894 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 20 
MAPES, THE HEN MAN. 
More Chicken Ax)vice Wanted.— Since 
I wrote Mr. Mapes on paffe S30, I became 
convinced that my estimate of $500 for 
coops, fixtures, etc., to accommodate 2,COO 
chicks in the Spring was low. He advises 
me to plan to hatch 3,000 chicks in order 
to make sure of 1,000 pullets and to put 
most of the money in incubators and 
brooders. I have kept a few hens for a 
number of years, but only a short while 
ago started in to hatch chickens for the 
purpose of developing my egg-farm dream, 
but I simply could not get enough hens to 
sit at the time I most needed them. A few 
of the brutes tried to sit very early and 
the majority in June and July—too late, 
I believe, if pullets are wanted for the 
very uncertain purpose of laying in Winter. 
Trying again with only a fair promise of 
brooding biddies in April and May, I 
posted my check in haste for an incubator, 
brooders, etc., hatching chicks with the en¬ 
couraging results that 215 out of 360 eggs 
(Leghorn) were living and in fair condi¬ 
tion in the Fall. But over 100 of these 
were roosters. Now, from Mr. Mapes’s ad¬ 
vice and figuring somewhat from experi¬ 
ence we can conclude that it will take 
perhaps four 360-egg machines to do the 
work, dividing the time into three hatches 
from say March 21 to May 6, and allowing 
250 chicks per each machine, or 1,000 chicks 
for each total hatch. Hach relay of chicks 
would have to be mothered, and if hens 
were not available it would take 60 brood¬ 
ers to take care of the lot. I have throe 
brooders and one incubator, and so accord¬ 
ing to catalogue prices my expenditures 
would be: Three incubators at $37, $111; 57 
brooders at $12, $6S4; 57 runs at $7, $399; 25 
colony houses for 1,500 chicks, $160; total, 
$1,354; without freight and cartage. Bather 
appalling when houses are still to be built 
for the main stock, most of the stock un- 
purchased and feed for the whole business 
living and dying to be paid for until some¬ 
thing comes in. Of course Mr. Mapes may 
reduce the bill considerably, and may sug¬ 
gest some cheaper plan. I hope so. I 
have tried in addition to the outdoor 
brooders the so-called sectional brooder 
with outside nens, and I had very poor 
luck with it, notwithstanding that the 
chicks were provided with everything I 
could think of for their well-being. Out 
of the same lot of eggs hatched at the 
same time, chicks in the outdoor brooders 
grew and flourished, I suppose because the 
broods were widely separated and were 
given free range after one month old; im¬ 
possible, we found it, to do with the in¬ 
door “sectional” or pipe brooder and yards, 
except with great difficulty. The chicks 
would not all return to their individual 
pens when all were turned out, and in any 
case some would crowd somewhere outside 
of the yards, and refuse to be caught, ex¬ 
cept as dead chickens, until night. On the 
whole, if biddy could be induced to lend 
us her functions at the time wanted, upon 
demand, there is no brooder or incubator 
to beat her. I say this because, while the 
machines of to-day are marvelously near 
perfection, I find that biddy's chickens 
develop faster qnd seem stronger at ma¬ 
turity—at least if she broods them. I have 
often fooled the hen into caring for in¬ 
cubator chicks after she has been sitting 
for but a few days or a week with as good 
results as possible. a. r. 
SuGGESTiox.s FROM Exi'Eriexce.—T his 
man seems to have come to a point 
where advice from one who has been 
through the mill should be helpful. One 
error which he makes in his calculations 
is in trying to hatch the whole 3,000 
chicks in one season. A good Leghorn 
hen is about as productive the second 
and third year as she is the first. If you 
strike it just right, the pullet is more 
likely to lay in December and January, 
but aside from this, the older hens have 
the advantage. The eggs are larger and 
more valuable for market or for hatch¬ 
ing. My advice would be to go slower, 
and try only to raise one-third of the 
thousand layers each year, replacing the 
oldest each season after the third year. 
If incubators and brooders are bought 
in sufficient number to raise the full 
stock desired the first year, they would 
not again be needed for three years, un¬ 
less the laying stock were replaced with 
pullets every year. I find the work and 
risk of raising young chicks much great- 
er than in caring for mature hens, 
profits considered. Proceed on this basis 
and much of the “appalling figures” can 
be cut out, leaving one incubator $37, 17 
brooders $204. Instead of paying $399 
for runs, make them at home, using 
boards 12 inches wide set on edge for 
the sides, and cover by stretching wire 
netting, one-inch mesh, over the entire 
top. The cost will be insignificant. In¬ 
stead of spending money for colony 
houses for young stock, they can be 
moved direct from the brooders to the 
permanent houses. If low trees are con¬ 
venient the young stock will grow fast¬ 
er, and be less liable to lice and disease, 
if. alio wed to roost in the trees through 
July, August and September before 
placing in their permanent home. First 
cost could be further reduced by buying 
a second-hand incubator. Mine had 
each been used one season, and only cost 
me $25 each. I know of others, prac¬ 
tically as good as new, that can bo 
bought now for same figure. 
