The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1899-03-23

makes no difference what breeds you
prefer, the methods Of procedure are
the same. II yon produce fowls for
market you must cater to the market.
If the market demands a yellow-legged
chicken you must provide it.
Eggs pay better than chickens for
market, but to get eggs your fowls
must have some egg-making mate
rails. The best food [ ever gave
young chickens was cheese n made
from sour skimmilk. The best feed for
laying hens is wheat and soul milk.
Most of the chickens raised on the
farm are stunted in their early growth,
largely due to not having enough wa
ter for drinking. In beginning the
raising of poultry do as you would in
going upstairs-begin at the bottom
and go up one stair at a time. The
demand for poultry products is far
greater than the supply. Last year we
imported more than 100000 dozen
eggs, at a cost of about 81, 000, 900.
Q.-Is it a fact that the egg produc-
ton Of the farmers hen is less than
formerly, and if SO, to what do you
attribute it?
Al have heard some people say
that, but l do not know hat it is true.
If it is true l must attribute it to W
things. In the early days the farmers
used to carry through the winter the
business hens, but now they sell them
off and carry over the young. chickens
that do not lay. The second reason is
that the farmers are overbreeding for
size and feather. 1 think that if the
farmers would go back to first prin-
ciples and breed for business hens
they would have better success.
Q.-Have you ever figured out the
cost of producing a pound of poultry
with different feeds?
A.-That has been figured so many
times and in so many ways that l do
not try to do it, and the same is true
of the cost Of producing a dozen eggs.
Q.-What amount of skill is neces-
sary to make a success of raising poul-
try on the farm? Does it require more
skill than it does to handle the dairy
OR swine business?
A.-The poultry business, like every
other business, must be learned if II
is going into it with hopes of success
Q.-Do you use artificial heat in
your poultry house?
A.-No, sir.
A Farmer.-I live out here two and
a half miles from town, and am en-
gagged in the dairy business. My wife
is in the poultry business. She takes
care of about so to 60 hens, and every
morning in winter time she has a
warm breakfast for the chickens. She
cooks sugar beets for them and gen.
orally puts in some seasoning. At
this time we have only about 45 hens
and we are getting from one to two
dozen eggs per day. Our eggs are car
ried into town every day and sold with
the milk, and we are unable to supply
the demand at rs cents per dozen.
f. M. Munger read a paper on the
same subject. In part he said: There
are a few simple rules which, if fol-
lowed, would add much to the income
of the farmer. Have a'good permanent
house for the poultry apart from any
other building. Have this building Sc
clean and sweet that it can be visited
at any time, and you can stay for any
length of time without feeling that
you must go outside to get fresh air.
Keep the hens dry and clean. Wet
hens will not lay eggs, neither will
cold ones. Cold houses will mean the
stopping of the egg supply in cold
weather. All fowls need exercise, but
this is especially true of laying hens.
A scratching shed should also be pro-
vided. A house 10x12 feet should not
than twenty-five hens. The scratching
shed should be bedded with straw and
hay and the fowls kept at work. Be
sure they have a balanced ration, as
eggs cannot be produced unless the
proper food be provided. 1 try to feed
my breeding stock only such food as
will keep them in good healthy con-
dition. This gives good healthy
iocks, and such fiocks will do we'll
even though from weak parents.
If l were working to produce eggs
for market 1 would use cut bone every
day. Another important item, when
the fowls do not have a wide range,
is to give them chopped clover hay.
Some green food is needed every day.
Chickens are like humans, in that they
like a change of food, though what is
good for the production of eggs is not
good for the fattening of fowls; when
you want to accomplish the latter corr
is the proper ration. Hens need much
water, for the egg contains about as
much water as the same bulk of milk.
Do not mix the breeds, for a mixed
flock for the farmer is a delusion and
a snare. Little or no in%breeding should
be practiced. There are several ways
to get good thoroughbred fowls. The
best way is to get, say one male, and
from four to six females. Raise the
chickens from them, and the start will
have been obtained. Sell off your com.
mon stock and use p~ure-bred males
each year..
Kidding Barns of FIeas.