The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-07
AGRICULTURAL
Poultry Management.

adapted for that purpose. l should Sc
lect either Dorkings, Plymouth Rocks,
Wyandottes or Indian Game. If eggs
are curl chief aim, then perhaps the
Leghorns would be my choice. A
great many of us however prefer TO
carry water in two buckets, " or eggs
in two baskets" that is keep fowls for
both meat and eggs. L know of no
other breed which would fill the bill as
well as the Langshan. This breed, with
ordinary care, will give eggs the year
around. With a fair sized flock some
hens may be found broody any time of
the year, and with them we may hatch
chickens at any s%easonable or unsea-
sonable time, as one may choose. How
best to raise chicks will probably be
told by many, and l will only say, feed
well and of a variety, give fresh water
often, let the little chicks have access
to sharp sand, and above all, keep
things as clean as possible. All pains
taken in this direction will pay well as
a preventive of disease. Very early
Matched chickens need a warm, sunny
room, the floor of which should be
covered with sand and sweepings from
barn floor.
There seems to be a wide difference
as to what constitutes early and what
late chicks. April matches are called
early by some, by others, not. In or
der to better understand each other, 1t
would be of advantage TO adopt express
sions like March, April or May matches,
or whatever the case might demand.
Under ordinary circumstances 1t will
not pay the average poultry grower to
have any chicks hatch before April, and
even such must be provided with warm,
light rooms for a time at least. May
matches will generally do we'll enough
out of doors in our climate. With rea-
sonable care it is an easy matter to
bring up nearly every chick Matched;
but to get the greatest benefit from
them is another thing. We must sell
we'll and at the proper time. l would
advise to market all April Matched cock
erels as soon as they weigh two pounds,
which perhaps will be in June. A two
pound chick will bring as much or more
than the same chick if kept till weigh
ing five pounds (prices being much
better.)
If convenient buildings are to our
command sufficient 10 accommodate all
the April and May Matched pullets, it
will be found most profitable to keep
all such for lay ers and breeders. The
May Matched cockerels l would capon-
ize, except indeed when. condition of
the market should Justify shipping them
in July as broilers, which however is
not 80 very often the case.
Always keep yourself posted as to
condition of market. If you are deal
ing with a commission house in any of
the larger cities to any extent, they
will keep you posted, if you so desire
it. To caponize your cockerels, pro-
cure a good book on the subject, do it
now, and study it. Also procure a set
of caponizing tools. The whole outlay
should not be above $3.50 or SO. Do
not be afraid to undertake this job;
you can do it. Most books on the sub
ject instruct US: Caponize only the
Iate-hatched cockerels," and while that
is true to some extent the advice is too
indefinite, and therefore it may be mis-
leading. My experience leads me to
say caponize no cockerel Matched later
than May. To attain the largest size
and size is one of the essentials in
growing capons-he must have all sum-
mer TO grow in, he should be Of full
size when winter sets in. For no mat
ter how long you may keep a later
Matched bird, he will never come up
with the earlier one, other things being
equal. 1 would try not to have any
chickens hatch after May, but should a
few hens steal their nests, as they
will when on a free range, l would
dispose of them as soon as OF market
able size. The price, of course, will be
low at this time, but the chicks have
not cost you 30 much, either. l would
neither caponize these late cockerels
nor keep the pullets over. 1t must be
our aim to have the pullets laying as
early in the fall as possible. II they
lay we'll during September and October
there will be no trouble of having
plenty of g g all winter. Judging
from the high prices prevailing during
fall and winter it will seem that poultry.
keepers have not yet learned to produce
eggs during this time to any great
amount, yet it is easy enough. Green
cut bone is surely one of the best
things we have to increase the egg
yield.
Marketing.-Every town, every vii.
lage has its buyers of poultry. They
ship to commission houses generally
and often make a big profit. We as
growers car just as well save this profit
to ourselves; we may just as we'll ship
our fowls to the commission houses d.
rect. During leisure hours any farmer
or farmers boy could make a few ship
ping crates or coops. A regular size is
23x3 feet; height, about II inches.
think a better size would be 21x4 feet
with partition, making two compart
ments 25x2 feet each. The bottom Of
these crates should be the strongest
part; top and sides may be made Of
stats one-fourth inch thick. A crate o.
latter description would hold thirty
fowls of from four to five pounds. Ole
fowls bring best prices during the sum
mer months, generally. Spring chicks,
as a rule, the earlier shipped the higher
the prices; broilers the same. Fol
capons there is no demand until Janu'
airy. Have them fat by this time and
market them dressed, of course, as
there is no demand for capons alive)
as soon as there is a call for them, thus
saving feed. Your commission mar
should advise you when the time is al