‘Ibt  RURAL.  NEW-YORKER 
669 
The  Henyard 
Poor  Hatches 
I  am  running  an  incubator  and  having 
such  poor  batches  I  would  like  to  know 
the  trouble.  I  have  had  several  hatches 
come  off  since  the  last  of  February,  and 
only  get  about  50  per  cent  hatch.  I  am 
setting  from  about  250  old  hens.  I  have 
eight  cockerels  mated  with  them,  and 
find  some  weak  and  dead  germs  that  can¬ 
not  get  out  of  the  shell.  I  feed  them  on 
a  good  grade  of  scratch  feed  and  all  the 
mash  they  will  eat  of  the  following  in¬ 
gredients  :  One  part  ground  oats,  one 
part  wheat  bran,  one  part  middlings,  one 
part  cornmeal,  one  part  beef  scrap.  Birds 
have  free  range  abbut  half  of  the  time, 
with  plenty  of  green  stuff.  Does  a  sud¬ 
den  jar  injure  the  hatching  quality  Of  the 
egg?  My  incubator  cellar  is  about  200 
ft.  off  the  railroad.  Are  the  eggs  from 
pullets  mated  with  cocks  one  year  old  as 
good  as  hens  for  setting  purposes? 
Delaware.  w.  H.  G. 
Incubator  hatches  of  50  per  cent  in  the 
early  part  of  the  season  cannot  be  con¬ 
sidered  “very  poor”;  in  fact,  they  may 
be  considered  very  satisfactory.  A  little 
later,  and  in  special  cases,  much  better 
hatches  may  be  obtained,  but  around  00 
per  cent  is  about  all  that  can  reasonably 
lie  hoped  for  in  general  practice.  The 
jarring  from  a  railroad  200  ft.  distant 
should  not  affect,  the  hatches.  Pullets 
are  not  as  good  as  hens  as  breeders, 
though  well  developed,  vigorous  pullets 
may  be  used,  in  the  absence  of  older 
birds.  Pullets  do  not  lay  as  large  eggs, 
consequently  their  chicks  are  not  as  lai’ge, 
and  they  have  not  had  an  opportunity  to 
demonstrate  ability  as  good  producers 
over  a  long  period  of  time.  Other  things 
being  equal,  the  older  the  hen  the  better, 
when  used  in  the  breeding  pen.  M.  B.  D. 
Cleaning  Up  After  White  Diarrhoea 
I  have  taken  over  a  poultry  plant  where 
chicks  had  white  diarrhcea  two  years  ago. 
I  plan  to  whitewash  the  brooder  house, 
and  disinfect  the  floor;  also  to  sow  the 
runs  to  oats.  Would  it  be  advisable  to 
give  the  runs  a  coating  of  lime?  IIow 
long  would  such  a  disease  stay  in  the  soil 
or  brooder  houses?  G.  N.  P. 
I  do  not  know  how  long  the  germ  of 
white  diarrhoea  of  the  bacillary  type  may 
live  outside  the  body.  Some  authorities 
say  “indefinitely.”  You  probably  cannot 
be  too  thorough  in  your  efforts  at  clean¬ 
ing  and  disinfecting  quarters  or  imple¬ 
ments  formerly  subjected  to  infection, 
though  it  seems  to  me  that  there  should 
be  little  danger  after  two  years  of  free¬ 
dom  from  that  trouble.  You  should  use 
care  in  hatching  from  flocks  not  reason¬ 
ably  well  known  to  be  free  from  infection, 
however.  Mature  hens  carry  the  germs 
of  white  diarrhoea  in  their  ovaries  and 
transmit  them  to  their  chicks  through  the 
eggs.  If  you  have  a  flock  on  the  plant 
from  which  the  chicks  suffering  from 
white  diarrhoea  were  hatched,  or  in  which 
survivors  from  infected  flocks  of  chicks 
are  included,  you  will  be  running  grave 
risk  of  continuing  the  infection  by  using 
them  as  breeders.  The  precautions  to  be 
used  against  white  diarrhoea  of  the  in¬ 
fective  type  are  disinfecting  of  incu¬ 
bators,  brooders,  etc.,  that  may  have  been 
contaminated  by  diseased  droppings  and 
hatching  from  flocks  free  from  “carriers,” 
or  hens  that  have  survived  an  attack  in 
chickhood,  only  to  retain  the  germs  within 
their  bodies  and  transmit  them  through 
their  eggs  to  future  generations.  M.  b.  d. 
