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Show ORIGIN OF INDIAN RUNNERS Came From West Indies and Are Thought by Many People to Be Most Profitable of Duck Family. (By ANNA GALLIC HER. Ohio.) It is only comparatively a few years since the Indian Runner ducks made their appearance in America. They came originally from the West Indies, In-dies, where they have been raised for years, chiefly as egg-producers. They derive their naiCe from their native land and racy, upright carriage. In color they are fawn and white, with yellow shanks and light-green bill; the latter being sometimes splashed with black. The body Is long and narrow and is carried in an almost upright position. posi-tion. Neck is long and thin, with finely fine-ly formed head. The Indian Runner is rather small, fully matured ducks weighing from four to five pounds. Drakes from Ave to six pounds, live weight. - But they grow very rapidly while young and are easy to raise. What they lack in weight Is more than made up for In their other good qualities. To begin with, they are very prolific layers; beginning when about sin months old. Their eggs are pure white and a little larger than those of a Plymouth Rock hen. - They are superior in quality to any Indian Runner Drake and Duck. duck's eggs that we have ever eaten, and as a rule, they bring higher prices In the market. The ducklings reach a marketable size when about twelve weeks old. When forced, they will weigh four to five pounds at two months. The meat of the Runner is of superior su-perior quality; fine In the grain, Juicy, and excellent flavor. Hotels and restaurants res-taurants pay fancy prices for ducklings. duck-lings. The eggs are In good demand, also. In winter when eggs are high the Indian In-dian Runner is "on the job." Any enterprising person can work up a trade among hotels and restaurants that should prove highly profitable. There is no great danger of strong competition, as comparatively few poultry raisers have taken up this branch of the industry, notwithstand lng the fact that nearly all kinds ol poultry products are bringing unheard-of prices in the open market. In summer the Indian Runner when given free range will find the greater part of his living in the fields. But ol course when being fattened for market, mar-ket, they need some grain. It would be well to say right here that for best results the grain should be either ground or cooked. |