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diff --git a/75419-0.txt b/75419-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..916b6e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/75419-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1901 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75419 *** + + + + + + TEN CENT POCKET SERIES NO. 430 + Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius + + Poultry for Profit + + R. A. Power + B. S. in Agriculture + + + HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY + GIRARD, KANSAS + + + + + Copyright, 1923, + Haldeman-Julius Company. + + + + +POULTRY FOR PROFIT + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE OUTLOOK + + +When a business reaches the billion dollar mark per year, it is +generally looked into by thinking people who like to know the facts of +the case, and who want to know just why the business has reached such +large proportions. In this little booklet I will endeavor to explain +not only why the poultry business has grown so rapidly, but will also +reveal the most important secrets that have contributed largely to +its rapid growth, so that whether the reader is a farmer, a town lot +fancier, or a student of economics, he or she will gain much by the +reading and the studying of the principles involved. + +The high cost of living has forced many people to economize to the +limit, and reduce the family budget to the minimum. People in the small +towns and villages, especially, have sought various ways of increasing +their earnings, and one of the most popular methods resorted to has +been to raise a few chickens, thus utilizing the table scraps, and odds +and ends, so that there will be no waste. It has been proved beyond a +shadow of a doubt that chickens can be raised profitably by the person +living in town, as well as by the farmer with his vast acres, providing +the townsman knows a few essential principles in regard to the proper +handling of the birds. + +Poultry products are becoming popular more than ever before. This +is due in part to the increased price of beef and pork. Eggs are an +established part of the nation’s menu, while the meat of the chicken is +now within the means of most American families. Since these facts are +recognized, there has been a revolution in the poultry industry itself +to cope with the increased demand for eggs, meat, and breeding stock. + +Many city people have taken advantage of the opportunity of raising +chickens, and many an old packing box, or piano box has been relieved +of its original purpose of encasing furniture, or other articles, and +has done its bit to act as part of a shelter for housing some back-yard +lot of chickens. What has been done, can be done, and inasmuch as the +value of the egg, or the carcass of the bird still maintains its high +standard on the market, it stands to reason that the poultry industry +is still in its infancy. Much more will be done in the future than has +been done in the past. + +Consequently, there is still one industry that is not overcrowded, +despite the great number who have taken it up, either as a vocation, or +as an avocation. When it is considered that New York City alone cannot +get enough eggs to supply the demand during the fall and winter months, +and is willing to pay, and pay dearly for breakfast eggs, and that the +vicinity of Pataluma, Cal., finds it profitable to ship its eggs across +the continent to put them on the New York market, it can be seen quite +clearly that there are excellent possibilities in poultry, even in just +a small back yard flock. + +The remainder of this booklet will be devoted to showing the ordinary +layman, who has had no previous knowledge or experience, how he can +take a small flock, or a large flock, and turn it into pleasure and +profit. However, one word of caution is necessary. Let no one attempt +to venture upon a poultry enterprise on a big scale at first. History +has shown countless failures in such attempts, and history has a way of +repeating itself. It is always wiser to start moderately, and work into +it gradually. This method always proves successful if common sense and +moderation are exhibited. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE POULTRY BREEDS + + +Before attempting to discuss the methods of raising poultry it is +deemed advisable to first take up a discussion of the different breeds +and their characteristics. Outside of a few fancy breeds, that are +raised more for curiosity or show purposes, we usually think of the +breeds of poultry as three distinct classes. + +The first of these three classes that we will take up for discussion +is what is termed the egg breed. This breed is usually represented by +such birds as the Leghorn, Ancona, Campine, Minorca, or the Houdan. +Of these five breeds, the Leghorn and the Minorca are by far the most +popular. There are different varieties of all these breeds, but the +White Leghorn, and the Black Minorca are much more popular in their +respective breeds than are any other variety. The other breeds are +found scattered here and there, but the Leghorn and Minorca are easily +the leading egg breeds. Both of these breeds have many birds with +yearly records of over 300 eggs per year. Next let us consider a few of +the important characteristics of these egg breeds. + +These breeds are small, light of weight, very active, and very hard to +confine in a small inclosure. The average adult bird of these breeds +weighs about four pounds. They are neat and attractive in appearance, +have clean shanks, and have large head parts, which are much more +susceptible to being frosted in cold weather, than the other breeds. + +The egg production of the egg breed is of the best. As has been stated, +there are a great number of birds in this class that have records of +over 300 eggs per year. Their eggs are white shelled, of good size, +and rather long. However the meat of these birds, especially when +matured, is very tough, and the active disposition of the egg breeds +do not allow them to put on surplus flesh as with the other class of +birds. Quick maturity is characteristic of the egg breeds, however, and +because of this fact, they make excellent small broilers when but a few +months old. But it is useless to put them on the market for meat when +mature, as they will not fatten like the heavier breeds. + +The disposition of these breeds, as has been said, is active, nervous, +and hard to confine. Therefore, for the person with a small lot on +which to raise chickens, it would be well to choose a heavier breed +that stands confinement better than these breeds. These birds are +active in the house in winter, or on the range in summer, and owing to +their natural tendency to roam, they are always uneasy when confined +to a small yard. They also have excellent powers of flight, and can +usually fly over a fence unless the fence is about eight feet high. + +The egg breed, owing to the activity so characteristic to such breeds, +makes poor sitters and mothers. It is very seldom that a fowl of these +breeds can content herself to sit on a nest of eggs three weeks, which +is the time required to hatch the eggs. Their eggs are usually hatched +under a general purpose hen, or with an incubator. They make poor +mothers, because they usually like to roam too far to properly look +after their young. + +Another point in favor of the egg breeds, however, is their early +maturity. Usually these birds will mature in close to four months. This +allows them plenty of time to get into laying condition in the fall, +before cold weather starts, and birds that can lay eggs during the +months of November and December are certainly an asset, as eggs always +bring the highest prices on the market during these two months. + +These birds will live on less feed than any other class because of +their small size, and their great foraging ability. However, these +breeds are not as hardy as the heavier breeds, and will not stand +the cold as well, because of their lack of feathers, and large combs +and wattles. These large head parts are easily frost bitten in cold +weather, and when this happens the birds generally stop laying until +they have recovered from the setback. With these few words on the egg +breed characteristics, let us next consider the general purpose breed. + +When we speak of general purpose breeds, we usually mean one of four +different breeds. The Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Orpington, and +the Wyandotte are the four leading breeds of this class. Then there +are quite a few different varieties of each of these four breeds, such +as the Barred Rock, the White Rock, the Buff Rock, etc. These breeds +are very good both as egg birds, and for meat purposes, and find favor +where ever they go. I will attempt to analyze their characteristics, +bringing out their strong points and their weak points, as I have +already done with the egg breeds. + +These breeds have been developed for egg production, and as a result, +have many birds in the 300 egg class, as well as the strictly egg +breeds. If any are to be disposed of, they have the ability to put +on flesh and to bring a good price on the market for meat. When one +realizes that usually one half of a hatch of chickens are males, and +the other half females, it can be easily seen that the general purpose +bird has an advantage, in the sale of the male birds, and of the +surplus females, as they can be fed fattening feeds, and a good profit +made from this source. + +The general purpose birds make excellent mothers and sitters. They +have a broody disposition, and will set on the nest the required three +weeks to hatch the chickens. They will also take care of their young as +a parent should. In fact, one of the criticisms of this class of birds +is that they are too broody, and are a nuisance in this particular. +They are far more quiet than the egg breeds, and stand confinement with +no apparent discomforture. They make an ideal bird for the back lot. + +These birds are fairly good foragers, but take a little more feed to +maintain their upkeep than do the egg breeds. They have smaller head +parts than the egg breeds, and a heavier coating of flesh and feathers +thus enabling them to withstand cold weather much better than the egg +breeds. + +These breeds, in most cases, have yellow shanks, long well rounded +bodies, and weigh about six pounds at maturity. They are not as nervous +or as active as the egg breeds, but require a month or two longer to +mature and to get into laying condition, than the egg breeds. + +We will close this discussion on breed characteristics with a few words +on the meat breeds. There are four generally recognized meat breeds. +These are the Brahams, Cochins, Langshans, and the Cornish Game, with +their several varieties. The adult meat bird usually weighs about +eight pounds, but the male birds weigh even more than this, sometimes +reaching twelve pounds or more. These birds are rather awkward and +clumsy, in fact, so much so that they make poor sitters, as their +awkwardness often causes them to break the eggs in the nest. They have +an abundance of feathers and meat on their body, which makes them easy +to winter. Generally speaking, the heavier the bird, the poorer the +laying ability, and this is true with the meat breeds. They do not lay +a very large number of eggs during the year, being raised mostly for +their flesh, which is unsurpassed for table purposes. As is the custom +with heavy animals, the meat birds are lazy and sluggish, do not roam +far for their food, and consume a comparatively large amount of grain +for this reason. The meat breeds take a longer period of time to gain +maturity than any other class, the average time being about eight +months. As has been said, they are primarily a meat breed, and it is +for this purpose that they are mostly used. They do lay eggs, however, +and about 100 eggs per year is a good average. They, like the general +purpose breed, lay a brown shelled egg, while the egg breeds lay a +white shelled egg, which brings a higher price on every market in the +country but the Boston market. The brown shelled egg brings the higher +price on the Boston market. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +GETTING A START + + +We have now discussed quite minutely the good and bad points of the +three main classes of birds. Each class, and each breed has its merits +and demerits. The one who wants to make a start in raising poultry +should choose the breed that appeals to his likes the most, and the +one that he can realize the most success with, under the conditions +that he will have to raise them. There is no best breed, whether it is +chickens, cows, or hogs. They all have their good points, and their +weak ones. It is up to each individual to pick the breed that appeals +to him the most. + +Granted that you have pretty near decided the breed that you want to +use, let us see how we can secure our first birds, if we have none as +yet to start with. There are generally three different ways in which +we can secure our foundation stock. The first way is by buying adult +birds and mating them, and raising the resulting chicks. Another way is +by purchasing hatching eggs, either from a neighbor or from a regular +breeder or hatchery. The third way is by buying day-old chicks from +the various hatcheries, and raising these to maturity. Let us consider +each of these methods separately, and thereby inform ourselves on the +advantages and disadvantages of each method. + +In selecting adult birds for breeding purposes, and thus relying on +these birds to produce the hatching eggs, a few points are necessary +to bear in mind, if one wants the best results. As these birds are to +be the foundation of your future flock, don’t buy them too hastily, +and also do not try to buy the cheapest birds that you can find on the +market, as you usually get just what you pay for. Therefore, the first +thing to do is to look through poultry papers, farm weeklies, etc., or +to inquire locally from some neighboring breeder, and find out just +what it will cost you for adult females. Having the desired breed in +mind, it would be advisable to post yourself on the qualifications, +and the disqualifications of this particular breed. Standard weight +for the breed is an important consideration in this connection. If the +standard weight for an adult female is five pounds, try to get females +that weigh around six pounds. These qualifications can be found for +every breed in the American Standard of Perfection, a book published by +the American Poultry Association, and found in most libraries. Another +very important factor is the health of the birds. No birds should +be used for breeding purposes that have ever had any of the common +poultry diseases, such as roup, chicken pox, etc., as their resulting +chicks will also have a tendency toward this disease. Select nothing +but healthy, vigorous birds, of standard weight and color, free from +disease, of good body conformation, and not less than one year old. +When pullets, or birds of less than a year old, are used for breeding, +the result is a small egg, which hatches out a small, under-sized +chick. + +If you can get in touch with your State College of Agriculture, they +can usually inform you of some reliable breeder who can furnish you +with the kind of birds you want. In selecting the cockerels, or male +birds, one very good way is to buy them from an unrelated flock, and +buy some that are especially strong where the females are weak. For +instance, if the females that you have purchased are a little light in +color, it would be advisable to secure males that are a little darker +in color than the standard calls for. It is never advisable to mate +more than ten females with one male, because if more are mated, the +fertility of the eggs will suffer. Many successful breeders even use +two male birds with a pen of ten females, alternating one male in the +breeding pen every other day. Thus the fertility of the hatching egg is +doubly assured. + +A cheaper method of securing the foundation stock is in buying the +hatching eggs, but not quite as satisfactory as the first method. +These eggs are usually sold by the sitting, amounting to fifteen +eggs, or by the hundred. When buying by the sitting, one buys from a +regular breeder, and pays anywhere from $1.50 up to as high as $50 per +sitting. It is not advisable for the beginner to pay either of these +extremes, but to plan to buy eggs not over $5 per setting. Then as you +progress in the business, you can purchase males to mate with your +females to gradually improve your flock. This method necessitates the +use of an incubator, unless you can arrange with some friend who will +loan you the use of his incubator. Of course, if you already have some +mature birds, even of a different breed, you can set these eggs under +these birds, when they become broody in the spring, and secure even a +larger hatch than you can from the use of an incubator. Generally, a +mature bird can set on about fifteen eggs, and hatch every fertile egg +in the sitting. A more detailed discussion on incubation will be given +in the next chapter. + +The third way that one can secure a start in the poultry business, is +by buying day-old chicks. This is an industry that has grown by leaps +and bounds in the last few years. The price generally charged for these +day-old chicks is twice as much as is charged for the hatching eggs. A +fair price for 100 day-old chicks is from $15 to $20. Of course, the +quality of these chicks is inferior to the higher priced sittings of +eggs, but if one is not so particular as to type and show purposes, +this method is very satisfactory. The day-old chick business is +founded upon the principle that it is not advisable to feed the chick +for the first forty-eight hours of its life, because just before the +chick emerges from the shell, it absorbs the remainder of the yolk of +the egg, and it is exceedingly dangerous to feed the chick any food +during that period, as the chick will be sure to experience digestive +troubles, if any thing besides water and grit is given to the chicks +for the first two days. Therefore, these chicks are placed in a well +ventilated box and sent by parcel post often as far as a thousand +miles, with no loss in mortality. For one that has no incubator or +mature hens, this offers a very satisfactory method of starting out +in the chicken business. There are commercial hatcheries all over the +country that make a business of purchasing hatching eggs from raisers +of purebred poultry, and hatching these eggs in mammoth incubators, +selling the chicks as soon as hatched, in the manner described. + +Thus, the one interested in getting a start in poultry has an option +on either of these three ways. The local circumstances of the purchaser +will largely determine which method will be the best. But which ever +method is used, let me caution you that too much care can not be given +in finding a source that is perfectly honorable in their business +dealings, as there has been in the past a considerable amount of unfair +dealing on the part of some dealers in the poultry business, but I +am glad to say that these people are fast being weeded out, and the +tendency is now for honest, upright dealings in all three branches of +the industry, as the dishonest people have found that their methods +forced them out of the business. Not everybody will be independent of +the incubator, however, so we will next discuss something in regard +to the commercial incubator, also including and comparing the natural +incubation of the egg. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +INCUBATION + + +In order to get a better idea of artificial incubation, let us first +examine a few facts concerning the way in which the hen hatches her +eggs in the natural process. The fertile egg is hatched when the egg +is subjected to a heat over 100 degrees, F., for a period of about +twenty-one days. The mother hen, by setting on the eggs for this +period, will bring off her hatch on the twenty-first day, if she has +been given ordinary care. Let us see what are the principles involved +in this natural incubation, that we may the better understand the +artificial method of incubation. + +When the hen first becomes broody, and wants to sit, she might try to +“steal her nest.” This is another way of saying that she will try to +locate some secluded spot, and after she has succeeded in laying a +dozen or fifteen eggs, she will then spend nearly her entire time on +the nest, until she proudly marches back to her old haunts with a small +clutch of chickens. + +It is a natural instinct of most hens to become broody in the spring +of the year, to reproduce their kind. A constant desire to sit on the +nest is a sure sign of broodiness. When one has the eggs to put under +the hen to hatch, it is best first to try to secure a general purpose +bird for this method, as they have been found the best, for reasons +previously stated. + +Now let us prepare a nest for the bird, so that she will have a good +opportunity to do her best work. We can either partition off a part +of the chicken house, or we can fix up a nest in another building +entirely, such as a garage, barn, or any other building that we may +have on the premises. Next let us take some soil, and make a round +nest, over a foot in diameter, and four or five inches deep. Then we +will dig out the center of the nest, so as to make it hollow in the +middle, leaving at least two inches depth in the center. Then we will +cover this earth with a few inches of cut straw, shavings, or leaves, +and press this covering down to conform to the shape of the soil +foundation. We can now place our eggs for hatching in the nest, and put +the bird on them. However, best results will be obtained if we wait +until towards evening before we place the bird on the nest, as she will +be more contented then. Take the bird that you have chosen and place +her gently upon the nest of eggs. If she is at all broody, she will be +quite contented when she feels the eggs underneath her, and settle down +to business at once. The hen should spend practically all of the next +three weeks upon the nest, the only time that she should be allowed to +leave being the short time that she takes food and water twice a day. +Having a quiet place, and giving her nourishment twice a day, she will +be quite contented. The hen does not need any special ration during +this time, other than one that is fairly heating. Corn is excellent +during this period, supplemented with a few other grains, such as oats, +wheat, etc. A sufficient amount of fresh water should be available, +together with some kind of green food, if possible, such as cabbage or +mangoes. The hatch will not be endangered by the hen leaving the nest +to eat. In fact, it is beneficial to the eggs to be temporarily cooled, +at least once a day, while the hen is off the nest for a while. + +The hen has a habit of turning the eggs under her every day, not only +removing their position from the center to the outside, and vice +versa, but also turning them over, so that perhaps the part of the egg +that was in contact with the nest one day, will be in contact with +the hen’s body the next day. Or, in other words, she turns it half +way around. These are all peculiarities that we have to imitate in +artificial incubation, if we would be successful. Now that we have seen +the process of the natural method of incubation, let us see how the +ingenuity of man has successfully imitated the mother hen, and made +possible the hatching of a far greater number of chicks than the hen +can naturally hatch. + +In the first place, there are a great many incubators on the market, +some being made to sell, and others being made to use. How shall we +determine the make to buy? That is not the easiest question in the +world, if one has had no previous experience with incubators. Do not +necessarily buy the incubator that is advertised the most. Sometimes +incubator companies have to advertise extensively to do a sufficient +volume of business. The safest way to choose an incubator, if you +really intend to purchase one, is to get the advice of some one +who is using one, and has had success with the machine that he has +used. Some of the cheaper makes have the trouble of too varying a +temperature, especially during the night. If one has to arise five or +six times a night for three weeks to regulate the lamp to maintain a +constant temperature, then the incubator is more bother than it is +worth. Therefore, find out the makes of incubators that are giving +satisfaction in your own community, if you are intending to purchase +one, and then send for one of a similar make. However, if you have not +enough eggs to warrant purchasing one, then try to arrange with someone +to loan you one, or to put your eggs in with some of theirs, so as to +eliminate this expense. + +There are in general two types of incubators, the hot water and the +hot air, the latter being quite the more popular of the two. There +are several different sizes of incubators, ranging from a fifty egg +capacity up to a thousand egg capacity machine. An incubator with a +hundred egg capacity is usually sufficiently large enough for the +small poultry keeper. By running three or four hatches during the same +season, a good number of chicks can be hatched. + +There are a few requirements that must be fulfilled to realize the +best results from an incubator. First and foremost, always follow the +instructions that come with the incubator. The manufacturers of the +incubator know more about their incubator than you do. Another thing +that should be borne in mind is that you must not expect every egg +that is placed in the incubator to produce a chick. A very good hatch +is about 75 per cent. Of course, this varies considerably, ranging all +the way from nothing to as high as sometimes 100 per cent. Usually one +can reasonably expect as high as a 60 per cent hatch, at least, and +very often it goes considerably higher, according to the conditions +under which it is run. + +Moisture is a prime essential for the proper running of an incubator, +and this should be provided for. If possible, arrange to run the +incubator in a cellar, or some damp place. This can be aided, by +sprinkling water on the floor, etc. Care must be exercised in running +the incubator that fire is guarded against, and some insurance +companies make special provisions in their policies for such occasions, +and make a slightly higher charge for their