Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-21

IT Is not often a chick needs help to free it
self from the shell.
From the incubator the young chicks,
thas forced into the world by the aid OF
machinery. are taken To the "brooder"
while the incubator ~ cleaned and aired
Ter further service. TIE brooder cannot
scratch nor cackle, but in every other re-
spect admirably performs the duties which
Usually fall to the lot CT the mother hen
Like the Incubator. IL works automa tically
the heat beng kept at an even temperature
IL has a little yard of It's own where the
little orphans run until the temperature
drives them to the b-ooder as it would drive
lhsin under the shelteriny wing of tho moth
er hen II is wonderful how quickly the
chicks learn the use of the broader After
once having been placed Oh its warm floor
.he} nce1 no other instruction, but after n
re" minutes spent In exploring the world
as SHOWN in the yard. they scamper back
10 the warmest place en- the b-ooder and
nestle to il with the greatest seemih. pleas
ure The food of the young is regulated
according 10 rule. both as to qualify and
quantity. the rules in this respect having
been evolved from the experience and red
ing of the farmer.. The chicks are kept
with the broodcr until they are old and
strong enough to care TO- themselves and
scratch for their food. They are then trans
ferred to the yards" care being taken to
keep each breed together and not to over
crowd the yard. --.--.s.o',u ,4,t-.-
Work For Their Food.
They are now at liberty TO run in and out
of the chicken houses These houses a re
divided into various apartments. so that too
many will not be together. The yards are
so arranged that the -caIcks that occupy
one today range in another tomorrow. They
are supplied with fresh water gravel lime
and charcoal. the water being kept as fresh
as possible. The greatest care is exercised
to keep the fowls free from vermin and the
yards are carefully inspected every day
The least indication OF vermin sends the
chicks in that yard to quarantine and the
yard Is not again used until Ii has been
thoroughly disinfected. Exercise Is neces-
sary for the health and growth Of the fotsfS
and to force this needed exercise the chick
Is made to work for its food as soon as IL
Is Gid enough to do SO. Something's the m9st
1000 Is hung up just, out Of reach and the
chick has to jump for IT, At other times
the food Is lightly covered OYER with gravel
ana the hungry fowl sc -atches and hunts
Tor It, Here. too. as well as the .brooder"
the food is regulated by rule.
About February the chicks that have not
been sold In the meantime are collected
other point in which the success of tile
breeder Is involved The fowls are ma te,f
according TO color. shape, size and other
points OF Ugh registering. even the sfeatff-
ers being carefully examined. As sam
pie take the golden Wyaf!dots. The outer
edge of each feather should be a Jet black,
with the center or middle portion rich
golden color. This golden portion should
be regular IN shape and Of uniform size.
IL 1t is not. or is tinted with red. or II the
black edges should show any yellow or red
II Is not rated as f1rst-class in color. and
the work of improving the breed In this
respect Is begun. When mated they are
sent to the breeding pens. No communica-
ton Is permitted between the breeding
pens. While they are Permitted to have
plenty Of outdoor exercise the houses are
kept warm and light for their use, so they
may not suffer from the cold. They are
now plsrtifully supplied with egg-produc-
ing fooa THIS is Necessary not only TO
years patching. but TO supply the market
demand. which Is always good, the prices
ranging from 81 to $40 for a settling" ac-
cording to the breed.
The show Fowls.
The nesting houses are models Of comfort
and adaptability. The eggs are removed
Cnce a day from the nests and placed In
houses especially adapted to their keep.
where they are preserved until the Matching
season is opened The great time on a
chicken farm comes when the work of pre-
pairing for a poultry exhibition .beslns
The show fowls are then selected and a
season OF grooming entered upon. For
these fowls the food, N sprepaEed with. the
greatest care, and its quantity regulated
with great exactneeg Every feather is
daily examined. and those that are not
perfect carefully pulled OUT The. fowls
are treated to daily bath. and once or
twice before show time comes they, are
oiled with care. Each feather Is trained
to lie In Its ON position and to show oft
It's brightest parts p9dsr this. Gaze, the
birds become as coquettish as a society
belle The feeding As regulated 20 as. to
make the weight correspond with the
keight and shape Of the bird. IT. must not
be too fat or too lean. X 1t Is expected to
meet with favor at the hands Of the judges.
The legs, feet and head receive especial
attention, and Il rough scales are seen any
where they are removed and oil applied.
Among the best breeders cocoanut off fs
great favorite for this purpose, The time
Is not far distant When the raising OF the
best breeds Of foYls> for table use will be
as much part OF every good farm as the
cultivation of wheat now Is. For table use
some Of the best breeds are worth more
than double per pound than the common
breeds. and they weigh much more 1t
will be seen how much more profit there 10
in their cultivation. A Plymouth Rock at
three months will weigh Prom I'VE to seven
pounds. II well fatted, and its keeping
costs more than one Of the ordinary
breed that will not weigh more than two
or three pounds.