Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-01

| Inc above are the uemanus OF
the people of the United States,
as a rule. Then if this is the
branch Of the poultry business
we have chosen, and il is the
branch that seems to be more
advisable and profitable for the
farmers of our country to en-
gage in, the next thought is,
"What are the demands OF our
buyers?"
What The Buyers Want To
Prepare For Market.
Their choice seems, preferably,
Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes,
and Rhode Island Reds.
Fowls nearly grown, or full
grown, with good heavy legs
and feet, a long body, deep
breast, a heavy back, with a
healthy bird that will stand
forcing.
With this kind of stock, con-
finement and forced feeding will
condition the fowl quickly for
our markets. Then, properly
killed, dressed, and packed, ii
demands a fancy price over the
common stock and stock that
has not been properly condi-
toned.
The plants of the West for
buying, feeding, conditioning,
killing, and dressing for the mar
kets range from a few hundred
to as high as 10000 capacity
They are constructed SO as to
be sanitary, convenient and
saving of labor. If bird shows
signs of disease it is discarded at
once.
These establishments are bet
ter prepared for feeding and
marketing the fowls for eating
than are the poultryman and the
farmer. However, some OF our
large poultry plants do, and can
find a ready market for specially
fed and dressed poultry; but the
rule for the majority OF the
people, where these large es-
Establishments are located, is to
comply with their wishes, and
raise just such birds as they
want. We refer back to what
''the buyers want" and in
order to produce the kind OF
stock that will stand this force
feeding there are a few thoughts
that must be given to the
reader along the lines of
Selecting The Breed And
Starting.
First, find out the breeds that
your buyers prefer, and after
this, you will have a chance to
make a selection from at least
three or four breeds and from
twelve to fifteen varieties. This
will certainly give you chance to
select a choice, and if your
fancy prefers barred, buff,
white, or whatever color, you
can make a selection that will
suit you. When you decide upon
the breed, buy from a reliable
breeder, who has good Stand
ard bred birds. Do not buy his
fancy show birds at high price,
but tell him you want good, big
bone, long body, deep breast,
wide back, birds with heavy
legs, healthy, vigorous, up to
standard weight or over. This
kind of a selection for your
breeding pen, even If selected
from flock you may have, will
give you good fertile eggs and
the chicks that will hatch from
such a mating, even II from a
mongrel flock, will produce big
ger, healthier, and better
chicks, that will be less liable to
disease; that can be forced have
constitution that will stand
it, and mature quicker, and bring
more money to the raiser.
They not only do better all
along in life, but the buyer will
pay more for this kind OF stock,
as il is less liable to break down
while crate feeding, will take on
flesh and color up quicker than
stock that there has been no
special care in selecting for
breeding.
There is not enough care and
thought given among the far
mers and many poultrymen OF the
Central West i'm selecting the
breeding birds. IL, instead OF
breeding from the whole farm
flock OF from fifty to one hun
dred and fifty birds, with six to
ten males, and these, many times,
without a selection with any
purpose in view, one, two