Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1899-02-25

aUVts0 luuOOE DrOOOef6. i nave
brooder house built for the
special purpose. The inside runs
are 3x5 feet; floor kept we'll GOV
cred with chaff. The outside runs
are 5x60 feet, sown in grass.
When weather is not too severe,
! see that chicks 20 out in tho
open air each day, If for only a
few minutes, as my experience Is
that chicks do much better when
they get outdoor exercise. use
hot air brooders, heated by a
lamp, and know of no reason why
they should be any more danger.
Gus. as regards fire, than any
house lamp. My poultry build
ings are insured, and the rate IL
no greater than my other build
ings which are insured.
The best time to start incuba-
tors, if broilers are wanted, Is
about December 1st to 10th, then
hatch comes off by January 1st.
The demand for broilers begins
about March 18th. This gives us 10
weeks, ample time, if we force
them (artlticial raised chicks
should be forced). 10 get them
to broiler weights 1t to Ii lbs,
use the largo breeds of fowls for
broilsrs. To average the cost of q
chick whom first hatched is = lit
tie difficult, as price of eggs must
be taken into consideration.
However, l can be best under.
stood by this illustrations: We
will say We start incubator, 200.
egg size, Doc. 1st; eggs oday are
worth 25 cents per dozen ; We put
in 16S dozen eggs, valued at 81, II.
Now, say it takes three gallons of
oil to run incubator for three
weeks at Is cents per galIon-45c.
Eggs, SALT; oil, 45c.-$4.62. Say
We got = 80 per cent. batch or 12O
chickons at a cost Of $4.G2, labor
not Included, the average cost of
each chick is \ trif1e over 3 As
cents each. | raised over 1900
broilsrs in early Spring of 1898
and find they cost me about II
cents each. J received an average
of 33a cents each for them.
My average hatch in 1898, with
incubators and no moisture sup
piled, was 70 per cent. had
hatch come off to-day. Jan. IL, 80,
of 90 per cent. This | consider
an extra good hatch. | find, as a
rule, the longer use incubators
the more familiar | become with
them, and the better hat;hes l
get.
To secure fertile eggs in Win
ter We must conform TO nature as
near as possible. In Spring and
Summer the hen secures blade
OF grass here, bug or worm
there, etc. In Winter she cannot
secure these dainties, and we
must feed green food, meat and
green-cutbone In place of them.
Feed warm hash in the morn
ing of bran and meal, with beef
scraps and cut clover added. At
noon throw little grain in chaff,
and make the hens work and
scratch for their feed. This gives
them exercise. At night give
whole corn or wheat. Keep oys.
ter shells, grit and pure water
before them at all times. Give
them a good, warm, dry house,
free from draughts and free from
lice. Have a good, vigorous male,
and you will secure fertile eggs
in Winter and plenty of them. |
prefer to hatch chicks by incuba
tors, as ] can hatch them earlier,
more OF them. aud with less care
than with hens. raise quite
number nf duckllngs raise them
in brOoders allow them all the
water they want to drink, but
none To swim in. \ duck will
eat you out of house and home if
you let him. But properly cared
for and forced you can have them
at 10 weeks old weighing 4 to )
lbs. each, dressed. As the early