246 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 21 
A FARM RUN BY HEN POWER. 
Beneath the Sign of the Pine Tree. 
WHKKB EGGS RULE THE ROOST. 
[BDITOEIAL CORRE8POXJ)BXCB.] 
(Concluded ) 
How the Henhouses Are Made. 
After turninpr all the eggs, testing those in several 
incubators, packing a case for market, examining all 
the thermometers to see that the temperature was all 
shipshape, we went to the house, and shortly retired. 
The first sounds heard in the morning vtere the cries of 
the Guineas. Their voices are not remarkably musical, 
but certainly penetrating. I found Mr Ordway ready 
to start for the poultry houses. The first thing must 
be to examine all the incubators, which were found 
to be all right; then the eggs were again turned, then 
breakfast. Meanwhile the assistants had been feeding 
the stock. After breakfast, we made a tour of the 
laying houses. Fig. 70 shows the construction of 
these. The front part is a shed covered with wire net¬ 
ting in front, and extending back under the main house 
with the exception of the alley shown in the rear. 
This gives a large ground space for the fowls, under 
cover. The front part of this shed is roofed with 
cloth, but the turkeys and the Guineas kept on the 
place have been so aspiring in their travels over the 
roofs that the cloth is considerably torn. Mr. Ordway 
said that he will cover this with wood. The rest of 
the building is shingled and claphoarded, being lathed 
and plastered inside. The interior shown through 
the open door which leads directly into the pens shows 
a platform with a roost above it. Beneath this plat¬ 
form, are the nests. Opening into the alley at the 
rear, are trap doors for removing the eggs from the 
nests ; also for cleaning the platform under the roosts. 
The platform is cleaned d^ly, the droppings being 
brushed into an exaggerated dustpan and emptied 
into a barrel standing in the alley. When this barrel 
is filled, it is carted down with the others and dumped 
into a building devoted to the storage of the droppings. 
These houses are all solidly and durably constructed, 
but the manner of construction renders them quite 
expensive. There are several excellent features about 
them ; but buildings answering the same 
purpose might be constructed considerably 
cheaper, although perhaps, not quite so dur¬ 
able 
“How do you like them?” I asked Mr. 
Ordway. 
“They answer the purpose fairly well. 
One of the greatest objections is that the 
hens persist in laying back under the build¬ 
ings occasionally, and it is not a very pleas¬ 
ant job to creep around under there after 
the eggs.” 
The fioors, too, inside the house, are cov¬ 
ered with sand. The top of this is scraped oflf occa¬ 
sionally, being completely cleaned out every year and 
renewed. 
“ Don’t you have any scratching material?” I asked. 
“ Yes, but we put that under the sheds. What is 
there now is pretty well worn out. I don’t like it in 
the house as it gets dirty and tends to cover up the 
filth. Just as soon as they dry off we will go to the 
woods and get more leaves to renew it.” 
The upper houses are on considerably higher ground 
than the others, and here is a cistern for collecting 
the water from the roofs, and, with a system of pipes, 
this is carried to all the houses on the grounds. Each 
compartment of these houses is connected with an ex¬ 
tensive run planted mainly with peach trees, with some 
plum trees among them. All these have reached bear¬ 
ing age, having borne some last year. They will 
soon furnish another source of income. All brooder 
houses are heated by steam pipes, and are laid out 
in the regulation style so well known. The grain 
room mentioned before contains a large cooker for 
cooking feed for the chicks, such as turnips, beets, 
and other roots, a storage room for grain, roots, and 
all kinds of feed needed. Some of the houses shown 
in the front range are very cheaply constructed with 
simple frame boarded with rough lumber, the roof 
and sides being covered with tarred paper. If these 
are occasionally painted with tar, they will be quite 
durable, and for the ordinary poultrymen are as good 
as any. 
Ducks and Geese ; Guineas Are Defended. 
“ What breeds of ducks do you keep ? ” 
“Rouen and Mammoth Pekin.” 
“ Which do you consider the better ? ” 
“ The Pekin. They grow rapidly to a large size, are 
excellent layers, and dress well for market, where 
they bring the highest prices. Our five entries at the 
New York Show took first, second, third, fourth and 
fifth prizes, while the only pair of Rouens we showed 
took first prize.” 
