to sprinkle
the eggs daily with lukewarm water, which softens the shells, so that when the time
comes for the duckling to make its appearance it has not much difficulty in breaking
through its covering. When the young are hatched they should be left with the
hen until well nestled, well dried, and strong enough to stand. Many scores of
ducklings are lost by inexperienced persons through their impatience to remove
them from the nest. The little duckling is at first clad with soft, yellow down,
which gradually disappears as the feathers grow. After a few days, three or four
broods are put together with one hen, which is quite able to take care of them all.
8
For market purposes the treatment of the ducklings is as follows: They are not
allowed to go into any water, but are kept in hovels or the rooms of cottages, each
lot of thirty or forty separated by low boards. It is no uncommon thing to see 2,000
or 3,000, all in one establishment. They are kept very clean and dry on barley
straw; their food consists of hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine and mixed with boiled *
rice and bullock’s liver, cut Tip small. This is given to them several times in the
day for about a fortnight or more. When they are capable of consuming more they
are fed on barley meal and tallow greaves (cracklings), mixed together with the
water in which the greaves previously have been boiled. Some poultrymen also use
horseflesh to mix with their other food. The above constitutes all that is necessary
to produce early ducklings for the table.
Iii plumage the Aylesburys are a pure, spotless white, and feathers
of any other color will disqualify them. Drake and duck vary only in
the ordinary respect of the male bird, showing a very handsome curled
feather in the tail and being of a larger size than his mate.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult drake is 9 pounds; adult
duck, 8 pounds; young drake, 8 pounds, and young duck, 7 pounds.
COLORED ROUEN DUCKS.
History. — The Colored Rouen duck (fig. 4) is deservedly popular
throughout this country, and is considered one of the most profitable
breeds to keep. These ducks are said to have come originally from
the city of Rouen, in Normandy. It is known that large quantities of
poultry are raised in Normandy, and while there may be no positive
proof that these ducks came originally from that city, large numbers
of birds closely resembling them are to be found in the market places
there. Some writers contend that the name should be u Roan,” owing
to their color, but the color itself does not support this contention. The
correct name is Rouen, and “Roan” is undoubtedly a corruption.
Description. — The Rouen duck is a fine market bird, but does not
mature as early as does the Pekin or the Aylesbury. The flesh is con¬
sidered very delicate, and the breed is acknowledged to be superior
for table purposes, being easily fattened. The Rouen will be found a
profitable bird to raise on the farm, being hardy, prolific, quiet in dis¬
position, and of beautiful plumage. Their eggs are not as large as
those of the Pekin, and are diverse in color.
The Rouen is undoubtedly closely related to the Mallard duck; its
plumage alone would make good this belief. But the shape of the
domestic Rouen duck has been greatly modified from that of the wild
Mallard; the body is grown longer and heavier, with a tendency to
drop down in the rear; the wings have lost the power of flight which
the wild ancestor possessed. The plumage, however, remains almost
the same.
The standard-bred Rouen drake has a long, finely-formed head, with
rich, lustrous green plumage; bill long and broad, wider at the
extremity, of greenish-yellow color, with a black bead at the tip; the
neck is long, slender, and neatly curved, covered with the same lustrous
green plumage as the head, which is interrupted by a distinct white
9
ring, not quite complete behind, on the lower part of neck. The back
is long, the upper part being ashy gray, mixed with green, and running
into a rich, lustrous green on the lower part and rump; the shoulder
coverts are gray, striped with fine, wavy liues of brown. The breast is
broad and deep and purplish brown or claret color, perfectly free from
gray feathers ; the claret color should extend down as far as possible
toward the legs. The body is long, deep, and broad, the under part
Fig. 4. — Trio of Colored Rouen ducks.
and sides being a beautiful gray, which grows lighter near the vent,
ending iu solid black just beneath the tail. The wings are short aud
carried closely and smoothly against the sides; in color the wings are
of a brownish gray, interspersed with green, and marked with a band of
rich purple, with metallic reflections of green and blue lights, and edged
with distinct white bands; the primary feathers are of a dark, dusky
brown. The tail feathers are hard and stiff, and of a dark ashy-brown
color; the outer edge in old birds is edged with white; the curled
10
feathers are well curled and hard. The thighs are short and stout and
of ashy-gray plumage ; the shanks are short and strong, and in color
orange with brownish tinge ; the toes and webs are of the same color as
the shanks.
The head of the Kouen duck, like that of the drake, is long and finely
formed, but with a deep-brown plumage and two stripes of lighter
brown extending from the beak to behind the eyes 5 bill, long, broad,
and somewhat flat, brownish orange in color, blotched with darker
shade upon the upper part and ending in a black beam at the tip. The
neck is neatly curved, long and slender, light brown in plumage, penciled
with a darker shade of the same color 5 unlike the drake, there is no
white ring on the neck. The back is long, of a light-brown color richly
marked with green; breast, full and round and of dark -brown plumage,
penci led with lighter brown; body, long, deep, and broad, the under
part and sides of plumage being grayish brown, each feather penciled
with rich dark brown to the point of the tail. The wings are short for
the size of the bird and are carried closely against the sides; the color
of the plumage is grayish brown, intermingled with green, with bars
of purple edged with white, the colors being distinct; primaries are
brown. The tail feathers are stiff and of a liglit-brown color, distinctly
marked with pencilingsof dark greenish brown; tail coverts are brown,
penciled with the same dark brown, or greenish brown, as the tail.
The thighs are dark brown, penciled ; and shanks, toes, and webs are
orange or orange brown.
Both the Bouen drake and duck, clothed in plumage attractive and
pleasing to the eye, are as much fanciers7 fowls as any of the varieties
of chickens, yet they are of much value as market birds. The only
objection to them, aside from their slow maturing qualities, is that of
the dark pinfeathers. This should not stand against them any more
than it does against the many valuable varieties of chickens that have
dark plumage and dark pinfeathers. To the farmer who intends rais¬
ing ducks for market purposes they are to be recommended.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult drake is 9 pounds; adult
duck, 8 pounds; young drake, 8 pounds, and young duck, 7 pounds.
BLACK CAYUGA DUCKS.
History. — The black Cayuga (fig. 5) is distinctly an American duck,
having been bred so long in this country that all trace of its origin is
lost. It is said that it was first found in the central part of New York,
on Cayuga Lake. It was sometimes called the u Big Black duck,77 and
again the “Lake duck,77 but is now known only as the Black Cayuga
duck. By some it is supposed to have originally come from the wild
Black duck, and another story has it that it was first found in Dutchess
County, in the State of New York, where a miller was raising a flock of
thirty, which, he said, were bred from a pair he had captured several
years previous in a mill pond. They were kept 111 the poultry yard,
11
easily tamed, and built their nests on the edges of the pond and raised
large broods. For many years the Cayuga has been raised in this
country and has been considered by those who have bred it to be a
profitable duck to keep.
Description. — By some raisers the Cayuga is considered to be as
good as the Pekin for early markets, and the claim is made that it can
be grown as cheaply. This assertion is not verified by any practical
demonstration, as these ducks are rarely, if ever, seen on any farm
Fig. 5.— Pair of Black Cayuga ducks.
where ducks are raised exclusively. Though raisers generally speak
of their merits as making them profitable, and place them next to the
Pekin for early markets, they prefer the latter for exclusive duck rais¬
ing where early maturity and plump carcasses are wanted. Their black
plumage is against them also, and many assign this as the reason why
they are not more extensively bred. The farmer who desires a good,
practical duck to raise on his farm in conjunction with other poultry
will find this a valuable bird to keep. More time can be spent in dress¬
ing it for market than is generally given to the dressing of the white-
12
plumage birds, and tbe profits will be proportionately as great. Duck
raisers, like broiler raisers, are partial to white feathers for market
fowls, but those who do not look with this partiality on the white
varieties will find an excellent choice in the Cayuga duck.
Cayugas are splendid birds for a restricted range and breed well in
confinement; they are quiet, docile, and form a strong attachment for
their home, evincing no inclination or desire to stray far away from the
place where they were bred. They are hardy and prolific, producing
from 80 to 00 eggs in the spring, and sometimes they also lay again in
the autumn. They are easily kept in good condition, but if fed too lib¬
erally they will fatten too quickly and will become too heavy behind.
The ducklings are hardy and easy to raise, and attain good size and
weight at an early age.
The head of the Cayuga is small, with glossy black plumage; bill
rather short and broad, of dark color, black being preferred; the eyes
dark hazel. The neck is medium, gracefully curved, clad in black
feathers with a greenish luster; the back is broad, and the body long,
well rounded, and very plump, the feathers being of a glossy black hue.
The wings are long and are carried smoothly against the body, and are
black in color, excepting those of the duck, which are sometimes of a
dark brown. The coverts of the drake are a very lustrous green black ;
the tail feathers are black, as are the thighs. Black shanks, toes, and
webs are preferred, though dark slate color is permissible according to
the standard requirements. The color of the plumage must be lustrous
black throughout, and feathers of any other color will disqualify a bird
in the showroom.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult drake is 8 pounds; adult
duck, 7 pounds; young drake, 7 pounds, and young duck, 0 pounds.
COLORED AND WHITE MUSCOVY DUCKS.
History. — Muscovy ducks (fig. 6) form a distinct genus, having several
X^eculiarities or characteristics which make them different from others.
They are sometimes called the Musk duck, owing to the odor of musk
which pervades the skin, but which is not noticeable when cooked.
These ducks are found wild in the warmer regions of South America.
In Brazil they are extensively domesticated and are prized very highly
for eating. In this country and Europe, particularly in Germany, they
are bred in large numbers. Wild Muscovies are easily frightened and
very good flyers; they fly into trees when alarmed and remain there
for long periods of time before leaving their place of concealment.
