Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-10-21
Caro- of Poultry.

It seems to me there Is not mucn
new to be said about poultry raising
especially If one has read the poultry
papers, one of which every farmer
ought to take. 1t is the oft-repeated
story, but If tell 1t again perhaps
some one will be benefited by 1t. POUR
try raising in this country has become
an extensive business, and Is growing
more in Importance every year. He
who raises the best fowls of any goou
breed, for market, for breeding, or for
exhibition purposes, will not only make
his mark as breeder, but will be look
ed upon by fanciers as one VINO as
plays good judgment in fowl culture
We Americans generally look at every
thing from a financial standpoint.
Our first question is, will it pay"
That depends altogether on the man
agement. The secret of success is SIM
ply doing what you can do we'll. Ger
tainly, what is worth doing at all Is
worth doing we'll. Now, If we begin
with that idea, and natural love for
poultry, we are sure of success. The
poultry yard can be managed so that
1t may become one of the most remun-
erative portions of the farm. With
little thought, and trifle more ex-
pense, it is as easy to raise finely bred
fowls as those of common order, and
the effect is far more pleasing. He
who wishes to improve his stock from
year to year, must be continually
wedding out the imperfect birds, and
breeding only from those which show
the desirable qualities. If farmers
would take as much pride in improving
their poultry as they do other stock,
their yards would not present such
motley coloring of fowls. Symmetry is
altogether disregarded, and breeds are
crossed and recrossed with just that
effect that arises from no management
at all.
The practical part of poultry business
is where the attention must be be-
slowed. Get the women interested;
give them good quarters for their
fowls; help them, if necessary, to keep
them in good order, giving them the
proceeds for their pin money, and, with
their constant care, that part of the
question will be solved. If your poul-
| try house Is not warm, make it so, to
protect your hens and chicks from cold,
damp winds. Have it on a dry hill
side, facing the south or east, if you
can, giving the fowls the advantage OF
the warmth of the sun in winter. Ar
range it so that it can be thoroughly
ventilated at all times. Have hard
floor, covered two inches deep with fine
gravel, so the droppings can be easily
taken up. The perches should be
smooth and not too high, with just as
little "riggin" about them and the nest
boxes as possible. Everything should
be movable, so the whitewash brush
can be easily applied on all sides.
Change the nests often. A few drops
Of crude carholic acid in the white
wash, for the perches and nest boxes,
will be found good preventive for YER
min. Vigilance is the watchword. The
comb is always an index to the condi-
ton of the fowl. Look at your hens
every day; see that they are healthy,
and keep them so. A good warm mess
of potato parings and scraps from the
kitchen, all boiled up together, season.
ed so it is palatable, and thickened with
bran and a little corn meal, is much
relished, and excellent for them in
the morning; occasionally may be
given a tonic of cayenne pepper, but
not too much. The remainder of the
day feed whole grain as they need it.
A box we'll filled with old plastering,
oyster shells and charcoal, with a lit
tie pounded up fresh every morning
for them to pick at, is of great advant-
age. I find nothing better to keep
them healthy than plenty of broken
charcoal. The short cut grass from
the lawn during the summer, clean and
nicely dried in the shade, is greatly
relished by them in winter, when de-
prived of their natural supply of green
feed. Whether in or out of confine-
ment, they must have meat food in
some form-the hens demand it to pro-
duce eggs in abundance, which they
will not fail to do, if fed little every
day, when they can not have access to
their natural supply of bugs and
worms. 1t is better to give it to them
raw. as nature supplies them. A hen
is a machine. Give her plenty Of the
rough material, and she'll return you
nicely formed egg,which no mechanic
can duplicate.
Feed regularly, and especially the
young chicks. There is no kind of
stock which appreciates regularity in
feeding more than poultry, and those
who practice it are sure to find that
it pays. Habit has been truly said to
be second nature, and all kinds of ami
NAL life appreciate the fact. Certain
hours should be set apart for feeding
the fowls, say seven in the morning
and six in the evening, and it will not
be long before they will come together
on the approach of the feeding hour,
and eagerly look for their regular ra-
lions. Regular feeding is beneficial
alike for those in confinement and
those which have their liberty, for it
induces the latter to return home at a
certain hour, and thus prevents losses
which would otherwise occur. On the
farm, where poultry is seldom, if ever.
confined. regular daily feed esnecio1t,,