Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-02-07
WINTER CHICKENS.


10 81 All
Down in Il little section Of eastern
Massachusetts, just away from Boston
and near to staid old bingham, there
Is and has been for several years a
method in operation which revcrses all
the old time ideas of the chicken bust
ness and which solves the question OF
big, soft mentcd chickens ana big. f2t
profits at one and the same time. 70
accomplish these results nearly all the
accepted rules of procedure are set
topsy turvy and the many changes OF
the old order of things may prove most
distressing to those who have absolute
faith in the old methods. The hatch
ing is all done in the late fall and Will
ter. The incubators are generally first
filed in October, and from that time
until enough are hatched to fill the
room for them there is continuous
outflow of chickens. The first eggs
used are those from Light Brahmas,
which are thc acknowledged best breed
for this purpose. This is so from their
large frame and size and the fact that
the bones and flesh keep tender and
soft longer than other breeds aud they
are quick and profitable growers.
TO get the best results the best birds
from the strictly fancier point of
view are not used. Too constant and
long breeding for showroom points
often spells the color of the legs and
skin and may weaken the vig0r and
vitality Of the stock. What the prac-
teal markctman wants first is form or
shape and next color OF skin and legs,
and it is Il question whether the color
of the skin is not equally important as
shape. Next after the Light Brahmas
Is used a cross between Light Brahmas
and Barred plymouth Rocks, and this
| season there is a decided trend of opin-
| ion in favor of this cross as olfsettlng
| the too close breeding which has been
| resorted to in fixing the foathcrlng or
| the standard Light RrahmaS, The
eggs have proved more fertile. and the
| chickens have been stronger and more
| sturdy.
Among the most successful producers
| of this region arc the Farrar brothers.
| who hatch and market from 5000 to
1000 chickens per year. They buy their
eggs and consider an average Of one
| third as many chickens as there are
eggs put into the machine satlsfac-
tory hatch. The chickens are accom-
! modated in one pipcd broodcr building
of 1870 feet and one building 200 by 10
feet, equipped with lamp breeders. They
| have good success with both buildings
| and systems. They expect about two
thirds of the number hatched to live
| to market age. They use the regular
| progression of Light Brahmas, Light
Brahma and Plymouth Rock cross and
later Plymouth Rocks. AS soon as the
pullets arrive at the best age and con
dition they are marketed. AS they
| mature they are killed. When the
cockercls are about 3 months Old
they are caponized. This practice is
universal in this district. The cockerels
are not marketed as capons, but simply
as soft chickens. The gain through
| this practice comes from the greater
quiet of the birds and the doing away
With the natural pugnacity which rem
ders Il pen of cocllerels in their natural
state a very bedlam Of pickering and
quarreling.
In houses by feet the Farrars
keep through the winter rs many rs
so birds in each These houses are
about 6 feet high at the front. have
one window, are shngled and have
gravel floors with DO pcrches. The
wonder is how 80 birds. weighing from
seven to nine pounds. can be Wintcred
in n 6 by house without an epidemic
of sickness and death. Mr.. Faual
says they are not troubled with sick
ness, and the facts that they have the
best of market stock aud continue sea-
son after season in the same way are
ample proof that he tells the truth.
4 new house 100 by 10 feet has just
been finished and will be stocked with
laying pullets. one of the farral
brothers, who loft a steady position
where he received a good salary, says
that in eight months time spent with
| his chickens he can make more money
than he was paid in Il year and be
more independent. They estimate thai
they clear at least 80 to 90 cents PEI
head on the average bird in average
, Seasons. This they believe to be the
, lowest figure consistent with fair con
, dtions.-George II. Pollard in Relia
bic Poultry journal.