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MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



want to grow alfalfa and some veg- 

 etables for feed. 



Will you also tell me if I can hatch 

 turkeys in an incubator? — J. W. L. 



Answer — You can raise a large num- 

 ber of Leghorns on five acres of land. 

 I know one party that has 3000 Leg- 

 horns on three acres, but it entirely de- 

 pends upon knowing how to do and do- 

 ing it right. Better begin with a small 

 number and when you succeed with 

 those increase your flock. 



Turkeys can be hatched in an incu- 

 bator and raised in a brooder, but must 

 be kept entirely separate from chickens 

 or they will die. 



Yard Room — I want to raise about 60 

 pullets for next winter. I have about 

 a hundred chicks hatched out. All the 

 yard room I can spare is on a town lot 

 about SO x 75 feet. Do you think this 

 would be enough room for them? — Mrs. 

 J. F. Y. 



Answer — It all depends upon the care 

 you give them ; if you can supply them 

 with shade, plenty of green food, clean 



water and a good scratching place and 

 the proper food, it will be plenty large 

 enough. Be sure to keep them clean 

 and free from mites and lice. 



Burglar Alarm — I refer to the men- 

 tion made by you of an electric burglar 

 alarm to protect poultry houses, and 

 would venture to inquire whether such 

 an alarm may be installed by one not a 

 professional electrician. Upon what 

 principle is it based, and what are the 

 materials needed? — H. M. 



Answer — I put in the burglar alarm 

 you speak of myself. I am not a pro- 

 fessional electrician, but I went to the 

 electrical supply house, bought from 

 them the ordinary alarm fixtures which 

 are used at the door and windows of 

 residences ; they explained to me how to 

 set them, and I did it by their directions. 

 I did not find it difficult. None of the 

 doors or windows in my hennery could 

 be opened four inches without the alarm 

 gong at the head of my bed ringing. I 

 should think you would have to under- 

 stand a little about it to put them in. 



MATING AND BREEDING 



Age for Mating — I wish to ask if a 

 cockerel should be mated after he at- 

 tains a year in age or can he just as 

 well stay till a year and a half or two 

 years old before being mated? 



Also I wish to know if it is quite as 

 advantageous to mate a rooster with a 

 pullet of his own clutch, supposing the 

 pullet and rooster are both a year and 

 a half old. I would like to do that if 

 you think it advisable. — M. S. H. 



Answer — The earliest age at which a 

 cockerel may be mated should be about 

 ten months, not earlier if you want 

 large, vigorous chickens. I consider the 

 best age for getting sturdy chicks is for 

 both parents to be about two years of 

 age. You can keep a male bird as long 

 as you wish without mating him, but he 

 should be entirely out of sight and out 

 hearing of the hens, otherwise he will 

 fret to get to them. I have known sev- 

 eral to drop down dead from getting too 

 much excited at seeing other young 

 males in the pens with the hens. 



From a year and a half to three years 

 of age is undoubtedly the best age at 

 which to mate the fowls, but you can 

 have very good results with older fowls. 



In your place I would certainly mate the 

 year and a half male with the year and 

 a half hen and expect good results, for 

 they should both be in their prime. 



Mating Brother and Sister — Is there 

 any objections to mating a rooster with 

 hens of his own clutch if they are all 

 old enough, say a year and a half or two 

 years old?— Mrs. G. S. H. 



Answer — It is considered best not to 

 mate brother and sister together, yet 

 this is always done in making any new 

 breed, and as yours comes from a three 

 hundred egg a year hen, I would advise 

 you to do so. 



Breeding — I have a nice R. I. R. cock- 

 erel. He is good shape and color, but 

 he is not up to standard weight. If I 

 breed from him will he produce chicks 

 larger than himself if they are well tak- 

 en care of? Is there any chance of get- 

 ting perfect specimens from fowls un- 

 der weight? I bought some very fine 

 looking hens, but their breasts are un- 

 even. I also got eggs from the same 

 stock and the pullets have crooked 