policies, because of the +danger. + +Another essential condition for a successful hatch with the incubator +is proper ventilation. Most machines are provided with something +for the admission of fresh air. It is also necessary that the room +containing the incubator be aired frequently to admit fresh air, but +not in such a manner that the eggs will become chilled, or that +too much air will be admitted so as to carry off the moisture. Most +incubators carry proper directions so as to provide against this danger. + +The third condition necessary for proper running of the incubator is +the maintenance of a constant temperature. It is usually advisable to +have the temperature about 102 degrees F. the first week, 103 degrees +the second week, and 104 degrees the third week. Any serious deviation +from 103 degrees will result in a poor hatch. + +Now, then we will conclude this chapter with a few pointers on running +the incubator during the hatching period. It is always well to run the +incubator a day or two empty, so as to get the idea of how to best +maintain the required temperature. Clean the lamp thoroughly before +running, and then during the hatch, always tend to the lamp after the +eggs have been turned, and never before, because if the hands are +smeared with kerosene, some of this is bound to be left on the shells, +which will result in a poor hatch. Do not allow the lamp to be in a +draft, and clean the wick every day, so as to prevent the lamp from +smoking. + +After the first few days, the eggs should be turned at least once a +day, and even better, twice a day. This is to imitate the mother hen, +who does this on the nest. If the eggs are not turned, then the embryo +of the chick will adhere to the shell of the egg, and either die, or be +crippled beyond hope. + +We must imitate the mother hen again in the artificial incubation of +chicks, in regard to cooling. We saw in the previous chapter, how the +hen leaves her nest occasionally to take food and water, with no ill +effects on the hatch. Likewise we must cool the eggs in the incubator. +This can usually best be accomplished while turning the eggs. Five or +ten minutes a day are usually sufficient for the proper cooling, unless +it is near the end of the hatch, when twenty or thirty minutes can be +used for this purpose with safety. + +On the seventh and the fourteenth day, it is a good plan to test the +eggs in the incubator, so that the infertile eggs may be removed. This +is done by a process known as candling. Hold each egg up in front of a +light and note the appearance of the interior of the egg. This can be +done by making a hole in a box, that will fit over a light or lamp, and +then holding the eggs up to the light, showing through the hole, which +should be in line with the flame. If the egg appears clear, free from +any dark spots, then the egg can be taken out of the incubator, as it +is not fertile, and will not hatch. However, if the egg shows a dark +spot, about the size of a bean, and you can detect small blood vessels +running from it, then you may be assured that the egg is coming along +in good shape, and will hatch out in due time. + +With these points well in mind, one will have little difficulty in +properly running an incubator, providing he has a reliable machine to +begin with. Of the matters considered in this chapter, probably the +most important factor of all is the constant maintenance of a uniform +temperature. Now, then, let us consider that the chicks are pipping the +shells and are ready to start out in life. We will therefore consider +the care of the chicks in the next chapter, until they are able to care +for themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +BROODING + + +Whether we hatched the eggs by means of an incubator, or bought the +day-old chicks, if we have no mother hen to care for the chicks after +they are hatched, we must take care of them ourselves. This is called +the brooding period. Unless the hatch is quite late, which, by the way, +is not desirable, we will have to arrange to supply some cheap, simple +form of artificial heat, to prevent the young chickens from getting +chilled. This is accomplished in several different ways, but we will +only discuss the more common ways here. + +There are several different makes of readymade brooders on the market, +but one can in a few hours spare time, construct a brooder that will +answer the purpose. The chief part of the brooder is the source of +heat. Usually these heaters can be bought for a few dollars, and placed +in a good box supplied with a little litter on the bottom. + +A common arrangement with brooder equipments is to have two +compartments, one where a hover is placed, and the rest of the +brooder constituting a run for the chicks. The two compartments are +usually partitioned off from each other, allowing just enough room +at the bottom of the partition to allow the chicks to pass from one +compartment to the other. In the hover compartment is placed the +heater, and a metal canopy, so that the heat will be held down close to +the floor, where the chicks are located. At first, the chicks should be +confined to this hover entirely, because they are liable to get lost if +they wander away from the hover, and consequently die from chilling. +The temperature of the hover compartment during the first week should +be about 96 degrees F., and each succeeding week it should be lowered +by at least two degrees. This can be done by controlling the lamp, +or what ever heater is used, or by gradually raising or lowering the +canopy over the chicks. This method gradually toughens the chicks up, +so that they can soon be let out doors. After the first week or so, +they should be encouraged to get out into the other compartment for +exercise, as this will aid in making them hardy. After the first few +weeks of the life of the chicks are past, they will need less care and +attention. These first few weeks are the critical weeks of the bird’s +life. After the chicks get accustomed to the temperature out in the +run of the brooder, it is advisable to cut a small hole at the run end +of the brooder box, so that on pleasant days they can run outside on +the ground around the brooder. In this case, however, they must not be +allowed to run very far at first, and only for a short while until they +gradually become accustomed to the practice. + +Another important consideration in raising the young chick to maturity +is the matter of food. Probably no other thing is responsible for such +a high mortality in young chicks, as is improper feeding. We have +learned in a previous chapter that it is exceedingly dangerous to feed +the chick anything in the line of food for the first two days of its +life. Many people are afraid the chicks will die if not fed immediately +after hatching, and hasten to feed the chick all that it will eat. +Unless the chick is endowed with a wonderful digestive system, it +will succumb to this over-feeding through digestive disorders. It +is permissible to put a little grit before the chick at this time, +because the chick has no teeth, and never will have, so they eat the +grit, and this grit passes down to the gizzard, which grinds the food +in place of grinding with the teeth, as with other animals. Fresh +water is also good for the chick during this period, as the water +quenches their thirst, and makes them livelier. Towards the end of the +second day, it is well to feed the chick a little sour skim milk, or +buttermilk. Sour milk is superior to the sweet milk for two reasons. +First, the sour skim milk has bacteria that aid in digestion, and +secondly, it will be found that it will be hard to keep the milk sweet +all the time, and by feeding sweet milk part of the time, and then +letting it become sour, digestive troubles are liable to develop. +Hence, by having it sour all the time, no danger from this source will +be experienced. + +Now, we are ready to consider what kind of grain we shall feed the +chick. On the third day we can start to feed a little grain. What is +known as pinhead oatmeal is very good to start the young chick out on. +Some feed hard boiled eggs and dried bread for the first feeding with +good results. It is important to note that only enough of this first +solid food should be fed that they can clean up in a short time. Keep +them hungry, and remember that it is much safer to under feed than to +over feed. + +For the next week, or so, a scratch ration, composed of cracked corn, +pinhead oatmeal, cracked wheat, together with a little grit, and finely +ground oyster shells can be fed. This can be fed in the litter, so that +the chicks have to exercise to get it. In fact, that is just what we +mean by a scratching ration; one composed of whole or cracked grains, +mixed in with the litter, so that the chicks will have to scratch for +their feed, and thereby obtain the exercise necessary to their health. +If a little green feed of any kind can be added, so much the better. +Green grass is excellent to throw into the chicks. + +After two weeks or more of this kind of feed, it is well to supplement +this ration with a dry mash. A dry mash is a feed composed of ground +feeds, that require no work on the part of the bird to grind. Feeds +like wheat bran, ground oats, corn meal, etc., are good examples of +such feeds. Wheat bran is especially well liked by these young birds, +and it is recommended that they be allowed to have this as a large +part of their dry mash. This feed should not be fed in the litter, as +the cracked grains, but placed in some such container as a pan, or +better still, in a regular feed hopper. It can readily be seen that +if this finely ground grain was scattered in the litter, it would be +largely lost and wasted. Also, if put in a pan, the pan must be low +enough to be accessible to the birds, and covered over in such a manner +that the chicks will not get in and walk around in it. A homemade +hopper can be easily built, so that the chicks can just get their heads +in, and no more. Do not forget that the sour skim milk or buttermilk +must be fed all this time. In fact, this part of the feed should be fed +right through the bird’s life, as it supplies the animal protein, which +is so necessary to the proper development of the bird’s growth. + +Now, then, just a few more words in closing this chapter on brooding. +We should aim to toughen the birds up as quickly as possible, so +that when they are about two months old, no artificial heat will +be necessary, and if the birds are of a late hatch, this can be +accomplished much sooner. Encourage them to get out of doors as +quickly as possible, and to get green feed. + +A very serious cause of death among young chickens is from disease. +White diarrhoea is probably one of the most common of these diseases, +and unfortunately, one of the most fatal. If the droppings are of a +white, watery nature, with an offensive odor, you may well believe +that this disease is present, and the thing to do is to get the birds +thus affected out of the way at once, and disinfect with some good +disinfectant. However, if the precautions are taken that are set forth +in this booklet, no danger of this dreaded disease can be anticipated. + +Now that we have got the chicks along through the brooding period, let +us next consider just how we shall raise these chicks to maturity, so +as to get them ready to lay eggs, or to make a good meat carcass. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +REARING CHICKS TO MATURITY. + + +One of the chief things to remember in raising young chicks to maturity +is that we must keep them growing at all times. A check in their +growth will retard their growth severely, and this must be avoided +by the one that wants his chicks to get into winter laying condition +before the cold weather comes. We will now consider a few important +factors that are necessary to bring our chicks along to rapid growth. + +Of course, where free, unrestricted range is possible, the chicks +will progress faster than when cooped up in a small yard. If no free +range is possible, it will be found advantageous to at least let +the chicks run about the yard of the lot. In this manner, they can +pick up considerable food in the shape of worms, insects, etc., that +will furnish valuable growing food for them. Let me repeat again the +necessity of having milk in some form as a constituent of the chicks’ +food. Any food that comes from an animal, whether it be milk or a part +of the animal itself, is highly essential to the growth of the chick. +Such foods contain an element known as vitamines, which scientists have +recently discovered contribute greatly to the growth and upkeep of a +growing animal. Vitamines are also found to some extent in green feeds, +such as carrots, cabbages, mangoes, etc. Even well cured alfalfa hay +contains this important element. It is quite obvious, therefore, that +if the chicks are out roaming around the yard or range, they not only +secure the exercise that is necessary for their proper development, +but they also pick up insects, as has been mentioned, and considerable +green feed, such as grass, weeds, and various other odds and ends. + +If a fair sized lot or range is to be had, then it will be found a +great aid to make a little house for the chicks to live in during the +nights on the range, although care must be exercised that they be +protected from enemies, such as rats, crows, skunks, weasels, owls, +etc. Such a house need not be expensive at all if it be made out of an +old packing box that will protect the chicks from rain and enemies. + +Another quite essential feature for the promotion of the maximum growth +of the chicks during the warm summer months is the provision for shade. +If there are some trees about the yard or range, this will answer the +purpose satisfactorily, but if there are no trees where the chicks +roam, then some artificial shade is advised. Some people plant corn +for this purpose, allowing the chicks to range among the corn plants +when the corn has grown sufficiently high. The chicks will not harm the +corn, so two ends can be accomplished by this means. Others provide +this shade by gathering old brush together and making an artificial +shade in this manner. During the hot days of summer, the chicks will +suffer from the heat to a marked degree if exposed to the hot rays of +the sun. An ideal method used on many farms is to place the chicks in +the orchard, where there is an orchard, and let the chicks roam in the +shade of the orchard trees. + +Where birds are necessarily confined to a small yard, one method that +has been worked out satisfactorily, is to fence the yard off into two +or more divisions, and to plow up the land. Then various crops can be +sown at different intervals, so that when one range, or division, is +consumed by the chicks, they can be turned into another division where +the forage crop is up and ready to be consumed. As soon as the chicks +are turned out of the first lot, this lot can be immediately plowed up +again, and some more seeds planted, so that this range will be ready +for the chicks when the second lot furnishes no more nourishment for +them. It might be added here that many town flocks of full grown +birds are maintained, by this very system, and it has worked out very +nicely. Such grains as buckwheat, rye, oats, peas, and soy beans are +all excellent crops to sow in this manner, using oats and peas for the +first crop, because they mature quicker than the other crops mentioned. + +If the chicks have access to a fair amount of range they will not need +a great deal of grain as a ration. However, it is always advisable +to feed some grains to keep the birds continually growing as fast as +possible. It has been proved conclusively that the first gains made by +the growing chicks are the cheapest, in regard to the cost of feed, so +let us keep this in mind during the time when we have them on range. +To accomplish this end, it is well to have a dry mash of the kind of +grains that are fairly rich in the substance called protein always +available in the hopper. The reason for this need of protein feed is +simply that the growing bird uses this element largely in the growth +of its body. Protein goes to make up the bony framework of the body, +and the muscles, tendons, etc. Therefore, feeds containing protein, +or a fair amount of it at least, should be ground up, and kept before +the birds. Oats, bran, or middlings, wheat and barley, are all fairly +rich in protein, and some of these feeds, in a finely ground condition, +should be included. It is also well to add some corn meal, although +this feed is not high in protein, it supplies a great amount of energy +for the bird to move around with. As soon as the birds are old enough +commence to feed cracked grains. As has been said in a previous +chapter, the bird has no teeth, so must rely upon grit to grind this +feed in the gizzard. + +Therefore, unless the birds have a wide range, this grit must be +artificially supplied. Then the birds can help themselves to their +needs, and suffer no digestive troubles. Fresh water must be before +the birds at all times, and if no natural source is available, such +as a running stream or brook, then fresh water must be placed in some +sanitary container out in the yard or range. + +From four to six months from the time the chick is hatched, it should +be ready to start laying eggs. The chick first has to get its growth +and maturity, and then there is an apparent resting period for a few +weeks, to allow the organs of the bird to get ready for egg production. +We will next consider how we shall feed these birds, granting that we +now have them ready to produce the eggs. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +FEEDING FOR EGG PRODUCTION + + +As has been said in an earlier chapter, to get the maximum egg +production, three things are essential. They are: good foundation +stock, proper housing, and proper feeding. We may have the best chicken +house in the world, and the highest priced stock obtainable, but if we +do not feed our birds the right kind of food, all our other efforts are +in vain. Let us consider first a few facts concerning the composition +of the egg, and then we will be able to understand more intelligently +why we should feed the laying bird these certain feeds. + +About 14 per cent of the composition of the egg is protein, 10 per +cent fat, and the remainder, except the shell, is water. Now it must +be remembered that the ordinary protein supply of most food materials +is relatively low. Corn contains about 7 per cent digestible protein, +oats and barley about 9 per cent, and bran about 12 per cent. The +roughages are considerably lower, while green feeds carry about one or +two per cent protein. From this we can get an idea about the necessity +of watching the feeding to the extent that this valuable constituent +is sufficiently supplied. Furthermore, the hen that is producing these +eggs needs a fair amount of this protein for further growth and body +upkeep. Another point worth remembering is the fact that the bird, or +any other animal, through natural instinct, always sees to it that the +first requirement, that of bodily growth and upkeep are maintained +first with the food they are given, so that to get the most from the +birds, let us not hold them down to just a maintenance ration, but give +them enough in addition so that they can not only maintain their body +requirements properly, but also have enough food material to yield a +product. + +The ration for the laying hen should consist of the two forms of grain; +first, the whole or cracked grains that comprise the scratch ration, +and which should always be thrown in the litter, so that they will +have to exercise to get it, and second, the dry mash, or a mixture +of various grains that are ground up and fed in hoppers. As has been +stated before, this grinding of the feed is simply to make it easily +digestible. Furthermore, such finely ground grains usually contain a +higher percentage of protein than the other grains. By this is meant +that feeds like bran, oilmeal, etc., are quite a bit higher in protein +than are grains like corn, wheat, barley, etc. + +The next important feed requirement for the laying hen should be +a mineral feed of some kind. With many farm and city flocks this +important consideration is entirely ignored. Many times the reason +for poor egg production rests solely in the lack of proper mineral +foods. When it is considered that about 12 percent of the entire egg is +composed of shell material, it can readily be seen that the feeding of +this material is important, and worthy of attention. We can give the +laying bird all the rich feeds that we can buy, but if we withhold from +her the material that goes to form the shell, then the bird will be +unable to lay her eggs because she has no shell to cover the egg. There +are different sources of mineral food, but all authorities are agreed +that oyster shells form the most economical source of shell material. +These oyster shells can be bought at grocery stores, or poultry supply +houses. This material should be placed in a box or, better still, a +hopper, where it will be accessible to the birds at all times. Clam +shells, lime rock grit, and dry bone in small sizes are other sources +of mineral matter, and possibly even better results can be obtained by +adding a small quantity of these other feeds to the oyster shells, but +plan to have oyster shells as the basis of the mineral supply. Charcoal +is sometimes fed to chickens with good results. Some birds eat this, +while others will not. It is claimed that charcoal aids in regulating +the digestive system of the fowl. One can try this out to satisfy his +own ideas in this regard. + +Animal feed is the next class of feeds that we will consider in the +feeding of our laying flock. It is the testimony of poultrymen that +when they hang up a fresh piece of meat in the poultry house, such as +a part of a calf, an old horse, rabbit, or any other such carcass, +the birds always respond with a much higher yield in egg production. +This simply reinforces the statement made in a previous chapter, that +animal protein of some kind is needed by the birds if they are to do +their best. If meat is supplied, care must be exercised that it does +not spoil before it is consumed. It is better to put in small pieces at +a time, so that the birds will eat it up quickly. If this meat can be +run through a grinder of some kind, it will be eaten much more readily +than if it has to be torn to pieces by the birds. Milk of some kind is +also an animal protein, as has been repeated here several times. Meat +meal or tankage contains a high percentage of protein, and as this is +an animal product, it is an economical feed. + +Water is our last class of feeds for the laying hen. This can be +supplied in two ways. The first way is from the water direct, placed +in some kind of a pan that is covered so that the birds can not soil +the water, by perching on the edge of the pan, etc. Fresh water should +be before the birds at all times, as we have just learned a few pages +back that about 65 per cent of the egg is composed of water. Besides +this, the birds need water for their body requirements. In the winter +when the birds spend practically all of their time in the poultry +house, and can not have the opportunity of picking up grass, and other +green feeds, we can supply water to them in the form of some kind of +green feeds, such as sprouted oats, cabbages, mangoes, or any other +vegetables to be had. All these feeds are to be recommended highly, +as they not only are composed largely of water, but add bulk to the +ration, and aid in keeping the bird laxative. Sprouted oats can be +raised in shallow pans, and given to the birds in small quantities +at a time. It is usually advisable to have several pans of sprouting +oats say, for instance, one for every day in the week, so that a fresh +supply can be given to the birds every morning. Nearly every supply +house has patent oat sprouters to sell at reasonable prices. Cabbages +and mangoes are also fed extensively to the laying birds during the +winter months, but provision must be made before hand to raise them in +the summer, and to properly store them in the fall, so that they will +be fresh when taken out of storage for feeding. One very good way to do +this is to pile them together in a basement and cover them with sand. + +Let us next consider a few practical grain rations, that have been +tried out by successful poultry men. These rations are always +classified as scratch rations and dry mash rations. One very good +ration is as follows: Scratch Feed, 3 parts cracked corn, 1 part wheat, +1 part oats, 1 part barley. Dry mash, 1½ part bran, 1½ part middlings, +1 part corn meal, 1 part meat scraps or tankage. Another very good +practical ration is composed as follows: Scratch feed, 3 parts corn, +1 part oats, and 1 part barley. Dry mash, one part each of bran, +middlings, ground corn, ground oats and meat scraps. These feeds should +always be measured by weight, and not by bulk. + +Now, then, just a few words in regard to the feeding of these grains. +Always send the birds to roost with full crops. This is especially +important during cold weather. It is much better if they be allowed to +fill up on scratch grain rather than dry mash. The scratch ration is +more bulky than the mash feed, and helps in keeping the bird warm. In +fact, many successful poultry men close the hopper of their dry mash +ration during the afternoon, and thus make the birds take the scratch +feed in the litter, thereby encouraging the birds to obtain exercise, +also. + +We will close this chapter with a brief discussion on a recent +development in the system of feeding birds. This is in regard to the +introduction of artificial light. This practice has successfully passed +beyond the “fad” stage and is now being used by successful poultry men +all over the country. By supplying this extra light, the working day +is thereby lengthened to the extent that the light is prolonged, and +consequently, gives the bird a day similar to a summer day in length. +The birds, by having this extra period of light, work just that much +longer, and as a result, they are able to make more eggs. Everywhere +this system has been given a trial, it has been found a paying +proposition. One very common method in supplying this light is by +connecting the alarm clock to the electric lighting system and setting +the alarm at a period around four or five o’clock in the morning. This +throws on the light in the chicken house, and then when the owner +arises in the morning, he can go out and turn out the lights if it is +light enough to do so by that time. + +Thus we have considered the main points in feeding for egg production. +While we have some of these important feeding principles still fresh in +our mind, let us in the next chapter consider feeding birds for their +flesh, because one very important part of the poultry business lies in +the feeding of birds for meat. In the ordinary flock of birds, there +are always some that we want to dispose of, such as the male birds and +the culls of the females. If we know how to fatten these, we will be +that much better off financially. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +FEEDING FOR MEAT PRODUCTION + + +The primary object in feeding birds for the market is to get them well +covered with flesh, so that they will be plump all over. It is the +difference in the weight of the bony skeleton and the weight of the +well filled out carcass that determines the amount of edible meat on +the bird. Hence our object in this process is to put on as much surplus +flesh as we can. + +Usually there are three classes of birds that are put on the market +for meat purposes. They are roasters, broilers, and old hens. Roasting +chickens are very common on the market, and the object is large size +with a tender carcass. These can be either pullets or cockerels, or +capons. They are often put on the market during the late fall or early +winter, and bring the highest prices at that time. + +Broilers are birds about three or four months old, forced along to +a rapid growth, but still possessing tender flesh. This offers an +excellent way of disposing of the male birds, since usually the sex of +the young birds can be distinguished at about two months of age. + +Old hens constitute the third division of the meat classes placed upon +the market, and are generally composed of those birds that are through +laying, or the ones that have been found to be unprofitable. Their +meat is usually much tougher than the first two mentioned classes, and +consequently used in city restaurants for meat pies, etc. + +In fattening birds for the market, a somewhat different procedure is +followed than in feeding for egg production. We found that in feeding +for egg production we encouraged the birds in every way possible to +take all the exercise that they could get. We do just the opposite +in putting flesh on the birds. We restrict their exercise as much as +possible, and pen them up in small quarters so that their feed largely +goes to nothing but putting flesh on their bodies. It can easily be +seen that when birds are roaming around, exercising more or less all +day long, that there is little chance for them to get very fat. + +Now as to the nature of the feed for fattening these birds. We will +still need some protein feeds, but not as much as in the case of +feeding for eggs. However, we will need feeds which are quite rich in +carbohydrates and fat. These are easily obtained and are relatively +cheap. Corn is an excellent ration for this purpose. + +Since the birds are confined to small pens, and exercise restricted, +it becomes evident that digestion becomes an important factor here. +Therefore, it is advisable to have plenty of grit before the birds at +all times, so that their food will be properly ground. + +We must not get the idea, just because we are feeding for flesh, that +the birds should be stuffed to their limit with feed. To do so, would +be to have a lot of the birds off feed, and consequently we would be +worse off than not to feed them enough. It is best to plan to feed them +about three times a day, and to feed them all that they will cleanup in +a certain length of time, as from twenty minutes to half an hour. Some +are successful in feeding only twice a day, instead of three times a +day. + +Corn is usually the basis of fattening rations and should always +have a prominent place in the ration. Here again, milk in some form +is excellent to supply some of the protein that is needed. Corn must +be supplemented by other grains, such as oats, barley or middlings, +provided they are in a finely ground condition. Some feeders follow the +plan of feeding part of these grains in the form of a wet mash, using +the skim milk to moisten the mash, but when this is done, care must +be exercised in seeing that the mash is cleaned up at every feeding, +otherwise the trough will become mouldy, with bad results to the birds. + +There has come into use within recent years a method of fattening +birds by what is known as crate fattening. This is practiced +considerably by some of the big packing companies. The birds are +bought up from the surrounding territory and brought into the central +fattening station. They are then placed in small pens, or batteries, +as they are called, and fed a ration composed largely of skim milk and +corn meal, with a few other feeds added, such as red dog flour, bran, +etc. This is mixed into a thin, pasty feed, and fed the birds from a +trough running along in front of the pens. They are fed this way for a +period of two weeks or more, and are then taken out, dressed, and sold +to the big city markets as milk fed chickens, and always bring several +cents a pound more on the market than other poultry, because of the +tenderness of the flesh. In this process, even greater care must be +exercised in watching the feeding of the birds, and only feed that they +will cleanup in about fifteen or twenty minutes. + +Crate feeding has appealed to many town lot poultry men, who have +bought up culls of the neighboring territory, put them in small crates +or pens, and fed them this milk feed for a few weeks and then marketed +them, securing the top prices on the market. + +We have now discussed the most important items connected with the +feeding of the birds for various purposes. Let us now examine the +living quarters of the birds, and see if we can improve the housing +conditions in which the birds live during the winter months. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +COMMON FAULTS OF POULTRY HOUSES + + +If you were to take a trip through the surrounding country, with +the intention of inspecting the living quarters of farm poultry, +in general, you would discover some of the most wretched houses +imaginable. All of our intelligent feeding would be of little use +if we penned our chickens up in a coop with little sunlight, poor +ventilation, cold, damp floors, drafty sides, and foul, damp air. It +doesn’t cost any more to build a poultry house with correct principles +involved, than it does to build one that lacks these essential +features. The birds care very little about the appearance of the house. +They want fresh dry air, freedom from drafts, a warm floor, and plenty +of sunshine. + +One of the most common faults with most poultry houses is the matter of +ventilation. When poultry raising was first looked upon as a promising +business, many men erected houses containing a large proportion of +glass. It was thought that the sunshine was the only necessary feature +for the birds under winter conditions, and they made their chicken +houses veritable hot houses. But the results were not as had been +anticipated. It was found that while the houses were fairly warm in +the day time, they cooled off considerable at night, and poor results +were obtained from this wide range between the day temperature and the +night temperature. Then another step was taken by these pioneers. They +decided to heat their houses artificially. But even this system did not +bring forth the big yield of eggs that had been hoped for. In all this +expensive procedure, a very important element had been overlooked, and +that was the matter of fresh air. + +About twenty years ago, there was devised a poultry house that was a +radical departure from this previous type of house. It was called +the open front house, and gave surprisingly good results, where all +previous types had failed, as regards egg production. This house was +constructed briefly as follows: It was of the shed roof type; that is, +had just one slant in the roof, the highest pitch being in front, and +the lowest pitch in the rear. It had plenty of window light in the +front side, about half of the south side, or front, being devoted to +windows. The rest of the front was left open, save for a thin muslin +curtain to cover the open space during bad weather. These curtains +were tacked to wooden frames, and swung on hinges, so that they could +be swung in to cover the open space at will. The most remarkable thing +about the system was that the hens began to lay eggs, when proper +feeding was obtained. Later, this led to the conclusion, now generally +accepted, that the birds can stand considerable cold, providing it is +not a damp cold, and that the temperature of the house is considerably +more uniform between night and day than was the case with the glass +house. + +As a result many poultrymen who are making money with poultry use +some such system as the open front house with various changes. They +have found that fresh air is an absolute requirement to get the best +results. But this matter brought out a few more interesting facts. It +was found that dampness was a big drawback to egg production in cold +weather. If the damp foul air, breathed out by the chickens, could not +escape from the poultry building, the chickens did not have the health +and vigor that they did in well ventilated houses. Consequently, the +curtain helped considerably in allowing the fresh air to come in, and +for the foul air to go out. The damp air, being heavily laden with +moisture, settled to the bottom of the house, where the birds scratch, +and unless the curtains extend fairly well down near the bottom of +the house, the damp air has not a very good chance to escape, and +consequently, there will be more or less moisture even with this type +of house, if the damp air has no chance to escape. + +Another common fault with a great many poultry buildings is that they +are drafty. The walls should all be air tight, except the south wall, +or front, as has been mentioned. If there is a draft in the house the +birds will contract a cold, and will take a prolonged vacation from +their job of laying eggs. It is not uncommon to find a crack in the +wall, just behind the perches of the house, and when we consider that +in such houses the birds stay all night in a direct draft, it is little +wonder that they appear so unhealthy. + +There are a few other common faults that we will consider before +bringing this chapter to a close. It is often found that there are too +many birds cramped into a small house. It is a good plan to allow at +least four square feet of floor space for each bird that you winter. +For instance, if we were planning on having one hundred birds this +winter, we could have a house built twenty-five feet long, and sixteen +feet deep. Multiplying these two figures, gives us four hundred square +feet. Dividing this product by four, gives us allowance for one hundred +birds. Then, lastly, the floor, itself. Too often the floor is cold. +If a cement floor, we should cover it with about six or eight inches +of good, clean, dry litter. Even if made of wood, a good substantial +litter should be maintained. The best litter is probably of straw, +but peat moss is fast gaining favor at present, where straw is not +obtainable. With these few objections to guard against, let us next +discuss just how we shall go about constructing a poultry house that +will overcome the faults mentioned. