The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-07-09
S. W. LANGHORNE,
Poultry Notes.
WRITTEN FOR THE CHRONICLE.

Feed your chicks little sour milk
about three times week; it is good for
Many persons who breed fowls do not
give proper attention to the mating Of
the fowls. This is very important when
the permanency Of the colors is sought.
In order to breed chicks that prepond.
crate as the possessors of the greater
number of desirable points, the defects,
if any, existing in the hens, should be
corrected by the reverse conditions ex-
istmg in the hens, should be corrected
by the reverse conditions existing in the
males. The fact that the fowls were
procured from a reliable breeder does
not insure flock of young birds like the
parents, for the breeder himself is COM
PEELED to use care in mating, and this
care must be exercised annually, or fail
ure will be the result, A flock of dark
Plymouth Rock hens, is mated to a
cockerel of dark color, may produce black
pullets, and light fowls may be the par
ents of cockerels nearly white. The
above is applicable to birds Of the best
markings, but the system is demanded
also on the farm. Mating small cocks
with large hens is an excellent plan, and
while some Of our breeds possess tall
combs, it is more desirable to cross with
the rose.combed varieties for protection
against extreme cold in winter. In mat
ing fowls the breeder should first consid-
er what he wishes to bred for, and then
carefully acquaint himself with the
characteristics of the several kinds Of
fowls, the variety best suited for his pur-
pose, receiving the preference
In years gone by when the breeders
Of pure-bred poultry were few and far
between, mixed dnnghill stock was the
rule. and was considered good enough
for anybody" The great spread Of the
thoroughbred poultry business has
brought the improved varieties to the
knowledge Of almost everybody, includ-
ing the farmers. Fine poultry has now
stood the test many years, and a large
number of farmers have gone into the
poultry business in a workmanlike man.
ner. There are, however, host Of peo.
pie who, while admitting the superiority
of pure blooded fowls, still say 1.-The
dun1hill Is good enough for the farmer"
This is about as ridiculous a proposition
as could be made. The farmers of to-
day are breeding blooded horses, cattle
and sheep, and why fourth-rate poultry
is good enough" for them, passes the
comprehension of any man of sense.
Pure blooded fowls lay more eggs, and
of a better quality than the appropriately
named "dunghill" birds. They eat no
more food than these same dunghills,
and they market deal more dressed
poultry. They are as a rule. harder
than the neglected offspring of neglected
parents; they come to maturity sooner
and lay earlier. Add to this that they
are a source of profit. while dunghill
flock rarely pays for the food eaten.
Add also that Il flock of cleaned cOlored !
fowls is an ornament t" any lawn, while !
a scrawny army Of cayote dunghills is
the reverse, and enough has been said |
to SHOW that the latter are hardly good
enough for anyone who has the brains to
le successful rancller, in the latter part |
Of the nineteenth century
To preserve eggs take Il Winchester
bushel of quick or unslacked lime, two
pounds Of common salt. and half a
pound Of cream of tartar, as m;lcl, water
as may reduce the mixture to Il state in
which an egg will float with its top above
the surface. In this liquid keep the
eggs constantly for use, and they will he
preserved perfectly sound for at least
two years.
Very good chicken coops may be made
of old sugar, lime or cement barrels, by
cutting through each alternate stave in
lines about three inches from each 9TH
er. The halves of the barrels then taken
apart and set bottom upwards. make
very good coops. By fasting a piece of
leather upon the top Of one Of these
goods, 60 as to form a handle, it may he
lifted and moved very ready to fresh
rvo,,~l