The Ordway new era., 1912-07-26
POULTRY ON DRY FARM
Works In SpIendidly as a Profit.
able Branch.
Gives Farmer Something to Fall Back
On In Case Of Failure Of Grain
Crops - Little Required In
Way Of Outlay.

tBy NJ c. HERNER. Manager Poultry
Department. Manitoba Agricultural
College)
With the opening of the new era in
western agriculture comes the oppor.
tunity for the poultry industry to de.
velop into a distinct branch of diver,
sified or mixed farming. This method
Of farming seems to be the only hope
for future prosperity. We need scarce.
ly refer to the effects Of crop failures
for a few successive years on the
general welfare Of certain sections OF
country In which they occur. To re.
lieve this situation farmers must en-.
gage In something more than grain
farming. SO that in case crops fail they
may have something else to fall back
on. In diversified farming they could
draw on the proceeds OF the dairy and
poultry products to meet the current
expenses.
Poultry raising works in splendldly
as profitable branch OF dry.farming.
Very little is required in the way of
outlay. and the returns in proportion
thereto are good many times larger
than In any other branch. The poultry
houses need not be expensive. Just
30 long as they are Of the serviceable
knd-the kind that give results.
There Is much waste in grain and
other things on our farms every year
that could be converted into poultry
and eggs very easily at a handsome
profit. Only about four pounds of
grain are required to produce one
pound Of chicken. which is less than
Is required to produce one pound OF
beef. mutton or bacon. The labor re-
quired to successfully manage a flock
OF poultry Is proportionately small.
The market demands are practically
unlimited. and tho price Of dressed
poultry and eggs Is sufficiently high
at all times Of the year to make poul.
try keeping a paying business. even
when prices are at their lowest. From
these facts We see that poultry can
be made very profitable branch of
farming. with but very little in the
way Of initiative expenditure.
To begin poultry raising on n dry
farm ! would prefer to start with a
few settings Of eggs the first season
and hatch chickens from the eggs. and
then have my own stock the second
season. This way Of starting Is the
cheapest. When a person wants to
invest a little heavier n better start
can be made by buying 10 to 90 birds
and Matching chickens from these the
first year. This means. of course. n
heavier expense. but then one would
be year ahead In getting retarns
already the first year.
The poultry house should be located
fairly close to the other farm build.
ings. and should be protected from
the north winds. or 1t may be built as
lean-to against the barn. The idea
Is to have the poultry house we'll
from draught, and also fairly cheap.
One Of the best houses for this climate
is the straw loft poultry house. built
16 feet wide and any length desired.
This house has peak or gable roof. is
seven feet high from sill to plate. and
has the south side made Of one-third
boards and the remainder one.half
glass and one-half curtain. Such a
house Is not very expensive and an.
swers the purpose very we'll for the
average farmer.
Supposing the dry-farm has already
we'll established poultry depart.
ment, then tho work should be direct.
ed toward increasing the returns by
wedding out the poor layers. killing
all the hens over two years old, and
increasing the average egg production
per hen per year by carefully selecting
the best layers and breeding only from
them. In this way the poultry on the
farm will give 25 per cent. larger re.
turns in the course Of few years,
and at the same time 1t will become
an important factor in bringing diver.
sifled farming to the front.