Leg  Weakness 
I  want  to  find  out  what  makes  little 
chicks  (White  Leghorns)  about  three 
weeks  old,  weak-legged?  They  cannot 
walk,  and  after  a  few  days  they  die.  We 
give  them  dirt  on  the  ground  and  feed 
them  sour  milk,  clear  water,  fine  cracked 
corn,  buttermilk,  mash,  charcoal,  bread, 
boiled  potatoes,  johnnycake,  carrots  once 
in  two  days,  and  cracked  wheat.  c.  S. 
Perhaps  the  most  common  cause  of 
leg  weakness  in  chicks  about  three  weeks 
old  is  confinement  to  brooder  floors. 
Chicks  should  be  gotten  out  upon  the 
ground  within  two  weeks  from  hatching, 
a  run  being  arranged  for  them  so  that 
they  can  get  their  feet  muddy.  They 
will  not  stand  confinement  much  longer 
than  this,  without  showing  evidence  of 
weakness  in  inability  to  stand,  m.  b.  d. 
Color  of  R.  I.  Red  Eggs 
Is  it  true  that  the  color  of  eggs  from 
Red  hens  will  vary  with  the  color  of  the 
plumage?  That  is,  do  the  darker  colored 
birds  lay  the  darker  eggs?  s.  J.  W. 
My  experience  has  been  that  there  is 
absolutely  nothing  to  the  color  of  fhe 
egg  in  regard  to  what  the  color  of  the 
chick  will  be ;  that  is,  when  matured. 
There  is  absolutely  nothing  to  the  real 
dark,  rich,  little  chicks  being  better  col¬ 
ored  birds  when  matured  than  those  that 
are  seemingly  of  lighter  color. 
I  do  not  care  to  go  on  record  as  stating 
that  it  is  a  good  idea  for  the  breeders  to 
get  away  from  as  near  uniformity  in  the 
color  of  eggs  from  a  flock.  I  detest  a 
white,  chalky  egg  from  a  Rhode  Island 
Red  female.  However,  there  are  females 
that  will  lay  a  light  egg  during  one 
period  of  the  season  and  a  much  lighter 
or  darker  egg  the  next  period.  I  think 
feed  conditions  govern  this  to  some  ex¬ 
tent.  I  want  to  give  you  an  example  that 
came  to  my  observation.  It  has  actually 
been  tested  out.  Every  season  I  have 
two  or  three  females  in  my  yards  that 
lay  a  very  neat,  uniform,  light-colored 
egg.  The  specimens  are  ideal  Red  birds 
of  exhibition  type  and  color.  Every 
Spring  I  trap-nest,  and  there  was  one 
individual  that  laid  a  very  white  egg.  I 
do  not  like  to  send  this  kind  out  to  my 
customers,  therefore  they  were  set  aside 
and  eaten.  One  evening  I  thought  1 
would  save  a  setting  of  these  eggs,  and  I 
gave  them  to  one  of  my  neighbors  to 
hatch  and  raise.  He  raised  to  maturity 
eight  chickens,  five  females  and  three 
males.  Two  of  these  male  birds  were 
shipped  out  on  approval  for  $100  each, 
and  as  fine  specimens  of  exhibition  birds 
as  you  will  find  in  the  ordinary  big  shows. 
The  chicks  were  very  light-colored,  carry¬ 
ing  almost  a  white  fluff.  They  were  band¬ 
ed  and  watched  for  an  entire  season. 
