Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-08-17
Poultry Raising.

given amount of capital invested there
is more profit in poultry when rightly
managed thananything else on the farm.
1t is well known, however, that small
flocks pay greater proportional return
than larger ones. This is partly because
small focks receive more care and at
tention, and partly because fowls will
not thrive when kept together IN large
numbers. In venturing into the poultry
business beginners should understand
that if it is intended to keep the fowls
in large focks, even when well attended,
bountifully fed and the full range of the
farm given, success can not be assured.
Poultry raising should be encouraged.
1t can be SO managed as to give light
employment to females and children,
and is within the reach of those of limi-
ted means. Long before the Americans
discovered there was great secret in
poultry raising, the French put in opera
tion method that enables them to ship
eggs to England, Germany and Austria,
as well as to supply large demand at
home. 1t is often remarked that the
French are the most successful poulter
ers in the world, but we can do all that
/ they can do in the matter, and more,
too, for they have no home-raised Indian
corn to assist them. They divide their
fowls into focks Of not more than one
dozen. Each flock has small fowl
house, 10x10 feet, and yard of about
100 feet deep divided in the middle. The
houses stand separately in the center Of
the yards, which are 80 feet wide. Each
house has thus a 50x30 feet yard in front
and the same in the rear. An acre of
! ground will allow IA of these houses and
| yards. The IA houses and. yards, with
one dozen fowls each, will accommodate
1853 fowls. This is large number for
an acre of ground. but they are kept
healthy by changing them frequently
from one vacant yard to another. The
| partition fences are made very cheaply.
Sometimes of wire and again Of lath. To
make this system palmer to the reader,
it should be known that two focks of
fowls are never in adjoining yards, as
perfect seclusion from other flocks must
be enjoyed by each Of the small focks.
Thus, while one flock is running in the
yard at the front Of its house, the adj
joining yards on the right and left are
empty, as the next lot Of fowls viii be
running in the of their quarters; or,
to illustrate by means of q checkers
board, the dark spaces represent the oc-
cupied yards and the white spaces the
vacant ones.
| AS soon as the fowls are placed in one
of the yards (the front one. for instance), !,
the rear one is spaded up and seeded to
grass, oats, rye, quick-growing vege-
tables having good large tops, or any
thing else that will afford plenty of green
food. When a fair growth has been se-
4 cured the fowls are turned into the rear
yard, and the frontone is in turn spaded
up and seeded down. The frequent
spading of the ground not only keeps
the yards fresh and clean, but their fer
tility is greatly increased by the rich
droppings Of the fowls.
There is another important matter
connected with the French system Of
poultry raising they are particular in
regard to breeds. Unlike the American
farmer, any and every sort of fowl will
not do for them. They are partial to the
non-setters, and believe eggs TO be more
/ profitable than chicks, although some
are beginning to alter their opinions in
this respect. They have demonstrated
one fact in poultry-raising, which has
been verified by Englishmen and Ameri-
cans, and that is that an acre OF ground
will support nearly 200 hens. With q
margin Of 81 profit on each hen. which
| is not by any means large estimate,
| the reader can calculate for himself the
advantage Of this kind Of poultry ry-raising.
/ But to do as the French do there must
be some person willing to give all bis
time to the care Of the hens. Some par.
| ticular person must have the care Of
Il them, 70 see that they are fed regularly;
| that plenty of fresh, clean water is kept
| within their reach all the times that
| ground or broken oyster shells, gravel,
| q little box OF sulphur, charcoal and
bones or scraps Of meat are given libcr.
4 ally. Perfect cleanliness and ventilation
| are always to be looked out for.
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