Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1912-08-24
POULTRY ON DRY FARM.
Works in Splendidly as Profitable
Side Issue.

With the opening of the new era in
western agriculture comes the oppor-
tunity for the poultry industry to de
velop into distinct branch of diver
sifled or mixed farming. This method
OF farming seems to be the only hope
for future prosperity We need scrace
ly refer to the effects OF crop failures
for few successive years on the gen
eral 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 i'll 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 splendidly
as profitable branch OF dry farming
Very little is required in the way OF
outlay. and the return in proportion
thereto are good many times larger
than in any other branch. The poultry
houses need not be expensive, jus.
so long as they are of the serviceable
kind-the kind that gives 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
CURED to successfully manage flock
OF poultry is proportionately small
The market demands are practically
unlimited, and the price of dressed
poultry and eggs is sufficiently high
at all times of the year to make poulI
try keeping a paying business. even
when prices are at their lowest. From
these facts we see that poultry car
be made a very profitable branch OF
farming. with but very little in the
way of initiative expenditure.
To begin poultry raising on a 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
can be made by buying 10 to 20 birds
invest little heavier a better start
cheapest. When person wants 10
and Matching chickens from these the
first year This means, of couse. 4
heavier expense. but then one would
be a year ahead in getting returns
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 it may be built as
lean-to against the barn. The idea
is to have the poultry house well
lighted, dry. we'll ventilated and free
from draught. and also fairly cheap.
One of the best houses for this eli
mate is the straw loft poultry house.
built 10 feet wide and any length de
sired. This house has a peak or gable
third boards and the remainder one
half glass and and e-half curtain
Such a house is not very expensive
and answers the purpose very well
for the average farmer
Surprising the dry-farm has already
well established poultry department.
then the work should be directed
toward increasing the returns by
all the hens over two years old, and
wedding out the poor layers, killing
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 Is per cent larger re-
turns in the course of a few years,
and at the same time it will become
an important factor in bringing diver
siiied farming to the front.-M. c.
Herner, Manager Poultry Department
Manitoba Agricultural College