slots
made of cleats nailed to the pen partitions at different distances from
the hover and which serve to confine the baby ducklings close to the
hover for the first few days or until they learn to go under the hover
to get warm.
As additional ducklings are hatched later and brought to the brooder
house, the ducklings already there are moved along the necessary number
of pens in order to accommodate the new-comers in the pens nearest the
heater. For this purpose, a small door is made in each partition next
the outside wall of the house through which the ducklings can be driven.
A broom is a handy implement to use in driving the ducklings as they can
be pushed along in front of it. It is best to drive the ducklings just
after they have been fed as they are not so nervous and afraid at that
time.
The increased width of the pens in the second and third portions of the
house is for the purpose of taking care of the growth of the ducklings
as they are moved along the house. Pens of the same width as those in
which they were started become too crowded as the ducklings increase in
size.
_Equipment of the Pen._ The equipment of the pens is quite simple. Water
is piped through the house along both walls so that it is available to
each pen. A spigot is provided in each pen and under this is placed the
drinking dish, which consists of a round metal pan about a foot in
diameter and 3 or 4 inches deep. A square pan should never be used as
the ducklings are apt to get their bills caught in the corners. One
quarter inch mesh wire netting is bent in a circle and placed in the
drinking dish as a guard to keep the ducklings from getting into the
pan. This guard should be made of such size that there is a space
between the wire and the edge of the dish of about 1-1/2 inches all around.
This guard should be about 8 inches high. The water pan itself is set
upon a wire covered frame about 18 inches square under which is dug a
pit 4 or 5 inches deep to drain away any water which the ducklings slop
out of the pan. Such an arrangement keeps the pens from becoming sloppy
and damp.
Each pen must also have a flat metal dish on which to place the feed for
the little ducks. Metal pans are better than wooden feeding trays as
they are easier to keep clean.
In each pen is provided a small hopper filled with fine sharp creek sand
to which the ducklings have access at all times. Some duck growers
prefer to mix the sand in the feed rather than to provide it in hoppers.
After the duckli