The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-03-27
SOME USEFUL HINTS
TO POULTRY RAlSERS

n ti5 ( u
One Of the most valuable pRbfica-
tions about to be issued BY the departrs
inent OF agriculture is one BY g. Arthur
Bell, assistant animal husbandnan, bll-5
reau Of animal industry, entitled Hints
Ito Poultry Raisers.
Iil selecting variety of fowls, it is
desirable to obtain only purebreds, as
j with these one has a flock of fowls
which will produce carcasses and eggs of
assnAch more Uniform shape, color, and
4 size than niongrels will produce, all of
i which will aid in finding a ready sale.
/ If one already has Hook of inongrel
fowls and cannot afford to buy purebreds,s
he should choose a purebred male bird
Il OF the breed preferred and mate him
with a few of the best nlongrel females.
i This system, if carefully followed for,
a few years, the publication states, will
i give highsgrade flock that will he prac-
Itiealiy asagood as purebrcds, so far asi
linarket condition afor dressed fowls and
leggs are concerned.
Choice of a variety will depend large-
ly ;on the purpose for which the fowls
lare kept whether eggs alone, both eggs
i and meat, or meat alone is the chief
Iobject whether white-shelled or brown
shelled eggs are desired and whether
gIsitters or non -sitters are wanted. The
i pamphlet divides these into the follow
ling three classes: 81
Egg Breeds: Monsitters and prodnc-
Iers Of white shelled eggs Leghorns and
Il IMinprcas. s
! General Purpose Breeds: Sitters and
Iproducers of broWn-shelled eggs Ply
Imouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Orpingtons
and Rhode Island Reds. 4i
i Meat Breeds: Sitters and producers
of brown-shelled eggs Brahmas, Goch-'
ms, and Langhorns. sEs
In selecting location for the poultry
houses, itfis desirable TO place them on
Ian elevation having natural drainage
away from tlle building. A dry, porous
4 soil such as a sandy or gravelly loam,5
lis preferable to clay soil. As sunlight
and warmth are essential to- the best.
success with poultry, the buildings
Isheuld face the south. A southeastern
lexposure is preferable to a southwest
ern zone If direct southern exposure
cannot be obtained The size of the
4 house will depend almost entirely on the
number eof birds TO be kept. If the birds
Iare kept in fiocks Of forty to sixty,
labeut FIVE square feet Of floor space
lshonld sbe allotted to- each hen. Thei
Ibuilding should be high enough to eriA:
liable the attendant to avoid humping his
Ehead against the ceiling. 15
i he best house for fiftytto sixty fowls
Iis 2oxI4s front elevation 6Jl feet, back
elevation 511z feet, with double pitch
1 roof of unequal span. The roof, if shifl4s
bgled, should have no less than one-tfirdi
Ipitcht 3H roofing paper is used, one
Iqnarter pitch will answer. lin the 'front.'
Tor south wall there should be placed tWoT
/ windows about one foot from the top
4 and. three feet from the ends; 8xIo1
lihches is a good sized pane to use in al
ltwelve-hght sash, making the sash about
l3 feet by$o inches high, and feet s
inches wide. A doors2N by 6 feet may
i be made in one of the end walls, and
i also small door in the front wall, for
i the fowls to pass in and out of the
/ building.
Il The roost platform should be placed
4 in the rear Of the house, extending the
/ whole length The platform should be-
4 about three feet wide and three feet
4 above the floor, and the perches should
dbe placed about eight or ten inches
i above the platform The nest should
i'be placed against the end Of the house
\ lopposite the door or under the roosts
platform, and should be darkened. Sew
Ieral small boxes for shell. grit. beef
scraps, etc, should be placed against the.
jIWalls about sixteen or eighteen inches
above the floor. Il If cement or wood
il floors are used, dust bath should Be
i provided for the fowls.
i In order to obtain eggs, it is neces-l
Il sary ito have healthy, vigorous stock,
Iproperly fed. In order to do their best
Ihens should be fed grain food, animal
flood, and green food. They should be-
fed enough -to keep them in good condi-s
ton but not overfat, and they should;
be induced to take plenty of exercise,
4 No set rules can be given for feeding,
las conditions vary, and there are differ
ent methods of feeding different breeds
4 A good system to follow for winter
feeding, the pamphlet continues, Isl
mash once day and grain scattered
Iinthe litter twice a. day. The mash may.
be fed dry or slightly nloistened. When
fed dry il is usually put into a trough
or hopper hung against the wall and
i the fowls allowed access to it at all
times. 81 81. \.
i The mash fed at the Maine expert
nert station Is as follows, III the spropor-
ltion indicated
Pounds.
lNheat bran ..i. . . !. 8. !. IS. 200
II Wheat fliddlings q. 4. y. 100
X Gluten meal u. {. 4. (. 100
81 Corn meal B. /. 8. &. y. Il. r. 100
n ILinseed meal .. E. &. 8. {. !. 100
Il Beef scrap J.. s. 4. B. roo
iii Anot her mash may be mixed as fol-
II lows, in the proportions Indicated
Pounds.
riI eoria meal !. 3. g. 100
II Ground oats y. .s. &. J. &. !. Il. 100
IsNheat bran Il. &. 4. 4. !. q. 100
Youslg chickens should be fed little
Fad time and often. If they are given
dground food alone, there is a great dam
/ lger of overfeeding Very good results
e llnaY be ohtaii1ed hv The feeding entire.