SUCCESSFUL POULTRY KEEPING 



ness somewhere. We haye men who have started right in their' 

 backyard with a few chickens, and today are the foremost 

 breeders, but to learn the business it must be taken slowly and 

 your groimd well worked. 



I would buy a few hens, and when they got broody send to 

 some reUable breeder of the chosen variety. My object would 

 be to get a few good ones to start with, and then breed from 

 them. The next year you could have the breeder you buy from 

 sell you eggs from several pens, keep tab on them, and mate 

 your stock without purchasing new blood the second year. 



A. 15. He too would have to go through the mill to be 

 able to jump right into the business on a large scale. Visit some 

 of the successful poultry farms and note the style of buildings, 

 etc. Have an expert lay out the plant and have the same built 

 while you are learning the business. Get some man that under- 

 stood the business to go in with you, especially some man that 

 was without funds who would be wiUing to buckle on his years 

 of experience to your capital. At the same time it would be 

 well to remember that just because you furnished the money 

 you don't necessarily know the business. I have in mind a man 

 that used to take his visitors through his incubator cellar and 

 take eggs out of the machines to show how it was done. 



A. 16. Study the markets and find out the variety that 

 is the most in demand. Take into consideration the variety that 

 is the most popular at the shows. I would advise an amateur 

 to select some old reliable strain to start with, and leave the new 

 varieties for the experienced breeders to work on. I would buy 

 a great many eggs of some reliable breeder who sold his eggs at 

 a fair price. Even if you did not get so many choice birds you 

 would have some to supply your market. You should trap nest 

 your birds for the first laying year, and select for your breeding 

 stock for the second year the females that are the best layers. 

 Market the poor layers; they will bring just as good a price on 

 the market as the good layers and perhaps more. The poor . 

 layer is generally a fat sluggish hen. I would take a few of the 

 choicest ones to a local show where the competition was not so 

 keen, and if I won would start several Uttle ads in some paper 

 with a "sworn circulation," and above all advertise only what 

 you have. You will not have any 96-point hens the first year, 

 nor will you find many 200-egg hens. The winners and the 

 layers you do have will depend a whole lot on who you bought 

 your eggs from. 



A. 17. Barred Plymouth Rocks. 



A. 18. Because there is more of a demand for them than 

 any other variety. They are one of the oldest varieties, and the 

 variety that we find some of in almost every flock of chickens. 

 They have stood their ground while other varieties have come 

 and gone. They are one of the hardest varieties to breed which 

 makes it all the more sport, for there is not much real sport in 

 working for something that can easily be obtained. They are 

 the variety that you always see the visitors crowded aro\md in 

 all our big shows. They are of the type that can be developed 

 as layers, and not lose any of their winning points. 



A. 19. Barred Plymouth Rocks. 



A. 20. They stand at the head of the list as the best all 

 purpose fowl. They have yellow legs, and beaks, beautiful 

 blue gray barred plumage, which makes them a desirable fowl 

 for either city or country as they do not show the dirt, and are 

 not as quickly noticed by the hawks or crows as the white 

 varieties. They are remarkably hardy, easy raised, are the best 

 of layers if encouraged a, little in that direction, and are good 

 sitters and mothers. They have the much desired yellow skin, 

 and when dressed for market are quick sellers. These generally 

 conceded points of excellence fully account for the universal 

 popularity of this breed. 



A. 21. Barred Plymouth Rocks. 



A. 22. There is always a demand for them as fancy stock, 

 owing to their universal popularity, while there is always a 



demand for them on the markets, owing to their yellow skin 

 and small bones. They will lay as many eggs in a year as any 

 other variety, while they spend some time clucking around — 

 the non-sitter also takes her rest. They lay a brown egg, and 

 with a little extra care and judicious breeding by using trap- 

 nests, they will lay large brown eggs and lots of them. 



START WITH LINE-BRED STOCK 



FOLLOW UP BY BREEDING IN LINE— 

 DON'T WASTE TIME "IMPROVING" 

 SCRUB STOCK— ONE VARIETY ENOUGH 



J. H. DOANE, Gouverneur, N. Y. 



BREEDER OF SINGLE COMB BLACK MINORCAS 

 AND WHITE WYANDOTTES 



A. 9. Unless I could visit the breeder and get full infor- 

 mation as to the breeding, would surely buy eggs from "line-bred 

 stock" for a new start. 



A. 10. One can buy eggs from a breeder's very best birds 

 at a moderate price, quality considered, while to buy the best 

 birds requires an outlay of cash that takes the ardor off most 

 beginners. Unless a begiimer fully knows the breeding of his 

 stock, he is very hable to go wTong in breeding, if he procures 

 stock from different breeders. Not knowing how the birds 

 were bred, the chances are more than even that they will not 

 breed properly from & standard-bred standpoint. Knowing 

 what I do, would surely buy eggs from a breeder who has a repu- 

 tation won in competition in the best shows, who breeds in Hne 

 of descent, for he would inform me how they were bred and I 

 could follow up his line of breeding. 



A. 11. Hit them where the chicken got the ax. Next 

 best thing is to get a well bred standard-bred male and grade up. 

 But life is all too short for such a course in poultry breeding. 

 With cattle, horses, sheep or swine it is well enough to grade up. 

 With poultry the cost of a few settings of eggs from well bred 

 stock is small, profit and pleasure considered, and the course 

 is all too long to spend time improving mongrel fowls. Any 

 farmer can buy a few sittings of eggs from some nearby breeder 

 and the chicks will be uniform (to a great extent) and that alone 

 will give him a neat profit above his mongrel stock; while the 

 next year he can raise- his own standard-bred chicks. 



A. 12. Procure his eggs, (or stock if he prefers) from a 

 strictly fancy breeder of the breed or variety he desires to keep. 

 Be sure they are "line-bred." Select the best specimens to breed 

 from. Get full advice from the breeder how to follow up his 

 line of mating. Market all chicks that do not come up to a high 

 standard. Do not be afraid to cull the second time; culls are 

 sure to come from the choicest mating. Give your customers 

 full value for their money and you will succeed. Not all will be 

 pleased, but stand ready to take back all stock under a guarantee 

 to please, for some men value a dollar too highly to be pleased 

 even though they get the pick of your flock. You can find 

 plenty of purchasers for your good birds. 



A. 13. Not having had the pleasure of plenty of means 

 (ready cnsh), my advice is to get the best stock you can, devote 

 to it all the time and care you have at your command. Exhibit 

 your best birds and be prepared to take defeat from the fellow 

 who has to watch his birds, for the chances are more than even 

 that he will wax you. Not because he is more intelligent by 

 any means, but because being limited in means, he must watch ' 

 every small item. A beginner with ample funds who will devote 

 his spare time and watch details with care, who possesses a 

 fancier's pride, can select, cull and care for his birds and put 

 them in the show room in such condition that they should win. 



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