They sometimes build their nests in branches of trees, and also in
hollows near water.
Description. — Muscovy ducks are very unsatisfactory birds to keep on
the farm with other poultry, owing to their quarrelsome and pugnacious
natures. In the wild state, before pairing, the males tight desperately,
doing great harm to each other; and this fighting, quarrelsome dispo-
13
sition is inherited by the domestic duck. The temper of the drake is
spoken of as abominable ; his persecution of other poultry is never
ceasing, and he is credited with having attacked even children when
his u dander was up.” The flesh of the Muscovy is considered very good
when eaten young, and compares favorably with that of any other
duck. They do not lay nearly so many eggs as the common kinds.
When bred they must be kept in yards by themselves, and their wings
must be clipped to keep them from flying.
The head of the Muscovy duck is rather long, and in the drake it is
large, the top being covered with long crest-like feathers, which rise
and fall when the bird is alarmed. The bill is of medium length and
very stout. The face is the most distinctive part of these ducks, the
Fig. 6. — Pair of White Muscovy ducks.
cheeks being naked, with a scarlet, fleshy space around the eyes, and
the base of the bill carunculated also with scarlet folds. This large,
red face gives them a savage appearance, and to some it is hideous.
The neck is well curved and of medium length; back broad and flat,
breast full and broad, and body long and broad. The wings are very
long and stout, and the tail is rather long, with abundance of stiff
feathering. The drake does not have the curled feathers in the tail, as
do other ducks.
There are two varieties of Muscovy ducks, the colored and the white.
The head of the Colored Muscovy is glossy black and white; the bill
is dark horn in color; eyes, brown; the back in color of plumage is lus¬
trous blue black, which is sometimes broken with white; the color of
14
tlie breast and body is the same as that of the back. The wing coverts
are rich, lustrous green black, and the tail feathers may be either black
or white, the latter being preferred. The thighs, like the tail feathers,
may be either black or white, white being preferred; the shanks, toes,
and webs vary in color from yellow to dark lead or black. The White
Muscovy in color of plumage is pure white throughout; feathers of any
other color will disqualify the bird for show purposes. The eyes in the
white variety are of a leaden -blue or gray color, while those of the col¬
ored are brown. The shanks, toes, and webs are of a pale-orange or
yellow color.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult drake is 10 pounds; adult
duck, 8 pounds; young drake, 8 pounds, and young duck, 7 pounds.
GRAY AND WHITE CALL DUCKS.
History. — Call ducks are bantams, and are bred more for the fancy
than for the profit there is in them for market. There are two kinds of
Call ducks, the Gray
Call and the White
Call (fig. 7), and it
is only a choice of
plumage as to which
is the better of the
two. They are both
of one character as
to size, shape, and
habits, and differ
only as regards color.
The Gray Call is very
similar in color of
plumage to the
Rouen, and is in¬
deed called by many
the Bantam Rouen,
and the White is generally called the Bantam Pekin. Their uses are
only for the showroom, or as decoy ducks for wild-duck shooting. For
the latter purpose they are sometimes crossed with the common “ puddle
duck 77 or with the wild Mallard. This latter cross is considered excel¬
lent, the progeny being distinguished for tameness and domesticity.
Description. — When breeding Call ducks, smallness of size is the first
consideration ; the smaller they are bred the better. The arts of skillful
breeding for the showroom are being used in keeping down the size of
these ducks. Inbreeding has been resorted to, while late hatching,
scanty feeding, and nonbone-making food have been the means that
have retarded their natural development.
The head of the Call duck is full and round; bill, short and broad;
neck of medium length, and back comparatively short; the breast is
Fig. 7. — Pair of White Call ducks.
15
round and full, and body short, round, and compact, with medium-sized
wings 5 the thighs are short and stout, and shanks short.
The Gray Call drake is a beautiful little bird, with a rich, lustrous
green head, dark-hazel or brown eyes, lustrous green neck, with a white
ring on the lower part of neck, as in the Rouen. The back is of ashy-
gray plumage mixed with green on the upper part, while the lower
part and rump are a rich, lustrous green. The under part of the body
on the sides is a beautiful gray, which grows lighter toward the vent,
and ends in solid black under the tail. The wings are grayish brown,
mixed with green, and have the broad ribbon-like mark of rich purple
with metallic reflections of green and blue, distinctly edged with white.
The primaries are a dark, dusky brown. The tail feathers are of a
dark, ashy brown, the outer web in old birds being edged with white ;
the tail coverts are black, with very rich purple reflections. The bill
is greenish yellow in color, while the shanks, toes, and webs are orange,
with a brownish tinge.
The duck’s head is deep brown, and has two pale-brown strij)es on
each side, like the head of the Rouen duck, running from the bill to a
point behind the eyes. Her bill is of a brownish-orange color, and her
eyes are dark hazel or brown. The neck is light brown, penciled with
darker brown; breast, dark brown, penciled with lighter brown; back,
light brown, marked with green, and the under parts and sides of body
are grayish brown, each feather distinctly penciled with rich dark
brown. The plumage of wing is grayish brown, mixed with green, and
is crossed by a broad bar of rich purple edged with white; the prima¬
ries are brown. The tail feathers are of a light-brown color, with dis¬
tinct, broad, wavy penciling of dark greenish brown; tail coverts are
brown, with broad penciling of dark brown or greenish brown; thighs
are dark brown; shanks, toes, and webs are orange brown.
The White Gall is pure white in plumage throughout, and feathers of
any other color will disqualify it. It is in every respect like the Gray
Call except in plumage, in the color of the eyes, which are a gray or
blue, and the color of the shanks, which are a bright orange.
Weight. — Ro standard weight is given for Call ducks.
BLACKt EAST INDIAN DUCKS.
History. — Another standard breed of ducks which is hardly considered
a rival of the Pekin, Aylesbury, Cayuga, or Rouen, is the Black East
Indian. This duck bears the same relation to those just named as
does the bantam to the larger varieties of chickens. The Black East
Indian and the Call ducks are the bantam breeds of ducks, being
bred more for their smallness of size than for their profitableness. The
same devices are resorted to in breeding them as were mentioned for
breeding the Call ducks.
Descrip tion.— The East Indian duck is hardy, and would, if carefully
bred from the largest and best specimens, grow to a fairly good size,
16
and be profitable to keep. In weight they seldom grow larger than 2
to 2 h, pounds each. The close inbreeding to which they have been sub¬
jected has been detrimental to their egg production, while those strains
which have not been so closely bred have proved very prolific. It may
be said in favor of these ducks, that if allowed to increase in size,
which they will readily do under favorable circumstances, they would
prove very profitable to those who prefer keeping small- sized birds to
the larger ones.
The East Indian duck is very shy in its habits, and is given to long
flights, but if attention is shown them in feeding they become attached
to their home surroundings. They can not be successfully bred in con¬
finement ; their natures are roaming and they like freedom of life. The
first eggs of a litter laid by these ducks are sooty or nearly black in
color, but they gradually grow lighter until they assume the color com¬
mon to the eggs of most varieties. They are splendid sitters, and will
invariably steal their nests if permitted to do so, but the duck and brood
when hatched should be confined for a couple of weeks, that the young
may not be exposed until they have gained some strength and size.
The head of the black East Indian duck is short and small; eyes dark
hazel; bill rather short. The head of the drake is of a dark yellowish
green, free from all spots or blemishes, and the duck’s head is very dark,
almost black. The exact coloring of the bill of the drake is considered
of the utmost importance. It is described by an enthusiast as being a
sort of pale yellow, washed over with blackish green, the color being
laid on thinly, as it were, so as to give an almost transparent effect, and
shaded off at the tip into a kind of slate color. By another raiser the
color of the bill is described as an olive green. The neck is neatly
curved and short; back, of good length and medium width. The breast
is full, round, and plump. The body is long and comparatively small;
wings of medium length and nicely folded; tail short, and in the drake
has the curled feathers. . The thighs are short and stout, and shanks
are short and rather small.
The plumage is a rich black, with a brilliant greenish tint throughout.
The color of the plumage is of much worth to the beauty of these ducks;
it must be intensely black, rich in greenish’ reflections, and perfectly
free from white. The plumage upon the neck, back, and shoulder cov¬
erts will show more of the green than will the underparts, the coloring
of the drake surpassing that of the duck.
It is seemingly a difficult matter to breed specimens of the required
color of plumage; more especially is it so with the duck, whose plum¬
age is likely to be of a brownish tint. These ducks are quite likely to
show more or less white in plumage. The white feathers usually appear
about the eyes and also upon the breast. Birds that have been free
from white as ducklings have been known to molt almost pure white.
The ducklings when first hatched are black, with a shade of yellow on
the breast, and with jet-black feet, shanks, and bill.
17
When breeding these ducks use two females to one male, and the eggs
will prove very fertile. The young will be very hardy after five or six
weeks of age, and there should be no trouble in rearing them after that
time. Give the youngsters free range and they will find nearly their
whole living in grasses, insects, etc.
Weight. — There is no standard weight given for Black East Indians;
the smaller their size the higher they rank for exhibition purposes.
CRESTED WHITE DUCKS.
History. — The Crested White duck (fig. 8) is what may be called au
ornamental duck, much the same as Polish chickens. They are not
bred to any great extent in this country, and they are very seldom seen
Fig. 8. — Pair ol' Crested White ducks.
in the showrooms. They have no especial value to the farmer, as better
and more easily-bred birds are to be found in the Pekin and Aylesbury.
