American Agriculturist, August 23, 1924 _ 
How Right Feeding and Culling Paid 
The Experience of a Man Who Made a “Side Line’ Into a “Main Line 
S everal years ago when the agitation 
for better poultry struck this section, 
our county agent made an attempt to 
interest a number of farmers and poultry- 
keepers in culling their flocks and keeping 
flock records. This proved to be slow 
work, but gradually more and more fell 
in line until to-day Holmes County is 
pretty well dotted with culled flocks and 
more modern poultry houses. - 
Dozens of good stories could be found, 
but I have just obtained the experience 
of Amos Heffelfinger, a farmer of this 
county, who kept a number of hens as a 
side line, and hoping his experience will 
serve to show some inspiration to others, 
I pass it along. According to Mr. 
Heffelfinger, this is the third year they 
are keeping poultry records. Through 
the efforts of our county agent he was 
led to begin keeping flock records and 
to cull his flock, “so as to get only the 
very best laying hens.” 
Grew Into the Game 
Poultry raising apparently looked good 
to Mr. Heffelfinger, as the first step 
consisted in purchasing 1000 baby chicks 
from a local hatchery. These were given 
a good start and well eared for along 
methods and systematized care, which 
will be given later in this article. Before 
this Mr. Heffelfinger had not given his 
attention so largely to poultry, but fol¬ 
lowing this plunge with a thousand 
White Leghorn chicks, he “just grew 
into the game.” 
In the first four weeks about 35 chicks 
were lost which about constituted the 
loss for that season (1922). When the 
season was over there were 450 White 
Leghorn pullets ready for winter quarters 
and no place ready for them. There was 
a house on the premises but it was far 
too small and not up-to-date. There 
was only one thing to do and that was 
to build, and build the Heffelfingers did. 
By a lot of hustling and hard work a new 
house sprang up in time to shelter those 
450 White Leghorns before the cold 
weather set in. It was built 22 feet wide 
by 80 feet long. Windows were used in 
part and curtains in part. In the 80 
feet of length are ten windows 2 feet by 
S feet in size. These furnish sufficient 
light when the curtains need be lowered, 
which is done only in the most inclement 
and severest weather. 
Water and milk are fed liberally from 
vessels placed on elevated stands. It 
has been the experience of Mr. Heffel¬ 
finger that by using the reel-type of 
nash hopper on a stand there is no 
vaste, no clogging and no scratching of 
W. E. FARVER 
dirt into the mash. The water and 
milk fed on the elevated water stands is 
also kept clean and the time and labor 
required to build these inexpensive hop¬ 
pers and stands have been paid many 
times in the benefits received. 
Uses Plenty of Mash 
Mr. Heffelfinger uses the Ohio dry 
mash ration which consists of a mixture 
of 100 pounds each of bran, middlings, 
tankage (60%), ground oats and corn- 
meal, all well mixed. This is kept before 
the birds in the feeders all the time. A 
slight amount of salt is added to the 
mash. Grit, oyster shell and charcoal 
may seem like very small things but 
Mr. Heffelfinger believes in taking care 
of the little things, for upon such are the 
bigger elements of success built. He 
believes like the business man who not 
long ago said, “It is a fine thing to land 
a big contract, but my books show that 
I have paid the butcher and baker and 
all the rest out of profits made on a 
large number of small jobs,” so the small 
details are not overlooked. 
In the morning Mr. Heffelfinger feeds 
a mixture of corn and wheat, the same at 
noon and evening, but the morning and 
noon feeds are quite light and the evening 
feed a heavy feed. All these grain feeds 
are given in deep litter, for his experience 
shows that the hen that works is the hen 
that lays, weighs and pays. 
When he had his 1922 crop of 450 pul¬ 
lets well housed in the new quarters, 
gasoline lanterns were installed tempo¬ 
rarily to see if there was really anything 
back of the much-heralded agitation for 
lights in the poultry-houses. Let Mr. 
Heffelfinger tell this: “Experiments with 
the gasoline lanterns during the winter 
of 1922-23 proved to us that it pays 
to feed under lights, so last fall (1923) 
we installed an electric light plant. 
We fed as usual, but omitted the late 
afternoon feed, permitting them to fill 
up on mash, feeding the grain at eight 
o’clock under the lights.” 
Does Not Crowd Brooders 
Four brooder houses are used on the 
Heffelfinger farm, of two coal brooders, 
and two wood stoves with hovers at¬ 
tached. All the brooders have a capacity 
of 1000 baby chicks, although they never 
are used to "the limit of their capacity for 
he found through experience that crowd¬ 
ing baby chicks is as detrimental to 
their welfare, as the crowding of laying 
hens or other mature stock is. So a 
lesser number is assigned to each brooder. 
In the spring of 1923, Mr. Heffelfinger 
obtained 1800 baby chicks. The fall of 
the year found them with about 800 
pullets on hand. 7 hese 'pullets were 
culled severely, really too severe, but there 
were 150 choice year-old hens which he 
wished to retain for breeders, so the 800 
pullets were reduced to less than half 
in numbers. 
