The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-12-29
THE INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS
The Fest Fowl Money-Producer on
the Farm-As Good Layers as the
Leghorn Chickens-Less
Liable to Disease

Runner duck. and if his advice is fol-
lowed the farmer who does it will get
more value from this one article than
the subscription price will cost him
for whole year.
Mr.. Clipp says:
"The farmer or poultryman that
does not possess a fine flock OF Indian
Runner ducks is simply losing nice
income. They are proving themselves
the greatest money makers OF the wa
ter fowl family. They will lay more
eggs during the winter months than
any variety of chickens that ever liv-
ed. They are not hard to raise, and
live from the waste products OF the
farm. We have found them the cas-
lest and most successful branch of
poultry keeping, for the reason they
give quick returns for the money and
time. You can raise large f1ocks OF
these ducks where you could mott
think o. growing any other fowl.
Farmers or poultrymen that have
never considered Indian Runner
ducks will find it to their interest to
investigate the merits of these egg
machines. You can not only produce
plenty of eggs during the winter
months when eggs are selling ex-
tremely high, but you can turn an
enormous amount of waste products
into money where you have large
flock. The latest thing out is a farmer
in this section feeding his ducks
pumpkins and bran and getting eggs
by the hundreds. He opens the
pumpkin by cutting it half and half
and sprinkling the flesh portion heav-
lily with pure wheat bran. He says
they eat it as eagerly as hog does
corn, and since feeding them freely
has been getting eggs in abundance.
Pumpkins can be easily grown on al
most any fertile soil, and a cheaper
food could not be produced. What
variety of ducks are laying now ex
cept the Indian Runners? Not al
duck can be found laying the amount
of eggs the Indian Runners are, here
in mid-winter. Since the Indian Run
ner duck has become so popular in
this country water fowl culture has
become one of the most interesting
propositions of the poultry industry
They are very hardy, mature very
rapidly and begin laying at fivel
months of age and never fail to lay
all winter long where they have prop
er treatment. They are quite differ
ent from chickens in many respects
and especially in the variety of foods
They prefer straight ration and
will not do we'll when put to a variety
of foods. They prefer a bulky food
and want it at every meal-time. A
change appears to brighten them and
causes slack in egg production. Wei
overcome this popularity by feeding
slightly variety of foods from the
time they are Matched until they be-
come accustomed to it, and then if we
prefer to change the food in any way
we have them subject to the change.
If you prefer to feed your fowls large
ly on wheat you can do so with Indian
Runner ducks, but they prefer a rath-
er bulky food, and we find a mash
food is best for them. Another desir-
able feature about them is theyAal-
ways come home at night, never fail
ing. They soon become attached to
you and the home, and will come reg
ularly for their rations about sum-
down. They are the least trouble of |
any fowl we ever raised. They stay
where you put them and are not out |
of place as is the case with the ma |
jority of ducks or other farm yard
fowls. we yard our fowls every night
and keep them up until about 10 a.
m, so as to make sure of every egg
They begin laying about 4 O'Clock in
the morning and lay until about a.
m. If you have one or two hundred
ducks it will be best to yard them in
focks about 80 to the flock, and then
you are certain of producing a larger
per cent. of eggs than you would 9th
erwise. You cannot help but make
money with Indian Runner ducks if
you will give them some attention. as
they are the real Leghorn of the duck
family, and great pleasure to raise
They are not subject to roup during
the winter; in fact, never saw a sick
duck in my life They never have
gapes nor lice. If they have access
to water occasionally, and should thew
have lice, they never die from the
effects of lice as will turkeys and
chickens. l prefer to grow them awav
from any running stream or largo
pond, as the turtles will drown them
faster than you can hatch them