POULTRY KEEPING 619 



are cracked corn, Canadian peas, wheat, German millet, Kafir corn 

 and hemp. 



Cost of Feeding. The cost of feeding should not exceed from 

 one-eighth to one-fifth of a cent a day for each bird or about .52 

 cents a year. 



Water. A generous supply of fresh pure water for drinking 

 purposes should be given every day. In addition a pigeon should 

 have a supply of water in which to bathe. Shallow pans about 

 three inches deep and 20 feet or 30 feet square make suitable bath- 

 tubs. 



Killing and Dressing. The details of killing and dressing and 

 marketing are quite similar to those of broilers, green ducks, and 

 other fancy 138865 of young fowls. (Agr. Dep. F. B. 177.) 



OSTRICH FARMING. 



This industry in the United States is only in its infancy, as it 

 has only been thirty years since the first American ostrich farm, 

 was started. The pioneer breeders in this country were obliged to 

 get most of their knowledge from their own experience. The larger 

 part of the ostriches now in the United States are the progeny of a 

 single pair owned in Arizona in 1891. 



AY here alfalfa pasture has been available the birds bred in 

 America have grown larger than those first imported. A full grown, 

 fat ostrich would weigh from 375 to 450 pounds; he will stand 8 

 feet high, but can easily reach to a height of 10 or 11 feet. Ostriches 

 thrive best in a warm dry climate, but can be grown in many of the 

 Southern States and Territories of this country. Salt River Valley 

 of Arizona is thought by many to be the best location in the United 

 States for ostrich farming. 



Eggs and Incubation. Ostriches come to maturity when about 

 four years of age. The female matures from six months to a year 

 before the male; she will, however, seldom lay fertile eggs until 

 three and a half years old. After she commences to lay, in about 

 thirty days she will have laid from twelve to sixteen eggs and will 

 be ready to commence incubation in about thirty days. Both nat- 

 ural and artificial methods of incubation have proven satisfactory. 

 The period of incubation is about forty-two days. 



Care and Feeding of Chicks. A chick should never be allowed 

 to become damp or cold and should not be fed for the first three 

 or four days, but may be allowed to pick up sand and gravel. Dry 

 feed is preferable for the first week. Cracked wheat and moistened 

 bran arc excellent. Sour feed, however, should never be given. 

 After they are a week old, fine cut green alfalfa may be given. 



Plucking. The ostrich is first plucked when six months old, 

 and should be plucked about every eight months thereafter during 

 its life-time. The only feathers removed are those of the wing and 

 the tail. The process of plucking consists in cutting the tail feath- 

 ers and one row r of the largest quill feathers in the wing with prun- 

 ing shears, and drawing by hand the remaining two or three rows 

 in the wing. The value of American feathers depends on the Lon- 

 don market, although they bring about 15 per cent more than Lon- 



