Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1880-03-18
Qhe Aonlfrp Nard.
SPRING CHICKENS,

SPRING CHICKENS.
The chief requisites for success in raising
early chickens are, house where the tenn
perature can be kept above the freezing
point, thorough knowledge of the wants
of young chicks, and the right breed OF
fowles to start with.
L have seen several buildings that were
put up expressly for the purpose, but only
three that came any where near my notion
OF what such a building ought to be. The
best place that ever saw for early chickens
was warm. dry barn cellar that was free
from rats, and provided with plenty of win
doWs i'll the south side. The back part of
the cellar, where it was comparatively dark,
was partitioned off ami made the best place
in the world for setting hens; while the
light, sunny front apartment was just the
hing for the little chicks. The proprietor
of that barn cellar sent over 600 broilers into
market before the middle of May last year,
and at present writing, Jan. 26, has nearly
seventy hens sitting. None Of the chicks
are due later than Feb. IL. And said pro-
prietor is not y great big man either-it is a
sweet voiced, dainty little bit of a woman.
The next best chicken house that am ac-
quainted with is built into the south side Of
q hill. The front side is nearly all glass.
with board shutters to close over the win
doWs at night. Last winter when the mer-
curry stood % degrees below zero outside, it
was two degrees above the freezing point
inside this house.
Another building was banked up to the
caves on the north and south sides and west
end. -Four large windows in the south side
OF the roof, and door in east end. At night
the windows were covered with straw mats
and board shutters. Inside the building
was lathed and plastered, and the floor COW
cred with gravel. This house would be just
the thing for flat country, but where hills
are plenty and handy should build side
hill house-if couldn't have a barn cellar.
But whatever style house you conclude to
raise your early chickens in, have il con-
structed so that it will be warm enough
without the use OF artificial heat. Stones in
poultry houses are a nuisance any way, and
in the long run do more harm than good.
Put in plenty Of window glass and the sun
will warm your chicken house cheaper than
you can do it with wood or coal.
The next thing to be looked after is a
suitable breed Of fowls We want chicks
that are hardy, Misunderstanding from the
shell, blessed with good appetites, growrap-
idly, feather up quickly, and make nice
plump broilers when ten or twelve weeks
old. One breeder says that Houdans are
what we want; another turns up his nose
at French fowls and declares that Light |,
Brahmas are just the thing, while third
swears by the Leghorns, and a fourth whis-
pers ''PolishG' Now Leghorns, Brahmas,
Polish and all the rest of them are well
enough in their places but their place is not |
to figure in the market reports as 'sspring
chickens The small breeds are too small, |
and the Asiatics have habit Of running
around naked SO long before they get their
feathers, that it spols them for spring chick
ems. 1t wouldn't be decent to send such
looking birds to markell
The Plymouth Rocks are just what we
want The chicks are remarkably hardy,
always hungry and always scratching, and
feather up quickly. If you have no Ply
mouth Rocks, or not enough of them to
start with, select the largest and best of
your hens and mate them with one or more
Plymouth Rock cocks. The chicks from
this cross viii be half blood Plymouth
Rocks, and for spring chickens superior to
pure Brahmas, Leghorns, or Polish.
Next week will tell you about setting
the hens and caring for the young chicks.
Fannie Field in Prairie Farmer.