Metzer Catalog 2004metzerfarms.com/Catalog2010.pdf · poultry breeding company in ... and appear...

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

email: metzinfo@metzerfarms. com • website: www.metzerfarms.com

2010FOR HOBBYISTS, FEED STORES AND

COMMERCIAL GROWERS

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

DUCK MEAT PRODUCTION

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

PRICE* 1-59 60-119 120-299 300-749 750-1199 1200-1999 2000+ Grimaud Hybrid Pekin $4.15 $2.90 $2.45 $1.80 $1.60 $1.50 $1.45

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 in

the past and con-tinue trying newstrains of Pekinduck, but theGrimaud Hybrid isthe best to date.All breeding stockis imported fromGrimaud Freres,an internationalpoultry breeding company in France.

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 DuckManagement Guide with your first orderof 120 or more ducklings – just ask for itwhen you place your order.

*All ducklings shipped the Easter weeks of March 22 and March 29 are $5.85 each.

Standard Production Performanceof our Grimaud Hybrid

Age at slaughter, days 49Live weight, lbs. 8.2Eviscerated weight, lbs. 5.7Feed conversion 2.74Mortality, % 2.5Breast filet, % 21.2

“I wanted to thank you for our beautiful new birds! They are all lively and active,and appear very healthy. We look forward to working with you in the future.”

– Rebekah from Sugar City, ID

CATALOG TRAVELSWhy do we have a picture of Marc Metzer hold-

ing a bumper sticker in North Korea? We want tosee if you can do the same thing with our catalogand we will put your picture on our website!

All we need is a digital picture of you holdingour 2010 catalog emailed to [email protected]. Along with that we also need: 1) your name, address and age2) a description of where the picture was taken.3) permission from you to put your name and

location with the picture on our website

If you are 18 or younger we will also send you a gift certificate for the following amounts.Check our website periodically as we will be offering special gift certificates for unique areaswithin the US that may be near you! A maximum of one gift certificate per person per trip.

$100 One of the many Wonders of the World. See our website for a complete list whichincludes such places as the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Panama Canal, Machu Picchu,Stonehenge, Rome’s Colesseum, Egyptian Pyramids, etc

$50 At a well known location outside the United States, Canada and Mexico $25 At a well known sight at least 250 miles from your home$10 At a local poultry show. You don’t have to be showing, just have your picture taken by

the waterfowl cages.

Front page: Rouen, Buff ducklings & Toulouse gosling; Pumpkin Patch at St. Helena HighSchool; Joey Borth of Pelican Rapids, MN; Hannah Sombeck of Bloomington, IL

WE CAN SHIP AS FEW AS TWO BIRDS!Normally our minimum quantities to ship are ten ducklings or eight goslings. However, now

we can ship as few as two! How can we do this? We insert in the shipping box a heat pack thatwill supply extra heat for up to sixty hours, tape closed many of the box holes and insert a foamliner on the bottom of the box for extra insulation. We have done this for two years with excel-lent results. The charge for this heat pack and box modifications is only $12.00

For a small order such as this, we have a minimum ordercharge of $32. So if you only get two ducklings, the chargewould be $32 plus $12.00 for the heat pack plus postage.This also means you can probably get five or six ducklingsfor the same price as just two if their total is less than $32.00.If you order eight ducklings, for example, you will be abovethe minimum order charge but you will still need a heat pack.

So if you just want to raise a few ducks or geese for pets,this is an easy way to accomplish your goal!

3Phone 1-800-424-7755 • Website www.metzerfarms.com

Last year we told you of our installation of four largeJamesway incubators and a matching hatcher. These haveperformed beyond our expectations and have allowed us tominimize price increases due to better hatching of our eggs.For more information on how these single stage incubators work, please go to our websitewhere you can read an article I wrote for the NAGA News. On the website we also have aseries of 25 pictures showing the construction of the incubators.

Speaking of our website, www.metzerfarms.com, it has been completely remodeled.Following are some of the new additions on the website:

1) Pictures of candled duck eggs for each day of incubation.

2) Sequenced pictures of eggs hatching – so you know the timing of the hatching process.

