A DUCK FARM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 569, 26 July 1909, Page 9

A DUCK FARM.

AN INTERESTING REPORT. (By Telcgraph.-Spcciai Correspondent) . Christohurch, July 23, An interesting report lias been prepared! by Mr. Moan, office: in charge of HheCnTistchurch branch of tho Tourist Department, for tho Hon. T. Mackenzie, doalmg with a ; ■ small and little-known industry vyhicli seome to tiuivo remarkably well in this district. Wlion Mr. Mackenzie was in Oiristdnircli last week Mr. Ell, M.P., lold liwi of an experiment m rearing dopks for market. Mr. Mackenzie, toho controls tho Government PoultTj Department, was eo impressed with what ho heard iitxt he instructed Mr. Moon to make inquiries and tbo report is \ tho result. Mr. E. H Burloy is tho pro- * praetor of this successful duck farm, which is established at Avonhead. Ho relinquished a position in a commercial firm in order to i start the industry. Ho was induced to do this by studying the production of ducks Jor tho market in England and l»ho United Statee. Avwnhcad farm Ikis an area of 35 acres. He is putteng 25 aqres in. crops—in. eluding greon feed, mangels, swedes, pota« toos, peas, and beans—as food for ducke. , The runs for liho brooding birds are wire- * netting enclosures 40 yards by 8 yards, each accommodating tlhirty birds. Tlio pens aro provided with ponds in Oho and puro drinking water is found m a special posed. To each pen thoro is a lwuso 10ft. by 7ft. Ho o&nsvdors it absolutely necessary tfiat tho birds Should bo able to gel under cover in inoloment weather. The adult birds aro fad , ovory morning at 8 o'clock, st midday, and in tho ovening, tho morning meal berng a hot one. Tho eggs aro gathered cadi morn- " ing and taken to an underground collar, where they arc stored, but tho qnicker ihey oan bo got into an incubator the strongw aro tlto ducklings and the better is IJie hatcli. Tho exporio.nco gained in uho lixeo' years hoe dhown Mr. Burksy that notHsmg but tho best plant and a fair amount of capital will bring tJio,indiwbryto a snecessful issue financially. For his first tb-reo years' work he had nothing but 'heart-break-ing failures, and Uio outlook Boomed to bo nun. Towards tiro dooo of tho third year,, howovor, ho perfeoted on incubating system of his own for application to dnck ogge. , Hβ can now hatch from 80 to 90 per cent, of the fortaJo oggs, according to'uho season. The gronor must havo Jargo quantities of breeders, large incubaibor capacity, and bis broodor-hb-uso acoommodation. E\>ery good i 1 breeder is 1 ntnili £1 to a man in Uho bosanoss, and tho thousand breeders which ha has on hand at present aro a varnablo eesofc to him.' On a duck farm from 5000 to' 10,000 , ducklings must bo raised yearly. T&oso who grow for, table purposes mest Wo Pekin, Aylosbury, and tho hotHTor broods. Mr. BurIcy believes ttiat no man should tihsnk i fchab ho oonld mako a snocess of duck raising without some oxporionco and study. From correspondence he hns received from diffcrenifc merchants he is sntjsnod that he could place 250,000 prime birds a year. One Dmiodin firm alono is prepared to tako 60,000 a year. Pracibioallv ho depended upon tJio export trado, although ho is constanUy receiving inquiries from tiw local market. Critics told him that tho prices obtainable for export would not pay. H« is quite satisfied the prices, and ho is certain that when_tho., Dominion is able to export primo ducklings to outside markots, so that bujore com place roliatico on the quality and tho regularity of tiro supplies, ilihe pneo wfl inaroaso whale tho demand will becomo greater. '