| After six weeks, the ducks can be fed entirely on | | | | have the whole flock dying due to protein deficiency. |
| locally produced feed--sweet potatoes, taro, banana, | | | | Protein deficiency will result in: (1) Poor growth--the |
| pumpkin, choko, etc. Anything good for people is | | | | duck will never be heavy enough to eat, (2) no |
| good for ducks. The food must be cooked. To know | | | | feathers--the duck will be cold, sick and will die, (3) no |
| how much feed to give to the ducks, follow this | | | | eggs--the duck will never lay eggs. |
| simple rule: If the ducks eat everything within half an | | | | The best way to look after ducks after six weeks is |
| hour and nothing is left, they are still hungry. Cook | | | | to keep them overnight in the house and let the |
| more next time. If after half an hour, the ducks start | | | | ducks out at about 8 o'clock in the morning. They will |
| to wander away from the feed, and some of it is still | | | | be hungry and active and look for insects and grass. |
| left, they have had enough. | | | | Before sunset, feed the ducks. It will help if the |
| Feeding ducks locally produced feed is not enough. | | | | owner always calls his ducks in the same manner (call, |
| Every day, they must be able to graze. It is only in | | | | bell, etc.). They will come quickly by themselves and |
| grazing that ducks will get the protein necessary for | | | | will not need to be rounded up. Lock the duck for |
| their growth. These proteins will mainly be insects and | | | | the night. Put water in the house. |
| grass seeds that are not found on bare ground or in | | | | At four months, the ducks will have reached their |
| short grass. Even a very big fence will not give | | | | biggest weight. Under village conditions, it will be |
| enough grazing landbecause as soon as all the grass is | | | | about 2.0 kg for the drakes and 1.2 kg for the ducks. |
| finished, the ground will be laid bare and hard by | | | | They should then be eaten or sold as after that their |
| grazing and trampling of the duck feet. There must | | | | meat will become quite tough. Do not keep a small |
| be no fence around a duck house. A fenced-in | | | | duck in the hope that it will grow fatter. It is usually a |
| project is a project that will fail. It is better to have a | | | | waste of time and feed. |
| few ducks lost to dogs or other predators than to | | | | |