The Meeker herald., 1904-09-24
POULTRY
improving the cemmer Fowls.


in . very few years. This can be done
with very little outlay. the main cost
being that for new male birds each
year. In four or i've years the farmer
would have flock of practically pure
brsds OF far more value than his
present collection OF birds. both for
tho production OF eggs and of nesh.
At the end Of q year the farmer will
thus have birds half pure, at the end
Of the second year birds three-fourths
pure. and at the end Of the third year
birds seven-eighths pure; at the end
OF I'VE years thirty-onethirty-seconds
pure. Beyond this, selection may do
the work. though 1t would be advis-
able to purchase pure-bred males for
heading the hock after that.
For work OF this kind only strong.
vigorous. propotent males should he
selected. This will be found to be OF
considerable importance. as such
birds impress their individuality more
noticeably on their progeny than do
weaker birds. When . vigorous male
II used Nth lot OF females Of mixed
breeding and color, the uniformity fire.
Quently developed in the progeny IL
remarkable. Many . flock has become
well colored after the male at the
close Of one year. In some ways birds
from such matinGs arc the most de-
sirable for the farm, having the hardi-
ness sometimes lacked BY pure breds.
But 1t II q mistake to breed with .
pure-bred male at the head OF the
nock one year and the next take some
member Of his progeny to head the
same flock There IL frequently .
temptation to do this, and some PEG
PIE ind the temptation irresistable.
The result ID that the breeding oper-
alton ceases then and there. No mat
ter how long the process IL carried on
the outcome will be I lot Of mongrels.
The farmer must make up his mind
in the beginning to spend . small
amount Of money each year for the
best males he can get and then stick
to his resolution.
1 The progress of the grading.up proc.
ess can be accelerated by choosing
the females that are to produce the
eggs for Matching purposes. After
the end Of the nrst year there will be
found certain females, the progeny
OF the arst year, that bear strong
resemblance to the male parent. Such
should be selected the second year
for mating with the new male Of the
name breed ~ that begun with.
Breeds should not be changed. q BY
20 doing much time and effort are
last. II this process Is continued
during the three or fve years referred
to. at the end Of that time the progeny
will bear all the characteristics OF
pure-breds. In the breeding up, It 10
best TO use only mature fowls, ~ the
chicks OF such have more vigor than
the chicks Of pullets. To continually
breed from immature stock 10 to Anal
ly weaken the vigor of the flock. The
bird at the head Of these mature hens,
however, may be . cockerel. II pullets
are used, mature male should be
used with them. Never use cockerels
and pullets together.
Raising White Holland Turkeys.
, Ny method OF raising White Hol-
land turkeys is about as follows: In
the start I select about eight or ten
early-hstched. strong and healthy pull
lets, with plenty Of bone and hne
style. Then want an extra large,
vigorous. healthy yearling or two-year-
old tom that IL not akin to the pullets.
do not want pullet weighing less
than fifteen pounds nor q tom that
weighs less than twenty-five pounds.
The feathering of both must be prac-
tically clear white or pinkish white.
The mature tom should not weigh less
than thirty.three pounds and the hens
not less than twenty.three pounds. To
do we'll. turkeys must have free range.
Ours have unlimited range. Their
roosts are constructed by placing forks
in the ground and putting poles or
rails on them, and this arrangement
does for both summer and winter. The
drst layings Of turkey eggs are set
under chickens and we break up the
turkey hen the first time she begins
to sit. The next time she wants to
sit We let her sit on her own eggs,
and we allow her to raise her own
poults. When the young poults are
Matched we place the mother hen in
. square ZEN made of planks set edge
wise. The planks are foot high and
twelve feet long. This pen Is placed
partly under the shade of . tree. in
the orchard. We also have . coop
in the pen In which to shelter them
at night and in times OF rain.
I do not feed the young poults till
they are "a hours old. The critical
time with poults is the first few weeks
Of life. md that it is best at that
time to keep them out Of rain and
dewy grass. especially early in the
morning. We feed them sour milk
cheese at first. squeezed out very dry
and mixed with hne bread crumbs.
We also give them . little fine oyster
shell grit. The food mentioned also
contains some salt and pepper. We
keep the poults in the kina Of q pen
l have mentioned till they can ny ont.
To their feed We add wheat and