Metzer Catalog 2005 - Metzer Farms | Goose, Duck, & Game

26000 OLD STAGE ROAD, GONZALES, CALIFORNIA 939261-800-424-7755 • FAX 1-831-679-2711

blog: http://blog.metzerfarms.com • website: www.metzerfarms.com

2013FOR HOBBYISTS, FEED STORES AND

COMMERCIAL GROWERS

DUCKS, GEESE, GUINEAS, WILD TURKEYS,RINGNECK PHEASANTS, BOOKS!

Metzer Farms, Inc. • 26000 Old Stage Road • Gonzales, CA 939262

Traveling CatalogAs you can see from the front page, our catalog has traveled the

world! Send us your picture and we will post it on our website. If youare 18 or younger, you can also win a gift certificate for up to $150.Complete rules and all pictures are posted on our website atwww.metzerfarms.com/CatalogTravels.cfm You can also win a giftcertificate by just taking a picture at your local fair or a picture at youroverseas base if you are a member of our Armed Services.

Osiris Healy

Front page: Ducklings from left to right: Rouen, Blue Swedish, Pekin, Fawn & WhiteRunner. Contest winners clockwise from bottom: Mark Harnetiaux, Parker and LaurenSmith, Joanne and Ashley Quatrale, Art Guiling, Annabell, Daniel and Michael Jon Wade,Adrianna and Brennan Waters, Haven Healy, Michael Allingham, Mike Meloche.

GroGelThe greatest

needs of newlyhatched birds arewater, carbohy-drates and pro-tein. GroGel hasbeen specially formulated to meet theseneeds. After mixing, it has the consistency ofgreen, chopped up jello. It is put in plastictroughs in the shipping box with your birdsto eat during their trip. Though it is not anecessity, it starts them eating sooner, pro-vides them moisture for the trip and aidstheir immune and gastrointestinal systems –all before they arrive! GroGel is also anexcellent insurance in case there are anydelays during shipping.

1-6 $.75 7-24 $.45 25+ $.30

Which Breed Do I Choose?This may be a difficult question as we

have so many different breeds! We have atable on our website that compares the char-acteristics and attributes of all our breeds inover twelve different ways. Just go to ourwebsite and click on Ducklings or Goslingsand then Breed Comparisons for help indeciding.

Find the Duck ContestHave some fun! Find the on our

website and you are entered in our monthlydrawing for a $40 gift certificate. Go to ourwebsite at www.metzerfarms.com/FindTheDuck.cfm to see how to play. Each month itis put in a new location!

Get the Sexes You Want For YourDucklings and Goslings.

If you want specific sexes for yourducklings and goslings, we can do it for only$1.75 per bird! We can send any sexes youwant for the ducklings. For the goslingsthere are some restrictions - see page 15 formore details. All sexed birds are markedwith colored, masking tape on their legs foreasy identification. This tape can beremoved at any time.

We Can ShipAs Few As Two Ducklings!

We can ship you as few as two ducklingsand/or goslings! We insert a heat pack in theshipping box that will supply extra heat forup to sixty hours, use a special box andinsert a foam liner on the bottom of the boxfor extra insulation. By doing this losses areextremely rare during shipping. The heatpack only costs $12 and our minimumcharge for birds is $38. Contact us if youhave any questions.

DUCK MEAT PRODUCTION

PRICE* 1-59 60-119 120-299 300-749 750-1199 1200-1999 2000+ Grimaud Hybrid Pekin $4.85 $3.40 $2.90 $2.07 $1.89 $1.76 $1.69Duclair $6.00 $4.85 $3.70

3

Metzer Farms emphasizes the breedingand hatching of quality Pekin ducklings forour customers that grow Pekin ducks formeat production. We hatch every Mondaythroughout the year for these customers.Whether you need 100 or 4000, we shouldbe able to meet your needs.

The main strain we use is the GrimaudHybrid, a large, fast growing Pekin duck.We have tried a variety of Pekin strains inthe past and con tinue trying new strains of

Pekin duck, butthe GrimaudHy brid is thebest to date. Allbreeding stockis imported fromGrimaud Freres,an inter nationalpoultry breed-ing company inFrance.

Grimaud Hybrid ducklings are purePekin ducks. They are listed as hybrid as amale from a high meat production Pekinstrain is crossed with a female from a highegg production Pekin strain to produce thehybrid ducklings we sell you.

We will send you a Commercial DuckManage ment Guide with your first orderof 120 or more ducklings – just ask for itwhen you place your order.

