34 STARTING IN FALL 



you to feed so and so much to a flock of so many 

 hens, but if you follow such advice to the letter 

 you will in time find that advice is in most cases 

 not practical. There is only one sure way to feed 

 poultry properly and that is gained only by practical 

 experience with the flock. That is why I say buy 

 a pen of birds to start with and thus gain knowledge 

 in a practical way. 



By buying a pen of fowls in the fall you have an 

 opportunity to get some strictly fresh eggs from 

 your own hens during the winter months, when 

 such eggs are difficult to purchase. To be rewarded 

 with some nice eggs within a short time of start- 

 ing to keep poultry is encouragement enough to the 

 average beginner to spur him on in the work he has 

 undertaken, not to mention the possibilities of imme- 

 diate profits from the little flock. Encouragement 

 is what a beginner needs, something to show for 

 the work and time put into the enterprise. 



In buying the nucleus for your poultry yard care 

 must be exercised in what you buy. Remember 

 you are laying the foundation for your future flock, 

 and a blunder now may mean future trouble and 

 ultimate failure. Study well what breed you want 

 to keep, hasty action may result in selecting a 

 variety which would not meet your fancy later on, 

 and possibly a breed which is not adapted to the 

 conditions and surroundings of your particular 

 plant. 



