Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-05-17
Rectifying the Mistakes

Fifteen years ago we began in the
fancy poultry business and in looking
back over the failures of these long
years we wonder how anyone could
ever breed poultry up to anything like
a high standard if it had not been for
the failures. We have one advantage
ever the horticulturist in that he
must wait ten years to see the benefits
that arise from his labors, while we
generally know more than we wish to
about a certain mating, in less than
one year; but by using the old rule,
Try, try again. we can climb up
part way. Our first move was to buy
one dozen barred Plymouth Rocks.
They looked splendid to uneducated
eyes, but at the end of the first year
there were strong signs of something
wrong, as the chicks showed nearly
all colors and the feathers instead of
being barred were spangled. Some of
them showed feathers on their legs,
and instead of a nice, clean, yellow
leg, they were blue or black Out of
| fifty chicks raised there were perhaps
seven or eight fit to be called Plymouth
Rock, the others were good butchers
stock. Research revealed the fact
that they were made breed, and so
young they were very apt to breed
back after one or the other of the par
ent stock Here was a point and a
hard one to solve too. What grades
of color shall be mated together to
produce the mingling of black and
white in such shade that 1t will APP
pear to be sky-blue. We found the
tendency was for the females to run
too dark and the males too light and
others found the same trouble and
came to the conclusion, we must mate
up two pens, one for females and the
other for males. The pen headed by
very light male produced some very
good pullets. but the cockerels were
nearly white and all destined to the
block, the other pen headed by
rather dark male would throw some
good plumed cockerels, but the pullets
were so dark they were unfit for breed
ers. Many parties who bought sett-
ing of eggs and paid large price for
them, saved every chick to breed
from, placed fine advertisements in
the papers-s'full blood chickens for
SALE and thus time wore on. Even
today as you pass through the country
you will see tlocks of this breed that
look nearer black than any other color.
The color described by the Standard
is light feather, distinctly marked
with black bars running across each
feather, commingling color which is
known as a sky-blue. This color
should be the same in both male and
female and can be produced by single
matings. Felch's Ne-Plus-Ultra Mat
ing will produce it
In an early day we made great
mistake in feeding Fed too often on
fat producing food and took particular
pains to feed at stated times in
troaghs where they could fill their
crops at once without an effort. Did
not know then il was natures plan to /
be all day collecting a crop full and
that the fowl needed the exercise in |
order to do well, Hens appear to en- |
JOY scratching and viii dig through |
s'raw or leaves one foot deep to get a |
few kernels of wheat and work at ii |
nearly all day. On the other hand |
where they are fed liberal OF cooked |
food, placed where they can get it |
quickly, they will eat ravenously until |
their crops viii hold no more, then
NOPE around until the next feed time,
lay few eggs and die early. A hungry |
hen Is always healthy hen
For years we were troubled with |
Roup. and did not know that little |
draft Of wind striking the fowl while I
on the perch would set it to wheeling |
and If not cared for then would soon |
deyelope into good case of Roup or |
Canker. We have learned to either /
have the hen-house tight or let the /
hens roost in the trees where they /
never have the Roup. II is the reas- |
onably warm house with some cracks /
in or i doNr ajar where the cold air
strikes he fowl while il IS warm.
IL was customary ten and fifteen I
years a. end vet praeticed bv some I
people To feed raw corn-meal dough 10
their little chicks We did. and then
wondered why so many Of the little /
fellows died in the first week If their |
existence. After feeding on hard