This year (1924) there were 1700 Baby 
chicks at the Heffelfinger farm at the 
beginning of the season. 
Readers will wonder how Mr. Hef¬ 
felfinger cares for his chicks. One can 
realize in an instant that there is a vast 
amount of work connected, but when we 
obtained the story from him, he signed 
it “Amos Heffelfinger and Company,” 
so we knew that Mrs. Heffelfinger was 
an ardent poultry enthusiast also. The 
farm work together with the poultry, 
is done by all members of the family 
and due credit is given to all concerned. 
A Summary of Methods 
Anyway, here is what he gave me 
when asked for the method of caring 
for the baby chicks. 
1. We don’t feed the chicks for 48 
hours. 
2. We first feed sour milk. Sand is 
scattered on the floor of the brooder 
house so chicks can pick grit. It also 
gives them a place to take a dust bath 
and exercise. 
3. We then feed them hard-boiled 
eggs, starting slowly. With the eggs we 
feed buttermilk starting-feed 5 times daily. 
4. We gradually omit the eggs and at 
the end of four or five days omit them 
altogether. During this time dry mash is 
slowly started, using low self-feeders to 
permit the chicks to help themselves. 
Cracked corn and wheat is also started 
about this time. The mash and cracked 
grains with liberal supplies of water and 
sour milk are given all through the grow¬ 
ing season. 
5. We are feeding cod liver oil this 
year, as a trial and are having good results. 
The total number of eggs for the twelve 
months November 1, 1922, to October 
31, 1923 were 72,699. The total average 
number of hens for the year was 419, mak¬ 
ing an average production per hen of 
147 eggs per hen, at a total feed cost of 
$1.69 per hen. The total gross receipts 
from eggs and meat were approximately 
$5.00 per hen. 
“We don’t consider our venture any¬ 
thing extraordinary. It simply shows 
what can be done by a lot of hard work,” 
says Mr. Heffelfinger. 
The Man Who Buried Crockery 
[1868]. He was over eighty years old and had 
no son, help scarce, and not trusty ‘Had I 
not better sell?’ he asked. I wrote him ‘No.’ 
| Fancy John Johnson in a city! No under¬ 
drains, no growing crops of grass and clover, 
no wheat, no corn, no barley, no sheep! 
| The last time I was there, when he went 
into the field his favorite cows came to be 
patted, and a splendid heifer calf put her nose 
into his arms. Shall he leave them? Those 
I "’ho say so know nothing of the pleasures of 
farming. He now writes me: The farm is not 
to be sold. I have let forty acres for five years 
for nursery purposes, at a yearly rental of 
#1,000, payable semi-annually. This is a 
great deal better for me than selling. It 
would have been a great trial to have left my 
farm. I still have over fifty acres of cleared 
land, and you may be sure I will do my best 
with it. I have sold this year’s crop of wheat 
for over $1,500. I have 900 bushels of ears 
°f corn from a trifle over eleven acres, and at 
hast seventy tons of hay. I have bought 
| 300 wether sheep and ten tons of oil-cake, 
pon’t I make manure for my small farm! 
* Twenty-five dollars per acre rent (5 per 
ce nt. on $500 per acre) is not a bad price for 
a farm which was once said to be ‘ the poorest 
land in creation.’ So much for thorough un¬ 
derdraining, good tillage, liberal feeding, and 
high manuring! 
‘T have visited John Johnston a great 
ma ny times, and wish every young farmer in 
{Continued from page 115) 
the country could enjoy the same privilege. 
He is so delightfully enthusiastic, believes so 
thoroughly in good farming, and has been so 
eminently successful, that a day spent in his 
Charles R. Mellen, the present owner of the 
old John Johnston place. 
company cannot fail to encourage any farmer 
to renewed efforts in improving his soil.’ 
“So John Johnston lived—upright, energetic, 
and a pioneer! His memory will grace our 
history.” 
Mr. Charles R. Mellen who now owns and 
works the old Johnston farm writes as follows 
about it: 
“I am working the farm myself, but my 
men have been with me fifteen years. We 
are milking 32 cows, the milk being sold by the 
Dairymans League (of which I have been a 
member from its origin) to a Geneva distrib¬ 
utor. I wish you could see our corn and alfalfa. 
We have 52 acres of the latter. Two big silos 
hold a lot of feed and the old farm shows that 
for nine years the manure from about 50 head 
of cattle has been judiciously distributed over 
the 300 acres. We are cutting wheat now with 
a seven foot binder, hauled by a tractor. It 
is a hot day, but we do not have to stop to rest, 
and cool three tired horses. 
