POULTRT-CRAFT. 15 



Whether women are better fitted than men to care for fowls, is a question 

 needing no discussion. The whole subject may be briefly summed up in the 

 statement : Some people (men and women) make capable poultry keepers, 

 and some do not. There are quite large poultry plants conducted by women. 

 As a rule, poultry keeping on a scale to make a living for a family, is beyond 

 a woman's strength. Still, a woman who can press some male member of 

 the family into service to do occasional heavy jobs about the hen house, can 

 handle several hundred hens, and make the profit from them a substantial part 

 of the family income. Many women have been very successful as fanciers 

 and breeders of high class stock ; but that branch of poultry culture seems to 

 have less attraction for women than for men. Under the conditions noted at 

 the beginning of this paragraph, women assume the care of poultry through 

 force of circumstances and custom. When they take up poultry keeping from 

 choice it is usually from one or more of these reasons : that they may have 

 poultry supplies for home use ; or, profits from the hens for pin money ; or, 

 regular light outdoor work as a diversion from the monotony of housework. 

 Thus with them poultry keeping is really an adjunct to their occupation as 

 housewives. It is notable that, keeping fowls in this way, women are 

 generally wiser than men, in keeping flocks no larger than they can care for, 

 and in keeping out of debts on the hens' account. To this extent, if no 

 further, women as a class are the better poultry keepers, and more often make 

 small flocks pay. 



15. Poultry Keeping for Invalids Invalids are attracted to poultry 

 keeping as an occupation, thinking it one of the least laborious of outdoor 

 callings. The all-important thing for invalids engaging in it is to keep the 

 work within the limits of their strength. Unless this is done the work will do 

 them more harm than good. There is little really heavy work about a poultry 

 yard, but the work requires constant attention, is confining, and to some 

 becomes monotonous. An invalid whose sickness is such, in kind or degree, 

 that he could not give the fowls regular attention in all kinds of weather, 

 ought not to engage in poultry keeping expecting to make it profitable. Nor 

 should one unable by reason of physical disability to make a living at another 

 occupation, hope to make one from this. The work on a poultry plant large 

 enough to make a living for a family is not " light" work in any other sense 

 than that it does not require great muscular exertion. It keeps an active man 

 very busy through days of long hours. Invalids engaging in poultry keeping 

 on a scale suited to their strength may make something some part of a 

 living, from it, while the work builds them up physically, and can be gradually 

 developed into an extensive business yielding a living income. 



16. Poultry Keeping for Children. A child, especially a boy 

 having reached such age that he can be trusted, (with a little oversight from 

 some older person) , to care for a flock of fowls, ought to be encouraged to take 

 an interest in domestic fowls, and, if circumstances permit, should be given a 