3) Tables for ducks and geese comparing the many attributes of each breed: temperament,egg production, mothering ability, size, egg production, etc. Use these tables to deter-mine which breeds are best for your needs.

4) Automatic feed mixing calculator. You tell it the protein levels of your two feeds andit will tell you how much to mix of each to reach the protein level you want.

5) A sequence of pictures showing the construction of 3 acres of netted pens for our goosebreeders. This increases our biosecurity by keeping out wild birds and predators.

6) Some wonderful stories from customers on their ducks and geese: how to disciplineobnoxious ganders, peculiar habits of geese, fun of raising a duck, etc.

Please note that we are offering Sebastopol and Large Dewlap Toulouse this year. Quantitiesare very limited on the Large Dewlap Toulouse so get your order in early.

Remember that we can identify and ship any sexes of ducklings you want. There are certainlimitations for the geese but the cost for this is only $1.45 per bird.

Thank you very much. I hope we can be of service to you in 2010!

DUCKLING PRICE* 1-24 25-59 60-119 120+ AvailableBuff $4.65 $3.85 $3.35 $2.60 Feb. - Nov.Blue Swedish 4.65 3.85 3.35 2.60 Feb. - Nov.White Crested 5.60 4.90 4.35 Feb. - Nov.Jumbo Pekin 5.60 4.90 4.35 2.95 Feb. - Nov.Indian Runners Feb. - Nov.

Fawn & White 4.95 4.55 3.80Black, Blue and 5.15 4.75 3.95

ChocolateAssorted Indian Runners1-14 $4.70 per duckling, 15-29 $4.30 per duckling, 30+ $3.55 per ducklingAssortments of 15 or more contain at least 3 breeds of RunnersSexing - You can choose the sex and we will identify it with colored, plastic leg bands$1.45/duckling. See page 15 for ordering and shipping information.

The Buff duck, also called the BuffOrpington, originated in England. It is oftenconsidered a dual purpose breed, laying goodquantities of eggs and giving a clean appear-ing carcass because of their light coloredfeathers. They are the inner two ducks shownin 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.

The unique aspect of Runner ducks istheir slender, upright stance. This enablesthem to move around much more quickly thanmost other breeds of ducks. They originallycame from Southeast Asia where they areherded among rice fields eating snails andwaste grain. Shown in the picture above is aBlack, Chocolate, Fawn & White, and BlueRunner.

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.



DUCKLINGS

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

DUCKLINGS

Rouen ducks were originally bred inFrance and retain the coloring of the nativeMallard (female and male on the left above).They are second to only Pekins and Muscovyin size and are said to have the most flavorfulmeat. They are moderate layers with many oftheir eggs being greenish in color.

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. They wereintroduced into the United States fromChina in the 1870’s. Those cute yellowducklings you think of at Easter are Pekins.It is the main breed used for commercialmeat production because of its exceptional-ly fast growth rate and good feed conver-sion. They are extremely hardy and one ofthe calmest breeds. See page 2 for moredetailed information on using our Pekins formeat 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. It is an excellentforager and capable of sitting on and hatch-ing its own eggs.

DUCKLING PRICE* 1-24 25-59 60-119 120-299 300+ AvailableMixed - our choice $3.50 $3.15 $2.60 $2.30 $1.90 Year aroundPekin 4.15 3.65 2.90 2.45 1.80 Year aroundMallard 4.70 3.90 3.30 2.65 2.10 Year aroundRouen 4.50 3.80 3.20 2.60 2.10 Feb. - Nov.Khaki Campbell 4.50 3.80 3.20 2.60 2.10 Feb. - Nov.Cayuga 4.65 3.85 3.35 2.60 2.10 Feb. - Nov.Sexing - You can choose the sex and we will identify it with colored, plastic leg bands$1.45/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 $1.85. For 1000 or more, theyare $1.65. If 4000+ are purchased in aseason, they are $1.55.