Standard Production Performanceof our Grimaud Hybrid

Age at slaughter, days 49Live weight, lbs. 8.2Eviscerated weight, lbs. 5.7Feed conversion 2.35Mortality, % 2.5Breast filet, % 21.2Skin & fat in carcass, % 30.2

Phone 1-800-424-7755 • Website www.metzerfarms.com

Duclair:In association with Stonechurch Farms in upstate

New York, we have developed our own strain ofDuclair duck - a French Heritage breed of duck orig-inally grown in Normandy, France. The Duclairs areused by some of the most discerning chefs becauseof its complex, rich, and earthy-yet-elegant flavor.Most of the meat in the Duclair is concentrated in alarge breast. The Duclair resembles no other duck onthe market. It eats more like red meat, not poultry.The Duclair is smaller than a Pekin or Muscovy - werecommend they be grown to twelve weeks of agewhen they will be about 5-5.5 pounds liveweight. Our first birds were colored but over timewe selected them to be pure white to ensure a more beautiful carcass after processing. We arethe only breeders in North America with these Duclair. If you have an interest in growing themcommercially, contact Stonechurch Farms at 845-658-3243. Quantities are limited.

Pasture Grown DucksWe have experienced a tremendous growth in cus-

tomers purchasing our Grimaud Hybrid ducklingsfrom us on a regular basis to grow for their localrestaurants, meat markets and CSA's (CommunitySupported Agriculture). Some buy on a weekly basisand others every two or three weeks. Quantities varyfrom 30 to 3500. Many of them grow their ducks onpasture for as much of the year as possible. In thisway, the birds are out in the fresh air, their manure is spread naturally on the pasture, there isa slight increase in meat content from the exercise, it is a more natural life for the ducks andit is a production method preferred by many consumers. In addition, with the growing desireby restaurants and consumers for locally produced food, you will have a real advantage com-peting with ducks that are frozen and may travel hundreds to thousands of miles to your mar-ket. Contact us for more information on how to grow ducks profitably.

DUCKLING PRICE 1-24 25-59 60-119 120-299 AvailableRouen $5.20 $4.30 $3.65 $2.95 Feb. - Nov.Jumbo Pekin 6.30 5.30 4.70 2.95 Year roundWhite Crested 6.30 5.30 4.90 Feb. - Nov.Buff 5.40 4.45 3.80 3.05 Feb. - Nov.Blue Swedish 5.40 4.45 3.80 3.05 Feb. - Nov.Sexing - You can choose the sex and we will identify it with colored tape on their leg for$1.75/duckling. See page 15 for ordering and shipping information.

The beautiful Buff duck, also called theBuff Orpington, originated in England. It isoften considered a dual purpose breed, layinggood quantities of eggs and giving a cleanappearing carcass because of their light col-ored feathers. They are the inner two ducksshown in the picture above.

The Blue Swedish duck is similar in sizeto a Rouen and is also very hardy and calm.All the ducklings we send are the blue/graycolor. As with all blue poultry, however, theirprogeny will hatch in blues, blacks andsilvers.

The White Crested duck is a beautiful,unique breed with its tuft of feathers on thetop of their head. The ducklings we shipwill all have good crests on them. All ourbreeders undergo the tests suggested bythe Wissenschaftlicher Geflugelhof Institutein Germany to ensure complete geneticintegrity.

Rouen ducks were originally bred inFrance and retain the coloring of our nativeMallard. They are second to only Pekins andMuscovy in size and are said to have veryflavorful meat. They are moderate layers withmany of their eggs being greenish in color.

Jumbo Pekin This is our largest Pekinduck. It should be the biggest Pekin in the showcompared to similar aged birds. Males are 11-13+ lbs. and females 10-12 lbs. by 18 weeks.

All ducklings shipped the Easter weeks of March 18 and 25 are $7.45 each.


DUCKLINGS

“I just wanted to send you a big thank you for the beautiful ducks and wonderfulservice you provide. I know I will purchase from you again in the future.”

– Michelle from Norfolk, NE

Phone 1-800-424-7755 • Website www.metzerfarms.com 5

DUCKLINGS

The black Cayuga breed is thought to havebeen developed from ducks in the region ofLake Cayuga in New York. It is a hardy andquiet breed. Initially this breed has a deepgreen, iridescent shine but as they age, theygrow more white feathers (just as we humansgray with age!). Many of their eggs’ shells aregreenish or blackish in color.

The Pekin is by far the most commonbreed of duck in North America. TheAFLAC duck and those cute, yellow duck-lings you think of at Easter are Pekins. Theywere introduced into the United States fromChina in the 1870’s. It is the main breedused for commercial meat productionbecause of its exceptionally fast growth rateand good feed conversion. They are ex -tremely hardy and one of the calmest breeds.See page 3 for more detailed information onusing our Pekins for meat production.

