1224 
The Henyard. 
The Hen Contest. 
We will close the year with the record 
brought up to December 1. For the in¬ 
formation of newer readers we will state 
that on March 1 Mr. W. J. Doug.m, of 
New Jersey, put 10 White Wyandottes 
in one house and 10 White Leghorns in 
mother, both lots with suitable males. 
He was to keep an exact locord of all 
feed given and all eggs laid. He " r as at 
liberty to do what he saw fit with the 
eggs—sell them for what he could get 
for eating purposes or hatch what he 
could and sell the birds at meat prices. 
The object was to see what 10 hens of 
fair quality would earn in one year. Up 
to October 1 the Wyandottes had laid 
935 eggs, at a food cost of $7.70. Mr. 
Dougan now sends the record of eggs 
and food to December 1: 
RECORD OF 10 WYANDOTTES FOR OCTOBER. 
During the mouth they have consumed, 
or have left in hoppers: 
18 lbs. oats at $1.40 per bag.25 
25 1bs.com at $1.60 per cwt.40 
3 lbs. wheat bran at $1.50 per cwt.. .05 
.70 
During the month they laid 61 eggs, 
eight of which were sold at 45 cents per 
dozen. 
NOVEMBER. 
'During the month they consumed, or 
have left in hoppers : 
26% lbs. corn at $1.67 per cwt. 
6% lbs. mixed feed at $1.60 per cwt 
5 lbs. wheat bran at $1.55 per cwt 
4 lbs. beef scraps at $2.83 per cwt 
lbs. oats at $1.45 per cwt. 
THE; RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
12 
.44 
.12 
.08 
.11 
.17 
.92 
During the month they laid 40 eggs, 
which were sold for 45 cents per dozen. 
Thus these 10 Wyandottes laid in the 
nine months, to December 1, 1,036 eggs 
at a food cost of $9.32. This is no 
startling record, but it is fact. 
RECORD OF 10 LEGHORNS. 
Up to October 1 the Leghorns laid 
983 eggs at a food cost of $6.71. Now 
we have these additional records: 
October. 
During the month they consumed, or 
have left in hoppers: 
18 lbs. oats at $1.40 er bag.2o 
26 1bs.com at $1.60 per cwt.42 
3 lbs. wheat bran at $1.50 per cwt.. .05 
.72 
They laid 44 eggs, one of which was sold 
at 45' cents per dozen. The others were 
used in incubators. 
NOVEMBER. 
During the month they consumed, or 
have left in hoppers: 
26% lbs. corn at $1.67 per cwt.44 
6% lbs. mixed feed at $1.60 per cwt.. .12 
4 lbs. bran at $1.55 per cwt.06 
2 lbs. beef scraps at $2.83 per cwt.. .05 
12 lbs. oats at $1.45 per bag.17 
.84 
During the month they laid three eggs 
which were sold at 45 cents per dozen. 
In the nine months, therefore, those 
10 hens have laid 1,030 eggs at a food 
cost of $8.27. Here you may have the 
record for nine months at a glance: 
Wyandottes Leghorns 
Eggs per hen.103.6 103. 
Feed cost per hen .93 cents .83 cents 
Feed cost per egg .89 cent .SO cent 
One hen one day. .034 cent .03 cent 
Feed cost per dozen 10.6 cents 9.6 cents 
And now what of the income? Mr. 
Dougan has a private trade for eggs at 
45 cents per dozen. He planned to use 
every suitable egg for hatching, on the 
theory that a broiler would give greater 
profit than an egg. He has now stopped 
hatching, however, and will sell all eggs 
to March 1, so as to have no young 
chicks on which to estimate. Up to July 
20, 409 Wyandotte eggs had been set. 
At that time 192 had been hatched, of 
which 46 had died. The cost of feeding 
these chicks to that date was $11.11. 
Since then Mr. Dougan makes the fol¬ 
lowing hatching report for the Wyan¬ 
dottes, on October 20: 
The Wyandotte Chicks. 
i herewith submit report of the White 
Wyandotte chicks since July 20, date of 
my last report. Since then we set eggs 
as' follows: 
I have sold 40 head, with total weight 
of 103% pounds, for $21.87. We have 
lost 34 from causes unknown, which must 
be taken from the total number, as I am 
unable to state which hatchings they were 
from. Therefore we now have 248 chicks 
of all ages on hand. The feed consumed, 
or left on hand, or in hoppers, consists of: 
9% cracked corn at $1.55 per cwt...$12.82 
8 mixed feed at $1.50 per cwt. 12.00 
5 wheat bran at $1.40 per cwt_ 7.00 
5 beef scraps at $2.75 per cwt. . . . 13.75 
4 wheat screenings at $1.45 per cwt 5.S0 
4 grit at 55 cents per cwt. 2.20 
2 oyster shells at 75 cents per cwt. 1.50 
1 chick food at $2.30 per cwt. 2.30 
6 bags oats at $1.30 per bag. 7.80 
July 4.. 
