The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-03-28
AND DEMOCRAT, BLOOMSBURY. COLUMBIA COUNTY pa
The Raising Of Poultry.

1t is a very easy matter 10 expert
meuting with poultry, as with any 9th
er enterprise, TO fool away q good dea
of money in "outfits' not needed at tn,
beginning, such as expensive her
houses, costly patented appointments
high priced premium birds, etc., all ol
which are of little worth to the novice
until he knows, from experience, how
TO turn all these snowy adjuncts &c
profit, therefore our advice to begin.
ners is to consider well what they are
about to embark TO- Read some good
reliable journal or book, giving the
oretical understanding at least about
the beginning of the business. 1t is a
good business, a pleasant occupation,
an interesting rural work to engage in,
If well followed, and properly appreci-
ated and managed, otherwise not.
As TO the best birds TO try, this ia
one of the hardest questions to answer,
but in any event start with but one va
riety---the novice should never attempt
to breed more than one kind. III he
insists In trying two or three kinds, it
only goes to show that he knows two
or three times less than he thinks he
does, and at the end of q year or two
he will be disgusted with the business
and some one will have an opportunity
to furnish fowls cheap, and they will
have neither one thing or the other
that will amount to anything.
Rauin with ono sort than M mot
ter what the sort is as long as that sort
suits the fancy, breed them in their
purity, take good care Of both old aud
young, and you will be likely, at the
end of the first year, to know enough
about raising poultry to advantage.
When you are posted try second va
riety if you choose, and when you are
thoroughly interested you will be con-
tent with single variety to look after.
The great error with the majority is
they attempt at the outset to do too
much, thus they pay too dear for the
experience.
Again, the question of numbers is an
important one and depends largely
upon the amount of space that can be
devoted to their accommodation. New
er have more than from forty to fifty
at the most under one roof, and better
less than thirty in one building unless
it be large one they cannot live and
remain healthy when crowded together
in great numbers, the effiuyia from their
bodies generates disease, lice and fevers.
Upon limited premises, a dozen or
twenty may be kept comfortably, but
the day you crowd fifty to one hun
dred flows or chicks into one house you
will find that they will begin to fall off
in laying, the birds will get sick, ver-
min will congregate in myriads about
their roosts, in their nests aud upon
their bodies-then farewell to your
poultry keeping for profits. Too many
in one house, don't attempt it. You
will lose your time, your money, your
fowls and your patience. This is true.
They must be kept in small lots, on
any place on the farm big or little, and
separated from any other community.
In conclusion we would urge all to
get good, pure bred stock. Begin with
one sort at first feed and water regu.
laily and judiciously, house them warm
in winter, cool in summer, keep them
free from vermin, and there will be but
little trouble in realizing a handsome
profit from few birds.-Germanto,on
Telegraph.