The Khaki Campbell duck was devel-oped in England at the turn of the century foregg production. In small, undisturbed flocksthey are very good layers. Khaki Campbellsare excellent foragers and capable of hatch-ing their own eggs.

DUCKLING PRICE 1-24 25-59 60-119 120-299 300-599 AvailableMixed - our choice $4.15 $3.75 $3.15 $2.75 $2.05 Year roundCayuga 5.40 4.45 3.80 3.05 2.55 Feb. - Nov.Mallard 5.45 4.50 3.75 3.10 2.50 Year roundKhaki Campbell 5.25 4.30 3.65 2.95 2.40 Feb. - Nov.Pekin 4.95 4.15 3.40 2.95 2.15 Year roundSexing - You can choose the sex and we will identify it with colored tape on their leg for$1.75/duckling. See page 15 for ordering and shipping information.

The Mallard is the breed from which alldomestic ducks, except the Muscovy,originate. They can fly extremely well andcan consistently hatch and raise a brood ofducklings. They are prized because of theirdelicate flavor. For orders of 600-999,duckling are $2.25. For 1000 or more, theyare $2.00. If 4000+ are purchased in aseason, they are $1.85.


“I just picked up ten Khaki Campbellducklings form the post office and amnow sharing them with my fourth gradeclass. They are all healthy, beautiful,and climbing on top of each other.Thank you all for taking great care inhatching and shipping them safely.”

– Joseph from San Diego, CA


DUCKLINGS

GOLDEN 300 HYBRID/WHITE LAYER KHAKI CAMPBELL

Egg Production – In 40 Weeks of Lay 230 195In 52 Weeks of Lay 290 240

Egg Weight 82 grams, 2.9 oz. 76 grams, 2.7 oz.Fertility, Candling at 10 Days 93% 90%Mortality During Lay 3% 4%Pounds Feed/Duck/Day During Lay .40 .36Temperament calm excitableAge at 5% Production 22 weeks 20 weeks Number of Females for one Male 5.75 6.0Weight of Female at 23 Weeks 2.25 kg, 5.0 lbs 1.89 kg, 4.15 lbs

DUCKLING PRICE 1-24 25-59 60-119 120+Welsh Harlequin $6.00 $5.20Black Swedish 5.40 4.45 3.80 $3.05Golden 300 Hybrid 5.55 4.70 4.30 3.70White Layer 5.65 4.80 4.40 3.80The following only applies to the Golden 300 Hybrid and White Layer breeds:1) If 60-119 females are purchased, there will be a $1.75 sexing charge per female but thereis no charge for an equal number of males. 2) If 120 or more females are purchased, therewill be no charge for an equal number of males or for any sexing.

Golden 300 Hybrid & White Layer DucksThe Golden 300 Hybrid and White Layer are two strains of

ducks we have bred for high egg production. Since we sell about10,000 eggs per week for eating, we need efficient, quality egg pro-ducers for both the fresh and balut (partially incubated duck egg)market. As you can see from the chart, these strains lay more andlarger eggs than the Khaki Campbell. They are also calmer andmore consistent from flock to flock in their production.

The Golden 300 Hybrid ducks we send you can be sexed at anyage by their color. The males are shades of black and the femalesare shades of brown. The picture is not representative of all birdsas the males are sometimes all black or resemble Rouen males.Sometimes the females are dark brown or have white on them. Theydo not retain this sex-linked characteristic in future generations,however. Both sexes of the White Layer are white. Therefore,they must be vent sexed like other ducks and geese.


The Welsh Harlequin is a handsome birdand an excellent multipurpose breed as theyare good egg producers and they make a verynice appearing meat carcass as their under-feathers are white. They were developed in1949 in England and came to the USA in1968. We have found them to be the calmestduck breed we have.

The Black Swedish is very similar to theBlue Swedish in terms of their size and har-diness. Unlike the Blue Swedish, however,the Black Swedish will breed true gener -ation after generation. All Swedish duckswere developed in the Pomerania region ofEurope – which is now northwest Poland andnortheast Germany.


The unique aspect of Runner ducks is theirslender, upright stance. This enables them tomove around much more quickly than mostother breeds of ducks. They originally camefrom Southeast Asia where they are used foregg production and herded among rice fieldseating snails, insects and waste grain. Theyhave a strong herding instinct.

DUCKLINGS, FEED & EQUIPMENT

Happy Hen Treats

Watch your ducks dance and peck in afrenzy for these 100% natural whole-driedmealworms. Feed it straight from your hand,scatter it on the ground or put it in their feed-er as a treat. Dried mealworms offer ducksthe taste they love without the inconvenienceof storing and handling live mealworms. The3.5 oz. resealable bag contains about 3250mealworms and the large, resealable 10 oz.jug contains over 10,000 dried mealworms!Not only are they a special treat for yourducks, but they are also nutritious with over56% protein and 27% fat.