July 12.. 
July 27.. 
August 2 
August 8 
August 18 
August 30 
September 
October 3. 
October 16. 
October 26. 
Set 
Hatched 
Lost 
Gained 
16 
10 
o 
O 
7 
18 
8 
10 
50 
27 
7 
20 
25 
12 
4 
8 
35 
23 
6 
17 
68 
41 
9 
32 
32 
15 
4 
11 
62 
33 
4 
28 
31 
11 
3 
8 
23 
12 
2 
10 
45 
15 
9 
6 
27 
17 
3 
14 
12 
6 
o 
o 
3 
I ... 
. .. 174 
Total .$65.17 
The young of this breed have laid four 
eggs. 
Figured in the same way on July 20, 
the Leghorns had a record of 398 eggs 
eggs set, with 206 hatched and 43 lost. 
These chicks had eaten $8.01 worth of 
food. Now follows the record down to 
October 20: 
I herewith submit report of the Leghorn 
chicks from July 20, to date: 
June 29. 
Set 
60 
Hatched 
29 
Lost 
2 
Gained 
27 
July 4. 
43 
15 
S 
7 
July 12. 
o 
o 
1 
2 
July 27. 
82 
20 
6 
20 
August 2. . . . 
35 
21 
4 
17 
August 8. . . . 
25 
13 
3 
10 
August 18. . . . 
66 
35 
7 
28 
August 30... . 
29 
17 
7 
10 
September 9. 
62 
37 
7 
30 
September 16. 
20 
6 
2 
4 
September 22. 
20 
10 
2 
8 
October 3... 
36 
14 
7 
7 
October 16... 
23 
10 
4 
6 
October 26... 
8 
7 
2 
5 
Total gain . 181 
We have sold 100 young Leghorns, with 
total weight of 166 pounds : 96 pounds sold 
at 18 cents per pound and 70 pounds at 
12% cents per pound, or a total of $26.03. 
Wo have used, or have left on hand, or in 
hoppers: 
Cwt. of 
8 cracked corn at $1.55 per cwt_$12 40 
5 bags oats at $1.30 per bag. 6.50 
7 mixed feed at $1.50 per cwt. 10.50 
3 wheat screenings at $1.45 per cwt. 4.35 
4 wheat bran at 81.40 per cwt. 5 60 
3 beef scraps at $2.75 per cwt. 8.25 
3 grit at 55 cents per cwt. 1 65 
1 oyster shells at 75 cents per cwt.. .75 
1 chick food at $2.30 per cwt. 2 30 
Total.$52.30 
Since last report we have lost from 
deaths 11, so you can see that we have 
230 of all ages on hand, and have stopped 
hatching from contest eggs. The young 
Leghorns have laid 305 eggs which were 
sold at 45 cents. w. j. dougan. 
_ It is not possible to tell what the finan¬ 
cial outcome will be until the last chicks 
are sold on March 1. We see that ;.p to 
the. date given the 10 Wyandottes and 
their chicks consumed $85.60 worth of 
food; the Leghorns $68.55. Later we 
can analyze these figures and state the 
cost of an egg and a chick under such 
conditions. It seems evident that the 
Wyandotte chicks, being larger, will 
bring more money at meat prices. The 
hens also continue laying longer. On 
the other Hand, the Leghorns mature 
earlier nd the pullets have made a fair 
record of eggs. It would take a “sport” 
to tell which side will be ahead in finan¬ 
cial returns by March 1. You will see 
that these records are poor, both for 
laying and hatching. 
Judging Utility Fowls. 
I suppose that the poultrymen who write 
to The R. N.-Y. keep purebred stock. At 
the Connecticut State Fair a premium was 
offered for the best utility male and female 
in specified classes. I would like the opin¬ 
ion of some of The R. N.-Y.’s hen men on 
what standard they would judge a utility 
fowl. My stock is utility White Wyan¬ 
dottes, lacking the much admired Standard 
shape, but are great layers and make good 
in every other way. L. B. 
Berlin, Conn. 