Description. — These ducks have a medium-sized head; medium-sized
bill; a large, well-balanced crest upon the crown of the head; a rather
long neck; a medium-length back; breast, round and full; body, round
and of medium length; medium-length wings that smoothly fold; hard,
stiff tail feathers, with well-curled feathers in the tail of drake; and
short and stout thighs and shanks. Their eyes are large and bright and
of a deep leaden blue or gray color. The shanks, toes, and webs are of
a light-orange color.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult drake is 7 pounds; adult
duck, 6 pounds; young drake, G pounds, and young duck, 5 pounds.
G839— No. 64 - 2
18
MANAGEMENT OF DUCKS.
Buck raising lias been developed within the last ten years into a
flourishing industry. Prior to that time the duck was not considered a
profitable fowl to raise ; its flesh was never prized very highly by the
masses. Ducks were raised without constraint in waterways, feeding
mostly on fish and water insects. This food gave the flesh a strong
fishy flavor; hence it was not particularly sought after, save by the few
who were partial to that class of diet. The duck centers of Long
Island and New England were then producing a limited number each
season, and it was with difficulty that these were sold with any profit.
In fact, one of the most prominent duck raisers may be quoted as say¬
ing that he was obliged to visit the city markets personally and tease
the dealers to purchase his birds, in order to secure anything like satis¬
factory prices.
Artificial incubation and brooding, combined with judicious feeding,
have been instrumental in the development of the industry. Machin¬
ery has enabled the duck raiser to accomplish his ambition of having
his stock in the markets when prices are the best, and also of raising
large numbers of birds in a limited space of time. The season for rais¬
ing ducks is about six months — from February to July. The methods
employed by the most successful raisers will be given in this bulletin,
and the most approved buildings, appliances, feeding, and care will be
treated in detail.
Duck raising is to be recommended to farmers as a profitable source
of revenue; and by careful attention to the work, as knowledge
increases, the scope of the industry may be extended. There are num¬
bers of farms in this country to-day that are devoted exclusively to
raising ducks, averaging from 5,000 to 20,000 ducks as an annual out¬
put. An idea of the proportions of the business may be had from the
fact that as high as three tons of feed are used daily by a single raiser
during the busy season. The profits are the very best, and good incomes
may be made when once the business is thoroughly mastered. But the
reader should not jump imprudently to the conclusion that these results
can be easily obtained. Duck raising is an arduous task; one that
requires an apprenticeship and absolute knowledge of the business
before success is reached. Those who have been successful in raising
ducks have learned the business much as one does any other vocation.
The beginner should start modestly, and increase his plant as his knowl¬
edge of the work increases. The average farmer has all the facilities
for raising a goodly number of ducks, and may with a little outlay add
considerably to his income.
It is not at all necessary that ducks should have access to water to
be raised successfully; they grow and thrive as readily without. There
are successful plants where thousands of ducks are raised that have no
water, save that which is given them as drink. It has been a matter
of much dispute which is the better way. Some duck raisers use
19
water and allow their breeders the freedom of it; some allow their
growing stock intended for market free access to water until they are
eight weeks old, when they are penned and fattened for market. On
the other hand, there are raisers who have no water on their farms,
excepting wells, who are just as successful and raise as many birds as
those who have the water. The
only noticeable difference be¬
tween u upland” and “ water
ducks is that the latter are of
prettier and cleaner plumage
than the former.
BREEDING HOUSE.
KILLING HOUSE.
wMlRESIDENCE.
GROWING HOUSE.
FEED HOUSE.
BROODER HOUSE.
INCUBATOR CELLAR.
XRESIDENCE.
INCUBATOR CELLAR.
m
BREEDING HOUSE.
Wa
KILLING HOUSE.
STARTING A PLANT.
A duck x>lant should be lo¬
cated on a line of railroad in
direct communication with
the city markets, and not too
far from the
station. Al¬
most any lo¬
cation will do
for the plant,
and worn-out
land, that can
be had cheap,
will do as well
as the richer''
GROWING HOUSE.
BROODER HOUSE.
FEED HOUSE.
BREEDING HOUSE.
FEED HOUSE.
fZi
KILLING HOUSE
I
I
I
and more fertile land costing sev¬
eral times as- much. Sandy sod is
to be preferred. The buildings
should be arranged to secure good
drainage and be convenient to each
other, that labor may be reduced
to a minimum. The labor attached
to raising poultry is an item that
is overlooked by many, and the
cost of it often red uces very notably
the earnings of the plant.
Every department of the plant
should be so located as to economize
the time of the attendants. The incubator cellar should be convenient
to the brooder house, the brooder house to the growing house and pens,
and these to the killing house. The feed house should be located con¬
veniently to the brooder and growing houses and the breeding pens.
RESIDENCE.
M
INCUBATOR CELLAR.
Fig 9. — Plans for a duck plant.
20
The task of feeding the growing stock four times a day and the breed¬
ing stock twice a day is no small one. Watering is also to be thought
about.
The exact arrangement of a plant suited to all locations can not be
given, as each locality differs from others in some respect, and what
may be suitable for one will hardly do for the other. The plans of no
two of the largest plants are alike. They differ in location of the
buildings to suit the lay of the land; but they all have the same gen¬
eral idea of the convenience of each building to the others. Illustra¬
tion of this will be seen in fig. 9. When laying out a plant, make pro¬
visions for future enlargement; allow plenty of room on all sides to
extend the buildings without rendering inconvenient the work that
will be necessary to attend to the additional stock.
BUILDINGS FOR BREEDING DUCKS.
Houses for ducks are single affairs. They are built plain and com¬
fortable, and have no furnishings whatever. A duck is differently con¬
stituted from a hen, and must be cared for under different conditions.
The hen needs warmer houses and drier surroundings than does the
duck. A duck does
not mind the cold,
if she can keep her
feet warm ; cold feet
will affect a duck as
a frozen comb does
a hen, retarding
laying and induc¬
ing ailments. The
feathers of a duck
are almost impene¬
trable and will with¬
stand almost any
degree of cold.
Again, a duck can
not stand the amount of confinement in a house that a hen can; she
is more restless in disposition and is given to exercise in a greater
degree than is a hen. Indigestion is not so prevalent with ducks as
with chickens; the duck’s ceaseless motion aids the digestive organs
and keeps her generally in good health.
In fig. 10 is shown a simple house that may be built at small expense.
It is plain and has a shed roof. Such a house should be built of rough
boards, 12 inches by 1 inch, and joints covered by 3-inch by 1 -inch strips.
The roof should be made water-tight and covered with tarred paper,
shingles, or tin. The outside should be well drained around the bottom,
that it may not be damp. Some advocate board floors, raised from 6
to 8 inches from the ground and covered from 4 to G inches with
Fig. 10.-
-House for breeding ducks.
21
dry earth, straw, or leaves. The writer favors the using of board
floors in all houses for chickens, but thinks it not essential for ducks.
If the house is well drained on the outside and the earth floor is cov¬
ered with hay, straw, or leaves, it will be perfectly satisfactory. There
must not be dampness in the house, as the birds will not do so well;
while they are given to water on the outside they must have comfort¬
able quarters in which to u warm up,” or u dry out.”
The building shown in tig. 10 may be constructed of any dimensions
desired, according to the size of flock to be kept. A house 12 by 14
feet will accommodate nicely a flock
of a dozen. There are no interior
arrangements whatever, simply the
floor surface of the building. It
is better not to use nests. Some
raisers use a plain nest, as shown in
fig. 11. These nests are made of
1-inch boards, 12 inches high and 16
inches long, set 14 inches apart, and
held together in front with a 3-inch
strip. The nests are nailed to the back of the house. But more than
half the eggs are laid on the floor of the house or in the yard, and, if
permitted, a duck will build herself a nest to her liking. Again, a duck
is liable to injure herself by falling over the strips in front of nests or
other obstructions that may be in the house. In fig. 12 is shown the
nest of a wild duck.
When two or more breeding pens are to be kept, the plan of the
house shown in fig. 10 may
be extended to any length
desired, as shown in fig. 13.
In figs. 14 and 15 are shown
two more designs of duck
houses, which are practical
and cheap, and may be
built singly or in rows for a
number of pens. Either of
these houses, and also that
shown in fig. 10, make ex¬
cellent breeding houses for
the farmer to keep ducks in.
An inolosure should be given the breeding ducks, as they do better
confined than when at liberty. Give plenty of room and inclose the
run with 2-inch wire mesh 2 feet wide. If water is accessible, it should
be inclosed by the mesh -wire fencing of the same width as for the run.
In fig. 16 is shown a duck house with water runs, and also the arrange¬
ment of wire runs in the water. This is an admirable plan for farmers
who have running water on their farms.
Fig. 12. — Nest of wild duck.
Fig. 11. — Nests for ducks.
22
BROODING HOUSES.
The general construction of a brooder house is similar to that of the
breeding house, and differs only in interior arrangements. The latter
has no interior arrangements whatever, while the former has the sys¬
tem of heating and covers necessary for giving warmth to the young
stock. In fig. 17 is shown a design of single-brooder house and ground
plan that is generally used by duck raisers. This house should be
built upon a good foundation and be entirely proof against rats. A
good plan is to sink half-inch wire mesh about 2 feet in the ground and
around the entire inside of the building; this will make it perfectly
secure against rats and mice.
The accepted plan of a brooder house makes it 15 feet wide and as
long as desired. The building is 4 feet high in front and 5 feet in rear.
GROUND PLAN.
Fig. 13.— Plan and ground plan of five-pen breeding house for ducks.
It is divided into pens 12 feet long and 6 feet wide, and has a 3 foot
passageway extending the entire length of the building. The ground
plan (fig. 17) shows the general arrangement of the interior and loca¬
tion of the brooders.