The Brooder House. —A long brooder 
house is to be preferred to the outdoor 
brooders, on account of convenience in 
caring for the chicks, but in this case 
success has been met in the use of the 
outdoor brooders, and I doubt the pro¬ 
priety of changing. I suspect that want 
of success with the sectional brooder 
could be traced to the better ventilation 
in the outdoor brooder. Chicks can be 
asphyxiated, wholly or partially, very 
quickly in a poorly ventilated brooder. 
By proceeding on the plan thus outlined 
you should be able to fulfill your 
“dream” in three years’ time, using only 
two incubators and 20 brooders, gaining 
experien':*e and confidence as you pro¬ 
ceed, without drawing on the wffiole of 
your available $2,000. You will not have 
enough jioultry at the start fully to oc¬ 
cupy your time, but you can find profit¬ 
able employment at the construction of 
houses for laying stock, and save a car¬ 
penter’s wages, leaving that much more 
of the $2,000 uninvested. As a founda¬ 
tion stock not more than 100 hens and 
four roosters should be needed to keep 
your two incubators filled during March, 
April and May. 
Another Inquirer.- Will Mr. M.opos tell 
us what he thinks of the prosiiects for an 
egg farm just begun in ]>'ranklin Co., Va.? 
We have 200 acres of land and can raise 
enough grain, etc., to .support the families, 
hogs, hor.ses and cows, and enough vege¬ 
tables to feed the hens. We have 800 apple, 
]dum and pear trees, and can i)lant any 
number we desire. Fruit docs well here. 
Location is at foot of mountain, tind land 
sloping to the south and well drained. We 
could inve.st $1,000 without interest at pres¬ 
ent, but think best to take a few years to 
reach 1,000 hens. We have plenty of timber 
for building houses, etc., and can do our 
own building; live 175 to 500 miles from 
any good market. We are breeding the S. 
C. Brown Leghonis and have at present 
150 hens and !K) pullets. Plan of houses 
40x15x8 divided into four pens with an aisle 
on north side. Double wall of three- 
quarter-inch boards on outside, and on 
north and west side ceiled partly and 
stuffed with straw, with straw and floor 
overhead. b. b. 
Virginia. 
Many of the points raised are met in 
what is written above. The greater dis¬ 
tance from a good market is a disadvan¬ 
tage in some respects, but on the whole 
is not serious. An express train will 
carry your products to the markets 
named in less than 24 hours. Express 
charges on eggs and poultry will be 
somewhat greater but in all probability 
cheaper land, cheaper feed, lumber, etc., 
will more than counterbalance this. Tree 
fruits are all right in connection with 
hens, but do not plant trees too close to 
poultry houses, or the hens will roost 
in the trees in hot weather, and often 
refuse to leave the trees when Winter 
comes without much bothersome watch¬ 
ing. I prefer to build in open spaces at 
least 75 feet from any tree, setting the 
house on posts or piers 10 to 15 inches 
high. This gives a cool shady space be¬ 
neath the house during hot sunny days, 
while the hens will almost invariably 
go inside to lay and roost, provided they 
are always fed inside. Your plan of 
house is good, possibly a little too high. 
Just high enough to clear a man’s head 
is high enough. The heat from the sun 
and the hens’ bodies rises to the highest 
part of the room, while the hens pass 
most of the day on the floor m Winter. 
A low house is much warmer for the 
hens than a high one. My suggestion 
above to let the young stock roost in 
trees near the brooders for a time, pre¬ 
supposes that the brooders are located 
far enough away from the houses for 
laying stock to insure against their 
roaming back to their old haunts after 
they are removed from the brooders or 
trees to their permanent quarters. 
Should they do this, they will be sure to 
“go to roost” Oh tkelr old perch when 
night comes, o,iv. mapes, 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guaranteeSth page. 
always brings a top price. It is a 
sure result if you feed a ration of 
the genuine 
Alma Dried-Molasses 
Bect-Pcip with the grain. 
This is not a patent “stock food” but 
is a natural by-product of beet-sugar, 
made with the greatest care and cleanli¬ 
ness. It contains no drugs or so-called 
“tonics.” 
Send forotirbookletdescribingIiow Alma Dried- 
Molasses Beet-Pulp is made. It will Interest you. 