“What constitutes the standard by which 
we mav judge a utility fowl?" is a question 
that is troubling many poultrymen and 
judges, and will continue to do so until 
the business hen is given equal consid¬ 
eration with her “fancy” sister. In seek¬ 
ing to make the show hen a “thing of 
beauty” our fanciers have gone to far from 
natural standards, and now there is a de¬ 
mand to get back to some type that will 
both admit of heavy layers and prize win¬ 
ners. In a local poultry show held in the 
past year most of our patrons were farmers 
and consequently keepers of business hens 
only. Our judge was instructed to bear in 
mind the utility points of the competing 
birds and give preference accordingly. This 
did not mean that he should disregard either 
the Standard shape or color. It did mean 
though that he should consider the appar¬ 
ent fitness of such birds for laying or mar¬ 
ket according to what they had been bred 
for. It did mean that a bright comb and 
wattles more than balanced a freak colored 
feather in a white bird. It did mean that 
activity and a width between the hips and 
pelvic bones, providing plenty of “boiler 
room” for turning out eggs, counted for 
more in a Leghorn than mere symmetry of 
form or “chalk whiteness” of plumage. In 
fact, in the utility bird we look for consti¬ 
tution, as shown by a wide breast, strong 
legs and an ample frame; for good blood 
circulation as shown by a bright comb, 
face and wattles and a tendency to keep in 
motion and active; for breeding powers as 
shown by wide hips and pelvic bones and 
wide-awake appearance. The exact shape 
of the bird of course depends on what it 
has been bred for, eggs or meat. Of course 
for each breed there must be some definite 
standard, but in the case given of White 
Wyandottes, an egg-laying strain and one 
bred for market purposes may easily vary 
in shape and activity. The utility idea, as 
I understand it. is not to upset the present 
standard of beauty and symmetry, but 
rather to allow for points known to indicate 
usefulness, and to give them preference in 
judging. Fowls may be without fancy lines, 
as you say, all right for your purpose—to 
make eggs and meat, but what we want to 
find out when we judge them by a utility 
standard is whether they look as if they 
could boat their competitors at laying, 
making meat, and getting birds like them. 
They must have some uniformity of shape 
and coloring to be sure whether or not it 
happens to be the much “admired Standard 
shape.” If the later shape is the kind that 
when bred to will “make good in every 
other respect,” its the shape for you to 
breed to and win with. r. b. 
How would I judge fowls for utility? 
This is a difficult question to answer, and it 
Is safe to say that the correct solution of 
this problem will not be arrived at for sev¬ 
eral years, and that it can only be deter¬ 
mined by a thorough and systematic series 
of experiments, aided by the most intelligent 
thought and discussion that it is possible 
to secure upon the subject. This discussion 
brings up the old question of selecting the 
layers by the different secret systems. What 
Is the egg type, the best meat type, and the 
best general purpose fowl, all things con¬ 
sidered? It is perhaps needless to state 
that these questions are all being studied 
by our State experiment stations and bv 
private investigators with the idea in mind 
of bringing the poultry industry down to a 
solid, scientific and practical basis, instead 
of allowing fancy plumage and arbitrary 
shapes to govern the awards on utility 
stock at our poultry shows, and direct the 
policies of our best breeders which is the 
case at the present time. It is a fact that 
some varieties of fowls have been prac¬ 
tically ruined for egg production bv breed¬ 
ing them extremely short in body and neck. 
My opinion of a utility standard is that 
there should be one for egg producers and 
one for meat producers, neither of which 
should in any way interfere with the pres¬ 
ent standard of perfection for fancy poul¬ 
try. 
Taking up the details of a standard for 
layers first, color should not be taken into 
consideration at all. In size, a good layer 
may weigh four to eight or even nine 
pounds. Only very small birds and ex¬ 
tremely large ones should be discarded for 
size. The egg type should be described in 
detail, giving special prominence to length 
of body, neck, together with broad back 
and strong constitutional vigor. Bright 
eyes, broad, well-shaped heads and large 
combs are also required for extra heavy 
layers. The free ends of the pelvic bones 
should be wide apart in both male and fe¬ 
male. The best judge in the world, how¬ 
ever, cannot tell how many eggs a hen 
will lay in a year by simply looking at her 
and handling her. Therefore, each hen 
shown in the laying class should be ac¬ 
companied by her individual egg record for 
one year. This record is just as important 
with laying hens as a milk and butter rec¬ 
ord is with dairy cows. 
The utility standard of fowls for meat 
production should take into consideration 
the size, shape and vigor of the birds for 
this purpose, together with their tendency 
toward early maturity and economical 
growth. These points are all fairly easy 
to compare; but there are many’ other 
points which science has yet to teach us 
how to use in this comparatively new art 
of judging poultry according to’ its value 
when considered from the standpoint of 
greatest production. c. s. G. 
Hen Manure as a Fertilizer. 
