The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1912-02-29

Large capital is not required to
start in the poultry business on a
moderate scale.
Poultry raising for profit is espec.
ially attractive to men and women
of moderate means, on farms, in vii.
lagos, or in city suburbs.
The question is often asked: Does
It pay to keep pure -breds?" In every
case we would answer that It does.
Our reasons for this are many.
One advantage Of pure-breds is that
the offspring are more uniform in size
and shape. Uniformity of product,
whether of eggs or poultry has mar
ket value. The barnyard fowl with
O mixed ancestry will usually pro.
duce chicks of different shapes, diff.
ferent sizes and different colors of
skins and legs, and varying in quality
Of flesh. The main advantage of the
pure-breeds is that you get a more
uniform product from them than from
the mixed fowls. The pure breeds
are much more attractive in appear
ance than the mixed chickens, and
any surplus stock may be disposed Of
at a greater profit than If the common
fowls are kept. On the whole for
utility as well as for the fancy con-
sideration, the pure-breds have ad-
vantages over the mongrel fowl The
thing to be avoided however, is the
purchase Of chickens just because
they are pure-bree6s, for there are
"mongrel" pure-breeds so far as vigor
and profit-making capacity are con-
cerned. AS a rule those contemplate
ing making an investment in psre-
bred poultry will correspond with a
number of breeders who are adrer-
tis,ng the variety Of their choice.
The prices quoted by the breeders
may read as follows: Good utility
stock, from $500 to $500; choice ex-
hibition specimens, $1,000 to $500
each" To some who are unaccus-
toned to the prices asked for pure
bred stock these prices may seem
unreasonable. The beginner thinking
they are all from the same stock and
the cheaper ones are likely to pro-
duce desirable offspring as those OF
better quality. 1t is true the birds
may all have come from the same
parentage; however there Is a reason
for some individuals lacking the quail
ity to command the higher price.
II bird is lacking in constitutional
vigor 1t will not develop in shape or
color with the strong, vigorous bird,
and is absolutely unfit for the breed
inG pen.
We would not have II understood
from this that strong, vigorous fowls
cannot be purchased for the above
price, but the purchaser should not
expect for the lowest price quoted
by a breeder to secure choice prize
winning fowls. On the other hand
the breeder should Gull the flock very
closely, dlsposing OF all inferior stock
as market poultry. The practice of
selling the culls for breeding purl
poses at any price is serious in
Jury: First, to the one selling them,
because they are a very poor adver-
tisement; second, to the one making
the purchase, because he is likely to
become disgusted with the business
when there pure-bred fowls fail to
win a premium when placed on exhi-
bition or fail to produce offspring true
TO standard type or color. Last. and
by no means last, the poultry indus
try receives a serious injury.
Those purchasing pure-bred poul-
try would be more successful were
they to start with few birds of good
quality than to purchase a few dozen
of some breeders culls.-V. r. Nc
Bride, Department of Animal Hus
bandry.