The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-07-12
CHICKEN.RAISTNG.
proved.

EMBARRASSING.
The Biggest Poultry Farm in the World
A New York World reporter has been
visiting the mammoth machine chicken
Matching and feeding establishment of
MI. Baker, some sixteen miles north of
Jersey City, in the edge of the Palisades.
Mr.. Baker keeps over 1000 fowls, but
these do not furnish tenth of the eggs
used, which he intends shall reach the
grand total the coming year of 25O,O
The incubating department of his poul-
try-house is about twenty feet square,
protected by double sets of windows.
and containing eight large incubators or
hatching-cases. Each of these cases
contains eight tiers of shallow egg-draw.
ers, one above another, and they will all
hold, when filled, nearly 5000 eggs.
over each OF these tiers of drawers par
allel rows OF hot-water pipes are placed,
which send out steady heat from above
upon the eggs in the trays beneath. An
electric battery communicates with the
1ncubators, and any undue variation of
heat is announced to the attendants
through indicators. When the eggs are
near the point Of Matching the animal
heat evolved from them is so consider
able that the temperature of the air in
the drawers is affected materially. AS
even slight variations of temperature are
injurious to the eggs, it is sometimes
necessary, in spite of the automatic ar
rangement for regulating the heat, to
take out the drawers and allow the eggs
to cool; and this is done by an attendant
on the striking of an electric bell con-
necte6 with each case. White, brown
and notified eggs lay side by side in the
drawers, and the attendant showed how,
under the equable heat, from 100 de-
grees to 10 degrees, the chicks were
gradually formed. The brooding-house
is 30 by 158 feet, and divided into fifty
separate compartments, each accommo-
dating 100 chicks. The hen mother is a
hollow zinc box with sloping top, which
is SLED with hot water. and placed few
inches above the ground. The under
side OF the box is lined with blanketing,
and the chicks creep under it at night
when they feel the need of extra warmth.
The brooding-house is heated by steam,
but the temperature varies somewhat,
and the tender chicks are very sensitive
to cold.
In another building, 500 feet long and
divided into seventy-fve compartments,
the laying hens are confined. The III
terror is fitted up with everything which
q well-regulated hen could possibly re-
quire, and is kept scrupulously clean
About 1000 laying fowls of the different
varieties are kept in these pens-Leg
horns, Spanish, Dorkings, Houdans and
others-and all appear strong anc
healthy.
From this building the attendant lee
the way to the examining or forcing
house near by. The mode Of forcing is
similar to that in use in France, but is
an improvement upon the French
method in many of its details. Within
the house eight upright cylinders occu-
Ply the greater part of the space from
end to end. These cylinders are made
of wood, and each contains five tiers Of
small boxes, pigeon-hole shaped. Each
box holds one fowl. It's legs are
strapped to the sides Of the box when il
is put in, SO that it will remain in the
same position, facing the opening at the
front of the box. The feeding-machint
consists essentially OF force-pump, {
tub containing boiled mashed food anC
flexible tube. The machine is wheeled
in front of a cylinder, and the attendant
feeder takes each fowl in turn by the
head, thrusts a pipe leading from tbs
machine into It's outlet, gives one stroke
with the force-pump, and, presto tht
hens crop is full. The weight of fowls
SO treated can be nearly doubled in less
than three weeks, and after they gel
used to their harness they appear to en-.
Joy this easy way of picking up living.
Unlike the geese of Strasburg, theil
general health does not seem to suffer
for the sake Of their livers, but they
clothe themselves with solid, juicy flesh.
Even old fowls are by this means rem
dered tender and palatable, and seem to
renew their youth upon the mashed
elixir OF life. BY the artificial method
Of Matching, from 70 to 80 per cent. OF
the eggs in the drawers, according 10 the
quality Of the lots sent him, produce
chicks, and the healthy chicks rarely
fail to thrive in the after process Of fat
tening for market He has demonstrated
the feasibility Of fowl-raising estab-
| lishment on an extended scale, which
has long been questioned, and he owns
to-day what is undoubtedly the largest
poultry farm in the world.