The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1908-02-15
POULTRY RAISING IN OREGON.
Extracts From Oregon Experiment
Station Bulletin.

tryman's standpoint is discussed by
James Dryden in Bulletin No. SO OF the
Oregon Exper ment station which has
recently been published. Among other
things the writer says:
1t is OF course worth considering BY
the man looking for location whether
Western Oregon with its open winters
and freedom from snow and zero tenn
peratures does not offer opportunities
for the production Of eggs and poultry !
that are not-found in Eastern and Mid
die West states. That poultry thrive in
cold sections where snow and zero
weather prevail is not to be denied,
but the labor and expense Of caring for
them is undoubtedly greater there. To
secure an egg yield in winter where the
climate is severe entails more expense
for housing and more care in the feed
ing. 1t is probably true that the small
lest profits are made during the winter
months though the prices are very
much higher than in spring and sum-
mer, because the egg yield is SO small
from the average ficck as to leave little
or no margin Of profit. 1t is also true
that the egg yield is quickly affected by
changes in the weather, especially in
the temperature. A sudden change
from mild to cold weather means
certain check in the egg production,
and although the weather soon moder-
ates it will often take several weeks
before the egg yield gets back to where
J II was. The only way to prevent this
is to provide housing that will protect
the fowls from too sudden changes in
temperature. This entails more ex-
pense in housing and consequently d.
minished profits, bnt what is Of more
importance is the highly artificial con-
ditions that it necessitates.
1t would appear therefore that there
are certain advantages that this state
possesses over fections OF the country
where zero weather and snow prevail.
First, milder climate and less severe
changes in temperature than is charac-
teristic OF Eastern states. Second, in
sec ions Of the state with no snowfall
the poultry can range over the fields
and find animal food and green food
which are often hard to get where the
snow covers the ground.
The heavy rainfall Of Western Oregon
and email percentage OF sunshine may
be set down as a disadvantage, bu
when the nature of the rainfall is un
I derstood it is doubtful whether it il
: very mrch of a detriment. Owing Il
: the moderating influence of the Pacific
I ocean these rains are warm and hav'
not the chilling effect Of the rains IL
Eastern states. The temperature o
Western Oregon in the winter month
!, is usually higher when it rains thai
when the sky is cloudless, and tn
: fowls will usually be found out in tn
S rain except when it is very heavy
0 which is not often the case. One poul
d tryman in Marion county said to tn
r writer in November, before the rain
/ season set in, that he wished it woul
q rain, because, he said, his hens lai
u better when it rained. The explains
y ton of this, if it is true, may not
IL in the rain itself, but in the fact tht
it brings to the surface many angl
worms, which supply the lack of an
NAL food in the ration.
Turkeys are successfully raised
Oregon, and turkeys are known to
&c easily affected by rain, but the ia
that the rains are warm no doul
Of largely accounts for the success in tY
is key raising in this state. Dough
~ county in Oregon produces sever
RS times more turkeys than the state
n Rhode Island, noted for turkeys.
lg Another thing in favor Of the mi
ne climate and freedom from snow is tn
" the fowls are able to secure practical
10 the year round all the green food uece
90 sary in the fields. And finally, Il
Nv fowls in their search for food in L
~ delds get the exercise which 10 niece
sary for it is worthy of mention in III
re connection that the largest speci
of poultry district in the United States
n found in Northern California, that b
It no snowfall. That district is somewh
al similar to that of Western Oregon. WI
81 its open winters, mild and humid
- mate and nearness to the ocean.
nd My Investigations of the poultry
81 dustry of Oregon have been confined
as the western part Of the state, the regi
of west OF the Cascade mountains. III
ss- section at the present time produC
dy mora poultry products than the lars
10. area of the state east of the Cascad
As the agriculture OF Central and Ea
ern Oregon becomes developed we M
an expect greater development OF poult
M keeping, and probably in time Il
m great agricultural area may prod'
~ more poultry products than the OLE
he section OF the state in Western Oreg'
he The climatic conditions are differ
Af- east OF the mountains, the heavy IA
res fall is absent and snow covers
ng ground during part Of the winter ]
AT climate there is more characteristic
OF the Rocky mountain region, though
LOT such severe weather prevails as in
~ Middle and Northwestern states.
e S nhould prove that dry climate "
plenty of sunshine but lacking the
we're winter changes Of temperature
the East is the ideal one for pIouli
ie' we may expect great growth OF
e" poultry industry east of the Casca
uis In Oregon. Undoubtedly on the ers
oal ranches of Central and Eastern Ore
er, where food is cheap there is opport
he lily loI great profit in poultry raisl