3.5 oz. package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.99Six 3.5 oz. packages (one case) . . . . $31.9510 oz. jug. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.99Six 10 oz. jugs (one case) . . . . . . . . . $81.95

Waterfowl Starter FeedFor those of you that havedifficulty finding water -fowl start er feed locally, weoffer small bags of thesame feed we use for ourducklings and goslings. A

duckling will eat about .5 pounds the firstweek and a gosling about .8 lbs.

2 lbs. $3.70 5 lbs. $6.00 10 lbs. $10.75

Starter Kit This kit has allthe equipment you need tostart your young birds:Poult Vitamin pack, onegallon waterer, babyfeeder, brooder lamp and

bulb, thermometer and 15 feet of cardboardbrooder guard (to contain your birds andprevent drafts). All you need to supply is thebedding (shavings or straw), the birds andfeed. Good for up to 40 ducklings/turkeys or20 geese. $49.95

Fawn & White Runners

Black Runners

Blue Runner

Chocolate Runners

DUCKLING PRICE 1-24 25-59 60-119 120+Fawn & White Runner $5.65 $4.80 $4.40 $3.85Black, Blue & Chocolate 5.95 5.10 4.55

1-14 15-29 30+Assorted Runners 5.40 4.65 4.10



GOSLINGS

The White and Brown Chinese geeseoriginate from China and are related toAfrican geese. They are the smallest of thecommon domestic geese and are oftenreferred to as “Swan Geese” because of theircarriage, grace and ancestry. They are themost talkative of our goose breeds. Thoughall geese love grass, many people prefer usingthe Chinese for weeding purposes because oftheir small size and active nature.

The Embden is the exclusive goosebreed grown commercially for meat in NorthAmerica due to its large size, white feather-ing and rapid growth. Most agree that theywere originally developed in Germany withsubsequent breeding in England.

The African goose is descended from thewild Chinese Swan Goose of China. The onlyexplanation for the name African is that it wascustomary in earlier times to give newlyintroduced breeds of poultry exotic names.The African goose is intermediate in sizebetween the Super African and BrownChinese.

The Toulouse was originally bred inFrance and is one of the most common andpopular barnyard geese. They are beautiful,prolific and can be grown for meat, too.

The Pilgrim goose was developed in theearly 1900’s in Iowa. It is one of the fewAmerican bred geese and is very calm. Aunique characteristic of the Pilgrim goose isthat its sex can be determined from its feath-er color. The males are white with touchesof gray on them. The females look muchlike a Toulouse though their color is lighterand they often have white faces.

“Thank you so much for the two won-derful African goslings we purchasedfrom you. They arrived healthy andhappy and are such a delight each day.”

– Kimberly from Ann Arbor, MI


GOSLINGS

We offer the Maxima strain of Canadagoose which weighs 9-13 pounds. Manycustomers have told us it is the best pet theyhave ever had - very calm, curious andfriendly. A free permit is supplied but if yousell or give away Canada geese a breeder’slicense must be obtained from the US Fishand Wildlife Service. We cannot sex theCanada goslings and the minimum order issix. They are shipped by Express Mail whichcosts $35.00 for six goslings. Shipping isfrom early May through mid June. If inter-ested, phone us and put your name on ourwaiting list as we always sell out of theCanada geese.

GOSLING PRICE 1-15 16-63 64-299 300+Mixed - Our choice $7.95 $7.45 $6.90 $5.85White Chinese 9.85 8.20 7.10 6.10Embden 10.40 8.80 7.55 6.40African 10.10 8.45 7.40 6.30Toulouse 10.65 9.10 7.50Brown Chinese* 11.15 9.95 8.35French Toulouse 10.95 9.30 7.30Buff* 15.15 12.55 11.10Roman Tufted* 15.15 12.55 11.10Pilgrim* 19.55 17.17 15.50Tufted Buff* 15.15 12.55 11.10Super African* 22.25 16.35Canada 41.95Sebastopol* 59.95

*Fancy Goose Package - Our choice of breeds from those breeds marked with an asterisk.Minimum of 3 breeds for 8-15, four breeds for the 16+.4 to 15 – $12.55 each 16 or more – $10.65 each

Available - Geese available from March or April through June or July.Sexing - Sexing is $1.75 per gosling and we will identify it with colored tape on its leg.See page 15 for sexing limitations plus ordering and shipping information.

The Tufted Buff geese originate from theAmerican Buff geese. Their unique character-istic is a tuft of feathers on the top of theirhead much like the Tufted Roman goose. Thisis a very hardy and unique breed of goose.