“ What geese do you keep ? ” 
* • Toulouse and Whita China. ” 
“ Which of these do you like better ? ” 
“They are both good. The Toulouse is the larger 
and makes the most rapid growth, and is generally the 
most popular. They are also very prolific layers, be¬ 
ginning to lay early. They also thrive with less water 
than the White China, and will make almost their en¬ 
tire living on grass in summer, requiring little grain. 
The White China thrive better if they have access to 
running water. They are more like the swan in ap¬ 
pearance. They are prolific, also, but the eggs are 
rather under size. We took first prize on both breeds 
at the last New York Show.” 
“ I see you advertise Mammoth White trirkeys. Do 
you consider them superior to the Bronze ? ” 
“ Yes ; their general characteristics are about the 
same, but I think they are handsomer, and they are 
more domestic in their habits and not so much given 
to roaming. They mature earlier, while they nearly 
equal the Bronze in size. They are the largest white 
turkeys known. Mr. Mount has brought this stock to 
its present excellence. Our stock is raised on the 
farm of Mr. Mount’s father, where it has free range. 
We keep but few birds here. To sum it up, they are 
noted for their hardiness, docility, beauty, prolificacy, 
quality of fiesh, and early maturity. Our turkeys have 
won a large number of prizes, including one first and 
one second at the World’s Fair at Chicago and all 
prizes for which we competed at New York.” 
“ I heard Guineas singing around here this morning, 
early. Do you consider them of any value ? ” 
“ Certainly. No farm should be without them. No 
hawk can get anywhere near without being seen, and 
they will always give the alarm. They will save many 
chicks during the season. The White Guineas are not 
so common as the Pearl. The fiesh is very tender. 
They grow rapidly, and for broilers excel young 
chickens. Their fiesh resembles the partridge. They 
are good insect catchers, and are not destructive to 
crops, as they do not scratch. They are as good as 
watch dogs, as the least disturbance causes them to 
cry out. They are difficult things to catch, however, 
and are very annoying to some people on account of 
their making so much noise.” 
“ I see you are in the pigeon business, also.” 
“ Yes, we have some birds, and I think we shall ex¬ 
tend our lofts considerably. One house which con¬ 
tained a lamp brooder, I shall turn into a pigeon house 
with a wire covered run. There is considerable de¬ 
mand for fancy pigeons at good prices, and I believe 
that there is money in raising them for the squabs. ” 
A Talk About Breeds of Poultry. 
“ What breeds of poultry do you keep mostly ?” 
“ Light Brahmas, White Wyandottes, Barred and 
White Plymouth Rocks, Minorcas, Indian Games, 
White Leghorns, Brown Leghorns and Buff Leghorns,” 
“ Which do you consider superior ?” 
“ That depends upon the purpose for which they are 
desired. As an all ’round bird the Plymouth Rocks or 
Wyandottes are excellent. The Plymouth Rocks are 
one of the best breeds for the farmer or general poul- 
tryman. They are hardy, vigorous, good layers, 
attractive color, and make good sitters if they are 
desired for that purpose. The bright yellow legs and 
skins fit them admirably for market fowls. Their 
chicks are easily raised ; a larger percentage of them 
grow to maturity than of any other breed.” 
“ How about the White compared with the Barred?” 
“ There is little difference except in color. They 
are much easier to breed true as they are pure white. 
AVhen dressed there are no pin feathers to mar their 
appearance. They equal the Barred in all other 
points, being just as good layers and just as hardy. 
Both breeds are excellent winter layers, and this is 
just what is wanted now-a-days.” 
“ How about the Brahmas ?” 
“ They are good fowls for market, growing rapidly 
to a large size and being excellent table fowls. They 
are very quiet in disposition and easily kept within 
bounds, but they are not so good layers as some of the 
other breeds, although they lay well in winter if they 
are hatched early so as to get started before cold 
weather.” 
“ How about the White Wyandottes ?” 
“ They are among the best market fowls, besides 
being one of the handsomest breeds known. They are 
very graceful in their carriage and their low combs 
are milch in their favor. They are excellent layers, 
grow to good size, mature early, and their bright 
yellow legs and plump bodies are excellent for broil¬ 
ers and market fowls.” 
“ Do you like the Black Minorcas ?’’ 