Last  season  the  same  thing  was  carried 
out.  I  had  a  man  working  for  me  who 
took  home  several  settings  of  eggs  of  very 
light  color.  Some  of  them  were  very 
small.  The  chicks  were  very  nice  color 
when  hatched.  They  became  matured 
and  showed  exceedingly  good  quality.  A 
few  days  ago  I  happened  to  be  on  the 
man’s  place  when  he  had  set  50  eggs 
from  one  pen  that  were  produced  from 
these  eggs,  and  I  never  saw  a  nicer  bunch 
of  uniform  colored  eggs,  not  exceedingly 
dark,  nor  were  they  light,  and  I  was 
somewhat  surprised,  as  I  was  very  much 
afraid  that  they  would  reproduce  the 
same  colored  eggs  that  they  were  hatched 
from.  However,  I  noticed  them  to  be 
much  better  in  color,  size  and  shape. 
I  would  like  to  see  the  Rhode  Island 
Reds  as  a  whole  establish  a  uniform  col¬ 
or,  not  too  light  nor  too  dark,  but  my 
experience  during  the  past  10  or  12  years 
has  been  that  there  is  quite  a  variation 
in  the  color  of  eggs  from  a  pen  of  chick¬ 
ens  housed  and  fed  alike,  and  that  the 
color  of  the  egg  has  nothing  whatever 
to  do  in  regard  to  the  color  of  the  plum¬ 
age  of  the  stock  when  matured. 
Illinois.  c.  p.  SCOTT. 
Canaries  That  Fail  to  Breed 
Can  you  tell  me  why  we  failed  in  an 
effort  to  raise  canary  birds?  Over  two 
months  ago  we  put  a  pair  in  a  mating 
cage,  and  followed  the  usual  procedure  of 
keeping  them  divided  at  first  and  then 
letting  them  get  together  when  Hhey 
showed  friendly  interest.  The  birds  were 
perfectly  friendly  and  had  very  few 
fights,  and  seemed  to  be  interested  in  the 
nest.  In  addition  to  the  rape  and  canary 
seed,  we  fed  them  hard-boiled  eggs,  let¬ 
tuce,  and  sometimes  a  little  eggshell,  and 
kept  a  cuttlefish  bone  in  the  cage  at  all 
times.  We  kept  nesting  material  in  the 
cage,  which  they  worked  at  assiduously, 
and  during  the  two  months  a  nest  has 
been  built  and  torn  apart  many,  many 
times.  The  only  time  the  female  seemed 
willing  to  sit  on  the  nest  was  when  there 
was  no  material  in  it.  As  no  eggs  were 
laid  we  separated  the  birds  yesterday, 
and  now  they  seem  to  be  frantic  to  get 
back.  c.  II.  N. 
This  is  the  clearest  account  of  difficul¬ 
ties  with  canaries  that  has  ever  come  to 
me,  and  I  am  especially  interested  in  it, 
because  a  neighbor  on  a  farm  a  mile  away 
is  having  similar  difficulties.  In  her  case, 
I  imagine  the  _  birds  are  too  much  dis¬ 
turbed.  Five  birds  are  in  the  room  where 
the  cages  hang,  the  mated  pair  in  one  big 
breeding  cage.  But  the  room  is  the  fam¬ 
ily  living  room,  there  are  several  chil¬ 
dren  and  also  several  cats  that  have  the 
freedom  of  the  house. 
An  expert  who  has  studied  canary 
breeding  all  over  this  country  and  in 
Europe  says  that  canaries  differ  in  dis¬ 
position  as  much  as  we  humans  do. 
Some  canary  failures  can  only  be  ex¬ 
plained  by  the  supposition  that  the  tem¬ 
peraments  of  the  birds  do  not  agree,  or 
possibly  the  female  might  be  barren. 
Were  the  two  birds  bought  from  a  re¬ 
liable  dealer  so  they  were  of  the  same 
strain,  of  suitable  age  and  unrelated,  and 
in  the  best  possible  physical  condition? 
There  have  been  cases  where  a  supposed 
“male”  was  a  “female.”  It  is  barely 
possible  that  the  female  might  be  an  egg- 
eater.  The  eggs  are  usually  laid  early, 
from  7  to  10  in  the  morning,  and  if  one 
did  not  visit  the  cage  early  enough,  it  is 
barely  possible  she  might  have  laid  eggs 
and  devoured  them.  Or  she  may  be  bar¬ 
ren. 