“Got my 8 Tufted Buff goslings and 10Buff ducklings on Wednesday. They allmade it to Illinois in fine shape andare doing great. I was so pleased athow healthy and lively they were aftertheir trip.”

– Rachel from Blandsville, IL

“I have never ordered any live waterfowl before so I entered the process ratherreluctantly. My first call to your company quickly allayed all my fears and youpatiently answered all my questions. Your customer service is exemplary.”

– Catherine from Blue Ridge, GA


GOSLINGS

The Roman Tufted is a smaller whitegoose weighing between 10 and 12 poundswith a small tuft of feathers on its head. It isa very friendly, prolific and noble goose.

A flock of Sebastopol geese is a fasci-nating sight as no other waterfowl have theircurly, twisted feathers. They appear to haveoriginated in Southeastern Europe and arevery quiet and amiable. We have the largestbreeding flock of Sebastopols in NorthAmerica - over 250 geese.

The Buff is one of only two breeds of geesedeveloped in the United States. It is a veryfriendly and prolific goose that has a reputationfor being very calm.

The Super African is an impressive,regal breed of goose. They are large with awell developed dewlap. In fact, they areprobably the first breed of geese to havebeen selected for dewlaps.

We imported the French Toulouse formeat purposes. They are not an exhibitionToulouse as some have extra white featherson them, but they are especially hardy, growquickly with a minimum of care, are verycalm, very fertile and lay the most eggs ofany goose breed we have. Not many peoplehave a Toulouse goose directly from France!

“We are happy to find a company thatwould let us order just two; in the pastwe have not gotten geese because we didnot want more than two and after seeinghow vigorous these two are you will haveall our waterfowl business!”

– Kimberly from Ann Arbor, MI

“My three darling ducklings arrivedtoday – healthy, active and just so cute.I want to thank you so much not onlyfor your service but for the quality ofthese healthy babies. I couldn’t be morepleased.” – Linda from McCleary, WA

GAME BIRDS & DUCK HATCHING EGGS

Chinese Ringneck Pheasants are beau-tiful birds for hunting or just to see aroundyour property. They are very hardy andstrong flyers if released at 10-14 weeks ofage in the wild. Their meat is delicious andfound in the finest restaurants. These areshipped on Wednesdays and cannot bemixed with any other waterfowl or gamebirds for shipping. Call us for quotes forquantities over 360.

Our Wild Turkeys are the Eastern strain.Since they are very hardy and excellent flyersthey are making a major comeback throughoutthe United States. They are handsome, statelybirds to raise. Wild Turkeys are not as large asdomestic turkeys but will still make a verymemorable, historical Thanks giving meal.

PRICE PER BIRD AVAILABLE

Ringneck Pheasants 30 @ $3.15 60 @ $2.70 120 @ $2.35 May 15 to June 26Pearl Guineas 20 @ $4.35 40 @ $3.40 80 @ $3.10 February 25 to July 1Wild Turkeys 10 @ $11.95 20 @ $9.90 40 @ $9.40 April 22 to June 15All the game birds are sold straight run and cannot be sexed. Wild turkeys should be orderedin multiples of 10 (10, 20, 30, etc.), Guineas in multiples of 20 and Pheasants in multiplesof 30s. Before placing your order, you should check with the regulatory agency that over-sees wildlife management in your state for any requirements they may have.

Hatching duck eggsis an excellent projectfor those wanting toexperience the entirerearing process. Duckhatching eggs are avail-able most of the yearand are half the price ofthe ducklings. Theminimum purchase is$27 plus packaging andpostage. We guarantee fertility of at least80% but cannot guarantee hatchability asthat is entirely dependent on your incuba-tor. Custom made foam packaging is usedfor shipping. Please visit our website forincubation instructions and pictures of thehatching process.

Guineas originate from Africa and areexcellent foragers. After starting, they growand thrive on bugs (they love ticks), insectsand weed seeds. Guineas are also greatwatch dogs as they call out at the approach ofany strangers. Not only will they alert you ofvisiting humans but any type of dogs or pred-ators. Their meat is all dark and highly prizedby many restaurants. All our Guinea eggs arefrom breeding stock imported from GrimaudFreres of France and are certified diseasefree. They have been bred for excellentgrowth rate, 4.1 lbs. in 70 days, and feed con-version. These will be hatched every twoweeks starting February 25. Contact us forpricing for quantities over 240.


“Just like last year, 100% of the eggsyou sent were fertile. I’m thrilled everyBlue Runner hatched, and 7 out of 10Golden 300’s. I witnessed some veryrough handling but your excellent wayof packaging saved them all.”

