The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-11-20
Faritt an6 GarSett.
A HEN FARM.


A. NJ. de Sora. proprietor of an old
decayed estate m the neighborhood oil
Paris. has made the discovery that hensr
when led-with raw, finely chopped horse
flesh. will lay an egg n day the year
round: and was prompted Y ms 10 go
into the egg business ON a large scaie,-
His estate. which was very near Harls,
was excellently adapted to his enter,
nrise. for it always assured him good
market. -, ,,oo
He began his experiment with 3OO
hens, and found that they laid tor MN
an average OF twenty-five dozen eggs
each the first year. AT present ne has
100, ,O00 hens, with proportionate NUM-
Der of cocks, and the result Is III the
same proportion.
The coops, sheds, and other buildings
are situated on the side of square Oh
about 30 acres, which is the general
feeding ground. This place is divided
| by lattice fences in:o smaller spaces, SO
| that only IA limited number OF Eens are
kept together; and these again contain
snb- divisions for fowls of different ages.
| 10 hens are allowed over four years.
| When they reach this age they are con-
! fined three weeks in a coop and fed ex-
clusvely on ground grain, and sent alive
to Paris. -,
The Matching rooms are warmed by
steam: great care being taken TO pre-
serve in them uniform temperature,
corresponding with the animal heat
which the hen would develop in the sea-
son of Matching. A row OF drawers.
one above the other, form the nests, ana
woolen cloths spread over the eggs 10
shut ont the lignt. The chickens, as
they come out. are taken every morning
into room appointed for this purpose,
and fresh eggs are put in the place OF
: empty shells. In this way continu-
Gus Succession of young hens Is kept up,
and their feathers are kept iree from
vermin. ,r,
A hen is never allowed to sit. The
cocks are kept with them all times oil the
wear. Shanghai and Cochin China anu
other exotic breeds are excluded. for 1t
is established that the common barn
yard fowl is reared most easily, is most
: cheaply fed, lays the most eggs. anG al
fords the best meat.
Tho numerous aged and worn-out
horses of Paris afford the meat for .hese
fowls. They are carefully bntchered i'll
! the most approved manner in M. de
Sora's own slaughter-house. Their
blood is sold for industrial purposes.
The glue boilers and manufacturers OF
Prussian blue obtain the head, hoofs,
shin-bones, &c. The bntton-ma kers the
, larger bones. The agricultural labora-
/ tories take what bones are left, to make
, bone-dust or bone black from them.-
) Fine salves. pomades, &C., are made
from the marrow. Even the ensraiis
are made use of The meat is cut into
2 pieces of certain size, passed though a
: series of revolving knives. and comes
+ out in mountain of soft flesh. 1t is
: loosely hacked with salt and pepper,
d and sent by railroad to the hennery.-
4 Here it is placed in store-rooms, the
O temperature of which is kept all the
e year round at the freezing point, so that
: Il does not become sour and sinking
: The fowls eat it with great zest. are al
: ways in good condition, and the hens
: lay all egg day apiece. in all weathers
e and ut all seasons. They have access to
$ pure water and gravel and sand.
r The average consumption OF horse
flesh is % head day, and the arrange
b, ments are so symmetrical, that the pro,
ceeds from the hides, bones, &C., exceed
the cost of the horses. A further proiil
d is made from the manure, which is sought
0, and paid for At high prices by the gar
lie dens of the neighborhood. About ont
e. hundred persons, mostly women. arr
d employed in the different department
lg of the business. The expense of the es
is tablishment, including repairs, interes
III on capital invested, &C.. amount to q
bout $4,000 a year.
III During late winter. 10000 dozel
I'd eggs. six dozen for five francs, or 5000
SC worth in all, were sold weekly, Thl
st would give s25O,OO0 in year: M. q
= Sora can cluck and crow to his heart
IN content, for his hens bring him an in
or come OF $4,000 a year.
re What would old father Noah say, i'll
II were shown 900 hens in one place
We to say nothing of the cocks attendln
or them-laying 100000 eggs dayY--1'
III Co1nn1Oner. aa+ +4a