“Old Mr. Johnston would open his eyes 
some, could he look in upon us and see the 
wide swath cut, bundle carrier, tractor and 
neatly tied bundles of wheat. He might also 
wonder what the wonderfully thick covering 
was of delicate leaves, for the alfalfa seeding 
on this field is as fine as I ever had, and covers 
the ground completely. This is the Grimm 
alfalfa and I certainly like it.” 
* 127 
Poultry Disease Specialist 
Discovers Remedy for 
So-Called 
“Incurable Paralysis” 
A famous poultry disease specialist, alter examining hun¬ 
dreds ot birds suffering from leg weakness (frequently said 
to be “incurable paralysis) is convinced that there is prac¬ 
tically no such thing as paralysis in poultry and from his 
tests he finds that in most cases the reason birds go down 
flat” is intestinal worms. 
After 20 years of study this expert has discovered a re¬ 
markable new treatment: Happy Hen Worm Remedy: 
which for over 4 years has been used with startling benefit 
on poultry suffering from so-called paralysis. It expels 
worms like magic, removing the cause of the poisoning: 
makes the birds look better, feel better, and lay better. 
If you think you have birds afflicted with coccidiosis or 
with paralysis, this specialist suggests that you make a 
post-mortem examination of a bird just killed, looking 
carefully into the blind intestines. If worms are found 
there, send at once for a package of Happy Hen Worm 
Remedy, only $1.10 postpaid, and quickly restore the 
health and vigor of your flock. Satisfaction guaranteed or 
money back. Large flock sizes package. Write today to 
HAPPY HEN REMEDY COMPANY 
36 SO. MARKET ST., Dept. 1109, BOSTON, MASS. 
WITTE TREE Saw 
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Makes ties. A one-man outfit. Easy to run and trouble- 
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other farm machinery. Uses Kerosene, Gasoline, Oisllllate or Sat. 
Easy ? ay ? n , I , ya 
__ . few dollars 
Payments down and 
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PQPP Just send name for 
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by writing. WITTE ENGINE WORKS 
6801 Witte Building, Kansas City, Mo. 
6801 Empire Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
FOR 50 YEARS 
&«es?ERS 
HAVE LED ALL IMITATORS. 
Write Le Roy Plow Co., Le Roy, N. Y. 
112-Acre Dutchess Co. Farm 
3 Horses, 11 Cows, Crops 
Bull, poultry, machinery included: splendid farming sec¬ 
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good stores, schools, churches; shipping facilities; 65 acres 
cultivation, brook watered wire-fenced pasture, 15 acres 
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Thousands of Fruit Trees, Evergreens, Shrubbery, Barberry, 
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WESTMINSTER NURSERY, Desk 25, Westminster, Md. 
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il V . ^ 50 trees $3. Postpaid or C. O. D. De^t 
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. Dept- 
N.Y. 
C. 
BABY CHICKS 
5,000 PULLETS 5,000 
BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS 
RHODE ISLAND REDS 
S. C. WHITE LEGHORNS 
Ready for shipment at $1.00 each 
HECLA POULTRY FARM Bellefonte, Pa. 
BABY CHICKS, 
that are hatched 
to grow. Barred 
Rocks 15c, Buff 
Rocks 17c, Reds 16c, S. C.White and Brown Leg¬ 
horns 13c, Mixed 10c. Prepaid 100% live deliv¬ 
ery guaranteed to your door. For quick service 
order direct from this ad. or write for circular. 
J. W. KIRK, Box 55, McAlisterville, Pa. 
BABY CHICKS 
S. C. Rhode Island Reds.. .11 cts. each 
Barred Plymouth Rocks .... 10 cts. each 
S. C. White Leghorns. 8 cts. each 
_ Mixed or off Color . 7 cts. each 
These chicks are all hatched from free range stock. Safe de¬ 
livery and satisfaction guaranteed. Descriptive booklet free. 
W. A. LAUVER, McALISTERVILLE, PA. 
CHICKS 
PULLETS AND COCKERELS 
Purebred Barron Pullets and Cockerels at $10.00 each 
and up. Also breeding hens at moderate prices. Descrip¬ 
tive catalogue free. 
C. M. LONGENECKER, Box 40 Elizabethtown, Pa. 
n a DV rUTY From heavy laying free range flocks. 
DAB I LlllA s. C. White Leghorns, 100, $7; S. C. 
Brown Leghorns, 100, $7; Barred Rocks, 100, $9; S. C. 
R I Reds, 100, $10; Broilers or Mixed Chix, 100, $6.50. 
Special prices on 500 and 1,000 lots. 100% prepaid safe 
delivery guaranteed. Address 
J. N. NACE, Box 30, RICHFIELD, PA. 
rUinbo S. C. Buff and White Leghorns $8 per 100. Barred 
LU1CKS Rocks S9 per 100. White Rocks $11 perjlOO, Reds 
$10 per 100. Light mixed $6.50 per 100; Heavy $7.50 per 
100. I pay postage. Guarantee safe delivery. Circular 
free. JACOB NEIMOND, Box A, McAlisterville, Pa. 
