water to swim in although some
raisers prefer to have it and it is commonly allowed where readily
available. On the dry land farms provision is made simply for a
continuous supply of fresh drinking water for the fattening ducklings.
Ducklings kept out of the water, do not take as much exercise and, in
consequence, fatten a little more readily.

Making a Start in Duck Farming
Duck farms or plants are sometimes operated on a considerable scale at
the beginning, the plans being carefully laid by some experienced duck
man. In these cases, operations at the start may be of sufficient
magnitude so that the output will amount to 15,000 or 20,000 ducklings
in a year. In most cases, however, these places have been the result of
a more gradual growth from a small beginning, a condition made necessary
either by the inexperience of the grower or by lack of capital. Not
infrequently men engaged in other forms of farming but possessing a
suitable location will keep 200 or 300 breeding ducks and from this
gradually build up a good sized duck plant.
_Equipment, Capital, etc. Required._ The estimates given as to the
amount of equipment and capital required are based on the assumption
that a plant is to be operated of sufficient size to have a yearly
output of about 30,000 ducklings. It must be understood in this
connection that location and various other conditions or circumstances
will influence the cost of different items of equipment and for this
reason these estimates must not be considered as absolute but should
rather serve as a guide or basis on which to figure. The figures here
given contemplate the building up of an establishment which is efficient
but which is in no particular elaborate, the buildings and other
equipment being as simple and inexpensive as possible.
_Lay-out or Arrangement of the Plant._ The plant must be carefully
planned so as to make the best possible use of the land and particularly
of the water frontage. It is particularly important to arrange the
buildings in such a manner as to cut down labor as much as possible. If
there is any expectation of enlarging the capacity at some future time,
this must also be borne in mind in the arrangement of the various
buildings and yards. The incubator cellar should be convenient to the
No. 1 brooder house and the various brooder houses to one another. The
brooder house must likewise be convenient to the growing and fattening
houses and yards and these in turn to the killing house. The feed room
should