The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-03-13


is becoming Of great Importance to
the farmers of this state, o. W..
Dynes. superintendent Of poultry at
the s. s., addressed the Tri-State
Grain and Stock Growers convention
recently on Profitable Poultry Rails.
ing for the North Dakota Farmer"
Mr.. Dynes' address proved OF great
value to the farmers in attendance,
and is reproduced in full below:
Very few people realize the i'm.
portance of the poultry industry of
our country as factor in the produc-
ton of national wealth. Secretary
Wilson estimates the value of the
poultry products of the United States
for 1907 at $60O,00O,0OO. This is great
er than the total value of the lumber
production of our country. $1,000
600 more than the wheat crop and
over three times the value of the total
dairy products during the same year.
To give you something of an idea Of
the magnitude of the poultry inter.
ests In the United States, it has been
estimated that it would take freight
train of ordinary cars 10 miles in
length to carry the egg crop of 1905.
Restricting ourselves to oar home
state. it surprises us to find that
conservative estimate of the farm
value Of eggs and poultry during the
year 1906 was over 100000. This
sum is sufficiently large to pay one
fourth of the yearly farm help bill of
North Dakota.
I'm discussing profit in poultry
farming. I wish to confine myself to
the problem of egg production. While
the sale of market poultry assists
very materially in adding to the in
come of the poultryman, yet the lin.
tied time I am allowed to speak for
bids any discussion of this particular
phase Of the subject. The poultry
fancier also has his legitimate field
of work and should receive encour-
agement, and hope that no farmer
will 60 away from this convention
without arst visiting the poultry show
held n the bufldaag across the street.
In my discussion, therefore, will
leave out Of consideration the grow.
ing of marketable poultry and raising
fowls for exhibition and breeding pur-
field of egg production. That there
is room for improvement in increased
egg yields among the poultry focks of
North Dakota cannot be questioned.
The average North Dakota hen lays
about sixty eggs a year. A knowl-
edge Of the means to increase that
yearly average should be the aim of
every poultry raiser. This past year
the poorest laying hen in pen of
twenty birds at the North Dakota Ex-
pertinent station laid seventy-three
eggs in 1865 consecutive days. The
hen with the highest record in the
same pen had PA eggs to her credit.
This example is cited simply to show
the possibilities of careful selection.
and if in addition the North Dakota
hen is given the right kind of feed
and proper care and management a
large increase in her yearly record
would undoubtedly follow.
Successful egg production with the
poultrykeerer is largely dependent on
four main factors, i. e.. first, Housing;
second, Feeding: third, the Stock;
fourth. General Management.
Housing.
"kind of House Recommended-No
one style of poultry house can be rec
commended as. best for our climatic
conditions in the Northwest. We are
working On this problem now on the
experiment station, where we have at
tempted to demonstrate the effect on
egg production when hens are kept in
a warm house as compared to hens
housed in relatively cold building.
The results are not yet for publica-
tiOn. but our experience has shown
that warmly built poultry houses are
not essential to good egg production.
If you are building poultry house
don't build it as warm as you would
your cattle or horse barn and don't
use artificial heat Select a we'll
drained ste on which to build your
house with south exposure to the
pens. Give your birds approximately
about five square feet of floor space
end thirty cubic feet of air space per
fowl. The style Of architecture which
you use is not a material considera-
ton If the three cardinal principles
of successful poultry housing are we'll
understood. These are. first, Adequate
Light; second, Proper Temperature;
third. Good Ventilation.
"Light-Plenty of sunlight is highly
essential to the best health OF the
fowls and an abundance of this should
be supplied. One square foot of win
downright to ten square feet of floor
space is q safe rule to follow. Sun
light seems to act as a tonic to fowls
in winter quarters and proves a great
stimulant to. the production of eggs.
"Temperature-Aw wide variation in
theltemperature Of the poultry house
should be avoided. On sunny days the
temperature will rise quite markedly
and this is likely to prove detrimental