Is  the  female  shy?  If  that  is  the  case, 
she  may  be  too  nervous  to  lay  eggs  un¬ 
less  the  cage  be  covered  so  she  cannot 
see  who  is  approaching.  The  cage  should 
be  hung  fairly  high  (German  breeders  say 
as  high  as  7  or  8  ft.  from  the  floor)  and 
hung  so  it  will  not  swing  or  be  easily  dis¬ 
turbed.  One  experienced  R.  X.-Y.  reader 
says  4  or  5  ft.  from  the  floor  where  the 
cage  will  get  direct  light  from  a  window, 
then  cover  the  cage  entirely  with  white 
muslin,  with  front  like  a  curtain,  to  be 
lowered  after  lamplight.  Birds  in  cages 
covered  thus  are  apt  to  be  more  contented. 
So  far  as  the  food  and  methods  fol¬ 
lowed  are  described,  I  see  nothing  to  jus¬ 
tify  the  failure  to  breed.  I  can  only  sug¬ 
gest  the  three  possibilties,  that  the  female 
is  barrern,  an  egg-eater,  or  so  shy  that  she 
does  not  get  the  seclusion  needed  at  such 
a  time.  There  might  be  a  fourth ;  per¬ 
haps  she  is  an  advanced  feminist. 
EDNA  S.  KNATP. 
Reduced  Prices  on  Mid -'May  Chicks 
Order  them  NOW.  It  means  early-winter  layers  and— YOUR 
PROFIT.  Remember  our  guarantee — safe  delivery  of  full 
count  with  delivery  postpaid  anywhere  in  U.  S.  A.',  east 
of  Mississippi  River.  Add  10c  for  special  delivery  ,on|  each  hundred  or  less. 
PRICE  LIST— In  Effect  May  14,  1923 
25 
Wh..  Blk.  or  Bm.  Leghorn! .  $4.00 
Barred  Rocks .  4,75 
R.I.Reda .  5.00 
White  Rocks  or  Anconat . .  5.25 
Wh.  Wyandottei  or  Blk.  Minorca!  6,75 
Mixed^Chicks . . .  3.50 
60 
100 
600 
1000 
$  7.50 
$15.00 
$  72.50 
$140.00 
9.00 
17.00 
82.50 
160.00 
9.50 
18.00 
87.50 
170.00 
10.00 
19.00 
92.50 
180.00 
ill  2.75 
25.00 
122.50 
6.50 
12.00 
57.50 
■-» 
SPECIAL  MATING 
Mating  A  Wh.  Leghorns  $6.75  $12.75  $25.00 
Mating  B  Wh.  Leghorns  5.50  10.50 
Barred  Rock* .  6.00  11.00 
Hatches  every  week  during  the  season. 
20.00 
22.00 
95.00 
105.00 
185.00 
190.00 
Send  money  order,  check 
or  registered  letter.  Cannot  ship  C.  O.  D. 
W.  F.  HILLPOT,  Box  1,  Frenchtown,  N.  J. 
Member  International  Haby  Chick  Association 
Life  Member  American  Poultry  Association 
BABY  CHICKS 
From  High  Egg-Laying  Bird*.  All  Breeders  Now  on  Free  Range. 
iThese  prices  for  May  16th,  23rd,  29th  and  June  6th  shipments. 
Per  600 
S.  C.  White  Leghorns . $70.00 
Rhode  Island  Reds .  82.50 
Barred  Plymouth  Rocks .  82.50 
White  Wyandottes .  92.50 
Black  Minorcas . .  ••••• 
White  Rocks  and  Anconas .  95  00 
Special  prices  on  one,  two  and  five  thousand.  Place  your  order  now  to  be  sure 
of  shipment.  Full  count  and  safe  arrival  guaranteed.  Catalog  free. 
