Transcriber Note
Text emphasis is dentoed as _Italic_ and =Bold=.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 64.
DUCKS AND GEESE:
STANDARD BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
BY
GEORGE E. HOWARD,
_Secretary of National Poultry and Pigeon Association_.
[Illustration]
WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1897.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
U. S. Department of Agriculture,
Bureau of Animal Industry,
_Washington, D. 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 management. 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 author has received generous assistance in treating of the
practical details from James Rankin, A. J. Hallock, George H. Pollard,
and others who are largely engaged an the raising of water fowls for
market.
Respectfully,
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
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, 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 1.--White Pekin duck.]
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 valuable
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
imported from China in the early seventies, and has steadily grown in
popularity since its introduction into this country.
[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Group of White Pekin ducks.]
=Description.=--The Pekin duck has a distinct type of its own, and
differs 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
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 in 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 Pekins. Other ducks are judged for practical
qualities by the Pekin. Fig. 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 inclosure. 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 plumage
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
popular 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
Buckinghamshire, 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
formed; the 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Group of White Aylesbury ducks.]
The soft white plumage is one of the chief attractions of the Aylesbury
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
exhibition 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.
Raisers 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 the cottagers
maintain, each of them, a set of ducks, about 4 ducks to a drake.
These they keep in any outbuilding 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 whole 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
separated 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 considered 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, and these are easily covered by
a large hen. Hens are set either in fish pads, small hampers, or,
in what we have found most serviceable, 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 intrusion 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.
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.
In 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 "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
considered 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
disposition, 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 4.--Trio of Colored Rouen ducks.]
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 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 lines 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 and sides being a beautiful gray, which grows lighter near
the vent, ending in solid black just beneath the tail. The wings are
short and 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 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 Rouen 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; 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; 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,
penciled 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 light-brown color,
distinctly marked with pencilings of 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 Rouen drake and duck, clothed in plumage attractive and
pleasing to the eye, are as much fanciers' 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
raising 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 "Big Black duck," and
again the "Lake duck," 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 in the poultry yard,
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.
[Illustration: Fig. 5.--Pair of Black Cayuga ducks.]
=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
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
raising 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
dressing it for market than is generally given to the dressing of the
white-plumage birds, and the 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 90 eggs in the spring, and sometimes they also lay again
in the autumn. They are easily kept in good condition, but if fed
too liberally 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, 6 pounds.
COLORED AND WHITE MUSCOVY DUCKS.
=History.=--Muscovy ducks (fig. 6) form a distinct genus, having
several peculiarities 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 disposition 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 "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.
[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Pair of White Muscovy ducks.]
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
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
lustrous blue black, which is sometimes broken with white; the color
of the 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 colored 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Pair of 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 indeed 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" or
with the wild Mallard. This latter cross is considered excellent, 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
round and full, and body short, round, and compact, with medium-sized
wings; 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 stripes 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 primaries
are brown. The tail feathers are of a light-brown color, with distinct,
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.=--No standard weight is given for Call ducks.
BLACK 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.
=Description.=--The East Indian duck is hardy, and would, if carefully
bred from the largest and best specimens, grow to a fairly good size,
and be profitable to keep. In weight they seldom grow larger than 2
to 2½, pounds each. The close inbreeding to which they have been
subjected 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
confinement; 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 common 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 coverts 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 plumage
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.
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 an
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 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Pair of Crested White ducks.]
=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, 6 pounds, and young duck, 5 pounds.
MANAGEMENT OF DUCKS.
Duck raising has 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 saying that he was obliged to visit the city markets personally and
tease the dealers to purchase his birds, in order to secure anything
like satisfactory prices.
Artificial incubation and brooding, combined with judicious feeding,
have been instrumental in the development of the industry. Machinery
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
raising 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 numbers 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 output. 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 knowledge 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 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 between "upland" and "water"
ducks is that the latter are of prettier and cleaner plumage than the
former.
[Illustration: Fig. 9.--Plans for a duck plant.]
STARTING A PLANT.
A duck plant should be located on a line of railroad in direct
communication with the city markets, and not too far from the station.
Almost any location will do for the plant, and worn-out land, that
can be had cheap, will do as well as the richer and more fertile land
costing several 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 reduces 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
conveniently to the brooder and growing houses and the breeding pens.
The task of feeding the growing stock four times a day and the breeding
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 general idea of the convenience of each building to the others.
Illustration of this will be seen in fig. 9. When laying out a plant,
make provisions 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 10.--House for breeding ducks.]
Houses for ducks are single affairs. They are built plain and
comfortable, and have no furnishings whatever. A duck is differently
constituted 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 inducing ailments. The feathers of a duck are
almost impenetrable and will withstand 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 6 inches
with 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 covered 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 comfortable quarters in which to "warm up," or "dry out."
The building shown in fig. 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 11.--Nests for ducks.]
[Illustration: Fig. 12.--Nest of 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 excellent breeding houses for the farmer to keep ducks in.
An inclosure 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 arrangement
of wire runs in the water. This is an admirable plan for farmers who
have running water on their farms.
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 system
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.
[Illustration: 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 location 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
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, _C_,
shows cover. The heater is located at the end of building.
[Illustration: Fig. 14.--House for breeding ducks.]
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.
[Illustration: Fig. 15.--House for breeding and growing ducks.]
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 growing house. The young ducklings, when taken from
the nest or incubator, are very delicate 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 important part of
their work, and after a bird has passed the "critical age" they may be
counted on for the market.
[Illustration: Fig. 16.--House for breeding ducks, showing water runs.]
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.
[Illustration: Fig. 17.--Single brooder houses and ground plan.]