This food fattens stock better and quicker than 
anythingelse because it is palatable—cattle like it; it 
acts naturally on the diprestive organs, increasing 
the appetite and aids digestion and assimilation. 
They get all the good of all they eat. 
E. C. Cummings, Carson City, Mich., writes: 
"Send 2 tons first Irclglit. Am feeding 35 steers 
to top the market. This is my Cth order-’’ 
It is the best food for milch cows and calves. 
Horses, sheep and hogs thrive on it. 
Do not confuse this with wet beet pulp which 
freezes and ferments, or with common dried pulp 
containing no additional sugar. It takes 16 tons of 
wet pulp to make one ton of our Food, and it keeps 
indefinitely The genuine Alma Dried-Molasses 
lleet-Pulp contaioc 73 times as much sugar as wet 
pulp, ana nearly ,5 times as much as common dried 
pulpt Write today. Address 
Dept.n Alma Swgat Company, 
Alma, Michigan. 
Cure Tbe5e Blemishes 
Also Ringbone, hard or soft 
enlargements. Sweeny, Knee- 
Spatviiv 
_-I_ eniargemenis, sweeny, H.ne6- 
f gprung,Fi8tala and Poll Evil. 
m-A J Slight cost and certain cures. 
Spliivf 
TVo big booklets telling how , 
to do it sent free. Write today. 
riiRSIING BBOH., Chrmti.U, 
833 Union 8 tn€liYardi,Clileai( 0 ,IIL 
Shetland Ponies. 
Tho largest herd of Registered Shctlands in the 
United States. Small foundation herds a specialty. 
1 lustrated catalogue and price list Just published. 
Address, THOMSON I’ONV FAR.M, Toledo, Ohio 
—The finest lot ever offered 
for sale at Shady Lawn Ferret 
Farm. Price list free. 
Address, W. J. WOOD, New 
London, Ohio. 
O O X-. I E 3 S 
Intelligent, handsome, drivers. 
Males, $10; Females,$7.50,_ 
C. F. HUNT, UIANLITrs, N. Y. 
For Sale.—Scotch Collies, magnificently 
bred. A. J. BENEDICT, Bristol, Wls., R F D. No,2, 
/\IS IINSTAIVT'S 
and the dehorning Job is smoothly done, 
crushing or bruising if the 
KEYSXONE 
Dehornlrifi; K.nlfe 
!s used. Easy, sure and most speedv 
in operation. No evil results can fof» 
low. Cuts from four sides at once. £n* 
dorsed by veterinarians. 
M. T. Phillips, Box 18 , Pomeroy, Pa. 
THE CROWN 
bone). For the poultryman. Bestintheworld. 
Lowest in price. Send for circular and testi¬ 
monials. Wilson Bros., EASTON, I'A. 
fetches eggs all winter. Sent on 
TEN DAYS’FREETRIAU, 
Nopay until you proveitcutseasier 
and faster than any other. Isn’t! 
that the fairest offert Catalogue free. I 
F. W. MANN CO., 
Box 15, Wlilford. Masa. I 
rUULI n 
>POULTRYLIN E-Fencing, Feed,Incu-S 
jbators. Live Stock, Brooders-anything—J 
) it’s our business. Call or let us send you 1 
)our Illustrated Catalogue—it’s free for the J 
)a.sking—it's worth having. ^ 
(Excelsior Wire & Poultry Supply Co.,< 
(Dept. H.G. 26 & 28 Vesey Street. New York City. < 
oooooooooooooocoocooocooo^ 
M A bred 18 years for EQG8. Barred Rocks 
up to 273 eggs a year. Catalog free. 
“ The New System of Hatching and rais¬ 
ing chickens PAYS the best of all. Try it. 
F. GRUNDY, Morrisonvllle, Ill, 
Rural Poultry Farm, 
Barred and White Plymouth Rocks and Buff Cochins. 
Eggs and stock for sale. Illustrated catalogue of 
Iioultry bouses for stamp only. 
CTOCK FOR SALE— Cockerels, Pullets and Hens. 
^ All leading varieties. • Prices lower now than 
later. Write to-day and state your wants. 
MT. BLANCO POULTUT FA»Mi Mt. Blanco, Ohio. 
Breeders’ Directory 
Foil .SALE.—Six A. J. C. C. Yearling Heifers, 
grand daughters of Kmma’s Pearl. All have been 
bred to my Imported Bull, Arthur’s Golden Marquis; 
also, two Bull Calves, by Arthur's Golden Marquis, 
out of tested dams They are ALL bred right, raised 
right, and for sale right Money refunded if you are 
notsatlsfled. Address, E. W. MOSHER, Aurora,N.Y, 
FlAiXAS, 2Xr. "ST. 
HiGHEST GLASS JERSEYS 
BRIARCETFF BEAU. 
