CHAPTER XVI 
POULTRY ON THE GENERAL FARM 
This chapter will be devoted to specific directions for the 
profitable keeping of chickens on the typical American farm. 
By typical American farm I mean the farm west of Ohio, 
north of Tennessee and east of Colorado. Farms outside 
this section present different problems. In the region men- 
tioned about three-quarters of the American poultry and egg 
crop is produced, and in this section poultry keeping is more 
profitable when conducted as a part of general farm opera- 
tions than as an exclusive business. 
There is no reason why a farmer should not be a poultry 
fancier if he desires, but in that case his special interest in 
his chickens would throw him out of the class we are at 
present considering. Likewise, I do not doubt that in many 
instances where the farmer or members of his family took 
special interest in poultry work, it would be profitable to in- 
crease the size of operations beyond those herein advised, 
using incubators and keeping Leghorns. Of these exceptions 
the farmer himself must judge. The rules I lay down are for 
those farmers who wish to keep chickens for profit, but do 
not care to devote any larger share of their time and study 
to them than they do to the cows, hogs, orchard or garden. 
The advice herein given in this chapter will differ from 
much of the advice given to farmers by poultry writers. The 
average poultry editor is afraid to give specific advice con- 
cerning breeds, incubators, etc., because he fears to offend 
his advertisers. The reader, left to judge for himself, is lia- 
ble to pick out some fancy impractical variety or method. 
Best Breeds for the Farm. 
Keep only one variety of chickens. Do not bother with 
other varieties of poultry unless it is turkeys. Whether it 
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