PINE  TREE  HATCHERY,  Box  R,  Stockton,  New  Jersey 
Per  600 
P«r  100 
Per  60 
Per  SB 
$70.00 
$14.50 
$8.00 
$4.25 
82.50 
17.00 
9.00 
5.00 
82.50 
17.00 
9.00 
5.00 
92.50 
20.00 
10.50 
5.75 
23.00 
12^00 
6.50 
95  00 
20.00 
10.50 
6.00 
OOAUTYfSTRVK^ 
BREEDING  STOCK  VITALITY 
IS  STRONGEST  NOW 
Old-time  breeders  know 
that  chicks  hatching 
now  are  at  their  best — 
they  grow  rapidly,  with 
great  vitality,  de¬ 
velop  evenly  and 
feather  beauti¬ 
fully.  The 
time  to 
start  a 
flock  is 
Now.  We 
hatch 
seven 
reliable 
breeds  of 
proven 
stand- 
>ards.  We  can  fill  or¬ 
ders  promptly  from 
25  to  25,000.  We 
are  oldest  and 
largest  hatchery 
in  New  England. 
Live 
Delivery 
Guaranteed 
Anywhere 
FREE 
Beautiful 
Illustratad 
Book  and 
Price  List 
On  Request 
Mansfield  Hatchery  Co.,  Dept.  A,  Mansfield,  Mass. 
Member  of  International  Baby  Chick  Aasociation 
Member  of  American  Poultry  Association 
S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Baby  Chicks 
5000  chicks  ready  for  delivery  during  May. 
All  strong,  healthy  birds.  25  per  cent  from 
pedigreed  stock,  25  per  cent  from  certified 
stock,  and  50  per  cent  from  high-class  breeders 
mated  to  pedigreed  cockerels.  Price  $15.00 
per  100  in  lots  of  500  and  up. 
SHANNON  FARMS 
Eastport,  L.  I.  -  -  -  New  York 
Directly  Imported  Leghorn 
males  head  part  of  our  pure  Barron  Strain  matings. 
Pedigrees  272-288.  Third  importation.  Breeders  are 
selected  also  for  size  and  vigor.  Strong  chicks  and 
fertile  eggs  from  these  and  other  matings  of  grand 
layers.  Safe  arrival  guaranteed.  Write  forcirculars. 
R.  T.  EWING  -  Atlantic,  Pa. 
PERSISTENT  LAYING  LEGHORNS 
Selected  matings,  headed  by  Pure  Tancred 
Cockerels,  from  hens  with  records  of  270  to  298 
eggs,  mated  to  a  male  from  311-egg  hen. 
LARGE  BIRDS— BIG  WHITE  EGGS 
2,000  chicks  in  May. 
JAMES  G.  RUGH  .  VINELAND,  N.  J 
BABY  CHICKS 
15,000  each  week.  10  popular  varieties.  All  Pure  Bred. 
Immediatedelivery  guaranteed.  Write  for  price  list. 
THE  STURDY  BABY  CHICK  COMPANY.  Springfield,  Ohio 
CHICKS  16  Cents 
White  Leghorn,  from  selected  stock.  Circular. 
W.  JANDA  -  Huntington,  L.  I.,  N.  Y. 
February  &  March  Hatched  White  Leghorn  Pullets 
Healthy  birds  from  bred-to-lay  strain.  Get  some  of 
these  early  ones  at  SI. 50  each 
R.  A.  KEUTE  Bellport,  Long  Island,  New  York 
For  Sale-125  White  Leghorn  Yearling  Hens 
from  a  flock  of  1,000  that  averaged  179  eggs.  Must 
have  room  for  young  chicks.  52  each  or  $225  tor  the 
flock.  HUGH  H.  HARTMAN,  Route  1,  Chestertown.  Maryland 
Barron’s  White  Leghorns 
per  1,000.  90%  fertility  guaranteed.  8-week  old  pullets, 
*1.25.  RRIGHIWATEIS  POULTRY  FARM.  BrlghtwaOra,  L.  I.,  fl.f. 
BARRON  WHITE  WYANDOTTES 
BABY  From  high  record  stock.  HATCHING 
CHIX  Reduced  prices  after  May  15.  Circular.  EGGS 
NAUVOO  FRUIT  AND  POULTRY  FARM  R.  1  ETTERS,  PA. 
S.  C.  Rhode  Island  Reds 
Trapnsstcd  and  Pedigree  Bred 
They  are  the  famous  “Sanborn  Stock”  champion 
layers,  known  from  coast  to  coast  for  thsir  wonder¬ 
ful  laying  qualities;  record  up  to  309  eggs  in  one 
year.  You  should  place  your  orders  at  once  for 
baby  chicks  and  hatching  eggs.  Decide  now  to 
grow  the  best.  Catalogue  on  request. 
