The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-03-25
The Ferguson Poultry Farm,
NoRTHPORT AVENUE, BELFAST.

the drug business in the store of Poor &
Son and obtaining certificate as phar-
macist, went to Massachusetts and en-
gagged in the business for himself. He
was very successful, but his health would
not permit of the confinement and he re-
turned to Belfast with the intention of
taking up some occupation that would
enable him to lead, in part at least, an
outdoor life. Two years ago he decided
to engage in the hen business and bought
the farm of Joseph F. Wight on North
port avenue, about one mile and half
from the city. There was a good story
and-a-half house, barn and other build
ings on the farm, which comprises about
SO acres, with an orchard on the slope in
rear of the house. The greater part of
the farm was in grass land. Mr.. Fergu-
son remodeled and improved the house
for his residence, utilized the hen-house
on the place for a feed room and built on
to that laying house over 300 feet long
and 20 feet wide, divided into rooms of
20 feet square, in each of which, when
the house is filled to its full capacity, 100
hens will be kept. A car suspended from
an overhead track is started from the
feed room and goes through all the rooms,
which are separated by swinging doors
that close as the car passes through.
His whole equipment is modelled on the
most improved plans, such as were used
at the poultry farm of Prof. Gowel in
Orono and by other successful poultry
raisers. Mr. Ferguson is of a mechani-
cal turn and has introduced many little
devices of his own which facilitate the
work. Just now he is putting electric
lights into his incubators, so that by
pressing button the whole interior will
be lighted up, thus obviating the neces-
sity of using lamp for this purpose.
Having had no previous experience in
this business Mr.. Ferguson began in
small way At present he has about 500
hens in the laying house, but will in
crease the number this season to 1000,
the full capacity. He has already hatch
ed about 1900 chicks and will hatch from
10000 to II, 900 this season.
He has eight incubators in the cellar of
the house, which is light, dry and airy
and thus admirably adapted for the pur-
pose. The settings are planned so that
four incubators alternate in bringing out
the chicks. One hatch is already in the
breeders and last week another hatch
was out and awaiting their turn to be
transferred, and Mr. Ferguson was get
ting another lot of eggs ready. The eggs
are selected with great care and only the
most perfect specimens are put into the
incubators. The germ which contains
the embryo chick is held in solution and
if the egg remains continuously in one
position it is liable to become attached
to the she'll and thus become non-pro-
ductive. So the eggs are frequently
changed in position and at intervals each
egg is tested separately and those i'm
perfect rejected. In Matching only the
chicks which come out of the shell strong
and vigorous are retained, and when at
the end of ten days they are transferred
to the breeders they are lively lot.
They chirp continually and hop about as
actively as do the little English sparrows
seen on the streets. They are fed
specially prepared food composed of diff
ferent grains very finely ground, and
also have, for digestive purposes, finely
ground rock and powdered charcoal. This
food and the pulverized rock and char
coal come in different grades, the coarser
grades being used as the chicks advance
in age.
The laying hens are fed twice day on
the Gowell system with some variations.
They have feed before them constantly,
as well as ground oyster shells and char
coal, and are given water twice a day.
The floor of each room is covered with
straw and the feed is thrown into the
straw and in scratching for it the hens
get the needed exercise. The arrange
ment of the nests, roosts, etc, is the
same as in all model henneries Except
in extreme cold or clustering weather
the south front of each room is open, adj
hitting the air and sunshine, so essential
to the health of the birds. Each room
has door on the north side to facilitate
cleaning and removing and renewing the
straw
Last season Mr.. Ferguson had four
acres in grain, utilizing it at both ends,
as straw and feed This season he will |
cultivate seven acres, which were plow-
ed last fall and on which he will use the |
droppings from the hen-houses. He
will have an acre in cabbages and also
raise beets for hen food He now has
ten chicken houses in the orchard and
will double the number this season. The
chicks not only destroy the insects and
grubs but fertilize the ground and by
pruning and caring for the trees the Or
chard will soon be brought into condi-
ton to become a profitable adjunct to
the main business of poultry and egg
producing.
The stock kept on the Ferguson Poul-