The brooder box is next to the passageway, or walk, and runs the
entire length of the building. This box is 30 inches wide and 8 inches
high; the sides are 7 inches high and nailed securely; the top of the
cover is nailed across with cleats to make it substantial, and the cover
has an inch strip nailed underneath in front and back to keep it in
position. These strips rest against the 7-inch sides and make the
brooder snug and tight when closed. The heating pipes are directly
beneath the cover and are 2-inch pipes, flow and return. Some prefer
' 1-inch pipes, using two flows and two returns. When three pipes are
23
Fig. 14.— House for breeding ducks.
used they should be about 8 inches apart from center to center. These
pipes rest on the partition boards of the pens. The front of the brooder,
leading into the pens, is cut out in the center about 4 inches deep and
4 feet long (fig. 18, A), while the ends and the other side are solid,
being 7 inches high. The construction of the brooder is clearly shown
in fig. 18, B, with cover removed, while fig. 18, (7, shows cover. The
heater is located at
the end of building.
Another plan of
brooder house is
that shown in fig.
19. This house is
known as a double
brooder house, with
walk in the center
and pens on either
side, and with
heater at the end.
Many prefer this
plan to the single brooder house, as the care and attention required for
the youngsters is much less and the cost of heating is reduced, one heater
being sufficient for both lines of pipes. Then, again, this latter plan
shortens the length of the building by one-half and makes the work
more concentrated. The arrangement of the interior is the same as
that of the single brooder house.
The plans of brooder houses, as given above, are for ducklings from
the time they are taken from the machines until they are ready for the
cold brooder, or
growinghouse. The
young ducklings,
when taken from
the nest or incuba¬
tor, are very deli¬
cate and susceptible
to the changes of
the atmosphere;
they must be kept
very warm and free
from chilling. The
first three weeks of
a duckling’s life is
the most critical period, and after that time the liabilities of loss are
reduced to a very low rate — hardly five to the hundred. The front of
brooders for young ducklings should be hung with strips of woolen cloth
to keep in the warmth of the brooder. The greatest care should be
given them at this period ; the duck raisers really consider it the most
Fig. 15. — House for breeding and growing ducks.
kWj
24
Fig. 16. — House for breeding ducks, showing water runs.
25
important part of their work, and after a bird has passed the u critical
age ” they may be counted on for the market.
Usually the care of the ducklings at this age is given to the women.
They are more careful of the wants of the youngsters and attend to the
detail work religiously. A case is known of a single attendant living,
as it were, in the brooder house with the ducklings. She began her
work with the morning feed at 6 a. m., and until sundown, when the
night’s meal was given, she was with her charges. The cleanliness of
the brooder and pen was carefully attended to and everything was done
to promote the health and comfort of the youngsters. At night they
were all in their brooders and as snug as it was possible for them to be.
A single neglect in the starting of a duckling will result in loss to the
raisers. System is the key to the situation, and there should be no
deviation from it whatever.
The duckling goes from the warm brooder house to the cold brooder
house. The latter house is planned in a way similar to the former, with
the exception of the 30-inch brooders. When the birds are taken
from the warm brooder house they are three weeks old and of sufficient
age to withstand a cooler temperature. They do not need the extra heat
of the warm house, and in it would not grow nearly so well. The size
of pens in the growing house is larger, and the ducklings are not crowded
so many in a pen. If the birds are to be raised in colonies of one hun¬
dred each, the accommodations should be ample for them. It has never
been proved to be good policy to crowd the growing stock; it retards
their growth and encourages disease.
The cold brooder house should have a system of heating if birds are
to be raised for an early market. The same system of pipes used in
the warm brooders should be run around the sides of the building,
26
about 2 or 3 feet from the floor. This will give sufficient heat for the
house aucl keep the birds comfortable. These pipes may be connected
with the same heater used for running the warm brooder pipes. In
the Northern States, in extremely cold weather, raisers also use the
heating pipes in the warm brooder house in addition to the cold brooder
pipes.
An excellent plan is shown in fig. 20 for the arrangement of the
heater for connecting the pipes in the warm and cold double brooder
house. It will be seen that the heater is nlaced in the center of the
M.
building; the warm brooder
house is shown on the right
and the cold brooder house
with runs attached is shown
on the left, and pipes, indi¬
cated by dotted lines, run in
both directions. This is the
most economical house to
build and lessens the work
in attending the stock. The
room in the center of the
building will be found very
useful and is generally used
as the feed room. The heater
is in the cellar beneath this
room. This plan is used by
one of the largest and most
successful raisers of ducks
on Long Island, and it has
his highest indorsement.
The building may be of
any size, the plan being as
successfully carried out on
a large scale as on a small
one. If a small building is
used at first, it may be en-
larged on either end to suit
the growing business, and
extended upward of 100 feet
in either direction, thus making the building more than 200 feet in
length. The heater must be considered, when put in, with this object
in view. A heater capable of heating the 200-foot house can easily be
regulated to heat one of 50 feet, but a heater that will heat properly only
a 50-foot or 100-foot house would be insufficient to heat the larger one.
Another difference between the cold brooder house and the warm
brooder house is that the former has outside runs attached. These runs
are used for feeding and watering when the weather permits, instead of
A
Fig. 18. — Plans of brooder.
27
the feeding troughs inside the house. The ducks should be allowed the
freedom of the outside runs as soon as the weather is suitable. Ducks
like a life in the outer world, and they will grow more rapidly there than
when they are confined to the house.
P
A
*> ■
N
S.
BROODERS. WALK £
ROOD E RS.
-11 - (h
=11 - IP
-11 - IP
'll - IP-1
41 — -IP
P
E
N
5
m -
HEATER
GROUND PLAN.
£N0 ELEVATION.
Fig. 19.— Plans of a double brooder bouse.
Ducklings are kept in the cold brooder house until they are six or
seven weeks old, when they are transferred to large quarters known as
growing houses. It is here that they are pushed for the market until
R
U
N
VT A L~K
N
N
i i
:£§i
i _
WATM
J _ 1
B
P
D
£
E
Ml
N
R
S
s
HffiMffiffiSlM
B
p
R
E
0
N
0
S
R
U '
N
Fig. 20. — Plan of a double brooder bouse, showing arrangement of beating pipes.
they are 10 weeks old, when they are salable. There is no heat in the
growing houses, which are used only as a means of shelter during the
early spring months. When the weather is well advanced, the ducks
28
seldom take to the houses at night; they prefer the outside and spend
their nights on the ground. The growing houses should be abundantly
ventilated, as too
close an atmos¬
phere will do more
harm in a single
night than if they
had not been
housed at all.
A Pekin duck at
10 weeks is quite
large, weighing
™ ot „ „ . , close to 4 pounds.
Fig. 21. — House for growing (lucks.
It is quite as large
as a full-grown duck of some of the other breeds. In the space of two
or three weeks
from the time the
ducklings are
placed in the grow¬
ing houses they
will be marketed at
the weight of 4 to
5J pounds each.
This weight is eas¬
ily obtained, and
when reached the
profitable time to
,, , Fig. 22 -Two-pen house for growing ducks.
sell has arrived, as
they then command the best prices. Often a bird kept after this time
loses in weight and
becomes unprofit¬
able. The growing
houses are built
after the plan of the
breeding houses,
only much smaller.
They need not be
more than 4 or 5
feet high in rear
and 1 or 2 feet high
in front. Such a
house is shown in
„ ™ . „ . , , fig. 21. This and
Fig. 23. — Three-pen house for growing ducks. ®
other houses shown
in figs. 22 and 23 may be built singly or in rows, with 12-inch boards
separating the runs.
29
SUPPLYING WATER.
Fig. 24.— Gutter water trough.
As has been previously stated, water for bathing is not at all neces¬
sary for growing ducks, but a liberal supply for drinking is absolutely
essential to their growth. The food of the duck is such as to require
drink when eating, as it is compar¬
atively dry and can not be eaten
hurriedly as grain is. When feeding,
always replenish the water troughs
or fountains with pure, fresh water.
A duck when feeding will eat a
small quantity and go to the water
troughs, for drink, repeating this
performance several times during
the meal. Conveniences for supply¬
ing drinking water to breeding and growing ducks are varied, and
almost any contrivance will answer the purpose. When small numbers
of ducks are kept, the simplest method of supplying water is in wooden
troughs. These may be built V-shape or with square bottoms. They
are shown in figs. 24 and 25.
For smaller ducks, those kept in the
warm brooder house, the fountain plan
is to be preferred, as the youngsters can
not get into the water and become wet
or chilled. These fountains may be
made of air-tight cans for the reservoir
and a tin plate 2 inches larger in diam¬
eter than the can. A tomato can and
an ordinary tin pie plate make an excel¬
lent fountain. Remove the top of the can and punch a small hole iu the
side about a quarter of an inch from the free top edge 5 fill the can with
water and place it inverted on the plate. The water will run out until
it reaches in the plate the level of the hole in the can. The plate will
not overflow and water will
be supplied automatically.
Some raisers use a pan — a
pie plate, for instance — and
place a stone several inches
smaller in diameter than the
pan in the center, leaving a
margin for water around the
edge.
When large numbers of
birds are kept, it is of course
necessary that a system for watering be adopted for saving labor. A
practical system in use is where the water is supplied by 1-inch pipes
and having a cock in each pen directly over the water trough. Fig. 26
Fig. 25. — Flat water trough.
Fig. 26. — Plan for supplying water by pipes.
30
shows a diagram drawing of this plan. The flow of the cocks is regu¬
lated by having the one in the first pen run very slowly and gradually
increasing the flow of the water in each pen. Thus all the troughs
will be full at the same time. The pipe should rest on top of the fenc¬
ing about 2 feet high which divides the runs. This plan of watering
can also be used in brooder houses to good advantage.
