Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-19

chickens are properly handled there
is a large per cent Of profit in them
at so cents a dozen, the price they
are now bringing.
The difference between thorough
bred chickens and common chickens
is simply this: A good thorough
bred hen, that has bten properly
raised and cared for, will usually
lay from 125 to $50 eggs per year
the first year. while you will do
we'll to get so eggs from the average
common fowls, which occupy just
as much space and eat just as much
feed. The difference woul be about
eight dozen eggs per year, say at
80 cents, which would be a differ /,
ence of $24O in one hen, over the
common scrub or the average scrubs
that are usually KEEP. The differ
ence between a thoroughbred chick-
en- for eating purposes and the
scrub is that you can make a good
Droiler out of most any of the thor
oughbreds at 6 TO weeks DID,
that will be rounded out and fat,
while if you were to use scrubs.
you could not get the same size ana
weight on them at 2 1-2 to 3
months old. This is where the thor
oughbred have an advantage over
the common ones Furthermore,
with the improved varis cites, when
chicken is matured-a good high
grade thoroughly Plymou h Rock
or Orpington hen, will usually weigh
6 to 2 pounds, and can be raised
with the same amount OF feel that
it requires for a 3 or 4-poun1
scrub. No breeder of thorough
At - so - ell
their eggs for less than 50 to So
a setting, and stock at SO and IS
each Even if thorough BREEDS are not
kept for show purposes, they are
far more valuable than the scrub
for commercial purposes, showing .
much larger percent of profit
There is only about 10 to IL per
cent of the average flock of thor
oughbreds that will breed show
specimens-that is, those that can
go into a hot show and win, but the
others can be kept as breeders, and
of course there will be some culls
among every flock of thorough
breds. These should be eaton or
sold for commercial purposes. If
every thoroughbred chicken that a
person Matched or raised was good
enough to get So to So each for, the
breeders would soon become rich,
but no breeder, it matters not how
good his fowls are, can count on
Matching every bird and maturing
a fancy fowl out of it. Where
properly raised and the right kim
of breed, these birds that are not
good enough to show or to breeo
for fancy can lie made to pay for
commercial purposes or utility pur-
poses l am aware that feed has
been high this year and very expen-
sive. The weather has been unu-
sually bad and eggs have not been
received in plenty as they have
some seasons when the weather was
better. The high price of eggs is
almost certain proof that prices are
governed by supply and demand. 1t
they had not been scarce, they would
have been cheap. Taking feed into
consideration, with the terrible win
ter we are having, eggs are cheap at
SO cents a dozen, and there is not
a big per cent of profit in them at
this price during winter. One great
mistake that most breeders make
is that they keep too many chick
ems that are not layers, and do not
force and take care of them as they
should be, which is the reason for
their not laying. Chickens that
have been nourished and well cared
for during this winter and Matched
early are the ones that are now
laying and making money for their
owners. The time 20 have your
chickens show ou the largest per
cent of profit is to have something
to sell when the other fellow has
not. We have to figure year or so
ahead to get these condition but
hundreds are doing so, and if they
care, others can do likewise.
The best way to break up a set
ting hen is that the first night
she offers to set, remove her to a
coop or pen and place her in a pen
with a vigorous male bird. Let her
remain there several days and she
will usually be ready to go back In
he laying pen and will not likely
want to set again until after she
has laid out anotL er clutch of eggs.
Usually after the second day is the
proper time tn place eggs under =
hen after she has begun setting.
AS soon as you find they will re-
main on the nest steadily she Is