GOSLINGS & DUCKS FOR EGG PRODUCTION

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 20 weeks 22 weeks Number of Females for one Male 5.75 6.0Weight of Female at 23 Weeks 2.11 kg, 4.65 lb 1.89 kg, 4.15 lb

DUCKLING PRICE* 1-24 25-59 60-119 120-299Welsh Harlequin $5.50 $4.80Black Swedish 4.65 3.85 $3.35 $2.60Golden 300 Hybrid 4.75 4.20 3.75 3.30White Layer 4.85 4.30 3.85 3.40(1) For the White Layer and the Golden 300 Hybrid, if 60-119 females are purchased, therewill be a $1.45 sexing charge per female but there is no charge for an equal number of males.(2) For the White Layer and the Golden 300 Hybrid, if 120 or more females are purchased,there will 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 an excellentmultipurpose breed as they are good egg pro-ducers and they make a very nice appearingmeat carcass as their under-feathers arewhite. They were developed in 1949 inEngland and came to the USA in 1968. Inour small flock last year, we found them to bethe calmest duck breed on our farm.

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 generationafter generation. All Swedish ducks weredeveloped in the Pomerania region ofEurope, the coastal areas of Germany,Holland and Belgium.


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 goose breedgrown commercially for meat in NorthAmerica due to its large size, white featheringand rapid growth. Most agree that they wereoriginally developed in Germany with subse-quent 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 much likea Toulouse though their color is lighter andthey often have white faces.

“Just wanted to drop a line to share ourhappiness and appreciation again withyou. The Sebastopol geese have maturedso beautifully. Pictures do not do themjustice. They are fun to watch, beautifuland adding to the pleasure of our life.Thank you for such healthy stock.”

– Marla from Fresno, CA

GOSLINGS

We offer the Maxima strain of Canada goose whichweighs 9-13 pounds. Many customers have told us it isthe best pet they have ever had - very calm, curious andfriendly. A free permit is supplied but if you sell or giveaway Canada geese a breeder’s license must be obtainedfrom the US Fish and Wildlife Service. We cannot sexthe Canada goslings and the minimum order is six. Theyare shipped by Express Mail which costs $31.00 for sixgoslings. Shipping is from early May through mid June.If interested, phone and put your name on our waiting listas we always sell out of the Canada geese.

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.

The Buff is one of only two breeds of geesedeveloped in the United States. They are beau-tiful, have a pleasant disposition and wouldmake a very nice addition to anyone’s flock.

GOSLING PRICE 1-15 16-63 64-299 300+Mixed - Our choice $6.95 $6.75 $6.30 $5.10White Chinese 8.65 7.60 6.35 5.40Embden 9.20 8.20 6.90 5.50African 8.90 7.85 6.60 5.50Toulouse 9.45 8.50 6.70Brown Chinese* 9.95 9.25 7.75French Toulouse 9.65 8.70 6.75 5.50Buff* 14.30 11.75 10.50Roman Tufted* 14.30 11.75 10.50Pilgrim* 14.30 11.75 10.90Tufted Buff* 14.30 11.75 10.90Super African* 19.50 15.30Tufted Toulouse* 19.50Canada 41.95Sebastopol* 49.95Large Dewlap Toulouse* 59.95Fancy Goose Package - Our choice of breeds from those breeds marked with an asterisk (*).

Minimum of three breeds for the 8 package, four breeds for the 16 package.4 to 15 – $11.00 each More than 16 – $9.95 each

Available - Geese available from March or April through June or July.Sexing - Sexing is $1.45 per gosling and we will identify with colored, plastic leg

bands. 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. Weare the only commercial hatchery with theTufted Buff geese.



GOSLINGS

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 400 geese.

The Large Dewlap Toulouse is one of themost imposing breeds of geese. They take sev-eral years to fully develop and often weigh upto 30 pounds and have deep keels and a largedewlap. Despite their large size, however, theyare very calm and gentle.

We were very surprised that about 2% ofthe French Toulouse breeders we importedfrom France had tufts of feathers on the top oftheir head. These became our TuftedToulouse breeders. Now you can be the onlyone in your area with a Toulouse with a tuft!

The Super African is an impressive, regalbreed of goose. They are large with a welldeveloped dewlap. In fact, they are probablythe first breed of geese to have been selectedfor 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 and are very fertile. Not many peoplehave a Toulouse goose directly form France!

