Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-06-01
The PO ULTRY YARD.
POULTRY FARMERS.

where Or by whom attempted. The fate OF
large f1ocks appears to have been about the
same in European countries as in this, and
the advice given to a correspondent in a late
number of the Journal of horticulture Eng
meets our views upon the subject so fully
that we copy a portion of it as follows:
We confess we do not believe in poultry
rearing and in keeping hens for eggs for
purely domestic purposes. We do not mean
answer, for they do, and very often well, and
there are not many country houses without
them but they go in for large number be-
cause a few pay, on the principle that be-
cause ten hens lay 1920 eggs in a year that
twenty hens must lay 2,4Oo, is where the
mistake is SO often made, and which brings
such woeful disappointment TO the breeder.
No; we do not believe in poultry farming
On the scale which SO many think would
~pay-namely, of hiring so many perches of
land, and erecting houses, stocking the runs,
and then waiting for profits. We fear pa
tience has to come into use greatly in such
case for putting aside a percentage for
interest on money expended, paying for
food, rent, labor and the like, must leave
only a tiny balance on the credit side, and
then only when the proprietor does not leave
the work to attendants but does the greater
part himself, and is always on hand to SUI
perintend.
The profits made by the Sussex and other
county cottagers are OF course great; but
then they work on a small scale, and are
thus able to feed the birds and attend to
them much more than if they had larger
numbers. When their chickens are ready
the higglers come round and collect them,
and then other broods are brought up to
take their places, but it is only because of
the small size of their undertakings that
they may make at times forty per cent, or
even more, as no doubt they sometimes do
but II they were once to get overstocked
their game would be done.
We can never Recommend any one to in
vest money on laying out yards for poultry
for table purposes. The expense would be
great and the results unsatisfactory. 1t has
been tried and proved by many to be a fail
ure, and the :. Poultry Book = tells us, too,
that these establishments always collapse.
They have had a very fair trial and the food
has been various and good, but never has
any real success been recorded. Companies
have been started, but the prospectus has
invariably been drawn up upon some fool
ish and ridiculous basis, that it is needless to
say they did not answer or would not have
done had they struggled into life.
TIL largest scale of poultry farming for
domestic purposes that can ever be attempt
ed with success are the poultry yards con-
nected with large farms. In such a case, at
one homestead it would be impossible to
manage more than two runs where the birds
could have perfect freedom and unlimited
runs. Were we going to attempt the cult
walton of poultry for eggs and chickens we
should try and rent the farmyard of some
large farm for the run Of the birds alone.
We believe this can be done and is actually
being done. The food collected by the birds
themselves in their wanderings over yards
IN the loose manure, around the cornstacks
In the fields. and in such places is immense,
and would go q long way towards keeping
them fed, and at the same time keep them in
the most robust health. Ducks, too, might
be added with success. Turkeys we would
have nothing to do with. In no way
depreciating them, but they are apt to be
delicate and get in the way of growing
chickens.
Such a farm we would stock with Black
for laying, and Brahma Dork-