Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-04-23
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Matching md Hearing Of Chickens.
The Matching and rearing OF chick
ems may now engage our attention for
a while. / have spoken on this sub
ject before, but wish to say something
that is especially suitable for farmer
| poultry keepers. writes d. l.. Orr in
New York Farmer. The subject OF
harching and rearing is one that Is GER
tainly very important as the quality OF
the stock depends upon it, and l think
/ the majority of farmers are lacking in
/ the knowledge or else careless. In
many places this is usually left to the
women of the house, and where they
are intelligent and anxious TO make
their poultry pay no one could be more
suitable. In many places the farm
hand has this part of the work to do
after all his other work is done, and
in that case the poultry gets no care
at all. There is no valid reason why
every farmer should not himself know
how to manage his poultry as well as
his other stock, and then he can nave
personal supervision over it and see
that il is properly and thoroughly done.
Matching on a farm is usually done in
a very loose manner. One or two hun
bred hens are allowed to run with
about half a dozen cocks and when
Matching season begins eggs are taken
without any choice and set until suf-
fcent number Of chickens are Matched.
The result is: Many eggs unfertile,
many chicks die on account of weak
germs, and of those raised many
amount to nothing, owing to the man
agement. Often is the case that they
are Matched out so late they do not
lay before spring. 1 have previously
suggested there should be a selection
made of the pullets and hens that are
known as good layers during the win
ter, and these should be mated with
pure bred, no: necessarily prize win
ners. The Leghorns, Minocras, or
Wyandottes are very good varieties TO
get. II table fowls are what you want, |
get good male of breeds such as Ply |
mouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Langshans, |
Dorkings. These are also very good |
for laying stock In selecting hens it |
is not always the biggest hen that is |
best adapted for table purposes. Get
the plump, good-breasted, ine-boned
hen. Having made the selection for
egg or table purposes, each cock should
be penned up with about eight or ten
hens. This should have been done be-
fore, but it is not too late yet. The
smaller or more active cocks, such as
Leghorns or Minorcas, may have II
hens, the larger cocks, eight is plenty.
1t is better to mate cockerels with hens,
and cocks with pullets. l have found
that this will give better results. This
breeding-stock should have a place by
itself, with runs for exercise. Poultry
netting can be had now for 81 a roll
of two-inch mesh, six feet high, and it
will pay to invest in few rolls. These
birds as separated and mated should
be kept this way till the breeding sea-
son is over. Matching should COM
mence in February and be over about
Msy LIST. 1t Is not profitable to hatch
them out in June or July, as they
would cost more than they are worth.
The breeding pens may be broken up
IN May, and all the fowls run together
IN the farm. This will make them
strong and healthy; the few months
If confinement will not hurt them.
Give the breeding hens a good run on
grass, if you can; this will make the
Eggs more fertile. Many think the
lifting hen is best left to herself, to
make her own nest as when they lay
Iway or steal their nest and hatch
heir own eggs they usually come off
With a fine brood of chickens. But
his is not always the safest plan,
specially if large number of chick
ms is needed. II is best TO supply the
lens with nests in an old barn or out
louse, away from the other fowls,
hereby not being molested