“Just letting you know that the pair of Sebastopol goslings arrived here in Hawaiiin EXCELLENT condition! They were bright eyed, alert, and talkative…and ooh,are they so adorable - even the animal quarantine office staff at the airport thoughtso! Thank you for your excellent customer service and follow through on permitpapers with the state of Hawaii, and securing a flight. Thank you, John, and toeveryone else involved with the hatching and shipping process of the goslings.Yourbusiness is #1! Mahola” – Lynne from Honolulu, HI

“I just received my ducks and geese and everything is great. They are settling in andare quite the characters already. This is my first time with geese so I can't wait tosee how they turn out. Thank you so much for the help with ordering, you made theexperience with ordering enjoyable.” Melissa from Oswego, NY

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 Thanksgiving meal.

PRICE PER BIRD AVAILABLE

Ringneck Pheasants 30 @ $2.65 60 @ $2.45 120 @ $2.00 April 29 to July 15Pearl Guineas 20 @ $3.95 40 @ $3.55 80 @ $3.20 March 8 to June 28Wild Turkeys 10 @ $10.45 20 @ $9.25 40 @ $8.95 March 29 to June 29All 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$22 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.

“Wanted to write a note of thanks for thetwo Brown Chinese goslings you sentme. Gorgeous, they are growing everyday and are so bright and alert. I amvery grateful for the high quality birdsand great service. The young geese haveexceeded my expectations, they are adelightful addition to our farm.”

– Michael in Mabank , TX

Guineas originate from Africa and areexcellent foragers. After starting, they growand thrive on bugs (they love ticks), insectsand weed seeds. Guineas are also greatwatchdogs 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 March 8. Contact us for pric-ing for quantities over 240.



FEED & EQUIPMENT

GroGelThe greatest needs of newly hatched birds

are water, carbohydrates and protein. GroGelhas been 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 birds toeat during their trip. Though it is not a neces-sity, it starts them eating sooner, providesthem moisture for the trip and aids theirimmune and gastrointestinal systems – allbefore they arrive! This is an excellentinvestment as it starts your babies off rightand is an excellent insurance in case there areany delays en route.

1-6 $.65 7-24 $.45 25+ $.30

Happy Hen TreatsWatch your ducks dance and peck in a

frenzy 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.tub contains over 10,000 dried mealworms!Not only are they a special treat for yourducks, but they are also nutritious with over49% protein and 27% fat.

3.5 oz package 10 oz. tub$12.99 $35.99

Six 3.5 oz. packages Six 10 oz tubs(One case) (One case)

$69.95 $194.95

Waterfowl Starter FeedFor those of you that havedifficulty finding water-fowl starter feed locally,we offer small bags ofthe same feed that hasbeen specially formu-lated for our ducks and

geese. A duckling will eat about .5 pounds thefirst week and a gosling about .8 pounds.

2 lbs. $3.50 5 lbs. $5.75 10 lbs. $10.25

Starter Kit This kit has all the equipmentyou need to start your young birds: PoultVitamin pack, one gallon waterer, babyfeeder, brooder lamp and bulb, thermometerand 15 feet of cardboard brooder guard (tocontain your birds and prevent drafts). Allyou need to supply is the bedding (shavingsor straw), the birds and feed. Good for up to40 ducklings/turkeys or 20 geese. $52.95

“I picked up my birds and they were allvery well! The pair of Sebastopol geesehave been the center of all theconversations with friends and family.Can't wait for them to grow up! Thankyou so much for another wonderfulhatch! Looking forward to many yearsof your birds.”

– Andrea from BC, Canada

Farmer’s Special A great combination offour geese and eight ducks of at least fourdifferent breeds for someone wanting aninexpensive multi-breed flock. $56.85.

BOOKS


BOOK POSTAGE First Book Each AdditionalBook Rate (1-2 weeks) $3.00 +$.95Priority (2-4 days) $4.95 +$1.05

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 $18.95An extremely comprehensive book exclu-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 $14.95A beginner’s guide to breeds, care andhusbandry. A color picture on every page!208 pages.

Poultry House Construction $20.95A do-it-yourself guide to building poultryhouses and related equipment, over 70pages of detailed drawings. 92 pages.

