Page:Ducks- and how to make them pay (IA cu31924003102971).pdf/68

54 plenty of them. There is, no doubt, something in this, but they should always have plenty of ventilation above them. Where one breeds many young ducklings, it is well to have good-sized houses, so that the ducklings can be divided off into separate lots in each house, according to their size. The partitions should be movable, and the easiest way is to drop them into sockets, that is, nail a piece of small quartering to the boards or wall and drop the partitions in, as they have to be removed every time the ducklings are let out to feed and water. When the houses have been made specially for the purpose, then partitions should be made similar to stalls in a stable, so that the ducklings can be parted off, but the partitions need not be more than eighteen inches high. However the building may be constructed, in the cold weather it is well to pad it round with wheat or barley straw; this will keep them very warm. I do not like artificial heat, unless it is a severe frost, and there are some early young ducklings; then the paraffin oil stoves are the best things to use. But these are not required unless it is a very severe frost. I do not recommend ducklings to be kept quite as thick as our duck-breeders usually keep them, especially when the weather gets warm. I think a house twelve feet square is much better for 130 ducklings than 250. In all cases they should have plenty of ventilation, and the duck-houses should be arranged so that there is a place to allow the young ones to come out to feed and water. They should only be allowed to feed and water in their sleeping places the first week or ten days. It is well to have an open