Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-06-11

i ging after grass roots and forag1ng
for her own living. On the barren
plains Of India, the original home of
the Indian Runner. where vegetation
and insect life are scarce, the ordi-
nary type Of waddling duck, being un-
able to forage so far, would long ago
have starved to death. The Indian
Runner, therefore, may most properly
be called "the survival of the flttest."
This foraging ability strongly recon-
mends the Indian Runner to poultry
men everywhere.
Strangely combined with their for
aging tendencies Is love for home.
However far an Indian Runner may
go during the day, she will always
return home at night to lay her eggs
never knew one to stray from her
roosting place. So strong is their love
of home that they will return almost
to the same spot to rest night after
night and year after year. In fact, they
are greatly disturbed II they are com
PEELED to change their roosting place
for only few feet.
A Dry Land Duck.
Another advantage to the poultry
man in raising Indian Runner ducks
Is that they do not require stream OF
water or a pond. Many poultrymen
cannot raise the common duck sue
cessfully for lack Of water, but the
Indian Runners require water only for
drinking. Give them a bucket or a
large trough filled with water and they
are highly pleased.
tiatehins.
Hatching the Indian Runner Is very
similar to Matching any other duck.
I run the temperature in my incubators
as follows: First week. 102 degrees;
second and third weeks 103 degrees;
fourth week, 104 degrees. A duck egg
requires in Matching little more mois-
ture than a hens eggs. Turn and air
the eggs the same as you would hen
eggs. Air ten to fifteen minutes twice
q day, beginning the third day and
stopping on the 25th day. On the fifth
day begin to supply moisture by using
the sand trays, almost as large as the
egg trays, and half inch deep. under
the egg trays. Fill UP with fine, dry
sand. Keep the sand moist, but not
wet, until the eggs begin to pip. Then
remove the sand trays and put the
cloth in the machine. On the 18th day
open wide the ventilators, and leave
open until the end Of the hatch. 1t
takes 2S days for duck eggs to hatch.
They will pip the shell on the 26th day
II temperature has been regular, then
make no further attempt to get out until
the zSth day. Beginning with the 10Th
day and ending with the 25th day, I
sprinkle my eggs once day with water
that has been heated to about 10S de-
grees.
Breeding and Feeding. s
When you remove the ducklings from
the incubator or from the hen. be care
full not to get them chilled. Keep them
In a warm, even temperature for sew
eral days. Ducklings should not be fed
until Sc hours old. Always water
them Immediately after feeding. For
the first FIVE days fed stale bread
moistened with lailk, then add wheat
bran and shorts r.. equal parts to the
bread and milk until they are five
weeks old, when they should have a
mash made Of four measures wheat
bran, three measures Of shorts, two
measures of corn meal, one measure OF
beef scrap and one-fourth measure Of
fine sharp sand. Mix with water or
milk to a thick, sticky mass. Feed
them every two hours when young,
Give them warm water until they are
four weeks old. Keep stones in vessels
TO keep them from getting their feet
wet, as that means death to the duck
ling. Their nostrils clog with food and
dirt; the water between the stones
must, therefore, be deep enough to per-
NIT the ducklings to immerse their
bills. AS they grow older accustom
them gradually to the outside tempera-
ture.
After three weeks old the ducklings
are very hardy and need only ordinary
attention until five weeks old, when
they begin to feather. This is critical
time. Give them plenty of beef scrap In
their feed to keep up their strength.
Young ducks should have plenty OF
sunshine, but should be provided with
shade to prevent sunstroke. They
should never be allowed to get wet, for
they are easily chilled. Keep them in
clean and grassy pen when the wealth
er is warm enough for them to be out.
Good food, water. even temperature
and a clean bed are the main require
ments.
Housing.
Housing the Indian Runner duck Is
not difficult. Unlike the chicken, they
require in their house no nests no
roosts-in fact, no furniture what
ever. They have no lice, no mites, no
cholera, no roup and no frozen combs.
The house need not be high, a low
house is better. The principal re-
quirement Of a food duck house Is that
the floor be dry and well covered with
clean litter, something like straw.
Utility Value.
The final test for any fowl Is Its util-
ity value. Though the Indian Runner
duck has many fancy qualities, her
chief claim is not to beauty, but to USE
fulness. Being small duck, she can
not claim superiority for feather pro-
duction, but she more than makes up
for this shortage in the quality OF her
flesh for table use, and in the quantity
Of eggs produced. AS a table fowl the
Indian Runner. is the sweetest OF
meats. She has less of the undesirable
fat Of the larger ducks and more pure
protein or lean meat. To taste a roast
ed Runner is to never forget the pleas
ure
Laying Qualities.