The Florida agriculturist., 1905-12-27
How I Succeeded With Poultry in
South Florida.


rience i'm poultry raising. L am a
lover of poultry and | do not think
any one will make much success at
monthly unless they do love them.
Now | hope that what experience
I've had will help some one if you
deem it good enough to print.
The first thing to consider is, winch
breed TO select. For what suits one
next in importance is to have them
will not always suit another. The
thoroughbred One naturally Will
take better care of fine poultry than of
DOOR, scrubby ones. There is ever so
much more pleasure in flock of all
one color than one of every color.
have tried several breeds, among
them Barred Plymouth Rocks, White
Leghorns, White Wyandottes, etc,
but now | raise only Brown Leg
horns, and consider them superior to
any I've ever tried. l prefer them
for several reasons. First, they are
hardy, quick grown, small eaters,
good foragerS. clean-lOOking, and last
but not least, they are great egg
producers Their eggs are good sized,
white-sheIled. The chicks feather out
young, so they show up well i'm coop
at market Their large, bright combs
are an attraction, too, | find they sell
as well or better than others. L sell
nv young cOckerels at about twelve
weeks old. They net me all the way
from So to 30 cents at that age. Key
West is our market.
1t is an excellent one for chicken
and eggs Eggs never sell for less
than 20 cents, and from that to 80
cents a Dozen | send my fowls to
market in coop of laths, made light
with good bottom and water-cup fas-
tened in.
Feed old stock mash in morning,
whole grain at night, as they have
free range | only feed twice day.
| began keeping account the first
of January and up to date, October
24th, | find that feed and other eX-
penses amount to $45.23, while the
receipts are $S4.16 which leaves a
clear profit of $3.50, besides $50
more fowls than l started with.
| have not had a sick bird for more
than two years. At that time l was
raising White LeghOrns and they
had the rOup. The best remedy
found was: Take 3 tablespOOnsful of
kerosene oil. of lard, 1 Of "lycerine
and drops carbOlic acid; heat lard
until it melts. then mix, grease under
the throat and the head, let few
drops go down the throat and lit
tie go up the nOstrilS. | found this
very effective when not too far gone
When the head begins to swell the
best and cheapest way is to use the
hatchet, for dOctOring rOup is not
pleasant task nor is it often followed
with much satisfaction. | have never
had any experience with other dis
eases, so cannot give any advice on
them.
While there is good profit in
raising fowls here, the cost is great,
too; feed is high. Corn costs $1.65
per 100 pounds; wheat $500, oats
S1.15, bran and shorts $1.7O.
We have good houses; three at
present, with good floors, which we
find keeps down fieas. Also have to
screen them in OH account of the
mosquitoes.
| used an incubator i'm the spring
with good results. 1t is small one
and hot water. / had very little
trouble with it. | think the hot water
ones control the temperature better
than hot air, our climate is so va
riable l followed directions sent with
machine, which was to air and cool
tho auUS twica n Iav and to fill and