Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-03-16
LARGE CHICKEN FARM.
An Illinois Poultry Establishment
That Is a Bird City.


That Is Bird City.
Just outside of Quincy, ILL.,, is a
farm whose fame IS known to poul-
try fanciers all over the world. 1t
is the largest of its kind and is
wonderful place, says the New York
Press.
Forty-eight acres of land and
number of fine brick buildings are
devoted entirely to the raising OF
thousands of high-bred chickens,
ducks and geese, of which 5000 were
sold last year.
This farm for II years has been
sending fowls for breeding purposes
to all parts of the world. Only
fancy breeds OF fowls are dealt in.
Many a poor family in the crowded
cities of the east would think them
selves we'll provided for if they were
one-half as well housed as some of
the poultry raised on this farm.
More time and trouble is spent by
the proprietors in getting proper
food and water for their feathered
charges than is spent by many a
head of family with half o dozen
children to provide for. Each par
ticular breed of chickens, ducks or
geese has its own houses and yards.
These latter are long runs, fenced
In with wire screenings or neat pal
ings. Big trees afford shade on the
feathered population Of this town,
and in that portion OF the farm de-
voted to the webfooted fowls large
artificial ponds and winding brooks
have been constructed, through
which there is flowing a constant
stream of water.
Each yard or run has its own
proper house so constructed that it
can be heated by steam in winter
and cooled by cold air in summer.
thus insuring an even temperature
throughout all seasons. Large
fields are each season planted with
wheat, barley and buckwheat, and
through these the fowls can roam at
all times, free to eat all they please
of the tender young green sprouts
or of the fully developed grain.
One peculiar feature of this farm
is that all of the fowls are raised by
artificial means. The incubator
house is long, low structure, ex-
cellently ventilated and lighted and
kept at an even temperature
throughout the year. Down the
center of the long, narrow room are
set two rows of what at first appear
to be old fashioned dressing tables.
They are hardly that, however, but
are instead the most improved in
cubator and each one is constantly
filled with high grade eggs in
more or less advanced stays of in
cubation.
AS soon as the tiny puffball-like
chicks emerge from the shells, be
they ducks or geese or chickens,
they are removed from the incu-
bator and placed in another house,
we'll lighted and scrupuIously clean.
Here they are kept for a few days
until they lamiliarize themselves
with the appearance of the world
outside OF an egg and until there is
no doubt as to their health and
strength. Then they are allowed
outside in the runs if the season be
warm, or if it is winter time they
are kept in the house until spring
time.
Each year, between the lst of De-
cember and January 10, competent
judges visit the farm and score"
all the stock. When this is COM
pleted such birds as are not up to
the standard or are disqualified by
any little mark or imperfection are
at once Grated and shipped to mar
ket. Although eggs can be hatched
at any time of the year, most of the
eggs are put into the incubator in
February, March and April.
There are practically two farms in
one of these big ranches, what is
known as farm No. l being devoted
principally to the Matching of eggs
and the raising of fancy poultry
Farm No. 2 is given up almost ex-
clusively to the raising OF Pekin
ducks and Toulouse geese. There
are altogether between 5000 and
10, 900 fowls raised annually on this
farm, aud they are sent all over the
earth.