Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-08-04
A .AKGE EsrABLIsHMENT.
ouen Ranch" Of Mr. fred. Hildretb,
81" VVeet Gardiner, Me.

In 40 feet long, IeeC WIues uouU'0 kLss
windows on the south side, tho north side
boarded and clapboarded, glazed rooi,
and provided with heating apparatus ana
water. About tho field near the farm
buildings are six houses, each IA by feet,
with a square roof, and provided insde
with perches, nests and feed boxes. inese
seven houses are each duplicate OF the
other. They are situated in row skirtlog
the pasture growth of low small trees ana
are about ten rods apart. These are in
tended for flocks of sixty hens each, with
two Growers, but at present contain more.
Another set of buildings are eight hatch
ing houses, each by feet, in remote
na1ts of the farm. apart from the large
houses. Next are thirty individual coOps.
Q by 3 feet, having a shed roof and glazed
openinps which can be shut at pleasure:
All buildings are rat proof, tight, PROVIDED
With ample means for ventilation and sub
stantial.
The Matching houses are located in quiet
portions of the firm, away from the main
houses. When a hen is "set," she is
removed to her nest Gall the laying nests
are separate boxes Is inches square), at
evening. to the Matching house, each OF
which will contain three sitting hens.
They have food and water always by them,
and remain undisturbed during sitting.
The broods are removed from the hatch
ING houses to the chicken coops as fast as
they hatch and here they remain until
large enough to forage. Then the hen
and her brood are taken to the individual
houses. They are carried there at even
ing. and confined a day or two, after which
thew are allowed the liberty of the farm.
Mr., Hildreth keeps but one breed-Light
Brahma-as the best in large numbers,
although he thinks highly of the Plymouth
Rocks. and believes they would do we'll.
He prefers Light Brahmas because they
are good table fowl, good winter layers,
good mothers, easy to manage, quiet,
fenco four feet high keeping them within
bounds. The chickens begin to hatch the
frs. of March, and the business is kept
I'D till July. Eggs hatch better on the
ground than anywhere, but when the nests
are fitted for Matching, damp earth is first
placed in them, and then sawdust fine
hay, or oat straw cut up fine, is placed on
top of it, Twelve eggs are placed under
each hen two hens are set daily during
the season.
Some years ago Mr.. Hildreth, for the
purpose of placing chicks in market early,
commenced Matching in January, but
although he had very warm place, and
everything fixed for the business just right,
yet it did not succeed. 1t is too cold, and
before the chicks can be got out on the
ground, they become stunted and never
yet over it to grow thriftily. March is as
early as il will do to begin Matching, and
often an April chicken will be as large in
July as March one. When he first began
keeping hens on a large scale, his losses
from improper feeding were greater than
from all other causes combined. He now
never gives dough or soft food wet up,
such as fine meal, to chickens. They want
coarse food. He gives cracked corn.
pirched wheat, barley, oats and mil
screenings. His food for old hens is
mainly whole corn, cracked corn pinched
wheat and mill screenings, which is KEEP,
by them all the time. In each house is a
box which holds two bushels of corn
having a narrow opening at the bottom, il
which bag of corn is placed, and the hens
eat at pleasure. Once day in winter the
hens have feed of boiled fish trimming.
ard shorts mixed. CottoEseed meal i.
also good winter feed. Hens like grea
deal of green feed, and at this season O.
the year eat large quantities of grass. They
have the range of the entire farm although
they do not 60 great distance from theil
houses. Near the dwelling are an acre
and half of wheat which has teen sowi
for the hens. A movable fence, one lath
high, made in sections, is placed around
this field, and when the wheat is ripe ii
will be taken away and tho hens givel
full liberty through it.
At present Mr.. Hildreth has 400 chickens
of different ages, and by July intends t.
have SOO He has had good luck thi:
year, and has not lost dozen. By thu
middle of July he will begin to kill The
young cockerels for market, and all thu
hens that are coming two y; ars old, keep
ing it up all the fall at the rate of abou
thirty week. A hen is never kept a,
layer but one winter, and after that he
usefulness as a layer is gone. The dressed
poultry all goes to one firm in Boston, ant
is shipped every Monday. The hens ART
picked dry, and the work is done so quick
ly that generally hen is undressed by th'
time it is done bleeding. Indeed, til,
feathers must be taken off while the bel
is warm, or it is quite impossible to dres
them in decent shape, aud buyers arc yer,
fastidious. The poultry is never packed,
but is forwarded in punches, tied up, tel
or a dozen in a bunch. They dress al
average of a to S pounds, and sell at {;
good price. Being consigned to Que firm
they know the poultry will come Oh
given day, fresh, in good condition, ant
are willing to pay good price for it. Dur
ing the winter and spring 100 doz ens c
eggs are sent to market weekly-ever,
Monday-the eggs having all been sent t.
one firm in Cambridge, Mass, for severa
years past. The eggs are collected fron
the houses every night, and there is n
l.. - 4
not get at least thirty dozens of eggs.
Everything in these poultry houses i
movable. The perches are raised abou
placed in a row, seven Or eight together
on one side of the house, about three fee
from the floor. The houses are vel
lighted and ventilated, and even in winte
there are few nights when the window
are not dropped two or three inches a
the top. The perches are painted twic
during the season-in June and August
with q coating of coal oil and kerosene, th
mixture being about the consistency O
paint, or in proportion of one gallon o
coal tar and one pint of kerosene. Thi
is sure death to vermin, and as the lice a,
driven from the hens by it, none will ge
upon the chickens. The houses need
great deal of ventilation.
As to the profits of course they are va
riable. Some years prices of dresset
poultry and eggs are higher than others
Feed for 800 hens and chickens costs
considerable sum care must be unremit
ting, and attention to the hens carriet
late into the evening. Still, Mr.. Hildrett
thinks there Is net profit of about 4s
per hen yearly, where they are we'll caret
for. Three years ago he received el50 fo
the annual sales from 514 hens. Higl