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +HOUSING POULTRY FOR PROFIT. + + +In discussing plans for a modern poultry house, let it be mentioned at +the outset that this does not necessarily mean that our modern house +will be expensive, any more than the one that is built on old ideas. In +fact, many of the older houses were much more expensive than the modern +houses of today. As long as the poultry building includes the necessary +principles for the birds’ well-being, and this can be accomplished with +little added expense, that is all that is necessary. + +In commenting upon the common faults of most poultry houses in the +previous chapter, we found that they generally lack one, or all of +such items as ventilation, dryness, sunlight, adequate floor space, +protection from rats, protection from extremes of temperature, and +simplicity of design. In arranging for a better house for our birds, +let us plan to keep these factors in mind, so as to get the most from +our birds. + +Whether we are to build a new poultry house, or to remodel an old one, +we can design it so that all of these factors will be in evidence. If +we have an old poultry house, or if we can buy cheaply an old poultry +coop, that has fairly good lumber in it, we can probably do the +remodeling somewhat cheaper than if we have to buy all new lumber. If +we do purchase all new lumber, it is not advisable to get cheap lumber, +but buy the first grade, because it is necessary that the walls of the +house be air tight, and this is seldom possible with cheap lumber. + +We will first consider briefly the possibilities of remodeling an old +poultry house. Probably the first thing that we will do is to cut some +openings in the front of the house for windows and curtains. From +one-half to two-thirds of the front should be devoted to window lights. +The remainder should be left for the muslin curtains to allow for fresh +air to enter, and for foul air to pass out. These should not be cut +up too high, but start at least a foot below the roof, and have the +window lights extend at least half way down the front of the house. The +curtains should extend quite a bit further down to the bottom of the +house, to allow the foul air sufficient opportunity to escape. + +We should next examine the other walls and roof to make sure that they +are not drafty, nor leak water. Usually these walls can be patched +up with other boards, or heavy roofing paper, so that no draft is +possible. In northern climates, where weather below zero is common, +best results will be obtained by having two thicknesses of walls, to +protect against cold nights. Roofing paper is excellent to put between +the two walls, or even on the outside to aid in this matter. If the +roof leaks, it might be advisable to re-shingle part of it, and here +again roofing paper helps in making it weather tight. + +We must next examine the floor. If a wooden floor, then it is advisable +to raise the house up from the ground about six inches, supporting it +with posts. Some people follow the plan of placing old tin pans or +plates upside down at the top of these posts and then setting the house +on, thereby eliminating the danger of rats, as the rats cannot climb +over the tin pans. If the house is to be a permanent structure it will +be found best to lay a concrete floor, as this floor will last for all +time, and will not need repairing. Such a floor is rat proof, but must +be covered with a good litter. + +If a new house is to be constructed, then it will be best to follow +the principles laid down for a remodeled house to the extent of the +open front, weather tight walls and roof, good floor, and dry living +conditions. Wood is the most popular material that is used in building +chicken houses. Generally, 2 by 4s placed about two feet apart are +used for studding. Matched lumber or rough lumber aided by battens or +roofing paper compose the walls, this making them free from drafts. The +matched lumber is generally placed on the studding horizontally. The +lumber should be dry and free from knot holes, and well nailed together. + +For the roof, shingles can be used, or some of the prepared roofing +paper on the market now has given good results. For quite flat roofs, +two or three ply roofing paper is preferred to the shingles. + +We will now discuss the common types of poultry houses. The most +popular type and the cheapest, is the shed roof house. This house is +usually about eight feet high in front, slanting gradually to the rear +to a height of about five feet. It just has one slant, and, as has been +said, is cheaper to build than other types of houses. It is also much +easier to keep warm in the winter, because of the low roof, which means +less space has to be heated by the birds. Instead of curtain front +houses in such a type of poultry house, many poultry men are using +bafflers to let in the air. These bafflers are similar to a blind used +to shade living houses in some parts of the country. They are composed +of slats less than an inch apart, and placed in a slanting position, +rather than vertical or horizontal. + +The gable roof house is another popular type. This differs from the +shed roof type of house in that its roof comes to a peak, with two +pitches, such as most modern bungalow dwelling houses have. This system +leaves a larger space at the top of the house, and is not as warm as +the shed roof type. It also costs more to build. However, it possesses +the advantage of allowing a straw loft to be placed at the top of the +house, which is an excellent way to get rid of excess moisture, when +it can be expelled no other way. The straw has the power to absorb the +excess moisture during the winter, but should be removed in the spring, +as it furnishes an excellent hiding place for mites, an insect that we +will discuss more thoroughly in a later chapter. + +The half monitor type is not so popular as the two types already named, +and costs considerably more than either of the two previous types +discussed. This type of house has an arrangement similar to two shed +roof houses, facing each other, the rear house being somewhat higher +than the front house. Of course, such houses have their advantages, but +for the one who would start with moderation in the poultry business, +the shed roof, or the gable roof type will be far more attractive. +We have discussed the types of houses in this chapter. The fixtures, +or chicken furniture, has so far been omitted. Let us go inside of +our modern chicken house now, and see what is needed in the line of +equipment to complete our efficient egg production. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +INTERIOR FIXTURES FOR THE LAYING HOUSES + + +There are certain devices that save a great deal of labor for the +poultry man, and also give the birds a more contented atmosphere. We +will start in with the floor. I want to repeat here, briefly, what has +already been said in regard to the litter on the floor of the house. +Birds with cold feet cannot be healthy. If the floor is covered with a +six-inch litter of straw, or shavings, the floor will be warm, and they +can be given a scratching ration that will make them exercise for their +food. By all means do not fail to have a good litter of some kind on +the floor during the late fall and winter months. + +The birds are rather peculiar creatures, when it comes to retiring for +the night. They do not seek a place to lay down, but they look for +something that will resemble a limb of a tree, where they can perch +during the night. Man has therefore supplied something along this +line, by erecting round poles, made of wood, so that the birds will +have a convenient place to rest for the night. A few precautions must +be guarded against here, however, as very few poultry men have given +their birds suitable perches yet. The perches should be round, about +two inches in diameter, and erected on the same level with each other. +Too many perches are arranged in a ladder formation, having the rear +perch the highest, and the front perch the lowest. When the birds get +ready to go to roost, there is always an argument as to which bird +will have the rear roost, as they all want the highest place to roost, +or perch. If the perches are all on the same level, then there is no +preference, and things are more peaceful at roosting time. We should +plan on allowing about ten inches per bird for perching room. Plan to +have a distance of about fourteen inches between each perch, or pole. +Arrange these perches at the rear of the house, running parallel with +the rear wall. + +All modern poultry men have what is known as a dropping board under the +perches, so that the droppings will not fall in the scratching litter +and soil this part of the scratching area. These dropping boards are +usually placed about six inches under the perches, and extend as far +forward as the perches do. This makes the job of cleaning the poultry +house quite a simple operation. It is advisable to sprinkle some sand +over the dropping boards to absorb the moisture and bad odor. + +We have to give the birds a comfortable, well secluded place to lay +their eggs. This is sometimes done by placing the nests, or the part +facing the front wall, covered over with a board, that can be raised +by means of a hinge, when collecting the eggs. The hen can be made to +enter the nest from the rear, and if conditions are so that the nest +is darkened, then the hen will prefer this place to any other place in +the house. Nests can also be placed along the front wall, underneath +the windows, or on either side of the house. However, up to the present +time, below the dropping boards seems to be the most popular place for +the nests with most poultry men. + +Every poultry house should have a dust box. This is a box partially +filled with dust or fine soil, and placed in the front part of the +house, so that it will be in the sunlight. The birds appreciate such a +device, and will use it generously, as this aids them in fighting off +insects that prey upon them. + +Suitable containers for food and water should be provided, and kept +clean. The drinking fountains are of various designs, and one can +buy these very cheaply. They are usually jars or cans inverted, so +that the water will come out in a small opening at the bottom, just +large enough for the bird to stick its head in. The food containers, +for the dry mash are generally of the hopper kind, having a box-like +container with a trough at the bottom, so that the food falls down into +the small trough by gravity as the birds consume it. Thus, in a good +sized hopper, a week’s ration of mash can be put in the hopper without +further attention. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +LICE AND MITES + + +While we have interior fixtures of the poultry house fresh in mind let +us turn our attention briefly to the study of parasites that live on +the hen, and that are detrimental to her progress. There are quite a +few various insects that depend upon the hen for their existence, but +for our purposes we can consider them in a general class of lice and +mites, as the treatment for each class is practically the same. + +Let us first consider the case of lice. These insects live upon the +body of the hen, eating the flesh, and dead skin as it peels off. They +never leave the hen, and if conditions are favorable, will lay their +eggs on her body, thus multiplying rapidly if precautions are not taken +to look after this matter. It is always well to treat a setting hen for +lice before she is placed on the nest, and then once or twice after she +has started her job, because these lice will very readily transfer from +the mother hen to the young chicks, as soon as hatched, and a great +many chicks die every year from these lice. It is a splendid idea to +grease all baby chicks, especially those hatched by natural incubation, +with blue ointment, around the head parts, and wings. The hens can also +be greased in a similar manner over the whole body. + +Here is where the dust box that we discussed briefly in the previous +chapter comes in, as the birds, wallowing in the box of dust, smother +the lice, by shaking the dust into the pores of the bird’s body. A +rather recent method of combating lice on birds is now fast gaining +favor. This is the Sodium Floride treatment. This is best used only on +a mild day, however, as the birds are quite wet after their treatment +under this method. The treatment is usually given as follows: Take an +ordinary wash tub, and fill nearly full with not too cold water. For +every gallon of water in the tub, add one ounce of sodium floride, +obtainable at any drug store. Dip the hen in this solution, tail +first, being sure to have a firm grasp on her so she will not splash +the water over. Dip her in this manner about three times, so that the +solution comes up in under the feathers. This method has been found +to be very effective. In extreme cases, where the lice are very bad, +another similar treatment can be given each bird about a month later. +Other good materials to apply to the bird’s body, besides those already +mentioned, are sweet oil, vaseline, and lard. + +Now we come to another pest that is a little harder to get rid of +than the body lice. The mites, which are so bothersome to most +poultry, have the peculiar habit of staying on the birds only during +the night, creeping down at daylight to some crack or crevice to hide +until darkness again forces the birds to go to roost. These mites are +even more destructive in their work than are the body lice. They are +generally found in any crack or crevice about the perches. Here they +can obscure themselves, and be very close to their prey when ready to +begin their work at night. While the lice are eating insects, the mites +are sucking insects, and suck the blood of the birds during the night. +When the mite is hungry, he is of a yellowish color. When filled up, +however, with a good meal of blood, he is red. The mite is very small, +and is similar in construction to a spider. + +If a flock of chickens are believed to be suffering from mites, and +there are very few, by the way, that are not troubled with these +pests, then it would be advisable first, to whitewash the poultry +house thoroughly, not only the roosting quarters, but the walls and +other fixtures inside the house. Kerosene is quite frequently used to +spray the nests with, but has not the lasting power that some of the +coal tar products possess. Recently, wood preservatives have been used +for the purposes of ridding the poultry house of mites, and very good +results have been obtained from this method. