Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1889-05-23
POULTRY RAISING.

Roseburg, May 10, 1889, by E. Berchtold.
An inexperienced hand in raising diff
ferent kinds of poultry will, IN the
beginning, make many mistakes,
lose great number of his geese, ducks
and particularly turkeys It is to be
supposed that this falls to the lot Of
all I know 1t was mine) but it is our
prerogative to be benefited by misfor-
tune and to learn by it. Poultry raising
as il is, or ought to be, prosecutedt e-day
IS science, which must be learned like
any other science. "No master falls
from heaven" is about as trne here as
in any other case. Nothing short of
constant practice, close attention, and
willingness to work can make a man
a successful poultry raiser But i; the
difficulties are once oace sGfmounted,
natures course thoroughly studied and
the work pursued with untiring energy
we are then apt to meet with bnt few
losses, and these are mostly such over
which we can have no control.
A variety of food Is necessity fer
fowls to keep them healthy and In good
condition. Corn is not the best of diet
for any fowl; it contains substances
which are too fattenine; meal of it,
however, is occasionally very acceptable.
Wheat, oats, bucSwheat, scraps of meal,
burnt bones, vel pounded and mixed
with hot mush seems to be agreeable to
them and gives a good appetite. Bar
ley, also, is good diet, and, IN win:er,
vegetables of any kind are useful, or,
when in garden time, the birds are
shut up, few vegetables and plenty
ful supply Of fresh water are altogether
indispensable to their health AID com
fort. Not less essential is it to furnish
fowls with small gravel or pounded
glass. Small pieces of gravel, glass,
broken croekery ale greedily picked ur
by these birds and act in the gizzard
as grinders to further the digestion
When a hen gets ready to sit, it is a
good plan to arrange her nest, putting
in two or three quarts of dry ashes
Zine, loose dirt will do) and spreading
them evenly over the bottom Of tn:
box; If the box was clean this will in a
measure prevent the knit, OF lice from
developing and annoying the littlt
chicks. When the hen comes of th,
nest to procure her rations it IS impor
tant that she be not oyeifed; her foot
ought to be vel; swelIsi, otherwise i
will be swellel in The crop, ard il :
post-mortem examinations wee Iielc
over the bodies of hens h;cl die OF
their nests, it would be found tha,
/
food swelled and hardened in theil
crops was the direct ca,.sa of ;,.air ex
1t from duty. Bread crumbs, ioile(
potatoes, or corn meal, well swelled arr
a safe food and dust bath of either
dry ashes, sand or road dust (whicl
latter Is by far the best) will keep then
healthy. Ii has been ascertained tha
a little sulphur, or black pepper anc
finely pounded crockery mixed Will
their food twice week will preven
trouble from gapes or 0i!) whlcl
proves fatal to so many chicks. A
good sized hen can mother fifteen O
eighteen chicks just as well as half
dozen, so if two hens hatch togethe
only moderate number, it is a goo'
plan to put the chicks at nighs unde
one hen, and new lot OF eggs unde
the other, and let her enjoy time O
rest for another three weeks.
Ducks are greedy birds and will cas-
lily overeat if they get enough at time
They need plenty of water to drink
and to swim in. AS rule they ar
too dirty in their habits to make
agreeable to have them in The yard nea
the house, but if there is pond or
stream Of running water near by ii
house, they are profitable fowl |
raise, since after about four or fiy
. weeks they are quite hardy aai tax
n care Of themselves. Thpil fctihcrs al
valuable, and yield enosgi. f ssason
y bly, plucked, to more than ply fax the
trouble.
Turkeys need special care and after
ton during the first two months. The
mast BE- kept from The wet AID out {
the dew at night. They are lie mos
profitable fowl to raise, rs t!ssy con
mand ready market all seasons Of tf
year, After they are safely brousl
through the prrils of the first seven {
eight weeks, the ; take care OK then
selves and are more Independents eve
tnah either ducks or geese. expectin
rations only III he mor,.inq. So,
\ cura and baked food are the best pre-
arations Tor them when little, and hal
ooiled eggs chofped up fine, with plel
: ty OF gravel or pounded crockery for
Io0d digester' VI lll keep them ia vigo
+ Ihey grow very fast. Foxes an
:. skuhKs are their greatest enemies, b.
! L 'heir foosts are put up out OF reae
/. u ehese pests. hey are comparative
n safe. Large turkey raisers have be-,
IS known to suspend small bells from u
q necks OF old turkeys, answering Il
d donhia Y,,,r,oeo c