FEEDING.
The food of the duck is both vegetable and animal in nature. In the
wild state it gathers its food from brooks and marshes, consisting of
flag, grasses, small fishes, water insects, etc. When the birds are raised
in confinement this diet must, in a measure, be imitated to- get the
most satisfactory results. The duck has no crop, the food passing
directly from the throat to the gizzard, and as a consequence the food
must be in a soft mushy state. Too much hard food, such as grain,
does not agree with these birds and they can not thrive on it. While
some raisers use a small allowance of grain others do not, and it has
not been proved to be of any advantage to feed it. Soft food is their
natural diet, together with grasses, vegetables, and animal food. The
proper selection of the food is extremely important to secure the rapid
growth of the duck, and the ingredients of the food must be such as
will afford a well-balanced and substantial ration. As a whole, it may
be said that the rations used by the largest duck raisers are essentially
the same, differing only in the quantities used in the mixing. Investi¬
gations show the real values of the food to be the same for producing
rapid growth and early development. The duckling grows twice as
rapidly and is a much heavier eater than the chick, and to produce the
best results its food must be such as will be easily assimilated. The
various methods of feeding given in this bulletin are recommended for
raising ducks successfully.
It costs from 6 to 12 cents a pound to raise a duck for market at ten
weeks of age. The cost of feed is from 4£ to 5 cents a pound, and that
of labor, etc., is from 4 to 8 cents a pound. It costs from $1.75 to $2.50
each to keep breeding ducks a year.
The three different methods of feeding ducks are as follows : (1) Feed¬
ing ducks for market (ten weeks old); (2) feeding young ducks to be
kept as breeders ; (3) feeding old ducks. The first method, for the sake
of convenience and to explain more fully the composition of the rations,
is subdivided into four parts, as follows.
(1) From time of hatching to five days old provide the following mix¬
ture: Cracker or bread crumbs and corn meal, equal parts by measure;
hard boiled eggs, 15 per cent of the total bulk of crackers and meal;
sand, 5 per cent of the total of crackers and meal. Mix with water or
milk, and feed four times a day.
(2) From five to twenty days old, the following mixture : Wheat bran,
two parts by measure; corn meal, one part; rolled oats, 50 per cent of
31
this bulk; beef scraps, 5 per cent; sand, 5 per cent; green food, 10 per
cent. Mix with water to a dry crumbly state and feed four times a
day.
(3) From twenty to forty-two days old, the following mixture : Wheat
bran, two parts by measure; corn meal, one part; beef scraps, 5 per cent
of this bulk; sand, 5 per cent; green food, 10 per cent. Mix with water
to a dry crumbly state and feed four times a day.
(4) From forty-two to seventy days old, the following mixture: Corn
meal, two. parts by measure; wheat bran, one part; beef scraps, 10
per cent of this bulk; coarse sand or grit, 5 per cent; green food, 10
per cent. Mix with water to a dry crumbly state and feed four times
a day.
The hours for feeding are 6 a. m., 10 a. m., 2 p. in., and 6 p. m.
Below is given another system of feeding ducks for marketing at ten
weeks of age. This system is practically the same as the one given
above, differing only in the ingredients used for the first two parts or
until the duckling is twenty days old. The method given below is
used successfully by one of the largest duck raisers on Long Island.
It is divided into three parts, as follows :
(1) From time of hatching to seven days old, feed equal parts by
measure, corn meal, wheat bran, and No. 2 grade flour, and 10 per cent
of this bulk coarse sand. Mix with water to a dry crumbly state and
feed four times a day.
(2) From seven to fifty-six days old, feed equal parts by measure,
corn meal, wheat bran, and No. 2 grade flour; 10 per cent of this bulk
beef scraps; 10 per cent coarse sand, and 12J per cent green foods
(green rye, oats, clover, etc.). Mix with water to a dry crumbly state
and feed four times a day.
(3) From fifty-six to seventy days old, feed two parts by measure.
Corn meal; one part wheat bran; one part No. 2 grade flour; 12 J per
cent of this bulk beef scraps; 10 per cent coarse sand; 12J percent
green food. Mix with water to a dry crumbly state and feed three
times a day — morning, noon, and night. Give last feed an hour before
sundown.
When ducks are raised for breeders they are fed differently from
those intended for market. They are not forced so much as are the
latter, and less fattening food is given them. The corn meal and beef
scraps are reduced to one-half the quantity used in the above rations.
The following is an excellent ration: Equal parts corn meal, wheat
bran, green food, 5 per cent beef scraps, and 5 per cent coarse sand or
grit.
A ration for breeding (laying) ducks is recommended as follows : Fifty
per cent, by measure, corn meal; 15 per cent wheat bran; 15 per cent
green foods (cooked vegetables, such as potatoes, turnips, etc.) ; 12 per
cent beef scraps, and 8 per cent coarse sand or grit. Mix with water
to a dry crumbly state and feed twice a day, morning and night. After
32
the breeding season is over and the ducks have stopped laying they
are changed from this to the equal-parts ration, as given above for duck¬
lings from seven to fifty-six days old.
MIXING FEED.
The feeding stuffs should be mixed in a trough sufficiently large to
hold the quantity without wasting over the edges. First mix the corn
meal and bran together while dry; after these have mixed thoroughly,
making an evenly colored mixture, it should be moistened with water
and mixed to a dry, crumbly state. It should not be too wet or sloppy,
as it is then not so good for the fowls, neither can it be handled and
fed properly. Warm water should be used when the weather is excess¬
ively cold. In a second trough place the green foods, such as cut rye,
oats, etc., and dampen with water; then mix the allowance of the Ho.
2 grade flour with it. Thoroughly mix, so that the flour will completely
cover the green stuff. After this has been done mix the flour and green
mixture with the corn meal and bran mixture and add the allowance
of beef scraps and sand. When vegetables are used, they should be
well cooked before mixing in the rations.
The duck raisers on Long Island use large quantities of fish for
their breeding stock. This is known as the “ fish diet,” and is consid¬
ered as being very valuable to induce egg production. Where fish are
cheap they form an excellent substitute for beef scraps in the rations
for breeding ducks or ducks not intended for market, but under no
circumstances should fish be fed to stock that will be marketed. Fish
makes the flavor of the flesh strong and ducks fed on fish will not
have ready sales in the market. The fish are cooked by boiling in iron
camp kettles until well done, and then mixed, bones and all, in the
rations as given above for breeding ducks. When fish is used the
beef scraps are omitted.
HOW MUCH TO FEED.
The amount of feed needed each day for young ducks varies as much
as does their growth. Their growth averages a half pound a week,
and to make this increase of weight each week requires an additional
quantity of food over the preceding one. The rule is, feed each meal
what they will eat up clean with a relish, and do not allow them to
linger over the feed trough. It is better they should have not enough
than too much, as they will be in a much better condition to relish the
next meal. One thing is considered to be of as much importance as the
feed, and that is removing the feed left over and thoroughly cleaning
the troughs after each meal. This is scrupulously attended to by suc¬
cessful duck raisers.
One raiser gives, as a generous allowance for one day’s ration for one
hundred laying ducks, the following: For the morning meal, 35
quarts of the mash, and for the evening meal 40 quarts, making a total
33
of 75 quarts for the day’s portion, or three-fourths of a quart to each
duck a day. Another raiser allows 400 quarts, fed in halves, twice a
day, to six hundred breeding or laying ducks, averaging two-thirds
of a quart to each duck a day.
There are many patterns of feed troughs in use, hardly any two
being alike. They are simple affairs, the simpler the better, as they
are more easily kept clean. The designs given for water troughs are
equally as good for feed troughs and answer the purpose very well. Each
pen of birds should have two troughs, one for water and the other for
feed, built proportionately to suit the age and size of the birds they
are intended for. Make them of sufficient length to avoid crowding, so
that all the birds in each pen will have ample room to eat at the same
time.
OYSTER SHELLS AND GRIT.
Grit in some form is essential to ducks and should be kept before
them at all times. Many overlook this fact and do not seem to under¬
stand that it is of as much value to them as it is to chickens. The sand
used in the mashes tends to supply a certain amount of grinding mate¬
rial or grit to them, but does not fully satisfy them for digesting their
food. On a farm where more than ten thousand birds are raised annu¬
ally, and where disease is practically unknown, it was noted that in
every pen there was a box of grit and a box of crushed oyster shells.
This raiser states that he considers grit and oyster shells an abso¬
lute necessity for ducks, and he attributes the healthy appearance of
his stock to it. His birds eat it freely and the supply is never allowed
to run out.
KILLING AND DRESSING FOR MARKET.
There are two methods of dressing ducks for market, by dry picking
and by scalding. Both of these methods are good and are being suc¬
cessfully employed by the largest raisers. Some have a preference
for dry picking and others for scalding, and it becomes only a matter
of taste which method is used. When birds are dressed by scalding
they should be dipped several times, or until the feathers come out
easily. The back should be dipped in the water first. After scalding,
wipe them as dry as possible with a sponge and pick the breast feathers
first. A bird when dressed for market has left on it the feathers on
the wing, the tail feathers, and the feathers on head and neck, as shown
in fig. 27. The legs are left on, and the birds are not drawn.
