The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-09-15

so far as natural conditions go, are
here reduced to the minimum-at no
season of the year do the climatic
conditions call for expensive houses in
order to secure the required COMFORT
for the fowls. A prominent poultry
authority, living in one OF the New
England states, lately said that in
estimating the cost of suitable house
for poultry in that climate for all sea-
sons of the year, no less than from
$50 to $75 would be required for
house for twenty-five hens; and for
larger number of hens the cost would
range in about the same proportion.
This is at the rate of from $500 to
$500 per allowing five square
feet of floor space for each fowl. The
writer finds that here in Western
Washington the cost of suitable
houses, securing to the fowls all of the
necessary comforts and all convent
ences, including piping the water
through the rooms, need not cost to
exceed IS cents to $1.00 per hen.
In the construction of these houses
the most important feature should be
a roosting place entirely free from
any draughts or currents OF air-and
at the same time having good air. Any
location where red clover does well
will generally prove suitable for the
poultry house. With suitable quar-
tiers it is then purely matter OF con-
Quoting the business along sensible
and business lines. Care and system
must be most conspicuous everywhere,
without which failure will be the In
eyitable result. Therefore, the first
question to determine upon will be the
particular breed for ones use. When
ole CT
breed would be preferable, whereas,
for broilers another breed would be
better suited.
So it will be seen that suitable
selection requires some knowledge OF
fowls. Then, again. for the beginner,
at least the breed should suit the per-
son. That is to say, person of very
limited experience might do we'll with
the Leghorns, and yet not succeed
with the Plymouth Rocks or Wyan-
dots, when the latter breeds would
prove to be the most profitable in the
hands of one of much experience. But,
as a rule, the person who has found
success with the Rocks, as egg pro
ducers, can with much safety under
take the care of almost any OF the
breeds. However, the success might
not be so pronounced as with the
lLOckS Vi IcShOlh val iSIiSo
To be profitable, fowls must possess
a strong constitution, which is 1ndl-
Gated by a prominent and bright eye,
red comb and wattles, and a rustllng
nature. These qualities are secured by
careful breeding and care. The breed
ing stock should be selected from the
best specimens, since any defects ap-
pear to be most certainly transmitted.
In all fiocks resulting from matches
from the best eggs obtainable, as
rule. will be found poor specimens, but
with culling and continuous care in
the selection of the breeding stock,
such specimens can be reduced to the
minimum.
Suitable care of the flock is all I'M
portant, in order to secure continuous
good health and correct habits, for the
egg laying trait would appear TO be
more or less Influenced by habits OF
living. In this way, the writer largely
accounts for the difference in the lay
ing qualities of different flocks or the
same breed. For instance, flock Will
form preferences for certain feeds, ana
the caretaken should accordingly Sc
lect those feeds best suited to the op-
iect in view. The time to begin to eXer-
o;eo tbic necessary care is when the