Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-04-19
Some Pointers on the Poultry and EsS
By q Poultry Expert.

With fresh eggs at Is cents, whole
sale, possibly you are wondering Why,
with the extra Easter demand, the
price should be less than half the De-
cemser quotstions.
Then, again, possibly you are not
well enc ugh posted in the egg BUSH
ness to know that hundreds of thous-
ands of fresh and carefully selected
eggs are being laid aside by poultry
men all over the country this month
for their incubators, for it's the April
May patched pullet which lays the
december eggs and gives the poultry
man his real profit of the year.
II you do not understand the above
fact-, why question the lack of bust
s. sagaeiiy in the thousands who
catch the poultry rsieing fever every
spring and 20 out INTO the country dis
irieis to buy or rent farms in April
only 10 come back s'broke Ia the fall?
II is principally with the latter that
this story has to do,and careful reading
OF the suggestions from oae who has
been through all the experiences for
two years will be of inestimable value
ia dollars and in informs ton as well.
Few can appreciate the immense
amount Of money invested in poultry
in America, for it runsup Into the mil
lions, being one Of the la rgest indus
tries. The scientific raising OF egg-pro-
ducing hens runs back hardly quar-
ter OF a century. One has only to visit
the great poultry shows in Madison
Square Garden to understand what it
is today. The age of hen incubation
has passed away and nowadays one
talks Of the mammoth incubato rs
which artiiicalIy hatch %, 900 or more
eggs at one time. Immense poultry
farms representing an outlay OF 500, 900
to S75 900 have been established on a
profit paying basis, and 1900 laying
hens is not an unusual flock.
Is 1t any wonder that thousands Of
"back TO the soil'' enthusiasts are turn
ing their attention TO poultry raising?
And If half the number would only
read the poultry magazines or get a
few "pointers" from the experiences
poulrymen before hand as many thou
ands would be saved. Instead they
rush blinfly out into the country, FRO.
baby rent piece Of land entirely I'M
suitable for the purpose, invest all
their capital in hens houses and
equipment and, going broke, return to
the big cities, declaring "there is no
money in hens.n They believe any old
thing is good enough for a hen;
couldn't tell you how to mix mash
believing that hens eat corn aloncl
and have about as much forethought
in their care as the amateur who, hav-
ing received 800 day -old chicks by ex-
press, which he had ordered, looked
them over admirugly and exclaimed
SHOW pretty! Oh! If we only had
some place to put themv'
The season 10 look for place To
start poultry fafm int the country is
right after The New Year. Having
found .'the spot the incubators,
breeders and other equipment should
be purchased aud ready for use not
later than March. 1t takes twenty one
days to hatch chicks, and there is al.
ways some delay in getting the eggs
1t is the April May Matched pullets
that lay the December eggs, aud by the
middle Of April the experienced poul-
tryman is putting in his best licks for
the coming fall and winter. Orders for
Matching eggs-some al 81 to IS each
are taken by the big farms nearly six
months before delivery and, as the big
demand comes in April, the orders re-
ceived in February and later are SIM
ply flied to be fiIled-if possible.
Its the same with orders for day
old chicks, which now represent bus.
mess OF thousands of dollars each year.
A circular at hand from breeder up
fJlalt-duukl NV OiC VI tDC idiBESL ny
any means-says lie will have 100, 600
chicks this season. Just before batch
ing the chick envelopes the yolk u the
egg and on this nourishment has been
shipped $500 miles by express and
lived and thrlved.
Orders for April aud May are OF
course large. Chicks Matched in March
are poor winter layers, as they moul
n ak months and will not lay in Their
es for thirty or more days, but they
eat just the same. May lois late enough
tor Matching chicks tell him you
wouldn't take them in if placed on
your step as free gift.
Don't rent land for ppiltry farm
unless YOU have exceptional advan-
tages in long lease and very excel
lent landlord. Hen houses cost money,
and when you have big flock accii-