Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 August 1912 — POULTRY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POULTRY

FAVOR INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS Few Breeds Better Suited to Farm Raising—lmported From West Indies Fifteen Years Ago. Much has been said through the different farm and poultry journals In favor of the Indian Runner duck, but I believe there are few who realize the possibilities and advantages of rearing ducks of this breed. As I have been raising this breed of ducks for a few years, I can testify that they deserve all the praise given them. They are not an entirely new variety, having been imported some 15 years ago from the West Indies, thus it receives the name of “Indian” with the “Runner” added to denote its chief peculiarity, Its rapid movement over the ground. They are great foragers and pick up innumerable bugs and insects. This alone should give them an important place on every farm. Owing to their extreme hardiness, it Is quite an easy task to raise a large flock of Indian Runners, with very little trouble. They ate never bothered with lice, there are no roosts to keep clean, and no expensive bouses are needed; just a low-roofed shed to protect them from the severe winds and snows in winter, says a writer in the Farm Progress. The houses should have a dry floorcovering of straw or some kind of litter, as they must have a dry place on which to sleep. While they are not a land fowl, it is not at all necessary to have running Water for them to swim in, all that is needed is plenty of clean water to drink, placed in a vessel deep enough

for them to cover their heads, as the nostrils are liable to become clogged with mud or feed. The young ducklings grow and mature so quickly it is indeed very interesting and fascinating to raise them. We have had young ducklings that ■weighed three and one-fourth pounds when 60 days old; when matured they will weigh from four and one-half to five pounds. Being a quick maturing fowl makes their meat exceedingly tender, and juicy, of fine flavor, equal *or superior to spring chicken. Their eggs are large, about one-third larger than the average hen egg, and perfectly white. And, contrary to the general idea of duck eggs, they are of mild, delicate flavor, making them very desirable for the table or cake baking, puddings, etc. The eggs under ordinary conditions are very fertile and will hatch, exceedingly well in lncubar tors.

Indian Runner Drake and Duck.