Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. DUCKS, GEESE, TURKEYS, GUINEA-FOWL, PHEASANTS. PROFIT IN DUCKS--VARIETIES--BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT--FATTENING AND MARKETING--BREEDING GEESE--GENERAL MANAGEMENT--TURKEYS ON THE FARM--MATING AND BREEDING--HATCHING AND REARING--FEEDING FOR MARKET--GUINEA-FOWLS FOR PROFIT--CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THEY PAY--VARIETIES AND TREATMENT--PHEASANT REARING, AT LIBERTY AND IN CONFINE-MENT--HOW TO GET FERTILE EGGS--SUGGESTIONS FOR HATCHING AND REARING--FEEDING IN COVERTS--PHEASANT AILMENTS. Having thus dealt with the general management of fowls, we will now give a little attention to the other domesticated birds which are cultivated side by side with them. Before doing so we should like to emphasize the importance of not attempting too much. Turkeys, and ducks, and geese, and guineafowl ought not to be kept mixed up with poultry. They must be kept apart, as one variety interferes with the others, and the old-fashioned plan of keeping two or three hundred birds of different kinds all mixed up together will have to be abandoned, and modern and more practical methods be studied, if the pursuit is to be profitable. Therefore, let no one attempt to keep anything else than fowls unless he has plenty of room. Probably the question of profit will enter into the consideration of everyone who thinks of going in for ducks. There can be no doubt that there is PROFIT IN DUCKS. Some people go in for duck rearing for the sake of the eggs, others employ incubators to hatch out ducklings, which they sell as soon as they come out; whilst a third section aims at fattening for the market; and yet again there are people who keep ducks for exhibition purposes (although this latter object is generally added on to the previous one, for it would not pay to keep...
