andpoint, is one of the
minor branches of the poultry industry. According to the 1920 census
there were 2,817,624 ducks in the United States with a valuation of
$3,373,966. As compared with this the census for 1910 shows a slightly
greater number of ducks, 2,906,525, but their value was considerably
less being only $1,567,164. In the ten years between the census of 1900
and that of 1910 there was a decrease in the number of ducks of nearly
40%.
According to the 1920 census the more important duck raising states
arranged in their order of importance were Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania,
New York, Missouri, Minnesota, Tennessee, Ohio, South Dakota, Indiana,
Nebraska and Kentucky. The number reported for Iowa was 235,249 and for
Kentucky 99,577. New England, the North Atlantic, the East North
Central, the West North Central, the Mountain and the Pacific states
showed an increase, while the South Atlantic, East South Central and
West South Central states showed a decrease. In spite of the existence
of quite a number of large commercial duck farms, the great bulk of
ducks produced are those which come from the general farms where only
small flocks are kept. Yet only a small proportion of farms have ducks
on them. The comparatively small number of ducks is distributed over
practically the entire United States, being more common in some sections
than others, particularly along the Atlantic Coast and along the Pacific
Coast, with fairly numerous flocks on the farms of the Middle West.
_Different Types of Duck Raising._ The conditions under which ducks are
kept and the purpose for which they are kept fall under four heads:
First, commercial duck raising for the production of duck meat; second,
duck raising as a by-product of the general farm; third, duck raising
for egg production; fourth, duck breeding for pleasure, exhibition or
the sale of breeding stock.
_Opportunities for Duck Raising._ Undoubtedly the greatest opportunity
for profitable duck growing lies under the first of these heads, namely,
commercial duck raising. Where the conditions of climate, soil and land
are favorable and where the location is good with respect to market
there exists an excellent opportunity for one skilled in duck growing to
engage in that business in an intensive manner for the purpose of
putting on the market spring or green ducklings. Where these are in
demand they bring a good price and since the output per farm is large
they pay a good return even with a small margin of profit