The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-07-14
R4hR ar RR0hr IAA,M1 RE05

"a earned my pin money out OF
- chickens. My hens give me
I'LL a profit of more than five col
lars a head. You think that an
enormous yield for chickens? So do
l, for l had been raising a few chick
ems ever since l was a small girl;
but have my account book and so
know just what l spend and what l
take in.
My chickens are Rhode Island Reds
and bred from the best layers. | have
found that there is more in the strain
than in the breed OF chickens. l car
Tied my chickens with me when l
went TO Florida, so | know all about
them for generations.
Years ago | sold all my other
breeds, keeping only the Plymouth
Rocks and Rhode Island Reds because
l had proved to my satisfaction that
these TWO breeds gave most eggs in the
winter when eggs are scarce and fetch
the highest prices. I finally discard
ed the Plymouth Rocks because
found the Rhode islanders harder and
lighter feeders, or perhaps l should
say better fOragers.
This characteristic of their being
good foragers has had good deal to
do with my large profits in Florida.
never have given my flock meat. They
find insects enough for their own
meat supply. Since the first season
down there | have never given them
bit of meat except the few morsels
that are mixed in the table scraps
which they have regularly every day.
In Florida | have not raised my own
feed but have bought it in small guam
titles at the regular retail prices.
have been forced to hire all labor
done, such as building and repairing
the houses, coops and fences. At my
home in Massachusetts, being then
a comparatively strong woman, | was
able to do all such things myself. and
yet my chickens never netted me more
than $3.50 a head all the years that
struggled with them.
There in the winter the birds had
to be housed and supplied with green
and meat food besides their regular
rations of grain. In Florida they run
in the yards all the year long and
get their green food from the small
patch of grain which keep for them
at the back of their yard and their
own meat by catching insects.
Northern friends who have come to
visit me ask if there is not a differ
ence in the prices which l now re-
ceive for my chickens and those |
sold while in Massachusetts. | am
forced to reply that | formerly re-
ceived somewhat higher prices than
are paid in Florida. Most of my
eggs and dressed fowls are bought by
the largest hotel and though it is run
by northern manager, he expects
and gets southern prices. All that
the hotel does not take is readily
sold to private families so | never
have the expense Of shipping.
Go not think any other breed
would do as well as my Rhode Island
Reds. let my hens sit on their own
eggs. | have found this best in a
small flock. A hen must have some
time for rest from laying. | never
alAON q A4Cu " bil ulOIt ludu once
in each year, because it is not neces-
sary where all are equally good moth
ers and where there is a good demand
for fresh eggs.
Before the chickens are a month old
the mother invariably has begun to
lay again. have four hens that
give me 200 eggs each year They are
mother ard three daughters. AS the
mother Is now four years old | am
looking forward to the time when her
yield OF eggs will drop off, but even
then think it will pay me to keep
her not only because OF the strain,
but also because she is an excellent
broOder and mother. The ordinary
hen | do not think it pays to keep
after it is two ears old.
| have found that in Florida the
houses have to be much more care
fully attended to than in Massachu-
sets because of the extreme difficulty
In keeping down vermin. My houses
are all of wood built for ventilation
more than warmth. For the first four
feet the boards are put on solid to
prevent the depredatiOns of what the
negroes down here call yarmints, that
is, minks, 'coons, foxes and stray
dogs and cats that may slip through
your fence. Above this solid line
a space of two inches is allowed be-
tween the boards until on a line with
the roosts. There again is a solid
belt to prevent the chickens from
roosting in a draft.
Besides the usual enemies here
chicken raiser has to fight snakes.
They slip into the nests and not only
swallow the eggs, but often devour
young chicks. To fight them a Flor
ida friend told me to get a pig and
give her the run of the yard, but to