Domestic Geese $31.95This 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 $31.95This book from England includes a

great 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 $21.95This 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.

Raising Game Birds $14.95This book emphasizes the management ofopen areas to allow the growth of naturalpopulations of game birds. It also explainshow to raise them in captivity and operatea game bird preserve. 111 pages.

Gardening With Guineas $14.95An 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 $13.95An excellent book for the commercialduck grower. Some is on management butthe majority is on the nutritional needs ofbreeding and growing ducks. 177 pages.

Successful Duck andGoose Raising $12.95Good general information and personalopinions from an ageless standard ofwaterfowl books. 203 pages.

Wing Disorders in Waterfowl $7.95Causes, prevention and treating wing dis-orders in waterfowl. 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 $9.95A 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.


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, dip the beak of eachone in the water as it is the most importantnutrient at this time. Make sure they tip theirhead back to drink. If they have had a roughjourney and seem weak, you may need to checkthem every 30-60 minutes to give them anoth-er drink. If you do have a few that are weakerthan the others, it is best to separate them untilthey regain their strength. Make sure theycan’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.

Typically the temperature can be droppedabout 5 degrees a week and turned off after 3-5 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 platform, 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

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

❏ Check or Money Order enclosed.

❏ Credit Card

❏ VISA # ________________________________

Exp. Date ________________________________

❏ 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

❏ Send Priority Mail

❏ 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 - $1.45/bird (Page 15)

GroGel Supplement (Page 11)

Postage (Chart on Page 15)

TOTAL


ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS & SHIPPING

Minimum Order SizeThere is no minimum per breed of the ducks

or geese that you must order. Use these mini-mums for the most economical quantity to ship.If you want fewer ducklings or goslings, pleasesee Page 2.

Ducklings and goslings together . . . . . . . . 10Ducklings only . . 10 Pheasants . . . . . . .30Goslings only. . . . . 8 Turkeys . . . . . . . .10Guineas . . . . . . . . 20

If You Want To Order Specific SexesAll sexed birds are identified with colored,

plastic leg bands. These must be removed by 7days of age or they will begin to cut into their leg.The cost is $1.45 per 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 to twomore females than males but no more. Theremaining breeds (marked with an asterisk inthe price section) can only be sold as pairs orstraight run. Call if you have a question.

Guineas, Turkeys, PheasantsSexing is not available.

Determining Postage ChargesThe charts below show your zone and approxi-

mate shipping charges. You are not required toorder the quantities shown. They are common purchase sizes for your estimating purposes. Tenducklings weigh the same as 10 turkeys, 20guineas or 30 pheasants. You can always phone us

to get your exact shipping charge.

Methods of ShippingAll birds are sent Priority Mail unless you

request Express Mail which provides a trackingnumber, is substantially more expensive but willprobably be no faster. See table below for rates.All birds are shipped on Monday except pheas-ants which are shipped on Wednesday. They nor-mally arrive the first or second day after ship-ping. Unless you request the GroGel supple-ment, they are not shipped with food or water asthey absorb their yolk immediately before hatch-ing and this provides the necessary nutrition forthe first 60 hours.

PaymentPayment is required in advance before an

order is accepted. This can be done with Visa,MasterCard, money order or check. We do notship COD. Prices may change at any time.

Our Satisfaction GuaranteeThis means that if you are not satisfied with

our service or products, write or phone us and wewill rectify it to your satisfaction.

What about deaths?Rarely do we have problems with mortality. If

you do have any deaths, though, it is importantyou count the live birds as we usually includeextras to cover the possibility of mortality. If theextras do not cover the losses, however, you mustcall us within 24 hours so we can arrange a cred-it or replacement. Please save the 3”x5” blackand white, postal bar code label from the box.With this we can determine their route to you.

