Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-16

you could easily see how much more
valuable a Black Minorca hen would bt
than one of any other breed or variety
The eggs generally are beautifully
shaped and pure white, an additional at.
traction to their unusual weight.
UNQUALIFIED LAYERS
For consistent laying I believe that
Black Minorcas are unequalled. While
il have kept no record or performances
of the hens in my own pen, other
than a general one, it is known that in
England a test pen of black Minorcas
laid 1886 eggs for each hen during the
year Black Minorcas are a vigorous
breed, and need less attention, in my
opinion. than other fowls. The cost of
Keeping them is much smaller than II
would be If person were breeding more
delicate fowls"
Asked if he had been troubled very
much with the usual chicken pests Mr.
Ledford admitted that he might have
had less trouble in the country than in
the city, but at the same time stated
that 1t is very easy TO rid a chicken yard
of vermin If the breeder is careful to
keep everything clean.
II use the chloronaptholeum prepare
tion," he said, and find that by dipping
my fowls in the preparation, wettine
them thoroughly at least twice a year
that lice will not stay on them. 1 have
found the method very effective. but II
has one drawback If chicken has
been dipped in this preparation, it cannot
be killed and eaten for at least six
weeks. The preparation seems to pene-
trate the skin and while it has no HARM
full effects on the fowl, it can be tasted,
when the bird is placed on the table.
Mr. Ledford loves chickens, cares for
them himself as far as his business with
the Columbia book company will permit
and his methods are very simple.
He uses a single large incubator, with
a capacity of $50 eggs, and keeps 1t run
ming throughout tho season. generally
bringing off about 500 young birds each
year.
on account of the small space to which
his chicken yard Is confined he makes
no attempt to carry a large stock or to
sell chickens or eggs TO the general
market With the established reputa-
ton Of his prize-winning stock he says
that he has no trouble in disposIng Of
several hundred chickens each year tc
other breeders, and those who are just
commencing with chicken farms.
When his chickens leave the incubator
they are taken to a fireless brooder Mr.
Ledford has tried several different kinds
of breeders and has a number of them
lying ABOUT the place, Dub hOW AiC uses
only the fireless. The Breeders upon
his place are by feet. Upon half the
brooder there is a wooden floor, while
the bottom of the other half is the bare
ground. The wooden half of the brooder
is divided into two compartments, each
Is by Is inches. One of these compart-
ments is fitted with only tiny air hole
and is covered by soft cloth. The
chicks are first placed in this compart-
ment and above them are arranged three
or four little cotton pillows. Just as
many chickens as the place can well
hold are crowded in this compartment,
and the heat of their bodies, augmented
by the pillows above, serves better than
artificial heat, according to Mr.. Ledford.
The pillows are removed one by one as
the chicks become older and stronger,
until finally all of the pillows are on,
the chicks are moved to the second COM
partment, which has more light and air.
Later they are moved to the second
part of the brooder and there they be-
come accustomed to the ground, Then
In short while they are released and
allowed to roam about a tiny run in the
back yard until they are in the pullet or
cockerel class.
While II is true that a certain amount
of space is absolutely necessary for rails
ing poultry on a large scale, Mr.. Ledford
has certainly demonstrated that the bus
mess can be conducted with unlimited
success upon a small city lot.