gee experimental farms 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



Tray ISTo. 2 was the earliest to pip, and gave the highest percentages for fertile 

 eggs hatched and for total eggs set. The average weight for each chick was one-tenth 

 ounce below the highest average weight obtained in this experiment, which difference 

 may be accounted for by the fact tliat the chicks were all weighed at the same time, 

 and tray No. 2, being the first hatched, would have lost more weight than those chicks 

 hatched later. All chicks were in good condition except those from tray No. 8. Tray 

 Xo. 1 hatched the fewest chicks and also had the most blood rings. Trays Nos. 3, 4, 

 and 6 were the third to pip and all pipped together. 



The tray that gave the best results was cooled as follows : — 



First week: a.m., nil; p.m., 5 minutes ' 



Second week: a.m., nil; p.m., 10 minutes. 

 Third week: a.m., nil; p.m., 15 minutes. 



This gives a total cooling for the period commencing the third day and closing- 

 en the evening of the eighteenth day of 155 minutes or 2 hours and 35 minutes. 



The " accidental " cooling for several hours did not improve the hatch, but the 

 opposite. Too much cooling at any one time, or too little cooling, is not good for the 

 hatch. 



This experiment is being duplicated, and further results will be reported another 



time. 



INDIAN RUNNER DUCK EGGS FOR TABLE USE. 



Much has been said about the value of Indian Runner ducks for egg production 

 and their eggs for table use, and as some farms may be better adapted to ducks than 

 to hens an endeavour was made to find out what the consumer thought of these eggs 

 as a substitute for hen eggs for table purposes. 



This Division supplies new-laid eggs to about thirty families on the Experimental 

 Farm and in the city of Ottawa, and in these weekly shipments a few of the duck eggs 

 from time to time were included with the hen eggs and a note asking the customer's 

 opinion was also enclosed. 



All the customers that reported, with the exception of one, stated that they would 

 just as soon eat the Indian runner duck egg as the hen egg, and in some cases the 

 customers went so far as to say that the duck eggs were to be preferred because of the 

 extra size. It would therefore appear that Indian Runner duck eggs might substitute 

 hen eggs for table use. It was noted that there was an absence of the strong so-called 

 duck flavour to the eggs. There was, however, what might be called a rich or buttery 

 flavour that added to rather than detracted from the palatability. 



As a layer the Indian Runner will no doubt lay more eggs than other varieties of 

 ducks, but the ducks used in this experiment were not phenomenal layers though they 

 layed well during the winter months. The shell is white and, when cleaned, presents 

 a very attractive appearance. 



GREEN DUCKS FOR MARKET. 



This experiment was to determine the profit on ducks hatched in incubators, 

 reared in brooders, and sold on the local market at 10 to 12 weeks old, or just when 

 the first growth of feathers was completed. 



The eggs were purchased from a farmer expressly for this experiment, but the 

 parent stock had evidently been a little carelessly handled, as at least 50 per cent of 

 the ducklings showed signs of a " cross " of Indian Runner blood. 



Ottawa. 