POSTAGE CHART ZONE1, 2, 3 4 5 6 7 8 Express

10-16 Ducklings or $6.95 $8.05 $10.65 $12.25 $13.40 $14.70 $24.258 Goslings

24 Ducklings or 7.90 9.30 12.40 14.50 16.00 17.55 31.7512 Goslings



004-374 . . .8375 . . . . . . .7376-379 . . .8380-381 . . .7382-385 . . .8386-387 . . .7388 . . . . . . .8389-392 . . .7393-418 . . .8420 . . . . . . .7421-499 . . .8500-509 . . .7510-511 . . .6512-528 . . .7

530-534 . . . .8535-540 . . . .7541-543 . . . .8544-567 . . . .7570-577 . . . .6580-582 . . . .7583-588 . . . .6590-591 . . . .5592-593 . . . .6594 . . . . . . .5595 . . . . . . .6596-599 . . . .5600-609 . . . .8610-617 . . . .7

618-619 . . . .8620-667 . . . .7668-672 . . . .6673 . . . . . . .7674-693 . . . .6700-704 . . . .8705-729 . . . .7730-732 . . . .6733 . . . . . . .7734-739 . . . .6740-745 . . . .7746 . . . . . . .6747 . . . . . . .7748 . . . . . . .6

749-759 . . . .7760-764 . . . .6765-767 . . . .7768-769 . . . .6770-787 . . . .7788 . . . . . . .6789 . . . . . . .7790-797 . . . .6798-832 . . . .5833 . . . . . . .4834-835 . . . .5836-837 . . . .4838 . . . . . . .5840-844 . . . .4

845 . . . . . . .5846-854 . . . .4855-859 . . . .5860-864 . . . .4865-880 . . . .5881 . . . . . . .6882-884 . . . .5889-893 . . . .4894-897 .1,2,3898 . . . . . . .4900-919 .1,2,3920-922 . . . .4923-924 .1,2,3925 . . . . . . .4

926-966 .1,2,3967-969 . . . .8970-972 . . . .5973-977 . . . .4978 . . . . . . .5979 . . . . . . .4980-994 . . . .5995-997 . . . .8998 . . . . . . .7999 . . . . . . .6

Zip Zone Zip Zone Zip Zone Zip Zone Zip Zone Zip Zone

2010F

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IRD

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National P

oultry Impr o v em

ent Plan 93-248

Metzer Farm

s, Inc.26000 O

ld Stage R

oadG

onzales, CA

93926 US

AP

hone: 800-424-7755Fax: 831-679-2711

PR

SR

T S

TD

U.S

. PO

ST A

GE

PAID

SA

N JO

SE

, CA

95131

PE

RM

IT N

O.666

SPE

CIA

L A

WA

RD

S FO

R Y

OU

TH

SHO

W W

INN

ER

S!In an effort to encourage youth to show

waterfow

l in our country’s fairs andpoultry show

s, we are offering gift certificates to youth show

winners.

Best M

eat Pen (m

inimum

of 4 pens) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15

00

Best of B

reed (minim

um of 5 birds) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$1500

Best of C

lass (minim

um of 12 birds) * . . . . . . . . . . .

$2500

Showm

anship Winner (m

inimum

of 12 birds) . . . . .

$2500

Best W

aterfowl (m

inimum

of 15 birds) . . . . . . . . . . .

$4000

Best of Show

(minim

um of 50 birds)

. . . . . . . . . . . . .$75

00

The show

date must have been betw

een Decem

ber 1, 2009 and Novem

ber 30,2010. M

aximum

of one gift certificate per bird (or pen) per show.

We m

ust receive the following m

ailed in one envelope:1)

Letter from

4H or F

FA leader or show

manager

stating:N

ame of w

inner and placing in showN

ame, location and date of show

Statem

ent that our minim

um bird criteria has

been met

2)L

etter from youth show

winner including:

Winner’s nam

e, mailing address and phone

number. S

tatement that bird w

as hatched atM

etzer Farms or from

eggs purchased fromM

etzer Farms. S

tatement w

e can use theirpicture and nam

e in our catalog or website

3)P

hotograph (prefer digital) of bird, winner and

ribbons/trophy

*D

uck Classes: B

antam, L

ight, Medium

, Heavy

Goose C

lasses: Light, M

edium, H

eavy, Ornam

ental

Good luck to all of you!

Metzer Catalog 2004metzerfarms.com/Catalog2010.pdf · poultry breeding company in ... and appear...

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Transcript of Metzer Catalog 2004metzerfarms.com/Catalog2010.pdf · poultry breeding company in ... and appear...