The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-09-01
Questions from an Amateur Poultry
Man,

Man.
G.. p. c., a Ranch reader at Grants
Pass, Oregon, sent me the following
letter quite while ago:
Dear Sir:-Being interested in the
raising of poultry and having your
poultry book, l wish to ask for some
advice which will assist me in making
the birds more profitable. My chicken
and barn yard is about 30x100 feet
Besides this, the fowls have the run oil
a half acre lot, an orchard, where
keep my horse. l have IL Plymouth
Rock hens and a rooster and So chicks
of various ages. Of these hens fou1
have chicks, and five wish to set, leav.
ing three to lay eggs, the result being
that we are getting an egg every
other day. Some of my neighbors with
the same number of Brown Leghorn
hens are averaging six eggs a day
Eggs are worth from 20 to rs cents
dozen and chickens Is cents a pound
What have you found to be the most
profitable all-round chickens, and what
would you consider the best for this
market and climate? How can male
Plymouth Rocks be distinguished from
females when two or three months
old? Is it wise to "break up" setting
hens, and what have you found to be
the best method?
81 have had built a poultry house
much similar in size and style to the
one described in your book, and
though not in the poultry business,
wish to keep about so hens and am
anxious to make them pay"
Would say to our correspondent thai
at one time since our venture in the
poultry business several years ago
the writer pinned his faith to the
Brown Leghorn hen as the most pro
fitable, in fact, we were on the eve
of abandoning every other breed, after
quite trial, giving that breed the
preference over all others. At this
time we were permitting the hens Of
the different breeds to mix and they
accordingly received common care
We finally decided to separate the dit
ferent breeds, handle and care fol
them somewhat differently and watcl
results. This occurred several years
ago. We still cling to all of the
breeds--five in number-and find then
all to be profitable. We like then
all.
to which we find to be the most pro
fitable all-round chicken, would say
that various conditions figure largely
in making such an estimate. Owing
to local demands for broilers and ole
hens I am finding that the Plymouth
Rock is my most profitable breed. AS
a result of several years selection ir
the breeding stock, and a better
knowledge, regarding the care ant
feeding of that breed the average an
nual egg production from the fiocks
comprising such breed on my farm il
never under and often greater thar
that of like flocks of any breed.
The male Barred Plymouth Rock
chickens are to be told from the pull
lets by their plumage being consid
cradle lighter in color, and the birt
being a little more leggy.
1t is not only WISE but it is advis
able to "break up" the settlers, wher
they are not needed. This is easily
done by providing for them a lighr
comfortable shed or room withou
nests or nesting material, placing then
therein on the first day that they be
come broody. not permitting them tt
remain on the nest over the frs
night. Provide them while so con
fined with feed, grit, shells, drink an(
green stuff as you would the layers
and generally the broody hen will for
get her troubles and again be happily
laying. her regular quota of eggs in &
very few days.