The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-12-01
Questions on Poultry Answered.

Questions on Poultry Answered.
Enquiries are frequently coming 20
hand seeking advice regarding the
question of starting in the poultry
business how to do it, ETC., etc. In
variably these questions come from
persons with but very little, and often
not any, experience in the business.
This question appears to be more cas-
lily answered than most any other
question concerning poultry. All per-
sons of experience and who have been
successful in the business, agree that
the beginner should make the start
with not to exceed two or three dozen
hens for the first year at least. Inc
writer believes it is perfectly safe to
say that fully ninety-nine per cent.
of those who start with as many as
four dozen of hens fail to succeed
1t is also true that many who start
with two dozen hens do not succeed.
1t might be said, too, that it is the
general rule that all who begin with
a large number of fowls and neces
sarily a large expenditure of money,
in the end lose both fowls and money.
The writer once heard a business man
say that he had put several thousand
dollars into the poultry business and
losing it all that he had just pur-
chased a piece of land that he thought
to be we'll adapted to the business and
had decided to put in as many more
thousand dollars into the same line
with the hope of finding out how he
lost the first investment. We are told
that he again met with disaster and
now wonders how it all happened.
hic hnCinpSC
figured solely from a business mans
standpoint. He knew absolutely moth
ing of the array of details that neces-
sarily had to be understood by the
management in order that success
might follow. And those details are
not mastered in a day 1t is bust
ness in which every person who sue
ceeds necessarily has to serve an ap-
premiership. In the writer's opinion
there would be several hundred per
cent more successes did all who en-
gage in the work recognize and prac-
tice the requirements. Yes, we pc
lieye there would be but very few fail
ures Some, of course, are more apt
at mastering any work than others, but
there is no reason why any peraon OF
ordinary intelligence should not COM
prononQ the business anu Hdho d ouo
cess.
So we repeat, start with few hens,
from some of the standard breeds.
Have an object-either aim for the
fancy, or the more practical-eggs
Don't mix the two Learn to care
for and to feed the fowls, to breed,
and to manage them generally for the
object intended. Good poultry litera-
ture is indispensable. Blanchard's
Poultry Book should be included, for II
contains many valuable directions
that must be understood.
We are asked if there is money in
SQUAD raising. There is, no doubt,
good money to be made raising squads
by thorough poultryman located near
one of the large cities.
Our opinion is asked regarding the
Plymouth Rock-Leghorn cross, for egg
production and the market. Several
years ago we had some very favorable
experience with flock of pullets, the
result of a cross between the Brown
Leghorn hens and the Barred Plymouth
Rock cock. The result was a hand
some black fowl, the type patterning
after the Rocks. They were hardy
vigorous fowls and superior egg pro-