The Columbus journal., 1899-03-01


the same. If you produce fowls for
market you must cater to the market.
II 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
rialS. The best food l ever gave
young chickens was cheese and made
from SOUL skimmilk. The best feed for
laying hens is wheat and sour 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 60 up n stair at a time. HI
demand for poultry products is far
greater than the supply. Last year we
imported more than $4,000, 900 dozen
eggs, at a cost Of about 81, 0O0, 00O.
Q.-Is it a fact that the egg produc-
ton of the farmers hen is less than
formerly, and il so, to what do you
attribute it?
Al have heard some people say
that, but I 40 not know that it is true.
If it is true l must attribute it to two
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 ov~erbreedlng Tor
size aud feather. l think that If the
farmers would 60 back to first prln-
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 neccs-
sary to make q success OF raising poUl-
try On the farm? Does it require more
skill than it Ices to handle the dairy
or swine business?
A.-The poultry business. like every
ether business. must be learned if M
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 ont 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 80 TO sc hens, and every
morning III 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 IS hens
and we are getting from II 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 % cents per dozen.
F. NJ. Munger read a paper OF 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 so
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 1Ox12 feet should not
be expected to accommodate more
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. l try to feed
my breeding stock only such food as
will keep them in coed healthy con-
ditioc. This gives good healthy
locks, and such focks will do we'll
even though from weak parents.
II l were working to produce eggs
for market l would use cut bone every
day. Another important item, when
he fowls do not have a wide range.
is TO give them chopped clover hay.
Some green food is needed every t;ay