THE DUCK AS A LAYER.

Otaki Mail, 7 September 1923, Page 3

THE DUCK AS A LAYER.

-351) EGGS IN 365 DAYS. ;13.V J. N. Leigh, The "Daily Mail’" Poultry Expen.) During the last lew years a wonderlui expansion 'ltas taken place in the keeping of ducks solely lor egg production, and there is every indication it will expand siiil further and ultimately become an important industry. Previously ducks had been bred arid kept ohieiiy, if not entirely, on account of tlieir value a s table birds but with the advent of the Indian H turner Duck, which is practically valueless as a table bird, but a prolific layer, the great natural egg laying powers oi ducks negan to be recognised. There existed, however, considerable prejudice in toe minds ol tbe public against ducks' eggs for edible purposes—first on account of tile unattractive green colour oi the shells, and, secondly, because ol the somewhat strong flavour of a large 1 proportion ol the eggs.

j WHITE *tiEELS. i As tile nesuii of selective breeding in successive generations lroiii ducks producing wbue shelled eggs the gi-een coloured egg lias bceii praeti--1 caily eliminated irom those strains which have been worked upon in that way. As regards the strong flavour usso-

. cuuod with uucks' vgtSo, that was uudoubtediy due to the toods they ate. Formerly ducks obtained much oi their xood trout dirty aud evil-smell-ing ponds and ditches, aud as a. result- their eggs were affected and became strong aud unpleasantly flavoured. .Now that_ attiention is being given to the matter, and the egg-laying d licks are kept, on grass lona or in orcharding and not- allowed access to any objectionable places, and properly led m other respects, their eggs are as delicate in flavour us those laid by hens. Consequently the prejudice which formerly existed is rapidly disappearing and many people actually prefer 1 them to liens’" eggsWhat has, however, given the greatest impetus to duck-keeping lor egg production are tile wonderlul records made in the recent laying tests carried out in England and elsewhereSpecialist breeders who are responsible lor the development of fecundity in fowls have quickly recognised the possibilities in ducks and have turned their attention 10 the further improvement of their naufal egg-laying powers, and there is every reason to all- . ticipute still further advances will re- { suit Horn, their efforts. I Already ducks have put up records far in advance oi those attained by I fowls, and in the recent laying lest t promoted g>.v the National Utility j Poultry Society, and carried out at . the London and North-Eastern Hallway Cu.'s farm at Bentley,, Suffolk, ' some remarkable records were made. , During the it weeks' run ol the test the 265 ducks engaged laid 16,1 Vt I eggs—an average ol 176 eggs per bird. 1 This compares with an average of 156 , eggs per bird attained in the lien test j carried out alongside. I in order to further demonstrate [ their laying capabilities, one duck out i of each of the competing pens lias re- I inained under test for the full twelve j months, and the results are most striking. ; The average over the whole Hock reached the high figure ol 244 eggs I per duck, and one, -a fawn and white Indian Runner, laid 350 eggs in the 365 days. Fecundity is hit .rely a matter of strain, and" anything approaching these figures can only he obtained from birds in which that character has been highly developed. Apart from their productive powers, du»ks offer special economic advantages in that they need very inexpen- . sive housing—indeed, in a sheltered position they do equally well without j house or shelter of any kind. They are also wonderlul foragers, and given free range over suitable grass land or orcharding they will find a very large proportion of the food they require.