Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-02-23
Hatch Your Chicks This Month.

Prom us Tarmsrs MsEAAnr.
Chickens that come into market
about April bring the best prices.
often rcmuncrating the poulterer
more at an early age than when al
lowed TO mature. When the weight
Is about one pound, and they are the
frst Of the season, the price some.
times 81. At such a figure who can
object 10 the trouble and care 10 pro.
duce them for no one ought to cx-
pect good results without labor.
But how are chickens 10 be hatch
cd early! is the query. II can be
done by selection Of the pullets at
the proper time. 1t may be too late
now TO do that, but we have 50 often
called attention TO this matter that
we have no doubt many are ready for
the experiment.
The first important matter is 70
keep the early hatched pullets, as
they come into laying sooner. Then
carefully notice those that mature
the earliest and begin TO lay early.
The cockerel should be selected with
out regard To size. aud only as re.
CARDS early maturity. We all know
that among a flock Of fowls there are
a certain proportion (or at least one
or two) Of cockcrcl- that show up
the red comb, plumes out fuii, and
trim up 10 shape much sooner than
Others. although the chances are that
the slower ones will bc larger in size
IN the end. The earliest matured OF
these cocks should he selected for
mating With the early pullets, and
the result will he that the chickens
from such mating will grow faster
and come into laying little sooner
the next season. If old hens are 10 |
be chosen for the purpose it should |
he known that the hens that first be. |
gin to moult should he selected, as
they lay as soon as the period OF |
moulting is past, and the earlier the |
moulting the earlier the laying, and |
the earlier they begin 70 lay the |
earlier they begin To set.
II none Of these precautions have |
been taken then we must resort 10 /
the most immediate methods within
our reach. such as variable food, |
warm quarters and cleanliness. Tn.
der such conditions hens will often
lay a month or six weeks sooner than
they would otherwise, and this is a
great point in poultry raising. DO
not attempt To keep non-sitters II
chicks are desired. The finest and
best chickens-those that grow the
fastest, fatten readily, feather well
and give good weight---are produced
hy crossing close. bodied, we'll built
Plymouth Rock cockerel on Brahma
or Cochin hens. We have known
chickens from such n cross, when
well fed and carefully attended 10, TO
weigh, fully plucked and dressed, two
pounds at nine weeks old. But as
hey are sold In some markets with.
Jut being dressed, We might safely
estimate their weight near three
pounds.
A young cockerel. produced by
'ros sing plymouth Rock cock on a
Houdan Brahma hen, owned BY Mr..
James l.. Wright. now of German.
own, was weighed by committee
he day he was 3 months old, and he
pulled the beam down to four pounds
md o half He was only one OF
,thers from the same cross that did
nearly as we'll.
These facts suggest several ideas,
Ind demonstrate that poultry Is the
most profitable Of anything else on
he farm, IL iudiciously managed 70.
zarding breed, feed and quarters.
Tbe amount of capital usually In
vested In them IL small, and always
brings In . better return than many,
rarmnra deaarvo