The process of dry picking is considered the simpler of the two
methods, and one who is accustomed to the work can readily dress
3 dozen birds in a day. The picker’s outfit consists of a chair, a
box for the feathers, and a couple of knives, one knife being dull and
the other being sharp pointed and double edged, for bleeding. The
bird is taken between the knees, the bill held open with the left hand,
and a cut made across the roof of the mouth just below the eyes. The
0839 — No, 04 - 3
34
bird is then stunned by striking its head against a post or some hard
substance. The picker seats himself in the chair with the bird in his
lap (fig. 28), its head held firmly between one knee and the box. The
feathers arc carefully sorted while picking; the pins are thrown away
and the body feathers with the down are thrown into the box. Care
should be taken about this, as the feathers from each bird will weigh
about 2 ounces, and will quite pay for the picking.
The dull knife and the thumb are used to remove the long piufeathers,
and this should be done without tearing the skin. The down can
usually be rubbed olf by slightly moistening the hand and holding the
skin tight. Often
some of the pins
can not be taken
out without tearing
and disfiguring the
skin ; when such
is the case they
should be shaved
off. Seven or eight
minutes is all the
time necessary to
dress a bird. After
thebirdsare picked
they should be care¬
fully washed, and
p 1 umped by pi acin g
in a tank or barrel
of ice water. They
arehardenedintliis
ice water and given
a rounded and full
appearance. They
are then packed in
barrels or boxes and
shipped to market.
The first or bottom
layer is packed with backs down; a layer of ice is then placed over
them, and all other layers are packed with the breasts down, a layer
of ice being between each layer of ducks. The top of the box or barrel
is then rounded off with ice and covered with burlaps. A flour barrel
will hold about three dozen birds. Some raisers use boxes for ship¬
ping and have the empties returned free.
Fig. 27. — Pair dressed ducks (10 weeks old).
DEVELOPMENT OF THE DUCKLING IN THE EGG.
Eggs to hatch must have good, strong germs and must be laid by
healthy stock. Debilitated, degenerated stock will not produce healthy
and vigorous young. The health of the breeding stock must be pro-
35
moted and everything done that will assist to increase the fertility of
the egg. Comfortable houses, cleanliness, pure water, and above all
wholesome and nutritious food, are the best promoters of health. The
best stock to be had is none too good, and it is erroneous to send the
earliest and best stock to market for the small increase in price, and
save the later and inferior stock for breeding purposes. A continua¬
tion of this practice for a few years means degenerate stock, infertile
eggs, weak germs, and large mortality amoug the newly-hatched birds.
After an egg has been under incubation for thirty six hours, it will,
if fertile, when held to the light, show a small dark spot a trifle larger
than a pin’s head. This little spot is the life germ and shows the egg
to be fertile. From this time the development of the germ into the
duckling can be plainly seen
if the egg be held to a strong
light. On the sixth or seven th
day the first testing of the eggs
should be made and all in¬
fertile ones taken out. The
germ is very distinct at this
time, and there has been a
gradual change going on in
the interior of the egg. The
little spot has been constantly
enlarging and becoming more
dense, and little veins are seen
running in divers directions.
This is the appearance of an
egg with a strong, live germ,
which under favorable circum¬
stances will produce a duck.
An egg that is not fertile on
the sixth or seventh day will be perfectly clear and transparent; all such
should be removed at once, as it is useless to allow them to remain.
Another kind of egg often seen is a weak or imperfectly fertilized egg,
and shows an irregularly- shaped blood vessel, which had started but
lacked vitality enough to continue. Such an egg will not hatch and
should also be removed from the nest or incubator. Frequently the
germ in an egg will show life when tested on the seventh day, but lacks
the vitality to carry it through, and when tested later will show dark,
irregular blotches over the surface of the egg. These will not hatch,
and should be taken out when noticed.
On the fourteenth day the little creature inside the egg begins to
assume shape and show considerable life. It has increased many times
in size since it was seen on the seventh day; the red veins have become
more numerous and have spread over the entire surface, while the yolk
is scarcely distinguishable from the other portions. The pupil of the
eye has now become distinct, and the projection of the wings is clearly
Fig. 28.— Duck picker.
36
perceived. The absorption of the yolk has also commenced, and this
will continue until the twenty-fourth day, when it will be nearly com¬
pleted. The egg from this time on will rapidly grow opaque, and at the
eighteenth or twentieth day is entirely so. On the twenty-fourth day
the duckling is ready to make its way out of the shell, and in forty-
eight hours after pipping the shell it will be entirely out.
NATURAL INCUBATION.
Hatching under the sitting hen (generally used for hatching ducks)
is what is termed the natural process of incubation. The hatching of
eggs by this means has always been followed, and no special skill is
needed for success, provided the eggs are well fertilized with healthy
germs. Many who raise ducks in large numbers, however, use almost
exclusively artificial means ; some use both the natural and the artifi¬
cial, while others use the natural entirely.
Of the natural method we shall treat first: Hens of medium size of
the American class, barred Plymouth Pocks and Wyandottes, are con¬
sidered the best for sitting. Nine duck eggs are about the right
number to place under a hen in early spring weather, but when the
season is far advanced as many as thirteen are used. The hens should
be provided with lange, roomy nests, and slatted fronts that can be
removed and replaced easily when the hens are fed and watered. The
nesting material should be of hay or straw, and the nest should be
slightly concaved; in the bottom place a little finely cut hay.
Before the hen is put on the eggs she should be thoroughly dusted
with insecticides; the nest also should have a good dusting of the same.
Both hen and nest should undergo a thorough dusting several times
during the process of hatching as a safeguard against lice. When the-
ducklings are hatched they should also have their share of the insecti
cides before they are given to the hen. When a large number of sitting
hens are used for hatching, as many as possible should be set at one
time, and the ducklings raised in brooders. Hatching with hens may
de done on a large scale and the young brooded artificially. As many
as five hundred sitting hens are used on some farms for hatching ducks.
They are set in small houses or rooms with the nests around the sides
in tiers, each nest having its own lattice door. Each day, in the morn¬
ing, the hens are taken from th eir nests and fed and watered on the
floor of the room. They are taken down in limited numbers, sections,
as it were, at a time, and after they have had the food, drink, and a
little exercise they are placed back on the nests and another section is
fed and watered.
ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION.
The subject of artificial incubation has engaged the attention of the
civilized world for generations past; the method has done wonders for
the poultry industry and has opened up the pathways to fortunes that
might otherwise never have been made. The science of incubation and
brooding has been developed wonderfully in this country during the
last quarter of a century, and what seemed almost an impossibility then
has indeed become a certainty now. There are many thousands of
37
chicks and ducklings hatched by artificial means each year, and the
numbers of good machines now being manufactured in this country at
low prices make poultry raising a business that almost anyone with a
limited capital may profitably engage in. The mission of an incubator
is to supplant the sitting hen, and make it possible to hatch a large
number of chicks at a minimum amount of cost and labor. That this
can be done is proved each day.
For artificial incubation, have a room with a temperature as nearly
uniform as possible. Balance the beat in the machines, or in other
words, see that the heat is uniform at both ends, and, in fact, all over
them. See that each is running steadily before placing the eggs in it,
as there is a great deal in starting right. The machines should be run
at a temperature of 102° for the first three weeks, and 103° the last
week. The eggs should be turned twice each day at regular periods.
Introduce a pan of water from the fifteenth to the twenty-second day,
no matter what the location of the machine, whether in a damp cellar
or in a dry room overhead, in a moist atmosphere near the seashore or
in a dry one at an altitude in the country. The temperature may go
as high as 101° just previous to and while hatching without injury.
Place the glass on a live egg after the animal heat rises, which will be
when the circulation begins. This will be perceptible in good eggs the
fourteenth and fifteenth days.
Considerable weight has been put upon the ventilation question in
incubators by manufacturers and operators, but it has been found that
when the egg chamber is roomy, and the eggs are taken out and cooled
twice each day, it is not of so much consequence. There is no doubt
but that there must be some ventilation in the egg chamber, but from
the experience and observation of the writer the value of the subject
has been overestimated by many. Some machines have top ventila¬
tion, some bottom, and others both top and bottom, and there is seem¬
ingly no marked difference in the hatching.
When the ducklings are hatching, the broken egg shells should be
removed once in every six or eight hours, so that they will not slip over
. the pijvped eggs, as it would be sure death to the imprisoned ones.
Occasionally a little bird is unable to free itself from the shell and needs
help; the expert can readily detect when this is necessary. The one
point to note in this connection is this: The egg just before hatching
radiates a great deal of heat, while the duckling, when first out, being
not unlike a little sponge, absorbs it, or in other words, the rapid evapo¬
ration which takes place generates cold; so that when the ducklings
are out the machine should be gauged one degree higher.
When the ducklings are all out and dried off, the machine will run at
least two degrees lower than when they were in the egg. Plenty of
ventilation is needed in the machines while hatching. Keep the duck¬
lings in the machine at least twenty-four hours after hatching, when
they will be strong enough to be removed to the brooder. The heat in
the brooder should be started twenty-four hours previous to use, so
that it will be perfectly heated and ready for the ducklings when they
are taken from the machine.
GEESE.
STANDARD BREEDS OF GEESE.
Introduction. — There are seven standard breeds of geese, as follows:
Gray Toulouse, White Embden, Gray African, Brown Chinese, White
Chinese, Gray Wild, and Colored Egyptian.
GRAY TOULOUSE GEESE.
History. — Gray Toulouse geese (fig. 29) are named for the city in
France of that name, where they are extensively bred. In this country
Fig. 29.— Pair of Gray Toulouse geese.
they are bred in large numbers by farmers and are fairly well thought
of for market purposes. Their flesh is a trifle too coarse and flabby,
when compared with some other geese, to be prized very highly for
table purposes. They are termed a Christmas goose, as being later in
maturing than the others they are just about right at the holiday time.
They are fairly good layers, averaging about 40 eggs in a season.