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +POULTRY DISEASES + + +It is not to be supposed that poultry, living under the artificial +conditions that man has ordained for them, can be entirely free from +diseases. In fact, very few poultry men can say that they have not had +some kind of disease affect their flock. Most diseases are contagious, +so it is important to be on the watch for any symptoms of anything out +of the ordinary. Sanitation plays a very important part in keeping the +flock free from diseases, and clean methods should always prevail. Do +not allow the house to become filthy and foul smelling. It is always a +good precaution to disinfect the poultry premises at least once a year +with a good whitewash or some strong disinfectant. This is about the +same as taking out a life insurance policy for the flock. + +Dampness is probably about the most common cause for diseases. Disease +germs always multiply more rapidly in damp, dark quarters. Therefore +the advice given in an early chapter about keeping the poultry house +light and well ventilated, will bear repetition. If one is accustomed +to watching his birds as to their physical condition, he will be able +to notice the symptoms of any on-coming disease in time to isolate the +bird thus affected, before the disease has a chance to spread, if it +is a contagious disease. By watching a bird thus isolated, and also +looking very carefully for any further symptoms in the flock, one can +do considerable in checking the disease. The old adage, “An ounce of +prevention is worth a pound of cure,” certainly is true in this case. + +Indigestion is a very common ailment with poultry, especially with +those birds that are fed heavy for egg production. Usually a little +laxative material placed in the drinking water, and making more of +their ration a scratching ration, in order to induce exercise, is +probably as simple and effective a treatment as can be given. + +Roup, chicken pox, and canker are also very common poultry diseases. +These three diseases are all supposed to be due to a small organism +which multiply very rapidly, and acts mostly on the skin of the bird. +These diseases are not similar in appearance, however, despite the fact +that their source is the same. + +Roup attacks the mucous membrane lining of the nose, and eye. These +parts become red and inflamed, and infected with a pus formation. This +disease is spread largely through the drinking water, and is prevalent +in the spring when it is damp. Keep the birds healthy and vigorous, +provide proper ventilation, and have things as dry as possible, and +little should be feared from this source. + +Chicken pox makes its appearance on the comb and wattles, and also on +the face of the bird, by small pockets on these parts. The remedy is +the same in this case as has been stated for roup, except that if only +a few birds have contracted the disease, each bird can be taken in hand +and given individual treatment, by removing the crust over the sores, +and applying a good disinfectant. + +Canker manifests itself by pale yellow spots on the inside of the +mouth. This is best treated, as soon as discovered, by scraping off +this light yellow material, and applying a good disinfectant. + +All of these last three named diseases are caused by the same +conditions, and by avoiding these conditions very little trouble will +be experienced in this malady. Birds that have had any of the above +mentioned diseases should never be used for breeding purposes, as their +offspring will have a predisposition to the same ailment. + +Sometimes the perches are placed too high in the chicken house, and +the birds have to jump too far to reach the floor. When this happens, +a hard lump often forms on the sole of the foot. This is sometimes +called bumble foot, and is usually evident in the chicken’s walk. +Nothing but cutting out the hard part, and washing the sore with a good +disinfectant can remedy this condition. + +While frosted combs could not be called a contagious disease, we will +discuss this matter briefly, before closing this chapter. In severe +weather, when the temperature is below zero, and there is considerable +dampness in the poultry house, frozen combs are quite frequent. This +is especially true of the lighter birds, which possess larger head +parts than do the heavier breeds. When a bird has its comb or wattles +frozen, it will stop laying for a considerable period of time, usually +a month at least. If birds are found on a cold winter morning with +frozen combs, they should be treated with snow or cold water, to take +out the frost, and then treated daily with vaseline until cured. It +is well to provide a pole up near the roof of the poultry house, upon +which a curtain, made of burlap or some old cloth, is arranged so that +on cold winter nights this curtain can be lowered directly in front of +the front perch. This will tend to protect the birds from the excessive +cold, by conserving the heat given off by their bodies during the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +CULL THE FLOCK + + +When the poultry industry was being established upon a business +foundation, many of the leading breeders devised the idea of measuring +the egg capacity of their birds by actually counting the eggs laid by +their best birds. This practice is still followed by many poultry +breeders, but is a job that consumes considerable time, and it can be +seen that only those who are constantly with the flock could be able +to do this. But within the last few years, there has been developed a +system whereby one can tell by the external appearance of the bird just +about what her ability as an egg producer will be in one year. A Mr. +Hogan was the first man to notice these characteristics and his method +has been so far perfected that most poultry keepers are quite familiar +with it, and thereby saved the bother of trap-nesting. + +This culling process, as it is called, is best accomplished during +the months of August and September. By picking up each female in the +flock at this time, except of course the spring pullets, one can find +out which birds are still laying, and which ones have already quit. +It has been in the past too much the custom of farmers to go out into +their poultry flock in the fall of the year, and pick out the birds +that had not yet started to moult, and whose appearance was ragged and +rather uncomely. These birds would be picked out by the farmer, or +in many cases his wife, and sent to market as meat birds, and they +would keep the birds who had already moulted, and whose feathers were +in splendid color at that time. However, in the light of recent facts +brought out by this culling process, we now know that these rather +ragged, unsightly birds were our best layers, and should have been kept +because they had been working continuously, not taking the time off to +quit laying and look pretty, as had their more lazy companions. There +are still a great number of people that cling to the old method, but +the light is dawning, and it will probably be but a short while before +practically everyone interested in poultry will know of this culling +method, and who can in a brief examination of a bird tell quite readily +whether she should be kept or sold. + +We will now discuss the various methods by which a bird can be judged +as to her egg laying ability. No one sign can be relied upon, but the +different signs taken together should form the final judgment. One can +usually tell something about the bird by her general habits. The good +layer is a busy hen. She is happy, singing, and not as afraid of the +attendant as is the loafer. As this hen usually eats more than the +non-layer, she is usually found busily scratching in the litter for +the food material with which she makes her eggs. The good layer is +always the first off the roost in the morning, and the last one to go +to roost at night. Watch out for the timid, crafty hen that stays on +the outskirts of the flock. She is lazy, inactive, and the quicker she +is sent to the butcher, the better. Another very good aid in forming +judgment as to the ability of the birds, is to go around the roosts at +night, after the birds have all gone to roost. Feel of their crops. The +good layer that has been working hard to get together food material for +her eggs will have a full crop, while her lazy companions, that are not +so interested in producing eggs, will have a fairly empty crop at this +time. Little items such as I have mentioned here will tell considerable +about the ability of the birds. It is a fact that there are any number +of birds in America that lay only a few dozen eggs per year, but are +kept the year round, because the owner has had no way of knowing the +producers from the non-producers. + +As has been already brought out, the heavy layers molt late. Often +they continue laying up until October and November. If you have hens +nearly naked of feathers in October or November, just rest assured +that these are your most profitable birds, and that they did not quit +laying to put on a pretty coat of feathers in the middle of the summer. +You should mark these birds in some manner, so that you can use them +as breeders for the coming winter, because, if they are mated with a +cockerel, that is the son of a good layer, your strain will be greatly +improved, because these birds will transmit their laying ability to +their offspring. + +A good laying hen will have a long, broad, and deep, rectangular body, +with top and bottom lines parallel. This large sized body is essential +to the hen, so that she will have sufficient room to digest enough food +to make her eggs. A broad back is also necessary for proper room for +the reproductive organs that make the egg. The head of the good layer +is always of a healthy appearance. The good layer has a short stubby +beak, or bill, and gracefully curved, as compared to the long shapeless +bill of the loafer. The eyes are prominent, and stick out similar to a +shoe button, rather than sunken in. The combs and wattles are red, and +not pale, as in the non-layer. + +The good layer will not have the bright colored yellow, after she has +been laying for a short while, that the loafer will have. This is +because she uses this yellow pigment in making the yolk of her eggs, +so that as her laying period proceeds, she becomes more and more faded +in her bill, eye lids, ear lobes, and shanks. Consequently, if some of +your birds have a faded appearance, don’t condemn them, they are the +hardest workers in your flock. Furthermore, the hen with worn toe-nails +is one that should be kept, because this shows us quite clearly that +she uses them considerably in scratching for her feed. + +Now let us examine the anatomy of the hen a little more closely so that +we can get some more evidence for or against the hen in question. One +of the most common ways, nowadays, in picking out the laying hen is to +examine what is known as the pelvic bones. These are found on either +side of the vent, towards the rear of the body. They are generally +called the lay bones by most poultry men. They both mean the same. +Now these bones tell a vivid story. These bones are usually measured +by the fingers, or as to how many fingers can be inserted between the +two bones. A poor layer will have a thick, grizzly covering of meat +over the lay, or pelvic bones, and just about the width of one finger +can be inserted between them. This shows us quickly that she is not +a layer. Then, lets compare this poor layer to the good layer. Here +we find something different. There is just a slight covering over the +pelvic bones. The meat is thin and spare. If we feel of the bones, we +find them quite thin and pliable. We next try to insert as many fingers +between the two bones as possible. We will find that we can insert at +least two fingers, and probably three, if our fingers are not too wide. +The heavier the hen is laying, the wider the distance between the bones. + +Now, while we have the bird, let us look a little further into this +bird’s conformation. The keel bone, or rear end of the breast bone, can +be used as one unit, and the lay bones as the other unit of measure. +See how many fingers you can get between the lay bones and the keel +bone. Even for a small breed you should easily get in the width of +three fingers, and for a larger breed you should get in the width of +four fingers. This measures the hen’s capacity for feed. + +This distance between the lay bones and the keel bone is called the +abdomen. We can tell considerable about the hen by the texture of the +abdomen skin. If the skin is tough, and meaty, we can say right away +that she is not a good hen, but if the skin is tender, pliable, and +soft, then we can feel assured that she must be kept in the flock. + +These are the principal features in selecting the laying hen. If +one can get these principles in mind, and go out into his flock and +separate the hens into two flocks, and keep these two flocks apart for +a while, he would discover some interesting things. For instance, cull +out the poor hens and put them in one pen. Possibly you will have the +largest pen, when you have finished, composed of the poor layers. Keep +the good hens in another pen separated from the poor ones. Keep feeding +the same feeds as you had been doing before you separated the flock +into two pens. Now, for a few weeks, compare the daily egg record of +the two flocks. You will find that there is about as much difference +as between night and day. Now, to bring the lesson home a little more +forceful, just figure out what it costs you per day to keep these star +boarders, and see if you think culling is a paying proposition. Most +every agricultural college has a bulletin printed on culling giving +essentially the same information as I have given, but they usually have +quite a few illustrations that will make the procedure a little more +clearer than I have done. