THE LEGHORNS 



This is done before the squab is put in the tub, and it 

 will then present a perfectly smooth, clean surface. 



Forcing and Fattening Broilers 

 Some farms prepare their broilers by cooping them up 

 a week or ten days before shipment and forcing them to the 

 limit with fattening foods. This is no doubt a little quicker 

 way to bring them along, but I know that many are forced 

 off their feet by this method and simply go light. I have 

 never used this method, but simply do not allow the cock- 

 erels wfhich I intend for market the unlimited range I would 

 the 'males I intend for breeders, and feed th'l^ more 

 'fattening foods, such as corn and a good fattenilig mash, 

 also feed them three times instead of twice daily. I have 

 had good success this way and never have a lot off their 

 feet and going back. If broilers are forced to the limit 

 they have to be marketed on the exact date when they 

 are ready, for if they are not, from that date they will be- 



gin to lose. Shipping on a certain date is not always 

 convenient, for the hotel might have a surplus on hand 

 and wish you to delay a week. This makes it bad, for it 

 is most hard to keep them right for a week longer, es- 

 pecially if they are what we call "ripe." By the method 

 I use if we are asked to skip a week or even two, we 

 have no fear of their "going back" and simply gradually 

 cut their ration down a little which does not react on 

 their system in any way. Of course, each farm has its 

 own system of feeding and conditioning, and the one 

 which gives the best results is the one to be followed. 

 I have simply stated the one from which I derive the most 

 good. Above all things do not feed a lot of cockerels, 

 which if allowed to mature, will be sent to the commis- 

 sion house and be a losing game, but market them when 

 they are broilers and do not be content with a nominal 

 price, for the high prices are awaiting you if you will 

 only go out and make the effort to obtain them. 



Ho\^ to Make White Leghorns Pay 



The Story of a Saccessful Poultry Farm iu Pennsylvania, From Which the Owners Cleared $1,900 



Profit in One ITear and Increased (he Original Investment of Tw^o Thousand Dollars 



to Over Seven Thousand Dollars in Six Years. 



Le Roy Sands 



IN WRITING this article, it is my intent to tell of 

 the qualifications that I think one must possess to 

 become a successful poultryman, and also describe 

 the methods that enable us to make a net profit of nearly 

 two thousand dollars from eleven hundred S. C. White 

 Leghorns, during the past year. 



In the first place, one of the first essentials for suc- 

 cess in poultry breeding is an inborn liking for the busi- 

 ness. It is plainly evident to succeed in any line that 

 we must possess a strong liking for the lines we are to 

 follow, otherwise we will fail to put forth our best en- 

 ergies, and as success is measured in proportion to the 

 efforts that we put into our business, unless it be our best 

 effort, we can not expect our full measure of success. 



Poultry raising in any of its branches if followed for 

 financial ends, becomes similar to a manufacturing busi- 

 ness and the same as the manufacturer of machinery, 

 shoes, etc., requires the same application of business 

 methods in order to succeed. In other words, you must 

 keep books with your hens, charging every item of labor, 

 food, etc., and giving credit for all returns. With such 

 business methods mix a liberal amount of common sense 

 and the balance is easy. 



About six years ago I decided to enter the poultry in- 

 dustry with the view of building up a business that would 

 prove profitable from a financial standpoint. I interested 

 a friend in the project and we secured a farm' of twenty- 

 two acres with a very desirable southern slope and good 

 natural drainage. The farm secured we immediately 

 erected buildings and began operations. By constant 

 watchfulness and close attention to details, our first ef- 

 forts were flatteringly successful, and we planned to in- 

 crease the plant. Each season we have made additions to 

 our buildings or equipment, doing this out of the profits 

 of this business. Beyond our original investment we have 

 never invested a dollar in the plant except that derived 

 in profits from the business. Starting with one building, 

 we now have four large laying and breeding houses, an 

 incubator cellar, equipped with a mammoth incubator; 



besides several individual machines, a brooder house with 

 a hot water brooding system of twenty hovers and several 

 colony houses and brooders equipped with adaptable hov- 

 ers. In addition to this we have made extensive improve- 

 'Btents upon the farm in the way of clearing up rough 

 .fields and putting them under cultivation in order to se- 

 cure better range for our birds. We also drove a ninety 

 foot well and erected a wind mill with a storage reservoir 

 of large capacity. The water from this is piped to all 

 buildings on the farm, giving us a convenient and never 

 failing water supply. All of this and many other small 

 details have been accomplished in a period of six years. 

 Starting with an original investment of approximately two 

 thousand dollars, we now have a plant worth at a very 

 conservative estimate, seven thousand and five hundred 

 dollars, above all of this we have a neat bank balance to 

 the credit of our hens. This has been accomplished by 

 applying strict business methods, that is, by keeping books 

 with our hens, charging every dollar invested up to them 

 and placing to their credit every dollar received from sales. 

 Not only have we inci eased the original value of our 

 plant ov«r three-fold, but we have a balance to the credit 

 of the business that more than off-sets the original in- 

 vestment. So much for the financial side of the business 

 and the methods to which I attribute our success. 



Houses 



I will now say a few words in regard to houses; these 

 are all of the curtain front type, the design varying to 

 suit our own ideas. One of these may be seen by re- 

 ferring to the illustration on page 132. They are all con- 

 structed with three tight sides with front composed of 

 windows and muslin curtains. The curtain is placed high 

 enough above the floor so that the cold draughts can not 

 strike the birds when confined to the house. The window 

 is added to give additional light to the interior on days 

 that the weather is such that the curtains can not be 

 opened. The houses vary in width from twelve to twenty 

 feet and in length from forty feet to one hundred and ten 



