ose proximity to them. I have tried
lighter hens of several breeds, and I find that they break as many eggs,
and trample on as many young ducklings as the Buffs, whereas taking them
all round, they are not so easy to handle, do not sit so steadily, and
have nothing like the wonderful brooding capacity of the Buffs.

Many people put all their wild ducks' eggs under hens, and do not allow
the ducks themselves to sit. I think this is a mistake, as nature gives
to ducks far greater powers to hatch their own eggs than she gives to
hens. The daily bath, already alluded to, and the mass of warm soft
feathers, greatly assist in generating heat, and in preventing the eggs
from getting chilled.

The old duck treads more lightly when going on to her nest, and
certainly breaks far fewer eggs than the hen does. On the other hand,
ducks are not such good "brooders" as hens, and are far more likely to
get dirty when kept under coops, however often you may change the
ground, owing to the fact that they do not get to the water for the
daily bath which is essential to them; and if you leave a bath for them
in the coop, the young ducklings will be sure to get to it and probably
contract cramp.

Another strong point in favour of hens is the fact that when you have a
large number of cletches of ducks in the wired run the hens do not kill
them when they make a mistake and go to the wrong coop, whereas ducks
frequently do. If, therefore, a considerable number of broody hens are
available, the best plan is to let the ducks sit on the eggs until they
are "spretched" (cracked), and then transfer them to hens which have
been sitting for some time. This, however, is a cruel business at best.

The plan I always adopt is to note down carefully the day on which a
duck should hatch, and having satisfied myself that the young ones are
dry after hatching and ready to move, I catch the old duck on the nest,
and remove her and her whole family to a coop and run.

Care of course should be taken to see the bars in front of the coop are
not sufficiently far apart to allow the duck to escape.

Ducks' eggs take from twenty-four to twenty-nine days to hatch as a
rule, though occasionally a lot of eggs that have been put down soon
after being laid will hatch in twenty-three days, if set under a good
hen. I should put twenty-six days as the usual period of incubation.

If the ducks are well and regularly fed, they should lay an average of
twenty-three eggs