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +PRESERVING EGGS FOR WINTER + + +It was deemed advisable to add a few words in this little booklet in +regard to collecting eggs when they are cheap, and storing them away +for the part of the year when eggs are high priced. During the months +of March, April, May, and June eggs are the cheapest on the market, +due to the fact that the birds are all laying during these few months, +and consequently, the supply far exceeds the average demand. If we +pay fifteen cents for a dozen of eggs in April, or May, and then in +December we pay sixty cents or more for the same product, then it can +easily be seen that it is a paying proposition to store some of these +cheap spring eggs for winter use. We will now take up the method of +storing these spring eggs for our December breakfast. + +To make this process about 100 per cent efficient, it is best to candle +the eggs first, before storing them away. This process of candling has +been explained in a previous chapter. If the air cell, at the blunt +end of the egg is small, then we may be sure that the egg is of recent +origin. If the contents look clear, and the yolk is not loose, inside +the shell, then we need have no fears as to the edibility of the egg. +One very good way, for one not accustomed to candling, is to examine +a few in front of the light, and then break a few in a dish, so as +to get the proper relation fixed in mind. If we can secure eggs that +are infertile, we will not have to throw out hardly any eggs in this +process. + +In preparing to preserve our eggs for winter, there are several +methods used by people who follow this practice. Some just pack the +eggs in sawdust in a box or barrel, but this method is not always +reliable. There are two standard ways of preserving these eggs. One is +in using waterglass, and the other is the use of lime water solution. +Both methods are reliable, but the first named method seems to be the +more popular of the two. In either case, earthen crocks or wooden pails +are the best containers. Neither of these solutions affects them. A +three gallon container is large enough to preserve ten dozen eggs. +For this sized container, about six quarts of the solution will be +necessary. + +We will discuss the waterglass method first. Procure the amount of +waterglass that you will need for this year at a drug store. Use this +at the rate of one pint of waterglass to nine pints of water. Before +mixing the two liquids, boil the water, and let it cool. Then mix the +two liquids, in the proportion stated, and place in container. Then add +the eggs, (about ten dozen to this mixture), and store in a cool place. +Be sure that there is about two or three inches of the solution above +the eggs, and add a little water occasionally to replace the water lost +by evaporation. + +The lime solution is mixed a little differently. Slack about two pounds +of quick lime in a small quantity of hot water. After this has slacked, +add it to about two gallons of water, and then add one pound of salt. +Stir this in a thorough manner, and then allow the mixture to settle. +There will then be found a sediment in the bottom of the solution. Pour +off the clear liquid, and use this as the preservative material. Then +keep the same as directions given for the waterglass preparation. In +this manner, one can have table eggs the year round at a reasonable +price. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +SELLING THE PRODUCT + + +We have discussed the main points to be considered in raising various +poultry products in this little booklet. However, much of our success +in the poultry business will depend on our ability to obtain the top +prices for our products after we have raised them. In fact, this is +the cry all over the country now among the farming population. The +various agricultural agencies that have heretofore spent considerable +time and effort in teaching the farmer to raise a large quantity of +good products, have apparently accomplished this result, and now these +same agencies are trying to organize the farmers into selling their +products so that they can receive a higher price for them. + +The farmer usually has no time to devote to the special marketing of +his crop, as he is too busy raising farm products, so attempts at +co-operative marketing have been made. There have been many failures +in this method in the past, but now the farmer realizes that this +system is really his only salvation, and he is receiving the idea of +co-operation in a better mood than he did in the past. However, for +the one living in town, with but a small flock of birds, more time +can usually be devoted to this end of the business, with splendid +returns. Many town lot poultry keepers can sell all the eggs that they +can get just around to their neighbors, who are usually glad to pay a +little more than the market price for the assurance that the eggs are +strictly fresh. However, if one has a fairly good yield of winter eggs, +and is not content to sell the eggs to his neighbors at around market +price, there are other methods that can bring much higher returns. + +Some poultry raisers get in touch with local or neighboring hotels and +restaurants, and agree to let these parties have their entire output +of eggs at a certain margin above market price. For instance, it is +a common method to make an agreement with such parties to sell them +their eggs at ten cents above market prices. If the market quotations +for fresh eggs were thirty-two cents for a certain day, the hotel +keeper would pay forty-two cents, if the eggs were delivered on this +day. Usually, the restaurant or hotel is glad to pay this premium over +the market price, because he takes quite a chance with store eggs, in +that some of them are often stale, and this is a matter that reflects +against his business. Also, if such an agreement can be made, the hotel +or restaurant man can advertise the fact that he serves nothing but +fresh eggs, which is good business for him. + +When one is getting a big yield daily, he can usually plan to sell +his eggs by the case to city commission men, who will always pay a +good premium over local markets. If one has not enough eggs to sell a +case once or twice weekly in such a manner, this difficulty is often +overcome by combining with neighbors who are willing to take the proper +care in producing clean, fresh eggs for market. However, such neighbors +must be in sympathy with what is expected for fresh eggs, and who have +the courage to refrain from putting in eggs that are not clean and +fresh. If one case is sent in to these commission men and the quality +of the eggs is not of first class, quite a dockage will be deducted +from the check, and your reputation will thereby suffer. Never wash +eggs that are soiled, but use them in your own kitchen, as the washing +will remove the natural bloom, or fine powder that is found on the +untouched egg. One can secure clean eggs by keeping the bedding in the +nests clean. + +There is always a splendid opportunity to sell hatching eggs in the +spring of the year, if one has had the foresight to get started in +purebred poultry. There is always a large demand for hatching eggs +and most hatcheries can not fill their orders. For the one engaged in +the poultry business, even on a small scale, this offers a splendid +opportunity, especially when eggs are selling cheap on the market, as +they do in the spring of the year, to divide the mature birds up into +small pens of about ten females to one good male bird, and sell these +eggs at anywhere from $1.50 a setting to as much as you can get. The +higher the quality of the stock, the more money one can demand for such +hatching eggs. + +Then there is another good source of revenue from selling adult birds +for breeding purposes. If your flock is composed of good individuals, +you should experience little difficulty in selling your surplus +birds from $5 up. A little well planned advertising is often a good +thing to do, to let people know what you have got for sale. Often an +advertisement in the local paper, or a rural weekly will bring in many +inquiries in regard to the birds or eggs that you have to sell. + +Probably a cheaper way of advertising, if you really have good birds, +is to show a pen, consisting of four females and one male, at some of +the neighboring poultry shows. If you can succeed in winning a premium, +this will be a splendid factor in your efforts in selling breeding +stock. It is usually permissible to place a little card on the outside +of your pen at the poultry show, giving your name and address, and +stating that you have breeding stock for sale, or that you are now +taking orders for hatching eggs in the spring. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +IN CONCLUSION + + +I have tried to explain in this little booklet that there is a splendid +opportunity for one to engage in the poultry industry, whether it be +on a large scale, or a small scale. There is considerable pleasure as +well as profit in this work, for the one that is posted on a few of the +essential principles, as has been laid down in this short treatise. It +will probably be well to repeat a few facts that should be remembered +first, however, before closing. + +Do not expect to make a great amount of money from your poultry the +first year. Getting started right in the poultry business will cost +something, so for the first year, if you just break even you will +do well. Plan to learn as you go along. Every poultry raiser should +take at least one poultry journal, to keep posted on the latest facts +concerning the business. These journals always carry a great amount of +advertising matter in regard to stock for breeding and in regard to +poultry house equipment, etc. Many useful ideas can be secured from +pretty near every issue of a standard paper. + +Get acquainted with the other poultry people in your own locality. This +is especially true in regard to those who have the same breed that you +have. If your locality boasts of a poultry association, become a member +of this association. You can then get much valuable information in +regard to your business. + +Get in touch with your state agricultural college, and especially with +the poultry department. Write to them and ask them to send you all +the bulletins that they have published on poultry, and tell them to +place you on their mailing list, so that any future bulletins that +they may publish will be sent you free of charge. Then the U. S. Dept. +of Agriculture has many excellent bulletins on different branches +of the poultry industry that are worth sending for. It is located +at Washington, D. C. Another splendid thing, if you can succeed in +interesting others in your community, would be to send to the Motion +Picture Lab., U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Wash., D. C., and have them +send you their film on culling, entitled, “Select the Laying Hen.” It +certainly brings out in a splendid manner, just how to cull your flock. +Most any moving picture house would be glad to run this reel free of +charge. The only expense of securing this film is the transportation +charges from Washington, D. C., to your home town. + +With these parting words on the betterment of your flock, remember that +poultry work has its ups and downs, like any other business. However, +for one willing to inform himself on the business, a very pleasurable +and profitable experience may be anticipated. + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHY + + +The books listed below are in cloth binding and can be secured from +Haldeman-Julius Company, Clothbound Book Department, Girard, Kansas. +The prices quoted include carriage charges. + +Success With Hens, Robert Joos. Cloth. $1.35 postpaid. + +My Poultry Day by Day, Alfred Gibson. Cloth. $3.15 postpaid. + +International Poultryman’s Handbook. Cloth. Illustrated. $1.10 postpaid. + +Anatomy of the Fowl, Kaupp. Cloth. Illustrated. $3.65 postpaid. + +Poultry Culture, Hygiene and Sanitation, Kaupp. Cloth. Illustrated. +$3.15 postpaid. + +Mating and Breeding of Poultry, Lamon & Slocum. Cloth. $2.65 postpaid. + + + + + Transcriber’s Notes + + pg 8 Changed: content herself to set on a nest of eggs + to: content herself to sit on a nest of eggs + + pg 22 Changed: from the center to the outside, and vica versa + to: from the center to the outside, and vice versa + + pg 24 Changed: There are seval different sizes + to: There are several different sizes + + pg 24 Changed: The manufacturors of the incubator + to: The manufacturers of the incubator + + pg 25 Changed: by springling water on the floor + to: by sprinkling water on the floor + + pg 33 Changed: green fed of any kind can be added + to: green feed of any kind can be added + + pg 55 Changed: It was though that the sunshine + to: It was thought that the sunshine + + pg 69 Changed: and dead skin as it peals off + to: and dead skin as it peels off + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75419 *** |