Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-10-11
Selection of Poultry stock.

l.. G.. Jrrvis, speaking before the
Farmers fail to keep poultry p -ofitably
becau.e their stock is not adapted to
their Circumstance. or TO the purpose
intended A great many breeds have
been developed by the p .ultry fancier,
differing in quality and appearance,
and suited TO SPECIAL requirements.
If the desired feature be in the shape
of egg production, large size Of body,
early maturity for the market. or
anything else, there Is at least some
one of these breeds adopted for the
purpose desired. II only one breed is
to be kept, and both eggs and meat
are required, i would select the PIym-
outh Rock, either the barred or white.
For market purposes and for the
farmer and breeder who keeps fowls
to supply the consumption of eggs
and poultry, the Plymouth Rock has
no equal II constant laying is re-
quired, select the Leghorns, Wyan-
dottes, Minorcas or Houdans. The
former will produce the most eggs
and of fair size and good quail y,
while the Wyandottes will lay more
during the winter and will be found a
good table fowl of good size. They
mature early, making them good
market fowl. Minorcas will furnish
the largest eggs, but they are not
quite as hardy as the others, and
having white skin Is somewhat against
them for the Canadian market. The
Houdan is the only French fowl suit
able for this elm tie, and is consid.
cred good, all-round fowl of large
size, an average layer, eggs n good
slze-next to Minorcas are Spanish;
they are becoming more popular and
will no doubt be one of the leading
breeds for the armer. Where dead
poultry for the market is the main OBJ
ject the Dorking and Brahma are in
valuable. They fatten easy and ma
ture early, and have fine appearance
on the table. They may be crossed,
when they will produce the largest
| fowls of any cross bred known, and
/ can hardly be distinguished from the
pure Dorking, so much admired in
England as a table fowl. We have
mentioned the varieties which as q
rule will produce the best results, in
the various circumstances referred to,
and with proper care will prove profit
abe to the farmer, and add
greatly to the requirements Of
the people After selecting your
stock you must proceed to study
and care for them if you expect to
have satisfactory results; for if left to
breed indiscriminately, and only get
what food they can pick and without
suitable accommodation, the result will
not be satisfactory. AS regards lay
ing stock, nearly all fowls, under or
binary circums tances will lay so long
as eggs are cheap; but to produce eggs
in winter means profit and the want
of them as clearly means loss Pullets
Matched early. will moult early and
have the advantage of the warm
weather, and so get through the pro-
cess quicker. They are then ready to
commence laying in good time No
hen should be allowed to see more
than her third autumn; after that
age there is a great falling off in the
egg production. We find that stock
produced from 2-year-old birds will
grow larger and mature earlier than
from young STOCK. If pullets are to
be bred from they should be mated
with mature males not having over
ten or fifteen hens to each male.