38
39
Description. — Toulouse geese are more compact in shape than other
geese, and are preferred by many for this reason. The head is rather
large and short, and they have a comparatively short bill that is stout
at the base; the neck is carried well up and is ot medium length. They
have a broad back of moderate length, which curves slightly from the
neck to the tail; their breasts are broad and deep. The body of the
Toulouse goose is moderate in length, broad, and very deep and com¬
pact, the more compact the better ; and in birds in good condition the
• belly almost touches the ground. Their wings are large, strong, and
fold nicely against the sides, and they have comparatively short tails,
and stout thighs and shanks. In color of plumage they are a dull gray,
without penciling. The head is dark gray and the neck of the same-
color, which shades to a lighter gray as it approaches the back; the
back is of dark gray, while the breast is light gray. The body plumage
is light gray, which grows lighter and becomes white on the belly; the
white extends back .to and around the tail, covering the fluffy parts.
The primaries of the wings are dark gray or brown; the secondaries
are a shade darker than the primaries and the coverts are dark gray.
The tail feathers are gray and white, the ends tipped with white. Their
eyes are dark brown or hazel in color; their bills, shanks, toes, and
webs are of deep reddish-orange color.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult gander is 20 pounds;
adult goose, 20 pounds; young gander, 18 pounds, and young goose, 15
pounds.
WHITE EMBDEN GEESE.
History. — White Embden geese (fig. 30) are considered very practical
birds for farmers, and pay well for their keeping. They are nice look¬
ing, of large size, tall and erect carriage,, and snow-white plumage.
They originally came from Embden, in Westphalia, and have been bred
in this country for many years.
Description. — The Embdens are not so prolific as the Brown Chinese
or Toulouse, 20 eggs in a season being a good average for them. Their
eggs are very large, white, and have a very thick, rough shell. In car¬
riage they are very tall and erect, and have fine square bodies. They
have rather large heads, medium-sized bill, and a long neck that is car¬
ried upright. Their backs are of medium length, and arch slightly
from the neck to the tail; the breast is round and full, and the body is
large, square, and very deep, and, like the Toulouse, almost touches the
ground The wings are large and strong; tail short; thighs and
shanks short and stout. Their eyes are bright blue; bills flesh color;
and their shanks, toes, and webs are deep orange.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult gander is 20 pounds;
adult goose, 18 pounds; young gander, 18 pounds, and young goose 10
pounds.
40
GRAY AFRICAN GEESE.
History. — Gray African geese (fig. 31) are by many raisers consid¬
ered the most profitable of all geese to keep. They grow the heaviest
in the shortest space of time, and are ready for market in ten weeks,
weighing at that age between 8 and 10 pounds. They are very much
like the Pekin duck in this respect, and as compared with other geese
give the most satisfactory returns for the least labor and time spent in
growing them. They are, according to standard weights, as heavy as
the Toulouse and Embden, but specimens are not uncommon that exceed
Fig. 30. — Pair of White Embden geese.
these weights by several pounds. They are first-class layers and aver¬
age about 40 eggs in a season. This is considered as a low estimate for
their egg production. For table purposes they are esteemed very
highly, their flesh being fine and nicely flavored.
Description. — These geese have a large head, with a large knob, and
a heavy dewlap under the throat. These and the Chinese geese are
different from the others in the head, and are the only two breeds
that have the knob on the head. The bill of the African is rather large
and stout at the base, and their necks are long. Their backs are long
41
and flat, breasts round and moderately full, and they have large, long,
and upright bodies. The wings are large and strong, and are folded
well against the body; the thighs are short and stout, and shanks of
medium length. The knob is black and the dewlap of a gray color,
while the plumage of the neck is light gray with a dark stripe running
from the head to the body. The back is dark gray, the plumage of
the breast is gray, and the underpart of body is light gray. The
wings and tail are dark gray, and the thighs are light gray. The eyes
are hazel or brown; bill, black; shanks, toes, and web are of dark-
orange color.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult gander is 20 pounds;
Fig. 31. — Pair of Gray African geese.
adult goose, 18 pounds; young gander, 10 pounds, and young goose,
14 pounds.
BROWN AND WHITE CHINESE GEESE.
•
History. — The smallest of the breeds of geese are the Chinese, averag¬
ing in weight from 6 to 7 pounds lighter than those previously named.
Apparently their want of size lias prevented them from becoming
favorites with those who raise large numbers annually, but with
those who keep a limited number they are found to be very practical.
What they lack in size they gain in egg production, being the most
prolific of all breeds of geese, averaging from 50 to 00 eggs a year.
In size, aptitude to fatten, and ease of management they appear in no
respect inferior to other geese, while the quality of flesh is decidedly
superior.
42
Description. — They are exceedingly graceful in appearance, quite
hardy, and the young mature early. There are two varieties of Chinese
geese — the Brown (fig. 32) and the White. They have large heads, with
large knob at base of a medium-length bill, and long, gracefully arched
necks. The backs are medium in length, and the breast is round and
full; body of medium size, round and plump; wings, large and strong;
thighs, short and stout, and shanks of medium length.
The color of head of the Brown Chinese geese is brown; knob dark
brown or black; neck light brown or grayish brown, with a dark stripe
Fig. 32. — Pair of Brown Chinese geese (young).
from the head down to the body. The body is dark brown, breast
grayish brown, and the under parts are a shade lighter in color. The
wings and tail are brown, and the thighs are grayish brown. The eyes
are hazel or brown; bill dark brown or black; and shanks, toes, and
webs are a dusky orange color.
The color of plumage of the White Chinese geese is pure white
throughout, perfectly free from feathers of any other color. The knob
and bill are orange color, as are also the shanks, toes, and web. The
eyes are a deep leaden blue.
43
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult gander is 14 pounds;
adult goose, 12 pounds; young gander, 10 pounds, and young goose,
8 pounds.
GRAY WILD GEESE.
History. — Gray Wild geese (fig. 33) are among the best known of
domestic geese, and are very generally bred throughout the entire
country. They are among the most valuable and practical birds for
goose raising, and are prized very highly for table purposes, besides
being good layers, hardy, and easy to rear.
Description. — These geese have a rather small head, small bill, sharp
at the point, and long, slender neck, snaky in appearance. The back
is long and rather narrow, and is arched from neck to tail; breast, full
and deep, and body long and somewhat slender. The wings are long,
large, and powerful, and the
thighs are rather short. The
head of the Wild goose is
black, with a white stripe
nearly covering the side of
the face; bill, black; neck,
black; and back, dark gray.
The breast is light gray, which
grows darker as it approaches
the legs ; the plumage of the
uuderparts of the body from
the legs to the tail is white.
The wings are dark gray;
primaries dusky black, show¬
ing only a dark-gray color
when the wing is folded;
secondaries are brown, but of
a lighter shade than the pri¬
maries. The tail feathers are glossy black, and the thighs are gray.
The shanks, toes, and webs are black. The eyes are black.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult gander is 1G pounds;
adult goose, 14 pounds; young gander, 12 pounds, and young goose,
10 pounds.
COLORED EGYPTIAN GEESE.
History. — The most beautiful of the breeds of geese are the colored
Egyptians (fig. 34); they are purely ornamental, not having been bred
in this country for any other purpose than the showroom. They are
sometimes called the Nile Goose. This goose is tall and somewhat
slender, which gives it an elegance of appearance not possessed by any
other breed. It can generally be bred in confinement, but is of a most
quarrelsome nature, and the male will fight to the death other males of
the same species. The males must each be given a separate pen, and
mated with the females; it is seldom that any two males can be kept
in the same pen.
Fig. 33. — Gray wild goose.
44
Description. — These geese have a medium-sized and rather long head,
a bill of medium length, and a rather small neck. The back is narrow
and slightly arched from the neck to the tail 5 breast, round; body,
long, but somewhat small and slender. Their wings are large, and
have instead of the ordinary hard knobs horny spurs about five-eighths
of an inch long; the thighs are of medium length, and the shanks rather
long. The color of the head is black and gray; the bill is purple or
bluish red, and the eyes orange.
The neck and back are gray and black; the center of the breast is
chestnut, and the balance is gray. The upper parts of the plumage of
the body are
gray and black,
and the under
parts are a pale
yellow, pen¬
ciled with
black. The
shoulders of
the wings are
white, with a
narrow black
stripe or bar.
The tail feath¬
ers are glossy
black; thighs,
pale buff;
shanks, toes,
and webs, red-
d i s h yellow.
Fig. 34. — Pair of Colored Egyptian geese. The e^eS are
orange.
Weight. — The standard weight of the adult gander is 15 pounds; adult
goose, 12 pounds; young gander, 12 pounds, and young goose, 9 pounds.
MANAGEMENT OF GEESE.
Goose raising is not so extensively engaged in as duck raising, the
conditions under which they can be successfully raised being almost
entirely different from those necessary for successful duck raising.
The duck, being smaller, can be raised in a more limited space than can
the goose, the latter needing free range and water, while the former
has been proved to do equally as well without water.
While the goose can not profitably be raised in as large numbers as
the duck, still it can not justly be termed unprofitable. There are
many places on a farm that are worthless for cultivation that could be
utilized with excellent results for goose raising. Fields that have
streams, branches, or unused springs on them could be turned to good
advantage by making them into goose pastures. Many farmers are
45
profiting by this and adding to their incomes annually. The care and
attention necessary for raising geese are very small when compared
with the returns, and the cost of food is also proportionately small in
comparison with the cost of food used for other birds bred for market.
A goose on range will gather the largest portion of its food, consisting
of grasses, insects, and other animal and vegetable matter to be found
in the fields and brooks.
