The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-11-15

aften suffer from rheumatism and 1t
is necessary to have a wooden floor
with plenty of dry litter spread on it;
straw. hay or corn husks are good.
Also, they must be shut up in dry
open quarters as soon as wet or cold
weather sets in.
Six ducks should be plenty to one
drake. Always set the eggs that are
laid during the night time as soon
as possible under hens that you know
are good mothers. l prefer a good
sized hen of any of the setting breeds.
Never allow a duck to set, for the
hatch would be a complete failure.
know this by experience.
Thirteen eggs comprise setting
A large hen will easily cover this
number | always set the hens in
small boxes. In the bottom place
some wood ashes, then nest of straw
or hay, then keep Mrs. Hen there as
quiet as possible.
1t will take twenty eight days for
the eggs to hatch. During the last
week the eggs must be sprinkled ev-
cry day with tepid water. to soften
the shells so the ducklings will have
no difficulty in breaking the shells.
When the young are Matched they
should be left in the nest until we'll
dried, and strong enough to stand.
Many ducklings are lost by moving
them from the nest too soon. Ducks
are easily frightened, and it often sets
them into cramps. II they are kept
very warm and given warm food they
will always recover
A duck plant ought to be near a
railroad station, in direct communi-
cation with the city markets. Eight
or ten miles is not far and almost any
location will do for a duck plant.
However, l believe sandy soil is best.
The buildings must be arranged to
secure good drainage. The labor at
tached to raising poultry is often
overlooked. Every department of the
plant should be SO located as to econ
omize time The task of feeding grow
ing ducks four times a day, and
breeding stock twice day, is no small
one. Watering is also to be done.
Houses for ducks need no furnish
ings whatever. A duck needs differ
ent care from a hen. A duck does
not mind the cold if she can keep her
feet warm. Cold feet will affect a
duck as a frozen comb affects a hen,
retarding laying and inducing all
ments.
l will tell you how Steve and l are
going to have our buildings for breed
ing ducks built, if you wish to hear
about them (The readers of The
Ranch will certainly be pleased to
hear from Mrs. Walrath again.-Ed.)
A Young Poultry Raiser's Experience.
Gross Haibeck)
The time has now come when every
pOultryman knows what his summers
work will bring him. In looking back
to see what | have done | can see
mistakes and plumbers heaped up like
mountains.
l started this spring with one hun
dred hens and one incubator. My ex
pectatiOn was big; in fact, l expected
that incubator to turn out chickens
by the thousand My first hatch did
finely. 1t came off the 18th of March
and | had a seventy per cent hatch
and have raised almost every one of
them. l expect the pullets to begin
to pay me soon for the trouble
had with them this spring. But my
second hatch went wrong. l was
busy at the time building the coops
and / had bad luck" That is what
most of the poultrymen call it, but let
me tell you it was poor management
and there was no luck about it. Out
of one hundred and thirty nice little
chicks l saved one dozen. They sim
ply got cold-that's all. Now what is
the use of doing things that way? 1
IL
airy and taken care of things myself
and still have been ahead.
| took invoice last night. | like
to do that. I think it does a fellow
good to know what he has. | had
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