– Leslie from Oklahoma City, OK


GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

Prior to their arrival:You need to pre-

pare a place forthem that providesthe protection andwarmth they need.Usually this is in abarn, out-buildingor garage. It is best to clean and disinfect thepen prior to using it. Initially baby ducklingsneed about 1/3 square foot per bird. Start with2 inches of wood shavings or straw for bed-ding. Place the water in the pen a day inadvance so it is not too cold for them initially.For the first several days you can add our PoultVitamin pack or sugar (1/2 cup sugar: 1 qt.water) to the water. If you cannot get a water-fowl starter feed, use a game bird or chickenstarter of at least 20% protein. Turn the heat onthe day before you expect them so the beddingis warm for their arrival. One heat lamp canhandle about 40 ducklings or 20 goslings. Thelamp is normally hung about 18" from the bed-ding where it should be 90-95 degrees. Thereshould be some type of solid wall or partitionaround them to prevent drafts. Make suredogs, cats and rats are kept out.

They have arrived!Normally the post office phones when your

birds arrive and asks you to pick them up.When you get them home, it is very importantyou dip the beak of each bird in the water toensure they get their first drink. Make surethey tip their head back to drink. If they havehad a rough journey and seem weak, you mayneed to check them every 30-60 minutes to givethem another drink. If you do have a few thatare weaker than the others, it is best to separatethem until they regain their strength. Make surethey can’t get in the water and get chilled.

The best way to judge the comfort of thebirds is to watch them. If they are huddledunder the lamp, they need more heat. If theyare all bedded down away from the lamp, the

lamp is too low or it is too warm in the room.They should be spread throughout the pen withsome eating, some drinking, some sleeping andsome playing.

As they grow....Poultry (and especially waterfowl) grow

very fast. Make sure you enlarge their pen asthey grow and add clean bedding as necessary.Typically it is better to add clean bedding ontop of the old than to clean it out every day.

Usually the temperature can be droppedabout 5 degrees a week and turned off after 2-3 weeks. As they grow and add weight you canallow them to venture outdoors for brief peri-ods during the day.Once they are fullyfeathered they canstay outside all thetime (7-9 weeks)though they shouldstill have some shelterfrom the sun andheavy rains.

Ducklings and goslings can be introducedto swimming water as early as one week of agebut you must be careful. They must be able towalk in and out of the water very easily. Thewater should not be too cold and they must beable to find their heat lamp for rewarmingwithout difficulty. Do not allow them tobecome soaked and chilled!

Waterfowl can also be very messy withtheir water. For them it is best to make a wireplatform on which the waterer sits. For babiesit can be 1/2" hardware cloth and for adults itcan be 1" welded wire nailed on to wood crosspieces. This can be placed over a pan for thebabies or over a pit for adults. The platformshould be large enough to extend at least 6"out from the edge of the waterer for the babiesand 30" for adults. With this plat form, anyspilled water goes through the wire and out ofreach. They cannot track it back to the beddingor make a mud puddle with it.

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS Waterfowl Game BirdsSee our website for Starter Grower Developer Breeder Starter Grower Finisher Breedermore details 0-2 wks. 3-8 wks. 9-20 wks. 1-4 wks. 5-8 wks. 9-17 wks.

Crude Protein % 20.00 16.00 13.00 16.00 28.00 24.00 18.00 15.00Energy Kcal/kg 2750 2750 2625 2750 2800 2800 2400 2800Linoleic Acid % 1.00 .90 .70 1.10 1.07 1.04 1.34 1.26Avail. Phosphorous % .45 .40 .30 .40 .55 .50 .45 .40Calcium % 1.00 .90 .80 2.60 1.00 .85 .60 2.50Niacin ppm 60.00 60.00 60.00 60.00 33.00 33.00 33.00 33.00

MINIMUM SPACE REQUIREMENTSSquare feet/bird 1-3 weeks 4-8 weeks 9-17 weeks Breeders

Pheasant .2 1.5 4.0 20.00Duck 1.0 3.0 3.5 4.0Turkey, Geese 1.5 4.5 6.0 9.0


BOOKS

BOOK POSTAGE First Book Each AdditionalBook Rate (1-2 weeks) $3.25 +$1.00Priority (2-4 days) $5.35 +$1.35

Raising Ducks $18.95A recently revised, highly recommendedbook on selecting breeds, behavior, incuba-tion, raising, sexing, butchering, health,etc. It has many fine pictures and drawings.316 pages.

The Book of Geese $17.95An extremely comprehensive book ex clu -sively on geese by a lifelong waterfowlenthusiast and successful exhibitor. It willanswer 99% of your goose questions – thestandard of goose books. 209 pages.

The Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook $34.99All the things you need to know before andafter bringing home your feathered friend.Excellent health section. Proceeds benefitthe Majestic Waterfowl Rescue. 222 pages.

DUCK! There’s a Goosein the House! $29.95An absolute must have book for anyonewanting to keep a duck or goose as a housepet. It has wonderful stories and describestheir intelligence and tenderness.251 pages.

Youth’s Guide to Worldof Waterfowl $15.25An excellent beginner’s work book, idealfor 4H members and their leaders. Strongsections on exhibiting and showmanship.59 pages.

Choosing and KeepingDucks and Geese $15.95A beginner’s guide to breeds, care andhusbandry. A color picture on every page!208 pages.

Poultry House Construction $22.95A do-it-yourself guide to building poultryhouses and related equipment, over 70pages of detailed drawings. 92 pages.

Domestic Geese $29.95This English book has very good informa-tion on management and breeding and alsogoes into detail on the origin and develop-ment of goose breeds - along with manybeautiful color pictures. 192 pages.

The Domestic Duck $29.95This book from England includes agreat section on the origin and evolutionof the many breeds followed by wonder-ful color pictures - an excellent allaround book. 192 pages.

Poultry and Waterfowl Problems $19.95This book covers all poultry and waterfowldiseases and outlines signs, cause, preven-tion and treatment. Injuries, parasites,paralysis, angel wing and other problemsof waterfowl are covered. 96 pages.

Gardening With Guineas $16.75An excellent down home, practical bookon guineas. It covers everything you needto know about guineas for a home flock.131 pages.

A Guide to Better Hatching $10.45It discusses formation, structure and fer-tility of the egg. How to check fertility bycandling, troubleshooting advice and 10Commandments for Successful Hatching.100 pages.

Nutrition and Managementof Ducks $17.95An excellent book for the commercialduck grower. Some is on management butthe majority is on the nutritional needs ofbreeding and growing ducks. 177 pages.

Wing Disorders in Waterfowl $7.95Causes, prevention and treating wing dis-orders in waterfowl, including angel wing.35 pages.

Modern Vermin Control $18.75This book gives practical advice on fenc-ing and trapping foxes, weasels, rats, owls,etc. to protect your poultry. Pictures showthe predators, their tracks and trap sets.56 pages.

The New Duck Handbook $19.95A superb book written by a veterinarianand director of the Zoological Garden ofBerlin, Germany. Valuable information onboth domestic and ornamental (wild) ducksand their care. 96 pages, 34 color pictures.

The Ultimate Pet GooseGuidebook $34.99Very similar to the book above, but exclu-sively on geese and their unique attributesand needs. Proceeds benefit the MajesticWaterfowl Rescue. 242 pages.

Domestic Duck Production $109.95This book is written for commercial duckmeat and egg producers. It covers housingsystems, ventilation, flooring, nutrition,temperatures, lighting, weight control inbreeders, fertility and more. 239 pages.

SHIP TO (if different from SOLD TO)

Name ________________________________________

Address ______________________________________

City ____________________State ____ Zip

REQUESTED SHIPPING DATE

Please indicate the Monday (for waterfowl, turkeys orguineas) or Wednesday (for pheasants) you would likeus to ship your order. We will contact you if we cannotship on this date.

____________________________________

If that date is not available, please indicate your secondchoice:

____________________________________


ORDER FORM

26000 OLD STAGE ROADGONZALES, CA 93926831-679-2355 • 800-424-7755FAX 831-679-2711

1) Mail this completed order form to us.2) Fax this order form to us at 831-679-27113) Phone 800-424-77554) Use the shopping cart on our website at

www.metzerfarms.com5) Contact us by e-mail at [email protected]

SOLD TO

Name ________________________________________

Address ______________________________________

City ____________________State ____ Zip________

Phone number(s) where you want to be contacted byyour post office when the birds arrive, typically in themorning

(_____) ___________________ or(_____) ___________________

DIFFERENT WAYS TO ORDER

PAYMENT METHOD

o Check or Money Order enclosed.

o Credit Card

o VISA # ________________________________

Exp. Date ________________________________

o MasterCard # ____________________________

Exp. Date ________________________________

Your Signature ________________________________

YOUR SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEEDON ALL OUR SHIPMENTS.

OUR COMMITMENT IS TO DELIVER LIVE,HEALTHY DUCKLINGS, GOSLINGS

AND GAME BIRDSIN THE QUANTITY YOU WANT

ON THE DAY YOU WANT.

THANK YOU FOR YOURORDER!!!

!

