Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-03-12
RAISING RUNNER DUCKS.
(By J. W. Beeaon, Meridian, Miss0


many breeds of fowls. finds the Indian
Runner Ducks the most profitable of
ali fowls it has tried. The Orpington
chicken next, the White Wyandotte
and the Rhode Island Reds next.
Indian Runners were brought from
India to England about eighty years
ago and from there to America about
twelve or fifteen years ago. They are
called Indian because they came from
India and Runner because when
frightened they have peculiar way
OF standing nearly erect and running
unlike any other duck They do not
fly over a two foot fence and are very
hardy and easy to raise if one knows
how. Breeders need to be fed at reg
ular times in the same place and same
way each day. Any change of food,
change of pens, or even strangers
feeding them or going into the flock
makes them nervous and they often
stop laying. Start in at the first of
the season like you intended to care.
for them without any change.
The eggs generally run high in fer
tility, if a drake is kept for every foui.
or six ducks in cold weather and one
to six or eight in warm weather, and
not too many in flock. Twenty is a
pretty good number, but forty can be
kept in a flock with fairly good re-
suits, even 100 do fairly well together.
Set eggs under a hen if possible, on
! the ground is preferable if in an in
cEbator run temperature at 101 the
first week, 102 the second week and
! 103 the third week, and when they
begin to pip run it to los and 106. If
Ii goes to 110 it will not hurt them
while Matching They usually rest in
the shell about twenty-four hours af-
ter piping before coming out If not
then you may help them a little, stop
| il they bleed. Don't help them if they
1 viii come out without it -
They hatch better If the eggs are
| dampened with warm water every day
after setting them till they begin pip
ping. You can brush them over with
a soft brush or cloth wet in warm
water. The last week before Matching
it is a good plan to dip them quickly
in warm water each day.
After they are hatched and are good
| dry and hungry, say twenty four hours
af-er Matching, dip each bill in milk
warm water, teaching each to drink.
/ After they have all the water they
want let them rest two hours. Do not
I let them get wet or. chilled. Then
+! feed every two hours light feed of
toasted corn bread crumbs wet with
sweet milk or warm water and squeez-
| ed out crumbly. Another good feed
I is rolled oats or oat fakes and bran
half and half, always mix clean sharp
sand with their food about 10 per
cent. Don't feed them too much nor
oftener than two hours apart, keep
/, water before them while eating deep
enough to put their heads under but
do not let them get into the water or
] get wet. Ducklings die quickly Of
collie or indigestion, watch the diet
| closely as a quantity and quality. AT
/ ter they are four days old gradually
work them on the following mash.
Two parts bran, one part shorts,
one part corn meal, IA feed scraps
or ground meal 10 per cent sharp
| sand mix with this IA feed of it's bulk
green chopped fine. 1t can be lettuce.
cabbage, kale, rape, green alfalfa or
clover, or green rye or oats, any JUICY
green food will do. If this is not
/ available, ground alfalfa with boiling
water. poured over it and steeDed for
i 80 minutes, will answer for green
/ food. Begin by mixing this mash with
the baby duck food described above,
gradually decreasing the baby food till
/ they have all this mash in a week.
! Always wet the food for dicks and
| keen water before them bat not re
swim in. They are easily chokec.
Keep on sand floor or gFcaG lawn
/ where they can't swallow any thing
that would hurt them. They will eat
] any thing when little. They must
have plenty of fresh air. They must
I have heat or cover by a hen in cool
4 weather or at night but not so much
as baby chicks. After two or three
weeks three times a day will do to
| feed them and no heat is needed cx-
cent in cold weather. Don't feed too
/ much, they must have exercise ano
not too fattening food or they Will
get too fat and have leg weakness
Decrease corn or corn bread or leave
! it out If they get this trouble. GIVE
4 them all the green food you can coax
them to eat in the mash. A green
lawn or green oats is a fine place for
them. Gradually increase their range
for exercise. They need more exer-
1 else as they grow older. If the little
ores seem to have fits and die they
likely have collie or INDIGESTION
j change the food or decrease 1t. TOO
i much meal or corn bread VIII give IN
Feed on grain or chops to youns
ducks Do not over feed, give Just
enough to make them grow bur keep
| them q little hungry except ct night
( when they should have all they can