POUI.TRY. - 297 



coldest weather in wmtep% little more, and in the mild weather 

 of spring, somewhat less — besides an occasional meal of boiled 

 bran, oats, and the refuse of the table. In winter they have 

 access to my barn floor, and pick up scattering clover leaves. 

 If the snow confines them to the hen-house, I give them late cut 

 rowen liay — some raw vegetable food of this kind being neces- 

 sary. Tliey have constant access to air-slacked lime, or old 

 plaster, and sand. 



I feed the young chicks on coarse Indian meal, wetted with 

 the least quantity of water that will serve to make it into pu(^- 

 ding. A larger quantity of water than is barely sufficient to 

 wet the meal, is injurious. Fine meal is also hurtful — the 

 coarser the better. For fattening, I use clear corn ; feeding a^ 

 much as the fowl will eat ; and without any raw vegetable food. 

 The cost of rearing and keeping my fowls for a year is as fo]| 

 lows : — 



8 bushels corn, at 90 cents, .... 

 4 " meal, "".... 

 4 " oats, at 50 cents, .... 

 Grasshoppers, worms, &c., .... 



112 80 



This gives 43 cents as the cost per fowl for the year. From 

 an experiment carefully made, a few years since, I am satisfied 

 that the expense of keeping a fowl (the " Plymouth Rock " 

 breed) for a year, where the flock is kept in an inclosure, and 

 consequently depends wholly on the keeper for food, is from 

 58 to 60 cents. 



The average market value of the chickens at four months old, 

 has been 87 cents per pair. Average value per pound, when 

 sold by weight, 14 cents. 



The flock has laid eggs during the year, to the number of 

 2,880, equal to 240 dozen. 



Value at 18 cents per dozen, . . . $43 20 

 Deduct expenses, 12 80 



Leaves, $30 40 



38 



