be centrally located so as to save labor as much as possible in
feeding the ducks.
_Land Required._ For a duck plant of the size indicated 10 acres of land
should be ample. This, however, means that no effort would be made to
grow any of the feed for the ducks or ducklings with the exception of
green feed. In some cases where the lay of the land is unusually
favorable so that the plant can be laid out to the very best advantage,
a smaller amount of ground than this might be sufficient but it is not
well to figure on less than 10 acres.
_Number of Breeders Required._ With the usual methods of management and
with good success, one may estimate that 40 young ducks can be marketed
each year from each breeding female. This is a good average although in
some good years duck raisers will do a little better than this. On the
other hand in poor years they will not do so well. For a plant having an
output of 30,000 market ducks there would therefore be needed in the
neighborhood of 800 breeding ducks in addition to 100 drakes.
_Housing Required for Breeders._ In figuring on the amount of housing
required for this number of breeding ducks, it is necessary to figure on
2-1/2 to 3 square feet of floor space per bird, 3 square feet being better
than 2-1/2. This would require a housing space 20 feet deep by 120 feet
long. However ducks are not usually housed in one building of this size,
and in fact it is better not to do so since the smaller the flock of
breeders kept together the better they will do. In no case should a duck
raiser run more than 400 ducks in a flock and it is very much better to
run them in pens of 100 each. In fact, some breeders do not place more
than 25 to 50 breeding ducks in a pen.
_Incubator Capacity._ Incubators are used exclusively for hatching the
eggs. At the present time in practically all cases some form of hot
water mammoth incubator is utilized for this purpose. An investment is
required both in incubators and in a cellar in which to operate them. In
figuring on the incubator capacity necessary to take care of a
proposition of this size, it is necessary to base the estimate on the
number of eggs produced during the season of flush production. The duck
raiser figures on incubating all eggs suitable for the purpose rather
than to sell any of them for other purposes as there is a greater profit
in rearing and marketing the ducklings. For that reason he must have
incubator capacity enough to take care of all the eggs laid at any time
of t