The Lakeland evening telegram., 1912-08-28
POUL + r Y
Department..
Edited by j. II. Wendler, Lake.
land, Fla.
Hatching Season.

4A0VSAS
No better time exists in Florida
fer Matching eggs than the four fall
and three spring months, as 1t is al
most impossible to raise chick
hatched in late spring or summer. II
your hens have not mOlted yet 1t is
well to force the molt, by either feed
ing them a little oats for twe.ve
days, a little bran or nothing at all
for three or four days. They will De
ravishingly hungry. but that won''
hurt them, besides it reduces any
surplus fat. and loosens up the feath-
ers. Then by feeding heavy after
wards, the new feathers are forced
along and your hens will be in good
shape for winter laying. If hens
are through molt, it is we'll to Sc
lect your breeding stock and mate
up your yards. Selecting only such
fowls as are healthy. robust and
vigorous.
If you have no good breeders o:
your own, you can always secure
same from some reliable breeder, CT
get eggs for Matching.
If eggs are set under her, place d
camphor egg or some moth balls in
each corner of nest as safeguard
against mites and lice.
II eggs are set in incubator, take
your incubator out into sunlight and
air for a week before placing eggs
therein. Remove all the old burlap
and disinfect thoroughly.
One of the most profitable ad,
juncts to the farm and house lot is
yard of ducks. Ducks are very
prolific. grow off rapidly, are good
layers and if kept away from pud-
dies their eggs are far superior to
hen eggs, having a delicious flavor
and for cooking purposes are far s'l'
pcriOr to hen eggs as one duck egg l.
usually as large as two ordinary hen
eggs.
Ducks are easy to raise; "a duck
hatched is Il duck raised" They de-
vclOp rapidly and at ten weeks ar,
ready for market, and at four to sin
months they commence laying, there
fcre ducks hatchcd in September Ol
October make fine breeders in March
The best duck today is the Buff Or
pington duck; they are heavy laycrs
o, pure white shclled eggs, layin+
as high us $50 eggs per year, add 3
whole flock has been known to aver
age 302 eggs per year
They are a large duck, wcighins
eight and = pounds, small eaters
beautiful to look upon and delicious
to cat.
The Pckin duck is an old tim
standby for general purpose duck
Is snow white in color, good layers
and excellent market fowls. weigh
ing ten to twelve pounds each.
The Indian Runner is perhaps tn
most popular of all ducks today
They meet the demand for small
carcass, weighing four to five pounds
each. are heavy layers and. like tn,
Lcghorn. are non-setters (thOugh Oc
casiOnally one does get broody). ar,
fawn and white in color. lively ant
spry as cricket. yet will not Il.
over a two-fOot fence; their eggs ru.
high in fertility and ducklings ar,
easy to raise.
Ducks do not need a pond or pud
die to play in. in fact. the less the.
have to dabble in the better off the,
will be, but always have plenty o
drinking water before them wher'
they can get ii day or night. The,
roost on the ground and no build
ihgs are necessary. only rough shell
ter for stormy weather By nj
means do not fail to hatch flock u
ducks this fall if you care at all fo
them Yours sincerely.
j. II WE\nl.ER