TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK^PART X 619 



POULTRY ON THE FARM. 

 (Paper read before the Louisa County Farmers' Institute.) 



While the raising of poultry on the farm has become a matter of much 

 interest to the farmer's wife, it is of equal importance to the farmer him- 

 self, as well as to his children. 



In recent years a great change has taken place in the condition of af- 

 fairs. Formerly we were compelled to accept very inferior prices for poul- 

 try and eggs compared with the advanced prices of today. Well can I 

 remember some sixteen or seventeen years ago Qf taking to market twelve 

 dozen eggs for which I realized $.60 (in trade) 5 cents per dozen. Today 

 the same number of dozen would amount to $3.00 About this time (or 

 perhaps a little later) we gratefully accepted 4 cents per lb. for chickens 

 and 7 cents a pound for turkeys. How would such prices strike us now, 

 when only last week Mr. G. R. Hall, one of Oakville's leading merchants, 

 paid 13 cents per pound for chickens, and 18 cents a pound for turkeys. 

 Surely at such prices all poultry raisers should feel encouraged to give 

 more attention to so profitable a business. E. W. Philo informs us that 

 we need entertain no fears that the poultry business will ever be over- 

 done, for there is only about one person in one hundred who will devote 

 enough thought and time to the work to make it a success. Many of you 

 have read of late something about the Philo System. 



This system is said to be especially valuable to the farmer as well as 

 to the city or village fancier and is adapted to all climates, all breeds 

 and all people. It is said that less than half the cost is required to 

 handle the poultry business in this manner, but having had no actual 

 experience myself in this new system I shall leave it as a point of dis- 

 cussion for those who are better acquainted with this modern method. 



When keeping poultry by modern methods it is practicable to begin 

 work at any time, but in the old way with a flock of 125 to 150 chickens 

 I have had better success in waiting until the latter part of March to 

 begin setting the hens. There is no question however, that the very early 

 chicks command the highest price, yet the later hatched ones require 

 less attention and by early fall have attained a large growth thereby de- 

 manding a high price. In raising poultry on the farm there are many 

 things with which to contend. Early in the spring when the young chick- 

 ens are very small, there frequently comes to the coops, unwelcome vis- 

 itors in the form of the weasel, the skunk or the rat. These intruders are 

 a terror to the flock and destroy the life of many a chick. A little later 

 in the season other annoyances arise w^hich menace the life of the young 

 chickens. First, the almost Invisible little mite makes its apearance in the 

 chicken house and must be exterminated immediately by a thorough dis- 

 infectant, such as lime or crude carbolic acid, used upon the roosts and in 

 the nests. No doubt some one is now saying, "That is an unnecessary an- 



