74 



SUCCESS WITH POULTRY 



They are then put in a pen four by ten feet and kept until 

 well feathered out, when they are removed to colony houses 

 of one description or another. Of course the early hatched 

 and winter chiciens' must have heat practically throughout 

 the winter. 



• Late birds do very well without artificial heat after the 

 last of March and may be safely colonized in suitable coops 

 at a few weeks of age — almost every kind of coop is used 

 for this purpose, and it really matters very little what the 

 style of the structure be, so long as it conserves the essential 

 features, which are dryness and freedom from direct 

 draught. For some years open front and bottomless roost- 

 ing coops ^-ave been strongly advocated as being the best 

 fitted for growing chickens colonized in groups of from 

 thirty to fifty. Our experience has led. us to do away alto- 

 gether with open fronts and coops without bottoms. There 

 is a constant trouble from colds caused either by driving 

 rains or bunching up on the ground, thus drawing up the 

 dampness, which ends in running nostrils, wheezing and 

 general debility. 



As the chickens grow older they are fed rather dif- 

 ferently. They have their regular morning feed, with one 

 at noon and another at night, generally the morning and the 

 night feeds are of mashes composed of bran and meal of 

 about equal parts, with from ten per cent to fifteen per cent 

 of beef scraps added. Oyster shell and grit are always by 

 them and green food is supplied as abundantly as is con- 

 venient. Where the runs are large enough so that the 

 green food is not eaten down, no other need be given, but 

 in yards devoid of grass some substitute will have to be 

 added to the grain rations. In addition to these regular 

 feeds three times a day many of the most practical 'and suc- 

 cessful poultrymen keep a box of cracked corn open to them 

 from which they may eat at pleasure. Many also keep a 

 box of coarsely ground scrap, which is kept constantly filled 

 and which may be had at all times. 



As the chickens gain size and the cockerels mature they 

 are separated from the pullets, leaving from twenty-five to 

 thirty-five or forty _pul]ets in a flock. The cockerels are re- 

 moved to another yard and if designed for market birds are 

 fed all the fattening food which they will take and as fast 

 as they are in fit condition they are sent to market. The 

 earlier hatched pullets should not be fed quite so much meat 

 or animal food as the later .hatched ones, or they will begin 

 laying too early and will moult out in the fall, thus jeopard- 

 izing the supply of winter eggs. It 'is possible by forced 

 feeding of aaimal food to induce very early laying, and we 

 ■ this season, without extra heavy strain, have started our 

 Wyandotte pullets to laying at four and one-half months, 

 which is too early to get the best size on the birds or the 

 best results in constant egg production. Too early maturity 

 is as much to be avoided as too late, that is, the pullet 

 which grows along freely and gets a suitable frame and size 

 before beginning tp lay will make the strongest and most 

 vigorous breeding bird and will in the end prove the most 

 profitable. 



We feed very little whole corn, as the orackpd corn gives 

 them more exercise in scratching, and feeding, and does not 

 pack so closely together in the crop. Considerable shellod 

 and whole oats are fed, together with some wheat; the 

 wheat, however, is more sparingly fed on account of the ex- 

 tra cost. We are able to get the same growing value from 

 wheat bran and beef scrap at a much less cost than we can 

 get it from wheat, of which the best grades only should be 

 fed. Smoked and damaged grains, such as are commonly 

 on sale for poultry, are unfit for this purpose. 



Very many fancy formulas are to be had for broiler 

 feeding as distinct from roasters. We believe there is really 

 .very little difference and that the chicken that is properly 

 fed and is in the right condition will be good to kill for 

 broilers without any. extra preparation, and chickens which 

 are good broilers will if kept mature into good roasters. One 

 of the really necessary things to do is to get rid of" about 

 nine-tenths of all > the accumulated wisdom which has been 

 loaded on to the chicken business, in many cases until it has 

 nearly swamped it, and to get back to a few very plain prin- 

 ciples. These briefly stated would be sufficient warmth, 

 cleanliness, plain food, and plenty of it; this, together with 

 a good range, will produqe chickens at a satisfactory profit, 

 if the breeding stock has been properly selected and bred. 



One of the very necessary points is good shade and it 

 must be had in some way, either by trees, board or brush 

 sheds or otherwise. We have killed two birds with one 

 stone, or rather saved several birds with one idea by build- 

 ing a number of houses on posts which leaves them elevated 

 about twelve inches or fifteen inches from the ground. 

 These coops are floored, which keeps the birds high and dry, 

 and free from dampness and at the same time allows them 

 sufficient shelter from the sun, together with the draught,' 

 vrhieh is generally found nearest the ground, and on rainy 

 days they bunch ^ together under the^ buildings and enjoy 

 themselves much better than they would were they obliged 

 to stay inside. A board runway leads from the chicken door 

 to the ground, giving them convenient passage to and from 

 the inside. Since we have adopted this method of keeping 

 the chickens we have had very much less trouble from colds 

 and greater thrift than by the former method of colonizing 

 in open front coops without floors. These coops are built, 

 four by eight feet and are four and one-half feet high in 

 front and three feet at back, giving a sharp pitch to the roof, 

 which sheds the water readily. They are covered with .tar- 

 red paper and have one sash, 'six lights, nine by twelve 

 inches, and a door twenty-four inches wide, and full height 

 of the building, which is fitted with a, serpen for use in hot 

 weather. There is an opening at the highest, point at each 

 end, which allows the heat to escape. This is closed in cold 

 weather. The birds may be carried in this building through 

 the winter if necessary, and before the chickens are large 

 enough in the spring to be placed in them they are used for 

 breeding pens and are very convenient for this purpose. 

 These buildings are, as are all other quarters inhabited by 

 chickens, thoroughly disinfected at frequent intervals with 

 a solution of carbolic acid and water. Gare must be exer- 

 cised that too mu&h carbolic acid is not used immediately 

 before the chickens axe shut in for any length of time as 

 too much acid is quite fatal to small chickens. Any high 

 grade disinfectant would answer the same purpose, the idea 

 being to keep the house free from disease germs and to help 

 the sanitary conditions. G. H. POLLAKD. 



Brooder Chicks— Feed and Care. 



I want to tell you of my mode of feeding- and caring for 

 chicks. After the chicks are hatched I leave them in the 

 machine at least twenty-four hours before placing them in 

 the brooder. 'This makes them strong and vigorous. As 

 soon as they are placed in the brooder I give them sand or 

 fine grit and water. I keep water by them all the time, 

 good, clean, fresh water. 



My first feed is hard boiled eggs chopped up fine. After 

 that I feed millet scattered among the chaff, that is on the 

 bottom of the brooder and run. I feed both millet and hard 

 boiled eggs at intervals (just what they will clean up and 



