Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1883-01-25
POULTRY MANAGEMENT.

Under proper system OF management,
the breeding and rearing of poultry is more
profitable than any other kind of stock
grown on the farm, considering the amount
of money invested and the short time re.
quired to turn 1t into cash. Even the So
called common fowls. the fowls other than
thoroughbred. will pay handsome profits,
but it is only by attending to the birds prop
erly and constantly, administering regularly
to their wants and requirements, that that
measure of profit can be secured which is
possible. There is, indeed, much more de-
pendent upon the man than on the fowls
and, if beginners would fully understand as
we'll as relalize that fact, there would" be
fewer complaints made, as well as fewer ex-
pensive failures to chronicle. In the matter
OF
FOOD AND SHELTER
there is much room for reform, and to GER
tain extent we believe in and advocate spe-
cial feeding and special foods to produce
specially desired results. The practice OF
feeding corn exclusively is very bad one,
and the bad effects are naturally more de-
cided and manifest where the fowls are kept
confined in narrow enclosures the most part
of or during the entire year. Abundant ex-
ercise and plenty of green, succnlent food
goes far toward correcting the bad influence
of too much corn, but does not entirely
overcome it. For growing. young birds, as
we'll as for those birds which are being fat
tened for market purposes. or table use,
corn is the cheapest and best which can be
ted but tor the laying hens and pullets, we
advise breeders to make the main diet of
their fowls good wheat. This grain does
not seem to create such tendency for pro-
ducing fat, and we know, from experience
in feeding corn to laying hens, that it causes
an undue secretion of adlpose matter on the
ovaries, which effectually prevents egg pro-
duction. In any case, however, it is best to
vary the food, little, as an occasional
change of diet is conducive to health and
productiveness, little green food daily, be-
ing especially desirable, winter and sum-
mer.
AS to shelter, many flock of fowls, good
birds and well fed, refuse to lay during the
cold, inclement weather of winter and early
spring. simply because it takes all the food
they consume to remedy or repair the effects
of the weather. 1t seems to us strange that
so many breeders, not merely of poultry,
but of other kinds OF live stock, will thus
waste their feed, when it would be much
cheaper in the ep.d, and assuredly much
mere profitable to build suitable shelters for
the stock. Shelters which need not be
either elaborate or expensive, but which any
person of average skill and ingenuity can
construct himself, and which will last for
several years. The great winter layers of
Mr.. So-and-so, OF which we hear SO much
from time to time, are no better and no
worse than hundreds OF other flocks, in all
respects other than laying, the difference
being that the former ones are well cared
sor and properly and regularly ted In that
lies the difference between profit and the
absence of it. Poultry breeders and farmers
Just stick pin here.
BREEDS.
Those who expect to attend to their fowls
in the best possible manner, will do well to
breed thoroughbred fowls, and especially SO
if the fine, ''faney" points are well known,
as the surplus stock can then be sold at sat
istactory prices. For large size, we would
recommend the Brahmas, and especially so
the famous light variety. They are also fair
layers. For laying qualities. we would Sc
iect the White Leghorns. Though the brown
variety is much esteemed. For general
purpose fowl. by all means take the renovn