Feb. 16, 1912 



107 



The mother Leghorn hen that did not hesitate about tackling an open-mouthed alligator in defense of 

 her ducklings. The waterfall and alligator cave are just behind her. The drainage canal is right on the 

 other side of the poultry-netting. 



it takes rather more than nine eggs a day to 

 feed the whole lot; and the way the 18 duck- 

 lings are beginning to tease for their meal, 

 bran, and middlings, wet up with sour milk, 

 the feed-bill promises 

 to get >tti/l larger; but 

 as T am getting from 

 30 to 40 eggs a day they 

 are paying very well 

 after all. The duck- 

 lings are crazy for let- 

 tuce; and here in Flor- 

 ida, at least, it would 

 seem that lettuce is 

 almost as necessary for 

 all kinds of poultry as 

 wheat, corn, and oats. 



GIVING THE WEAK- 

 LINGS A FAIR 

 CHANCE. 



About a year ago I 

 told you of a single 

 duck egg that was un- 

 der two dilTerent sit- 

 ting hens, and was 

 finally hatched in my 

 home-made incubate-. 

 Before the egg was 

 even pipjied, the in- 

 mate would peep ev- 

 ery time I tapped with 

 my finger-nail on the 

 egg. Well, after he 



was hatched T put him with some incuba- 

 tor chicks that were several days older 

 than the duck, and of course they "made 

 life miserable" for him, especially at feed- 



Another view of the Leghorn hen and her ducklings, giving also a 

 glimpse of box with netting front, where they are secure nights irom 

 all sorts of "night prowlers." 



