306 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Toe-mark Chicks. The successful poultry raiser should know the age of 

 his birds. It is strange to say that 95% of the farmers have no definite way 

 of determining the age of their poultry. When a farmer markets his poultry, 

 he ought to have some positive method of knowing the ages of the birds he is 

 selling. Such a plan would greatly decrease the number of yearling hens and 

 pullets which, through lack of system, are now being disposed of while older 

 birds that ought to be sold are retained. Eggs are conceded to be the greatest 

 source of income from the farm poultry. The pullets and yearling hens will 

 return the farmer a much larger profit in eggs during the year than the older 

 hens. Hens are kept, as a rule, at a good profit until their third year but 

 after that they are seldom profitable. A great amount of money will be saved 

 if more attention is paid to keeping a record on the ages of the chickens. 



Several methods of marking poultry are used by different poultry raisers 

 over the country but the most practical one for the farmers is that of toe- 

 marking. Instruments for toe-marking are sold by supply houses but an 

 ordinary saddler's punch may be used successfully. The illustration given 

 shows sixteen different combinations of toe-marking. If just one mark is 

 used for all chicks hatched in a given year, no farmer would have to use more 

 than three or four of these marks, but if he desires to show the ages more 

 closely, all the forms might be useful. The chick is toe-marked when hatched. 

 The operation is simple and painless. An entire hatch may be marked in a 

 very short time. All that is required is to punch the web of the foot. (See 

 illustration for combinations.) 



CAPONS AND CAPONIZING. 



The Capon Industry is increasing every year. It is valuable to the Farmer. 



A capon is a castrated male bird. After a bird is caponized it becomes 

 more quiet, the comb and wattles cease to grow, it is more readily fattened 

 and the plumage becomes glossy and heavy. Caponizing is not done to in- 

 crease the weight so much as to improve the quality of the flesh. It lengthens 

 the period of growth and the flesh' retains that tender, sweet, palatable charac- 

 ter so characteristic of spring chickens. The great difference in flavor between 

 the flesh of capons and other fowls is not realized by very many, but in local- 

 ities where it is known, dressed capons bring from 35 to 50 cents a pound. 

 The larger the bird the more they bring a pound. They -often show great 

 fondness for little chicks and can be utilized to good advantage in rearing 

 broods of chickens. Some people say they make better mothers than hens. 



Teaching a Capon to Mother Chicks. It is no trouble to start a capon 

 with little chicks if he is gentle. For best results have a small yard with a 

 coop in it. The capon should be placed in this yard a few days before the 

 chicks are to be given him so he will get used to it. It is best to have the 

 chicks about a week old if the capon has never raised chicks before. If the 

 coop has no perches in it the bird will roost squatting on the floor. Just about 

 dark the little chicks should be placed under his wings one or two at a time. 

 The capon will not object to this but rather like it If he seems restless tickle 