I have read many articles on hen manure, 
how to keep, etc., but none seem to give 
me the information I desire. I wish to 
store it when cleaned from the houses 
daily, for use on crops in the Spring. What 
are the best ingredients to mix with it 
for a proper fertilizer for garden truck and 
wheat? Last year we spread it on a field 
of Alfalfa, and wherever it was spread the 
Alfalfa was burned or killed outright, but 
where the manure did not touch we har¬ 
vested three crops of fine hay. The ground 
in the garden where it was used was hard 
and unproductive, although our soil is a 
fine loam, easily worked and has grown 
fine crops for years. a. r. 
This question is discussed in “The Busi¬ 
ness Men,” but there are a dozen ways of 
operating. A simple and effective way is to 
scrape up the manure frequently and keep 
it in barrels dusted over with gypsum or 
land plaster. Use enough of the plaster 
to whiten the manure thoroughly. This 
will dry it into hard chunks. During late 
Winter or Spring crush or grind these 
chunks, and if possible sift the crushed 
manure through a screen. Then mix with 
chemicals. A good mixture for general use 
would be 1,000 pounds crushed manure, 100 
pounds nitrate of soda, 200 pounds sul¬ 
phate of potash and 600 pounds acid phos¬ 
phate. Many other combinations can be 
used but this one would give results on 
most crops. 
Grease for Lice. —Tell your poultry 
keepers that a very effective remedy for 
mites is to take any waste grease which 
is always to be had from the kitchen and 
apply warm to the roosts. This fills the 
cracks and kills the occupants and leaves 
no chance for newcomers. Disinfectants 
can be added. This is also good appliel to 
the skin around the vent for the big lice, 
and can be done without soiling the feathers 
by using a machine oil can. Do not use 
disinfectant when using on birds as it is 
likely to burn. W. H. J. 
Malden. Mass. 
December 23, 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
FREE 
SUCCESSFUL 
Poultry Lessons 
—to Every New Customer 
SEND A POSTAL. Get Gilcrest’a big 
book FREE and also his facts about his 
SUCCESSFUL Poultry Lessons given to 
buyers of 
Successful 'brooders* 
Blurt right for biggest profits. Write to ■ * O D p 
Des Moines Incubator Co. ( 90 Second St., Des Molnes.ia. 
TNniRATinN-0« r hot w ater custom hatcli- 
lULUimnm jng p] an t was so successful 
last season that we have doubled our capacity, 
which is now over 200,000 eggs. Last year wo had 
to turn away over 1,000 eggs a day for a period of 4 
months, as our Incubator was full. Over 80 per 
cent of our last year’s customers have already en¬ 
gaged space in our Incubator for the coming sea¬ 
son. Don’t be among the disappointed—engage 
your space now. Our Incubator starts on Jan. 2d. 
Write for prices and information any way 
MAPLE GLEN POULTRY FARM 
Millerton, New York 
S. C. W. LEGHORNS 
Hatching Eggs from selected yearling breeders. 
Choice breeding stock at reasonable prices. 250 
acres devoted to Leghorns of exceptional quality 
and vigor. Send for circular. JIT. PLEASANT 
FARM, Box Y, Havre de Grace, Md. 
rnnn Sl n 2 ' 0 'Combed White Leghorns, Barred 
• J (J U U Plymouth Rocks, Imperial Pekin Ducks, 
. Bronze Turkeys and Guinea Hens at 
right prices. Yearlings, pullets, cocks or cockerels. 
Order at once for best selections. Largest success 
ful poultry plant in the vicinity of New York City. 
Agents Cyphers’ Incubators. 
BONNIE BRAE POULTRY FARM New R ochelle, N. Y. 
SINGLE COMB WHITE LEGHORNS 
Choice lot Yearling Hens, Early Pullets and Cock¬ 
erels; any quantity at attractive prices; bred-to-lay 
kind. _ SUNNY HILL FARM, Flem inpton, N. J. 
inn YEARLING WHITE LEGHORN HENS 
IUU and Pullets—White Orpingtons, White Ply. 
Rocks, Rhode Island Reds. E. G, TUCKER. 
Jefferson County, Philadelphia, N. Y. 
S, C. WHITE LEeHORNS'S'SaT”" 
erels for breeding. Price right for quality. 
WHITE & KICK, YORKTOWN, N. Y. 
S.C. WHITE LEGHORNSlgSk d ] ?in”i 
true Leghorn type and from the heavy laying 
“Sterling” strain. 200 grand utility cockerels, some 
good enough to exhibit. 100 two-year old hens. Write 
us. W. STERLING & SONS . Cutchogue, N. Y. 
S O \KI LEGHORN PULLETS, one and two year old. 