“ Yes, they are handsome birds besides being one of 
the best laying breeds in existence. They are con¬ 
siderably larger than the Leghorns, or any other of 
the Spanish class. The greatest trouble is their im¬ 
mense combs which being so large are easily frosted.” 
“ Do you think the Indian Games are entitled to all 
the praise they have received ?” 
“ Yes, I think them one of the most remarkable 
breeds. They are quicker growing up to 16 weeks of 
age than any other breed. Their feathers are very 
short and their bodies compact and solid. They are 
very deceptive birds as to weight, being much heavier 
than their appearance would indicate. As table 
fowls, they are unexcelled and their beautiful yellow 
skin and legs, and deep, full breasts make them ex¬ 
cellent market fowls. They are good layers of large, 
brown eggs and make excellent mothers. For any 
one who wishes to raise crossbred fowls this breed 
cannot be surpassed. They cross well upon almost 
any of the other breeds.” 
“ I suppose you consider the Leghorn as standing at 
the head of the egg machines ?” 
“Tney lay better than most other breeds, and, as 
they are non-sitters, will probably produce more eggs 
in a given time. But they are not so good for broilers 
or for market fowls. The chicks will probably grow to 
a pound weight quicker than any other breed, but 
after that their growth is slower. Another thing, 
they feather so early, and the feathers grow so 
rapidly, that it seems to exhaust their vitality and 
they seem more subject to loss by disease. They are 
net so good winter layers unless they are kept very 
warm.” 
“ How about the Buffs ?” 
“ They are simply a fad and are no better than the 
other colors. They are, of course, a manufactured 
breed, and have not been out long enough to breed 
very true as yet.” 
“ What do you feed your ducks ?” 
“ The main point is to fill them up. We 
cook up a great many roots, such as turnips, 
beets, potatoes and so on, mixing in a great 
deal of bran and only a little corn meal. I 
do not buy the ground corn and oats sold as 
feed in the market, for that is nothing but corn 
meal with oat hulls mixed with it. We huy 
corn and oats separately and have them 
ground. We feed the ducks very little grain ; 
hardly any corn as they will get too fat. They 
are great eaters and we must fill them up with 
coarse feed. In summer, we feed them a great 
deal of green corn. A small patch will feed a 
great many ducks. It is cut into very short lengths, 
stalks and all, and they eat it readily. This makes a 
very cheap feed and one that lasts for several months. 
The main point with young stock is to keep it grow¬ 
ing rapidly. This is Mr. Mount’s great hobby. For 
the young chicks we make a cake of ground corn and 
oats, and bran or middlings and animal meal with a 
little baking powder. This is stirred up with a little 
water or milk and baked. This is crumbled up and 
fed them several times a day. No definite rules can be 
given as to quantity. It is a great point to feed 
them all they require and still have them hungry 
when feeding time comes. We don’t believe so much 
in feeding whole grain to little chicks as many do.” 
“ Do you feed fowls soft feed ?” 
“ Yes, in the morning, and usually at noon.” 
“ What grain do you feed ?” 
“ Wheat principally, at noon and night; sometimes 
a little corn in cold weather, at night. The wheat we 
buy of the farmers a few miles back in the country. 
Last fall I bought 500 bushels of wheat from one man, 
paying five cents more a bushel than the market price. 
The best wheat is none too good for fowls.” 
“ What do you use for green feed ? ” 
“ We buy a great many cabbages, and feed clover 
hay cub and steamed.” 
“ Do you use any cut green bone ? ” 
“ Yes; but we can’t get enough. If we could, it 
would make it cheaper for us, but as it is, we buy 
and feed great quantities of animal meal.” 
Scattered around here and there are a large number 
of outdoor brooders to which the chicks are trans¬ 
ferred from the brooder houses when the weather be¬ 
comes warm. Mr. Ordway does not make much of a 
business of broiler raising, as he says there is little 
profit in it. He finds more profit in furnishing eggs 
for others to raise the broilers. 
At the time of my visit he had a large number of 
eggs in the incubator for filling an order for a Phila¬ 
delphia dealer for 1,500 chicks for Easter. For these 
he was to receive $10 per hundred. The same dealer 
also wanted 200 small ducks, but these were not fur¬ 
nished because the eggs could not be spared^ 
