Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-11-07
Poultry as a Business.
Philadelphia Record.

Poultry as Business.
Philadelphia Record.
One of the obstacles to raising poul-
try on a large scale has been the lack
of proper attention. On most farms
the poultry have been managed in
connection with something else, and
are not given that importance which
is essential to success. While all adj
NIT that poultry will pay a larger
profit in proportion to capital invest
ed than stock of other kinds, and
though poultry and eggs contribute
millions to our national wealth an
nually, yet it is not an exclusive bus
mess on the farms. There are breed
ers who make speciality of horses,
while others prefer cattle, sheep or
swine, but with the exception of Il
few breeders of pure-bred fowls, no
extended operations in poultry are
general. 1t cannot be said that those
who have endeavored to make a bus
mess of poultry were all negligent,
for many of them were experienced.
One great obstacle has been cholera,
which devastates the fockS so quick
ly as to scatter the capital to the
winds in very few days. Roup is
another enemy, and has doneits duty
nobly in throwing obstacles in the
way. If, however, a majority of the
difficulties can be traced to some
cause, the battle will be half won, as
it can be removed, and no better
method of arriving at the difficulties
can be given than to look over the
mistakes sometimes made.
The greatest mistake usually made
is that of overlooking. The writers
on poultry have so well impressed
upon the mind of the beginner the
importance of good feeding with q
variety of food, the majority practice
it but too well. Cholera, debility, in.
digestion and other ills are due to the
hens being too fat when confined. 1t
has been accepted that in order to
keep poultry right in large numbers
they must be divided into separate
families in different yards. But on
farms where few only are kept, the
hens are compelled to work and hunt
their food, thereby keeping them
selves in good condition, while in
confinement it is different. A fat hen
will lay but few eggs, and many Of
the eggs will be defOrmed, double
yolked or soft shelled. The eggs from
fat hens do not hatch well, and il
chicks, by accident, come from them
they are weak and sickly. This rule
applies to all classes Of stock. The fe
males should never be too fat. 1t is
not necessary to allow each family O.
hens a range, but to so feed them a.
to compel them to take plenty of eX
ercise by scratching for all they re
ceive.
Crowding the fowls is a mistake
The endeavOr to utilize space by
keeping as many hens as possible in
the coop, has proved to be eXtrava
giant economy, Only enough SHOULD
be in the flock to prevent foul quar-
tiers and impure air. The drinking
water is as important as the food, a
it is the fountain source from which
all diseases are spread. What is re
quired to render the poultry business
successful, is to conduct it by aban
doning all other pursuits and giving
it full attention, but thenovice SHOULD
begin only with few. THERE'S mucl
to learn, but it is the mistakes that ar,
to be guarded against rather than tn
adoption of the best methods Of care
The field is large for poultry, and i
will be years, if ever, before the mar
kets can be fully supplied.
To sum up briefly, some of the es
sentials may be mentioned-good DIR!
quarters and clean yards. Dampnes
is more fatal than cold. A dry, sand!
soil should be preferred. Hatch tn
chicks as early as possible, and neve