Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-01-24
When to Begin Keeping Poultry.

There is no doubt that a we'll kept
flock Of poultry is the most proHla-
BILE of all farm stock. But little
flock we'll kept, like q little farm we'll
titled, brings the most profit TO the
farmer, Just as many as can be kept
without crowding, and with ease and
convenience, will be the most proflta.
ble. Poultry will not bear crowding
any more than sheep or pigs or peo.
pie, and IL is we'll known that when
any Of those are too closely kept
disease appears and works mischief
II Is a necessity OF the case, because
cleanliness must be sacrificed TO
necessity.
We would not put more than so
fowls in one yard, nor confne them
in q yard all the time. Success with
poultry is totally impossible with
close confinement. The fowls must
have a run abroad at least half day
and q grass run is the best. There
they secure sn abundance of insects,
as erasshoppers, flies, crickets, bee
ties caterpillars, ants, and worms, all
of which are their natural food. But
on = farm the number Of fowls m ust
not exceed the limists of ground pro.
vided for them, or, like Mr.. MicaW-
ber's financial condition, il will pro-
duce misery. When this gentleman
kept his expenses within half cent
Of his income his comfort and pleas.
ure were unbounded The half-ceni
was 3 perpetual JOY to him. Bus
when he went half q cent beyond his
income life was q burden. The debt
was a source Of misery. The princi-
pie applies strictly TO poultry-keep-
ing. One hen too few, and health,
comfort and wealth abound One hen
Too many, and disease, death and loss
results. The line may he drawn right
there, for II is 50 narrow and so
straight that it is quite So easily over.
stepped as that.
But a. with other live stock, there
are good and had, profitable and IN
profitable, fowls. And we should get
the best. lf = dsirymAA were 10 be-
gin business he would buy cows and
not calves. In the one case his pro
fits would begin st once in the other
bic expenses only would begin, and
his profits would b. in the future 1t
is the same with fowls. IL one pro-
cures = dozen eggs Of some good kind
to begin with, be must spend year
and some money before any income
be mate. For the price of two set
tings Of eggs . trio Of fowls can be
procured, and while the eggs were
hatching and the chicks rearing tie
two hens would lay hundred or two
of eggs and rear 30 chicks them.
selves. Thus IL is easy to get into
stock quickly and at less cost by pro.
curing fowls than by getting eggs.
And this is the season for beginning.
Early pullets can be purchased now
quite cheaply, while in the spring no
breeder will cell them because they
are making bim a proat. In January
or February they will begin laying,
and il \ few common hens can be
procured for brooders, large nun.
number of chicks can be hatched In
March by good management. That
is BY having warm place especially
for the hens, where they will not be
disturbed by anything, and IL need
be by putting q small stove in it 10
keep It warm. A large sunny win
dow on the south side is very desira-
bic. Young chicks are susceptible to
cold, and a warmth will cover a mul.
titude of mistakes and dangers.