The simplest kinds of houses are used for shelter; these should be
built after the plans of those given for ducks, but should be proportion¬
ately of larger size to accommodate comfortably the number of birds
to be kept. Geese are long-lived birds, some having been known to
attain the age of 40 years, while birds of 15 and 20 years of age are
not uncommon. They retain their laying and hatching qualities through
life. Ganders should not be kept for breeding after 3 years of age;
young ganders are more active and insure greater fertility of the eggs
than old ones do; besides, ganders become more quarrelsome as age
advances.
. t
The feathers of geese are an important source of revenue and find a
ready sale in the markets. A goose will average about 1 pound of
feathers a year. The feathers should be plucked when there is no blood
in the ends of the quills; this can be readily ascertained, as they will
then leave the flesh without hard pulling. Almost all breeds of geese
are good sitters and attentive mothers, and if left to themselves will
make their nests, much as when wild, and hatch a large percentage of
their eggs. But hens are now more frequently used for hatching goose
eggs; as by taking the eggs from the goose when laid and giving them
to hens to hatch, the goose will lay a greater number of eggs than if
she were permitted to sit.
All breeds of geese, except perhaps the Egyptian, are to be recom¬
mended to farmers who keep a limited number in addition to other
poultry and allow them the freedom of the farm, but when goose rais¬
ing is to be more extensively engaged in, the African goose is to be
especially commended. It is the quickest to mature, most prolific, and
the easiest to handle of any of the varieties.
MATING AND SETTING.
A
In breeding African geese, mate two geese to one gander, and it will
be still better if pairs are used to secure better fertility of the eggs.
Those who contemplate raising geese should secure their stock in the
fall, so that the birds may become accustomed to the place before the
breeding season begins. The breeding stock should be at least 2 years
old, and fully matured birds. When stock is purchased in the fall
they should be turned out in a pasture, and no other food than what
they gather themselves will be needed until the grass goes down.
Their rations should then consist of equal parts by measure, bran,
middlings, and corn meal, with 5 per cent of this bulk of beef scraps.
46
They should he given a light feed of this ration in the morning, and at
night they should he fed cracked corn.
Fig. 35. — Wild and African cross.
Ten per cent of the hulk
of the daily ration
should he greeii
foods, steamed clo¬
ver, and cooked veg¬
etables.
The breeding sea¬
son begins about
February 1, though
some geese will begin
laying as early as
December, then stop,,
and begin again the
first ot February.
They make their own
nests from the straw
and litter on the floor
of their houses, and
will lay from 12 to
20 eggs before be¬
coming broody. As soon as the goose shows an inclination to sit,
remove her and place her in a dark box or small coop, and keep her
there for two or
three days with
water for drink, but
no food. Then she
may be placed back
in the yards and
she will begin an¬
other laying of
eggs. The first and
second layings of
eggs should be set
under hens. After
the goose lays the
second laying she
should be confined
again, when she
will lay a third lay¬
ing. When shehas
laid the third lay¬
ing she should be
permitted to sit on
them, instead of
giving them to hens. A goose will lay from 10 to 15 eggs in each of
the second and third layings.
47
It is recommended that after the eggs have been sat upon for twenty-
five days, that they be taken from the nest and placed for about one
minute in water heated to a temperature of 104°. Thirty days are
required for incubation. After the eggs have hatched leave the hen
and goslings in the nest for twenty-four hours; after the young have
become thoroughly dry remove hen and brood and pen them in a large,
roomy coop for four or five days. When the goslings have reached this
age — four or five days — they are perfectly able to take care of them¬
selves. The hen should then be taken from the goslings, which should
be allowed freedom to roam at will, but they should always be cooped
up at night.
FEEDING AND DRESSING FOR MARKET.
The first feed for goslings is grass, fed on sod; a small allowance of
corn meal, slightly moistened, is also given them. Sand and charcoal
are sometimes mixed with the corn meal. They are fed on the above
food three times a day for a couple of days, when they are given a ration
composed of equal
parts by measure,
bran, middlings,
and steamed cut
clover or cooked
vegetables. This
feed is giveu them
morning, noon, and
night, until they
are 8 weeks old,
when they are pen¬
ned to be fattened
for market at 10
weeks old.
To fatten young geese, place them in a pen, not too large, so that they
will not exercise too much, and feed three times a day all they will eat
up clean of the following: Corn meal mixed to a dry crumbly state,
and beef scraps amounting to 20 per cent of the bulk of the corn meal.
While fattening young geese they should be kept as quiet as possible;
no excitement whatever should disturb them. When feeding approach
them quietly, and do not irritate them in the least or they will not fatten,
but will u throw out” or grow another crop of feathers. At 10 weeks
of age, or when the tips of the wings reach the tail, they are ready for
market and should weigh between 8 and 10 pounds.
When young goslings are to be dressed for market they are killed by
cutting them in the roof of the mouth, severing the artery, or by stun¬
ning them by hitting them a sharp, quick blow on the head. The
picker uses a box in front of him about the height of the knees, hold¬
ing the bird with the left hand and clasping the feet and wings together;
h© places the head of the bird against the box and holds it in place
Fig. 37. — Embden and African cross.
48
with the knee. Pick the feathers from the body of the bird, then
dampen the right hand and brush the body to remove the down. Leave
about 2 inches of feathers on the neck, and also leave feathers on the
wings at the first joint. Lay the wings against the body of the birds
and tie a string around to hold in position. 1 lace the birds, when
picked, in cold water for an hour or so to plump them; if they are in
the water too long they are liable to bleach and become water-soaked.
They are then iced up in barrels already to ship to market.
Young geese should be marketed in October. It is best to market all
possible before cold weather sets in. It is much harder to dress a gos¬
ling in cold weather. The feathers set tighter, and in picking them
the flesh is torn.
CROSS BREEDING.
The most satisfactory results are to be had by breeding pure stand¬
ard-bred stock without crossing. But to those who are partial to
crosses the following are considered the best to make: (1) Wild gander
on African goose (fig. 35); (2) Embden gander on Toulouse goose (fig.
36); (3) Embden gander on African goose (fig. 37), and (4) Embden
gander on White China goose. These crosses will give good growth
and the young birds will dress well for market. Crosses should only
be made for market purposes, and should always be bred from original
stock.
FARMERS’ BULLETINS.
These bulletins are sent free of charge to any address upon application to the
Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Only the following are available:
No. 15. — Some Destructive Potato Diseases : What They Are and How to Prevent Them. No. 16. —
Leguminous Plants for Green Manuring and for Feeding. No. 18. — Forage Plants for the South.
No. 19. — Important Insecticides : Directions for their Preparation and Use. No. 21 _ Barnyard
Manure. No. 22. — Feeding Farm Animals. No. 23. — Foods: Nutritive Value and Cost. No. 24. —
Hog Cholera and Swine Plague. No. 25. — Peanuts : Culture and Uses. No. 26.— Sweet Potatoes : Cul¬
ture and Uses. No. 27. — Flax for Seed and Fiber. No. 28. — Weeds ; and How to Kill Them. No. 29. —
Souring of Milk and Other Changes in Milk Products. No. 30. — Grape Diseases on the Pacific Coast.
No. 31.— Alfalfa, or Lucern. No. 32. — Silos and Silage. No. 33.— Peach Growing for Market. No.
34. — Meats: Composition and Cooking. No. 35.— Potato Culture. No. 36. — Cotton Seed and Its
Products. No. 37. — Katir Corn: Characteristics, Culture, and Uses. No. 38.— Spraying for Fruit
Diseases. No. 39. — Onion Culture. No. 40. — Farm Drainage. No. 41.— Fowls: Care and Feeding.
No. 42. — Facts About Milk. No. 43.— Sewage Disposal on the Farm. No. 44. — Commercial Fertilizers.
No. 45. — Some Insects Injurious to Stored Grain. No. 46.— Irrigation in Humid Climates. No. 47. —
Insects Affecting the Cotton Plant. No. 48. — The Manuring of Cotton. No. 49. — Sheep Feeding.
No. 50. — Sorghum as a Forage Crop. No. 51. — Standard Varieties of Chickens. No. 52. — The Sugar
Beet. No. 53. — How to Grow Mushrooms. No. 54. — Some Common Birds in Their Kelation to Agri¬
culture. No. 55. — The Dairy Herd: Its Formation and Management. No. 56. — Experiment Station
Work — I. No. 57. — Butter Making on the Farm. No. 58. — The Soy Bean as a Forage Crop. No. 59. —
Bee Keeping. No. 60. — Methods of Curing Tobacco. No. 61. — Asparagus Culture. No. 62. — .Mar¬
keting Farm Produce. No. 63. — Care of Milk on the Farm. No. 64. — Ducks and Geese. No. 65. —
Experiment Station Work — II. No. 66. — Meadows and Pastures. No. 67. — Forestry for Farmers.
No. 68. — The Black Pot of the Cabbage. No. 69. — Experiment Station Work — III. No. 70. — The
Principal Insect Enemies of the Grape. No. 71. — Some Essentials of Beef Production. No. 72.—
Cattle Kanges of the Southwest. No. 73. — Experiment Station Work— IV. No. 74. — Milk as Food.
No. 75. — The Grain Smuts. No. 76.— Tomato Growing. No. 77. — The Liming of Soils. No. 78. —
Experiment Station Work — V. No. 79.— Experiment Station Work — VI. No. 80. — The Peach Twig-
borer — an Important Enemy of Stone Fruits. No. 81. — Corn Culture in the South. No. 82.^— The
Culture of Tobacco. No. 83. — Tobacco Soils. No. 84. — Experiment Station Work — VII. No. 85. —
Fish as Food. No. 86. — Thirty Poisonous Plants. No. 87. — Experiment Station Work — VIII. No.
88. — Alkali Lands. No. 89. — Cowpeas.
o
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