WEST  MANSFIELD  POULTRY  FARM.  8«i  40,  Attleboro,  Mats. 
S.  C.  R.  I.  REDS 
Vibert’a  289-egg  stock  direct.  Egg*,  $9  per  100. 
Chicks,  125  per  100;  Method  of  feeding  and  rais¬ 
ing  chicks,  50cts.  ANNA  M.  JONES,  Craryville.  New  York 
S.  C.  BLACK  MINORCAS  AND 
BARRED  ROCKS 
Minorcas  lay  largest  chalk-white  eggs  of  any 
known  fowl.  Hens  weigh  7  and  8  pounds. 
Beautiful  greenish-black  plumage,  red  comb 
and  large,  white  earlobes.  High  grade  selected 
Barred  Rocks.  Minorca  eggs  $2.00  to  $5.00  a 
setting  of  15  eggs;  Rocks  $2.00  to $5.00.  Minorca 
chicks  $22.00  a  hundred;  Rocks,  20  cents. 
EDWARD  B.  i  TAYLOR.  Mgr.,  Yams  Farmt,  Nipanocb,  New  York 
Darreil  DnnI/s  from  hens  with  pen  records  of  214  eggs. 
DdrrtSQ  HOCKS  *3forI5;  $8  for 60;  $15  for  100. 
CLEMENT  O.  ROSE  Box  36  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island 
February  Haiched  Barred  Rock  Pullets 
Large  birds  from  selected  2-yr. -old  hens,  $2  each. 
R.  A.  KEUTE  -  Bellport,  L.  I.,  N.  Y. 
200  Jersey  Black  Giant 
January  Hatch  Pullets  and  Cockerels 
two  to  three  pounds  weight,  at  #3  each. 
WHISPERING  PINES  Box  221  Vineland.  N.  J. 
B  uff  OR  PI  NGTO  N  S 
del  strains  direct.  Stock  and  Eggs,  $5  and  S3  per 
15.  JOHN  J.  NETHERCOTT,  P.  0,  Box  130,  Port  Chester,  H.Y. 
Dal, u  TiirLauo  Bourbon  Reds— Horning  Strain. 
nacy  lurKeya  u»a  woi.fe  .  «wego,  n 
AADANI7C  Your  surplus  cockerels.  No 
vftrvlllhk  veterinarian  required;  you  can 
perform  this  simple  operation 
yourself.  Write  today  for  free  folder  that  tells  how. 
EASTERN  POULTRY  SUPPLY  HOUSE, 
I)ept.  R,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
500  Barred  Rock  Chicks  Each  Week 
Park  Strain.  None  Better.  16e  each.  Send  order. 
Fully  guaranteed.  S.  W.  KLINE,  Middlecreek,  Pa. 
Vigorous Bahy  Chicks  $£ 
per  |100.  Brown  Leghorn,  *16  per  100. 
Hummer's  Poultry  Farm,  Frenchtown,  N.  J.  R.  I 
P0|0„l  r__0  Certified  White  Leghorns.  Rhode  Island 
Ooiebl  LggS  Reds.  Beststrains.  Pekin  ducks.  Prices 
reasonable.  Cheebro  Farms,  Ji orth  Chili,  N e w  Y orh 
Orders  taken  now  for  White  Leghorn  day-old 
|Ir,»r  p  at  818  per  100:  April  and  May 
I  H|I  IV  ^  delivery ;  also  hatching  eggs  at 
|2  per  sitting  of  13  eggs.  Address 
PLEASANTDALE  FARM,  Pleasantdale, 
West  Orange,  N.  J,  Mr.  George  Hamfeldt 
The  Farmer  His 
Own4  Builder 
By  H.  Armstrong  Robert* 
A  practical  and 
handy  book  of  all 
kinds  of  building 
information  from 
concrete  to  carpen¬ 
try.  Price  ST  .50. 
For  sale  by 
THE 
RURAL  NEW-YORKE® 
333  W.  30th  St.,  N.  ¥. 
