^32 STARTING IN FALL 



and master the handling of this one breed before 

 tackling more. 



Another common mistake made by beginners is 

 in exercising little judgment in selecting stock — 

 buying promiscuously without any regard to the 

 strain or future ancestors. Some even go so far 

 as to purchase their foundation stock from the 

 crates at their grocers and butchers, selecting there- 

 from birds having the appearance of the variety 

 which they intend to keep. In selecting your 

 breeders in such a haphazard manner, a hundred 

 chances to one you will never make such a flock 

 profitable. You may possibly in this way get 

 pure bred stock of the variety you want, but only 

 get the worst culls, stunted, barren, or disqualified 

 specimens of that breed. You cannot expect any- 

 thing else as those shipped to the merchant are as 

 a rule discarded birds, fit for only one purpose — 

 to eat. 



By all means buy from a breeder, one who has a 

 good vigorous strain and one who has given his 

 breeding stock the proper care and attention. You 

 cannot expect healthy matured fowls from chicks 

 which had much hardship to endure, possibly over- 

 run with lice, or improperly fed and watered, or 

 not supplied with the necessary heat during their 

 first few weeks. Buy from a responsible breeder 

 so that you will get just what you pay for and 

 ofttimes a little more. When writing such a breeder 



