The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-11-15
Raising Poultry on the Farms.
lE. L. WeSt)

of the farm in producing poultry OF
all kinds and it seems to the writer
that If the farmers realized the adj
vantages of producing more and better
poultrv from financial viewpoint
they certainly would take kindly to
the proposition If they could be in
duced in some way to become. inter
ested in poultry culture they will GER
tainly realize at once the many adVah-
tayes they have at their command, Tor
nowhere else can poultry be so cheap
w raised to salable and laying ages
as on the farm, where they Will nave
free range and will gather IN thlS
manner half or three-fourths OF thelr
living, which does not cost the FARMER
a single cent. When grain for reed
ing them is needed, it is at hand Wltn-
out any loss of time or money ana
what grain they have to feed is OBJ
tanned at the cost of production.
Nowhere else is the possibility OF
failure so small or the advantages
SO many. There are many branches
of the poultry industry and the tarm-
err can adopt any or all OF these
branches, and if the business is con
Quoted on the proper lines ne Will
find the business profitable for he
will find that his poultry has PAID
larger profit for capital invested than
any other item on the farm. perhaps
the production of eggs is the most de-
sirable for the farmer to which TO
give his attention. The common farm
hen will give a profit of one dollar
wear and by giving his fowls better
FOR
Matching from his best layers for
few years this profit can be increased
to a dollar and fifty cents per men per
wear. Should the farmer continue on
these lines and use only males as
breeders from good laying strain ne
would soon have a flock that would
show a profit of two dollars per hen.
Many focKs of pure-bred fowls OF
the general purpose breeds are cred
tied with laying over two hundred
eggs per fowl, and doubtless this is
correct if the fowls are well cared tor
| have reference to eggs only and not
to the sale of young stock Tor broll-
ers or rOasters, and finally the sale
of the hens themselves. l know
neighbor living about two miles dis
tanl who has now and mas MAD TOT
many years, a flock of two hundred
and fifty females for the production
of eggs principally, and | know Tor
certainty that he takes the eggs
from these females to town, not a few
dozen at time, but crates at time
and every week in tne year he is
there with eggs. | have known this
farmer for more than thirty-five years
know that if his poultry did not pay
he would not continue long in the poul-
try business for the production or eggs.
These fowls do not have any special
care or feed; in fact, they are not as
we'll provided for as the average flocKs
on the farms. | am certain this HOOK
picks up at least one-half or more OF
their living.
Every fall he sells enough cockerels
and old hens to pay for all the feed
he has fed the entire flock one year
He matches and brOOds with hens
and teaches the chickens early in
life to pick and scratch for a large
share of their living, and when ma
tured they continue on the same line.
He has adopted the plan of fencing
his garden in and the poultry out, and
not fencing the poultry in small lot
and leaving the garden out, as many
do. He believes in outdoor exercise
and encourages them to dig and
scratch for the most of their food. His
poultry looks we'll and hearty, and
their plumage has bright lustre that
denotes they are well provided for.
| also have another neighbor who
raises turkeys. He keeps about twelve
turkey females and one male for
breeders. From this small flock he
sells from one hundred and fifty to
two hundred and fifty dollars worth
of turkey for market each fall. These
Young turkeys do not cost him a cent,