SHIPPING METHOD

o Send Priority Mail (Recommended method)

o Send Express Mail (See page 15, Methods of Shipping)

National Poultry Improvement Plan 93-248

SUPPLIES POULTRY QUANTITY PRICE TOTALBREED/PRODUCT NAME QUANTITY Straight Run Males Females EACH PRICE

Subtotal

Sexing - $1.75/bird (Page 15)

GroGel Supplement (Page 3)

Postage (Call Us)

TOTAL


ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS & SHIPPING

Minimum Order Size

There is no minimum per breed of theducks or geese that you must order. Use theseminimums for the most economical quantityto ship. If you want fewer ducklings orgoslings, please see Page 2.

Ducklings and goslings together . . . . . 10

Ducklings only . 10 Pheasants . . . . .30

Goslings only . . . 8 Turkeys . . . . . . .10

Guineas . . . . . . . 20

If You Want To Order Specific Sexes

All sexed birds are identified with coloredmasking tape on their leg. Look on the backof your invoice for the color key. The tapecan be removed at any time. The cost is $1.75per bird.

Ducks – For ducklings you can order anycombination of sexes you want.

Geese – For the White Chinese, Embden,Toulouse and African you can order up totwo more females than males but no more.The remaining breeds (marked with anasterisk in the price section) can only besold as pairs or straight run. Call if youhave a question.

Guineas, Turkeys, PheasantsSexing is not available.

Determining Postage Charges

If you phone with your order, we will tellyou your postage charges. If you order on line,the postage will be computed automatically foryou. If you want to mail your order with yourcheck, please call us at 800-424-7755 and wecan quickly determine the postage charge foryour shipment.

Methods of Shipping

All birds are sent Priority Mail unless yourequest Express Mail which provides a track-ing number, is substantially more expensivebut will probably be no faster. Express Mailadds at least $20 per shipment. All birds areshipped on Monday except pheasants whichare shipped on Wednesday. They normallyarrive the first or second day after shipping.Unless you request the GroGel supplement,they are not shipped with food or water asthey absorb their yolk immediately beforehatching and this provides the necessarynutrition for the first 60 hours.

Delivery Confirmation NumberEvery shipment will be given a Delivery

Confirmation Number once we mail it. Thisnumbering system was designed to show apackage was received. It is not designed totrack your shipment. Normally the onlytimes and location recorded are the initialmailing and the receipt by the customer.You might be able to get more informationby going to www.usps.gov or giving thenumber to your postmaster. You will needto phone us after Monday to receive yourDelivery Confirmation Number.

PaymentPayment is required in advance before an

order is accepted. This can be done withVisa, MasterCard, money order or check. Wedo not ship COD. Prices may change at anytime.

Our Satisfaction GuaranteeThis means that if you are not satisfied

with our service or products, write or phoneus and we will rectify it to your satisfaction.

What about deaths?Rarely do we have problems with mortali-

ty. If you do have any deaths, it is importantyou count the live birds as extras are oftenincluded. We never include extras in smallorders as we assume small numbers of birdsare being ordered as that is all you want. Forlarger orders, we include extras if we haveplenty of the breed you are ordering. If theextras do not cover the losses, however, youmust call us within 24 hours so we canarrange a credit or replacement. Please save

the 3”x5” blackand white, postalbar code labelfrom the box.With this we candetermine theirroute to you.

“My ducklings arrived on schedule, andwere in perfect condition. I just wantedto say thank you and that your order-ing/shipping procedures are very profi-cient. Thanks again.”

– John from Waynesboro, VA

2013FOR HOBBYIST

S, FEED ST

ORES A

ND

COMMERCIAL GROWERS H

ANDLING

WATERFOWL AND GAME BIRDS

National P

oultry Improvem

ent Plan 93-248

Metzer Farm

s, Inc.26000 O

ld Stage R

oadGonzales, C

A 93926 U

SA

Phone: 800-424-7755

Blog: http://blog.m

etzerfarms.com

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTA

GE

PAID

SAN JO

SE, C

A 95131

PERMIT NO.8888

Blow

n Duck and G

oose Eggs

We blow

and sell many of our eggs to decorators through-

out the US and overseas. For m

ore information on prices

and ordering, call us at 800-424-7755 or visit our website

at www.metzerfarm

s.com/eggs.cfm

If you would rather purchase a fully

decorated egg, we also have pictures

of eggs decorated by our customers

and their

contact inform

ation on

our website. P

lease note we do not

sell the

deco -rated eggs, onlythe clean shellsready for you todecorate.

Now you can alsovisit us on

Try egg decoratin

g as a hobby, 4H

project or class project!

Duck eggs above, G

eese eggs below

Documents

Metzer Catalog 2005 - Metzer Farms | Goose, Duck, & Game