Page:Ducks- and how to make them pay (IA cu31924003102971).pdf/54

40 The reason why I take them When ducklings are hatched by hens, some duck rearers say it is best to let them remain under the hens from 12 to 18 hours after they are hatched, unless one or two happen to come out considerably earlier than the others; these should be removed. Perhaps I break away from the general rule here. Some people leave them with the hen, but I always take them away and place them in a box, and cover them well over with cotton wool, which I warm well through first, then I wrap the box up in a piece of flannel and put it near the fire, taking care that it is not near enough to get very hot. The reason why I take them away is, so that the hen shall not step upon any of them and kill them. They often do this when the young ones are just hatched out, because frequently the hen gets restless. In some cases I have known her to be frightened at them after they come out of the shell, but this is very rare. When hatched by an incubator I leave them in the drying box from 15 to 20 hours after they are hatched, then they become quite strong, Where one has an incubator, and the ducklings have been hatched by hens, it is best to remove the young ones from the hens into the drying-box of the incubator. If this is done it saves many of the ducklings from being killed by the hen stepping on them and crushing them in the nest directly they are hatched; as this will often happen when they are not seen to. Of course it all depends upon circumstances. Many people, when they have a brood of young ducklings hatch out, become very anxious about feeding them as soon as they can stand upon their legs. This is quite unnecessary,