CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1908-05-07
HINTS FROM SOME SUCCESSFUL l /
COLORADO POULTRY RAISERS

AlN1S EAVM SVME 0OOESDE OA
COLORADO POULTRY RAISERS
The writer recently made trip to
Colorado Springs, Colo, for the pur-
pose of securing modern poultry
house plans and methods. Many good
ideas were obtained in regard to them
which may be of interest to various
poultry raisers of Colorado.
The successful raisers of this Sec
ton are practically agreed that their
houses must be so constructed as to
be warm, prevent draughts, and at
the same time, be we'll ventilated. The
south. The north side and ends have
no openings, excepting occasionally a
door. The walls and roofs are OF
double construction, either double
boarded or single boarded and pa
pered All openings are on the south,
here are usually found all windows.
In many cases large openings are
covered with burlap or heavy muslin,
through which the air passes without
producing draughts. The muslin or
burlap keeps out the cold and at the
same time freely ventilates the house
and also lets in the light.
In some houses, muslin curtains are
provided which may be let down just
in front of the roosts during cold
nights. This places the hens in close
quarters, helps them to hold the heat
in around them and admits fresh air.
All roosts are placed over dropping
boards and are SO constructed as to
be easily and quickly removed to IA
cilitate cleaning.
Nests are placed under the drop
ping boards with the open side to the
rear, this making them somewhat dark
and prevents egg eating. The major
ity of the houses were provided with
scratching sheds in which a few
inches of straw was placed; the grain
feeds were mixed with the straw,
thus causing the hens to exercise to
secure it.
FEEDS
For chicks-Special prepared chick
foods for the first ten days. After
wards, mixture of about equal parts
meal or blood meal, charcoal, fine
gravel, and sometimes sifted oatmeal.
For hens-Mixed grains, wheat, bar
ley, cracked corn, sometimes Kafir
corn, and oats.
Mash for Hens-Usually fed once
per day-bran, cornmeal, oats (or
oatmeaD a small amount of beer scrap
or dried blood, charcoal, and either
alfalfa leaves or cut alfalfa. They
keep plenty of oyster shells and gravel
before the hens all the time, also fresh
water.
General Remarks.
These breeders are Matching about
55 per cent. of all fertile eggs. The
secret of good matches seems to be
sufficient moisture, good ventilation
and plenty of heat.
The secrets of securing fertile eggs
are good care, feeding plenty of green
bone, oyster shells or meat scrap and
not running too many hens with one
cock.
These poultry raisers are securing
daily about GO per cent. as many eggs
as hens kept.
One breeder, Mr.. R. c. Clay, claims
to have enough space for keeping
1000 hens and he occupies two
city lots and successfully handles 500
laying hens.
A squad raiser is handling 1900
pigeons and raises from 100 to 120
squads per week on a space equal to
the size of one city lot Crowding
too many birds on a small space can
not be safely recommended. however.
Two Of these poultry plants stamp
all eggs sold for table purpose with
their names and do not keep any on
hand longer than three days.
The writer will be pleased to hear
from all successful poultry raisers in
the state. telling of their houses and
methods. Kindly send plan of house,
II possible.
H. M. Banner,
Professor OF Farm Mechanics, Colo
RADIO Agricultural College, Fort
Collins.