■ UiVVi Hens, Cocks and Cockerels. Ckoico 
stock. John P. Case & Sons, Clover Hill, N. J. 
F OR SALE—Carefully selected, large, vigorous March 
hatched S. C. White Leghorn Cockerels, direct 
Corning; strain. $2.50 apiece. Orders for 25 or 
more, $2.25. The Endicott Farm, New Brunswick, N. J. 
CPFnm fBARRED ROCKS AND PARTRIDGE COCHINS 
LUIHL j p u jiets $2.00, Cockerels $3.00 to $5.00. 
nCCCD I Some good enough for exhibition. 
UrrCIl (.and all good utility stock. 
MINCH BROS., Route 3, Bridgeton, N. j. 
ARRED ROCKS, Runner Ducks, Toulouse Geese. 
Bred-to-lay strains. Nelson’s, Grove City, Pa. 
B 
KEAN’S WHITE WYANDOTTES 
Extra fine Cockerels ready for service, $3.00 each. 
Pullets, $2.00 each. Guaranteed to satisfy the most 
fastidious. Also Choice Indian Runner Drakes, 
$2.00 each. E. FRANKLIN KEAN, Stanley, N.Y. 
Hone’s Rose Comb Reds and Large, vigorous util- 
Mammoth Bronze TURKEYS bfrds^bred^rombe^ 
selected layers; also choice yearling breeders at 
reasonable prices, quality considered. All birds 
shipped on approval. 
0. R. HONE, Crescent Hill Farm, Sharon Sprinos, N Y. 
Rose Comb Reds-Indian Runner Ducks 
Higli-class breeders and young stock for show, 
utility and export. May return at my expense if not 
satisfactory. Sinclair Smith, 602 Fifth St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
T HE FARMER'S FOWL— Rose Comb Reds, best winter 
layers on earth. Eggs, $1.00 per 15. Catalogue 
free. THOS. WILDER, Route 1, Richland, N. Y. 
Van Alstyne’s Reds and Orpingtons 
A few fine Cockerels for sale at $3.00 each, if taken at 
once. Edw. van Alstynk & Son, Kindorhook, N.Y. 
BLACK OBPINGT0 
Will make excellent breeders and show birds. All 
stock guaranteed and sent on approval. Prices 
reasonable. F. F. ANDREW, Philadelphia, Jeff. Co., N. Y. 
MAMMOTH Rekin Dncks and Drakes, $2 each. 
lYInllllYIU I II Fifteen White Wyandotte Yearling 
Hens, one cock, $20. Rupracht Bros., Pulaski, N.Y. 
White Holland TirkeirJJMssMiSJ 
breeding; hundreds of unsolicited testimonials 
from all parts of U. 8. Early orders for best 
prices. H. W. ANDERSON, Stewartstown, Pa. 
GIANT BRONZE TURKEYS RCR 1 Rei 
Pullets. Grand Stock 
H. J, VAN DYKK, 
Cockerels and 
at Farmers’ prices. 
GETTYSBURG, l’a. 
B est white Holland turkeys, white Wyandotte cock 
erels and Toulouse Geese, for sale. Prices low fox- 
quality. 1:. SCHIEBElt, RFD3, Bucyrus,O. 
On EGGS $1.00—leading vai’ieties, 52 bx-eeds. Prize Poul- 
L U try, Pigeons, Hares, etc. Booklet free. I^irgo illus. 
tx-ated descriptive Catalog 10c. F. G. WILE, Telford, Pa- 
00111 TPYMPII - Send 2c stamp for Illustrated 
■ WUU I n I men Catalog describing 35 varieties. 
EAST DONEGAL POULTRY YARDS MARIETTA, PA. 
MacKellar’s Charcoal 
For Poultry is best. Coarse or fine granulated, also 
powdered. Buy dii-ect from lai-gest manufacturers of 
Charcoal Pi-oducts. Ask for prices and samples. Est. 1841 
R. MacKELLAR’S SONS CO., Peekskill,N.Y'. 
Make Your Hens Lay 
QO°^, 
Send for and read our book on feeding raw bone. Rich In protein and all other 
egg elements. Get twice the eggs, more fertile eggs, vigorous chicks, earlier 
broilers, heavier fowls, bigger profits. 
MANN’S LATE b S Jne°c D ut L t E r 10 DAYS’ FREE TRIAL £> ™5£i 
.1 Makes bone-eutting simple, easy, rapid. Try it and see. Open hopper, auto- 
matiofeed. Cutsallbone wlthadheringmeatandgrlstle. Neverclogs. Don’t 
buy until you try. Book free. F. W. MANN CO., Box 1!$ , Milford, Mass. 