THE BEST SON OF JERSEY BEAU. 
BRIARCLIFF BEAU’S get Show promise Of being 
great Dairy and Show animals. Uniformity, color, 
etc . are of the finest. 
Specialty—Y oung Bulls from this great sire. 
Also Imp CHESTER WHIi’ES and Standard-Bred 
BLACK MINORCA8 and WHITE WYANDOTTBS. 
Correspondence solicited. 
L. E. ORTIZ, Supt., White PlalnB, N. Y. 
YOU GAN INCREASE 
the butter yield of your herd by buying a butter bred 
Jersey sire. Write for Booklet B1 and Sale List 1419 
AVintergreen Hill Farm, Scottsville, N. Y. 
Registered Jersey Bull Calves 
from Imported Golden Lad at fair prices. 
R. F. SHANNON, 907 Liberty Street, Pittsburg, Pa- 
jlipCC SOLID (XILORED JERSEY HEIFERS for 
InnLLflUO. Dukes Malden, No 174,526, dropped 
March 8,1903; Blenda Flowrotte, No. 174,528, Marcl 
22, and Angelo's Norah, No 174,575, May 9 Also, 
young cows soon to be fresh, and bull calves for sale. 
J. GRANT MORSE, Poolvlllo, N. Y. 
“Haddon Farms Guernseys.” 
To reduce herd quickly, will sell 25 Cows and Heif¬ 
ers. This herd is now and has always been free from 
tuberculosis. E. T GILL, Haddonfleld. N. J. 
HOLSTEIN - FRIESIANS. 
Choice young stock of the best breeding for sal& 
Prices reasonable. Every animal registered. 
WOODCRE8T FARM, Rlfton, Ulster Co., N. T. 
10LSTEIN-FR1ES1AN STOCK, 
lalves for sale at very low prices. Write for list giving 
AAT K ITT TCN K V. im llllS. X • 
—Heifer and 
and Bull 
^MOLSTEIN CUTTIE 
Good ones, and all ages. Fine TearUng Balia, 
read.' for service. 
RANIBOUILLET SHEEP. 
BERKSHIRE SWINE. 
Write DELLHUKST FARMS, Mentor, Ohio. 
FOR SALE- 
•—Purebred Holsteln-Frleslan Bulls 
from 6 to 18 months old. Improved 
Chester White Pigs of the best breeding at reasonable 
prices. CHARLES RECORD, Peterboro, N. Y. 
HOMTEIN BULL CALVES. Scotch Collies, Spayed 
Females. SILAS DECKER, South Montrose, Pa. 
RED POLLED CALVES months old; both 
sexes. B F. LEWIS, North Spencer, Tioga Co., N. Y. 
THE NIAGARA STOCK FARM 
offers some choice Shropshire Ewes of different ages, 
bred to Imported Rams Address, „ „ 
J C. DUNCAN, Lewiston, N. Y. 
Reg. P. Chinas, BerRsliires and C. WMtes. 
8 wkB. to 6 mos.. mated not akin. 
Service Boars, Bred Sows. Write for 
prices and description. Return If not 
_ satisfactory; wo refund the money. 
HAMILTON & CO., Erdldoun, Chester Co., Pa. 
IMPROVED LARGE YORKSHIRES Krio" 
hog. Pigs of all ages from Imported stock for sale. 
MEADOW BROOK STOCK FARM, Rochester, Mich 
LAKGE ENGLISH YORKSHIRES 
Three Gilts. May farrow, $5 to $8. Duroo Jerseys, 
8d lember PUs, $3 to $5. Bred Sows, H5. Mature 
Boar, $18. Bronze Turkeys, $3. Rocks and Wyandot- 
tes, $1. Elegant stock. George Enty, Templeton, Pa 
S. C. White Leghorns. 
We still have a few of our choice Cockerels to dis¬ 
pose of at moderate prices. 
WHITE & RICE, Box A, Yorktown, N. Y, 
Var’s Poultry, Pigeons, Parrots, Dogs, Cats, 
Ferrets, etc. Eggs a specialty 60 p book, 10c. 
Ratesfree. J A BERGEY, Box8,Telford, Pa 
‘‘.REASONABLE PRlCES.’’ir‘.:r;S E“.; 
B. Leghorns, B. C. Black Mlnorcas, B. Orpingtons, R. 
I.‘Beds, I’ekin Drakes. Bronze 'Turkey Gobblers. G. O. 
D. if preferred. Arthur McCain & Co., Delaware, N.J. 
W HOLLAND TOMS. $2.60: Hens, $2; B. Plymouth 
• Rock Cockerels, II; Scotch Collie Pups, $3 up, 
Stqelt striotly pme bred- W. A- t/ilbers, Lack, Pa 
