Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-08
New Breed of Water Fowl.

FROM the 81 raul blSpdlSH
It has remained for an enterprising
farmer of Beltrami county to success
fully breed a new water fowl, which
promises to take it's place in the front
ranks of the game birds Of the state,
and which has already caused consid-
cradle embarrassment to w Bemidti
nimrods.
Charles Saxrud owns a farm in Ma
pie Ridge township, about fifteen
miles northwest of Bemidji. Last year
he decided to raise a flock Of ducks,
and, with thai end in view, he secured
a pair of ducks, and, in the nature OF
things, the female was DESTROYS of
Matching out q brood Of her own kind,
and she was given an even dozen OF
nice eggs with which to begin bust
ness. The duck sat industriously on
these eggs for five days, when h was
accidentally killed. Mr.. Saxrud was
at his wits end as to what TO do with
that setting of ducks eggs. He had
an old Brahma hen that had been per-
sistent in setting on doorknobs and
any other old thing that was lying
around loose, and he put her to work
on the duck egg The eggs finally
produced eight small, hairy fowls that
caused great CONSERVATION to the old
hen, but she adopted the whole bunch
and ook good care OF them until they
happened to get down to the lake n
day. The ducks Immediately took TO
the water, and the hen raised a great
commotion as her adopted youngsters
swan about. This was repeated for
several days, until Mr.. Saxrud, in des-
peration as to how TO allay the con-
Germ OF the hen, decided to tie pieces
of rubber TO her henship's feet, which
would allow her to swim with her
brood. The scheme worked to perfec-
ton. there being a perfect web foot.
The brood was raised n is still a
part of MI. Saxrud's flock. This year,
when the old Brahma exhibited signs
of desiring another family to look af-
ter, he placed chicken eggs under her.
While she sat, the hen unused contin-
ually on those ducks and the trouble
she had with them, and her stress of
mind evidently affected the hatch, as
when they came out of the shell they
were exactly the form Of a chick n
with the exception that they were pro-
vided with a ducks bill and had
ducks. but had all their habits. They
at once took to the water, and Mr..
Saxrud was again forced to provide
the hen with her rubber socks The
brood developed rapidly. and were soon
large, lusty fellows, nearly as large as
full-grown chickens. One day last
week George McTaggart, a member of
the DOdFQ OF aldermen Oh the city OF
Bemidji, and Fred w. Rhoda, clerk OF
the district court, made a trip up in
Maple Ridge township for an outing.
They CHANGED to camp near Saxrud's
place, and while out one afternoon es-
pied, at a distance. Saxrud's old hen
and her brood, swimming along peace
fully in a little lake on the farm. The
hunters could not exactly decide what
the tow were, but finally decided they
were swans, and let loose W. double
barreled charges Of shot in the bunch.
They rowed out to get their haul, when
they made the discovery that there
was ar old hen with rubber tied around
her feet and the half-breed ducks. Just
then Saxrud happened along, and it
took considerable promises Of refresh
ments on the next trip to town before
the two shooters were allowed to go.
But three of the entire bunch of chick
en-ducks were saved from humiliation,
but Mr.. Saxrud kinks he has enough
left to form a nucleus for a large flock
of the new variety.