h of time that
the ducklings require heat after this depends upon the season and the
weather. Even in fairly cool weather they do not need any heat after
they are 5 or 6 weeks old.
It is necessary to keep the brooders clean and in order to do this they
must be cleaned out frequently and new litter supplied. While the
ducklings are small the brooders should be cleaned at least every other
day and as they get larger, cleaning once a week with the addition of
fresh litter between times will be sufficient.
_Feeding the Ducklings._ Ducklings do not need to be fed until they are
from 24 to 36 hours old. At this time they may be given a mixture
composed of equal parts by measure of rolled oats and bread crumbs with
3% of sharp sand mixed in the feed. This may be given them five times
daily although some duck raisers feed only 3 times daily from the
start. About the third day this feed is changed to equal parts of bread,
rolled oats, bran and corn meal. After the seventh day the ration may
consist of 3 parts bran, 1 part each of low-grade wheat flour and corn
meal, 10% green feed, 5% beef scrap with about 3% of sand mixed in.
The ducklings should be fed four times daily after the seventh day until
they are two or three weeks old. After that time they need be fed only
three times daily, morning, noon and night. The sand may be given to the
ducklings either by mixing it in the mash or by feeding it in a hopper
where they can help themselves. The mash feed which is prepared for the
ducklings is mixed with water until it has a consistency a little wetter
than crumbly but not exactly sticky. Sloppy feed should never be used.
As the ducklings grow older the amount of beef scrap can be increased
until it consists of 15% of the ration by the end of the third week. The
proportion of corn meal can likewise be increased and simultaneously the
amount of bran decreased until the ducklings are on a fattening ration.
Unless they have a plentiful supply of green feed in the yards to which
they have access it is necessary to provide this to the extent of about
10% of the feed and it should consist of tender green stuff rather
finely chopped and mixed in with the mash.
About 2 weeks before the ducklings are to be marketed they should be put
on a ration consisting of three parts by weight of corn meal, two parts
low-grade flour or middlings, one part bran, one-half part beef scrap,
10% green feed and about 3% oyster shell or sand. This mash is fed three
times daily. Another rati