Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1879-10-29
G8e Smprna Tiures,
SMYRNA, DeI.,
Wednesday Afternoon, Oct. 80.
.a.g2'IcULIU2'uI.
Poultry for Profit.

more attention at the hands of farmers at
the present time than ever before. The
berries and small fruits were never so
carefully harvested, and therefore never
formed so material an addition to the ia
come as now. The rearing of poultry as
a stable source of profit is commanding
attention. A correspondent of the Rural
Ne,O Yorker says:
"The science Of poultry breeding has
grown incredibly during the past few
years. Most of us can remember when
the chickens were looked upon as a ne
ccssary nuisance, to be tolerated ONLY
because the female portion of the house
hold looked to them for a supply of pin
money. The weight of full-grown fowls
IN those days was perhaps on the average
% pounds: now frequently they weigh
eight to nine pounds at maturity, and
brollers are made to weigh one and a-half
pound at six weeks old Errs then
averaged twelve to the pound, now eight
or nine, and even seven The same ratio
Is noticeable in ducks, geese and turkeys.
Fifteen or sixteen pounds We're formerly
considered extraordinary weight in turkeys
and II pair of ducks reached eioht
pounds, the producer was we'll satisfied
he had something above the average.
Now we often find turkeys in our market
weighing twenty to twenty-five pounds,
and ten pounds are not an unusual weight
for Il pair of ducks, while twelve and
even fourteen are not uncommon. The
same is the case with geese: the improved
breeds, Bremen and Toulouse, are often
III our Christmas markets weghingtwentv
pounds and pairs Of the latter have
been exhibited i'll England which weighed.
alive, ftty-six pounds nearly or quite
double the weights Of good specimens
twenty-five years ago"
The writer proceeds to notice the i'm
provement in quality of the flesh of poul-
try and in the eggs, ridiculing the idea
that ''an egg is an egg no matter
whether fresh or stale, Of good or i'll
flavor, or tastelesS. He then gives some
useful hints, the results Of personal ex-
perlence in breeding poultry lie SAYS
" AS to location | prefer a dry situa-
ton, southern slope on the bank of a
lake or pond, or, better, a small stream.
with low underbrush. As to buildings,
a number of small houses is preferable to
one large one. They may, for economys
sake, be built double for two yards of
fowls, letting the dividing fence Join the
house in the centre. Each ward should
accommodate fifty hens, four cocks, and
be at least three-quartcrs of an acre, two
thirds in grass and the rest kept mellow
by spading or blowing The height of
fence must be regulated by the breed Of
fowls kept. In addition to the buildings
for breeding stock, there must be a
setting or Matching room, a nursery for
young chicks partly rooted with glass,
and another room into which they may
be turned when four or five weeks old.
In the selection Of stock the breeder
must be governed by the object to be
gained If it be eggs, Leghorns, Hou-
dams, or a cross of these upon some other
breed, will be best; if to fatten for
market, Brahmas, Cochins or Plymouth
Rocks, will prove most satisfactory,
though there is great difference of
opinion on this point. In the laying
stock it Is best to have one half pullets of
last SCdoOll lldCCn anu Lnc remainder
hens, one year DID, By this selection we
have no cessation of eggs. The pullets
commence laying in the fall or early
winter, and by the time they have laid
their first clutch, the hens are ready to
take up their share of the work. In nv
own experience 1 have had an annual
yield of 176 eggs per hen for two consec-
utive years from the same fowls. Of
course, this production of eggs was
forced. The present year, from Jan. 1st,
to Sept. 1st, from an average of forty
hens, l have gathered over sixty-two
hundred eggs
In breeding for profit the production
OF eggs will need to be forced by proper
feed and care, and the writer says he
believes that it is best to get all the eggs
possible from fowl during her first two
years, and then fit her for the market.
and fill her place in the yard by younger
fowl to be put through the same forcing
process. 1t is folly to keep and feed a
hen four years when the bulk of profit
may be obtained from her by proper care
and feeding in half that time