Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-03-13
POULTRY RAISING IN OREGON.
Extracts From Oregon Experiment
Station Bulletin.

Oregon Experiment station which has
recently been published. Among other
things the writer says:
1t is Of course worth considering b, |
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 hCck 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 a
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
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 di-
minished profits, but 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 sections 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
sections 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 small percentage OF sunshine may
be set down as a disadvantage, but
I when the nature of the rainfall is un-
: derstood it is doubtful whether it ID
o very mrch Of detriment. Owing to
? the moderating influence OF the Pacific
4 nd hox
y not the chilling effect Of the rains in
: Eastern states. The temperature o.
Western Oregon in the winter months
y Is usually higher when it rains thar
o when the sky is cloudless, and thu
, fowls will usually be found out in the
= rain except when it is very heavy
which is not often the case. One poul-
:. tryman in Marion county said to the
\ writer in November, before the rainy
h season set in, that lie wished it would
. rain, because, he said, his hens laid
4 better when it rained. The explana'
q tion Of this, if it is true, may not be
" in the rain itself, but in the fact that
it brings to the surface many angle
!, worms, which supply the lack Of ami
NAL food in the ration.
e Turkeys are successfully raised II
e Oregon, and turkeys are known to bt
easily affected by rain, but the fact
!. that the rains are warm no doubt
. largely accounts for the success in tur
: key raising in this state. Douglas
!" county in Oregon produces several
% times more turkeys than the state O
Il Rhode Island, noted for turkeys.
IS Another thing in favor Of the milo
70 climate and freedom from snow Is thai
the fowls are able to secure practically
the year round all the green food neces
" sary in the-felds. And finally, the
a fowls in their search for food in thu
J. aelds get the exercise which ic neces
sary for it is worthy of mention in thiI
IS connection that the largest specia
s. poultry district in the United States il
% found in Northern California, that ha
no snowfall. That district is somewha
IL similar to that of Western Oregon, witt
N N its open winters, mild and humid eli
g mate and nearness to the ocean.
:. My investigations Of the poultry in
dustry of Oregon have been confined u
A. the western part Of the state, the region
IS west Of the Cascade mountains. Thi
section at the present time produces
y mora poultry products than the large
re- area of the state east Of the Cascades
e. As the agriculture Of Central and East
h ern Oregon becomes developed we ma.
re expect greater development Of poultry
At keeping, and probably in time tina
i'd great agricultural area may produc
,e more poultry products than the olde
-. section of the state in Western Oregon
!" The climatic conditions are differen
east OF the mountains, the heavy rain
10 fall is absent and snow covers tn
" ground during part Of the winter. Tn
climata thara In more characte ristic G