Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-04-13
POULTRY RAISING.
How to Make the Business Profit
able as Well as Pleasant.

Paper read by Mrs. Jennie E. Rich before the
Trero County Farmers Institute on March q,
1882
In a poem learned some time ago, it
stated that 'the road to a mans true al
fections leads straight through the stom-
ach." This being true, every farmers
wife knows how pleasant it is to have
plenty of fine, fat fowls and fresh eggs, to
help satisfy this thoroughfare, and retain
the love and esteem of their better half.
While all agree that poultry on the
farm is very desirable, much depends on
what is required of the fowl and the care
and attention given to it. Therefore, l
will only treat on this subject what 1 have
learned and observed to be best for this
locality, and practicable to our surround
ings. In making home on this wild
prairie, many things must be considered;
few 1 will mention: LIST. The scarcity OF
material to do with. I'd. Our pocket
books. Sd. Destroying pests which In
habit the country. 4th. Destructive
storms
We should select a site for a hennery
as near our homes as will be pleasant, SO
as to protect them from the prowling,
sneaking coyotes, and on ground sloping
on all sides, to be drainable from the
sudden, hard and dashing rains We some
times have. As lumber is SO high in
price, trees none at all, we can use the
native soil. A house laid up with good
sod, roof made with willows gathered
from our creeks, and covered with hay
and dirt, makes very warm and coy
place. 1t should be not less than 12x16
feet in dimensions and six feet in height,
made smooth and plastered with two or
three coats of our natural lime mortar, so
it can be easily whitewashed at least
twice year, spring and fall, and it can
also be sprayed with disinfectants to de-
stroy the lice; such as kerosene and wa
ter; carbolic acid and water; insect pow
der and sulphur. The building should
face the south or east; if possible, have at
least two windows on the south side to
admit light and the suns rays in winter,
and air in summer. In arranging the
roosts, many ways are suggested. The
one which suits me best is made like
ladder, with roosts like steps from bottom
to top, to occupy the central part Of the
hennery; it gives easy access to all parts.
Chickens like to roost high, the older
ones generally going to the top, and SO on
down. It makes it very convenient to 60
in after night and select the ones for
marke. or use; can 60 behind them and
take, without making a general commo-
ton, and disturbing all the rest. Also, in
and cleaning the droppings,
nothing is in the way, all is clear sailing,
and but few minutes work. The nests
should be arranged at the sides of the
building. 1 find that salt or apple bar
rels divided into sections, that is, boards
nailed across about half way down, make
two very desirable nests. Saw out two
slaves in the lower half large enough for
a hen to go in at, thus we have two nests
in one barrel, one above the other, and
the hens cannot quarrel, besides, they can
be easily taken out and renovated. Clean
threshed straw is preferable to hay
for the lining of nests. have used wire
screen in the door of the lower nests for
setting hens, to keep out others that want
to lay; of course you have to open them
in the mornings, and close them when
the hens return; it requires care.
We now have the house and fixtures;
will consider what breed of fowl will be
best. When we came out here we brought
through with us few full-blooded Dark
Brahmas, had succeeded we'll with them
East, thought we could here; but what
does well in one country does not always
do for another, so we found with our
fowls. They we're too lazy and incident,
did not lay well, the little chicks were so
slow in feathering, shed all their down,
and, o! dear me! such pitiful little SUM-
burnt backs they had. Therefore, we
saw the mistake we made. What we
want in this place is a rustler, one that |
will scratch for a living as well as every
thing else; and of all places on earth
which God has made, this is one which
ne has blessed with bugs and worms.
We want something that will appreciate
hem. Thus we set to work to change
our kind for others, suitable for this
place. We now have cross between the
Dark Brahmas, Plymouth Rocks, Black |
Spanish and White Leghorns. We
Keep only three colors-pure blacks, pure
yrays and pure whites-a flock very much
and very largo fowl; feather
early and are not subject to burned
packs; good rustlers and lay large egg,
his being one of the good points to seek
after. Some say "An egg is an egg" but
do not A hen that lays 100 eggs per
rear, the eggs averaging eight to the
pound, produces more in weight than
Ices hen that lays 12O eggs a year that
weigh twelve to the pound. 7 hone ere |