The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-07-02

90 OR the last four years have
earned my pin money out O
chickens. My hens give m,
a profit of more than five dol
lars a head You think that NJ
enormous yield for chickens! SO dc
|, for | had bccn raising a few chick
ems ever since | was "A small girl;
but have my account book ana so
know just what | spend and what
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. car
ried my chickens with me when
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
| had proved to my satisfaction that
these two breeds gave most cggs In the
winter when eggs are scarce and fetch
the highest prices. | finally discard
ed the Plymouth Rocks because |
found tho Rhode Islanders harder and
lighter feeders, or perhaps | should
say better foragcrs.
This characteristic Of their being
good foragcrs has had a good deal TO
90 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
"A 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 nctted me more
than 81 80 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
ralions Of grain In Florida they run
in the yards all tho 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 differ.
ence In the prices which | now re-
ceve for my chickens and those I
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
do 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 q
small flock A hen must have some
time for rest from laying / never
allow hen TO SIT more than once
in each year, because It is not ncces,
sary whore all are equally good moth.
ors and where there is a good demand
for fresh eggs
Before the chickens are q month old
the mother invariably has begun to
lay again. have four hens that
give me 200 eggs each year. They are
mother and three daughters As the
mother Is now four years old ain
looking forward TO The time when her
yield Of eggs will drop of. but even
: then think 1t will pay me 10 keep
her, not only because Of the strain
but also because she Is an excellent
brooder and mother, The ordinary
hen do not think II pays TO keer
after ii is two ears old
have found that In Florida the
houses have 10 be much more care
fully attended to than N Massachu
setts because Of the extreme difficulty
In Keeping down yermin Ny houses
are all Of wood built for ventilation
more than warmth For the first foui
fest the boards are put on solid /,
.reyent the depredations Of Wha. tht
scgroes down here call yarmiuts, tha