The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02
POULTRY KEEPING AN INTERESTING,
HEALTHFUL PROFITABLE BUSINESS
The Experience of a Busy
Physician

Copyright, 1918, by G. A. McDevitt Coz
In all sections of American may be
found enthusiastic breeders of poultry
who pay but scant attention to the ques-
ton of financial profits from their hocks
put WHO get a world OF fun out of their
work and secure great benefit from the
mental relaxation and the outdoor exer-
else secured. Poultry keeping is a splen-
did hobby which may be INDUCED in by
any one possessing small piece Of land.
even a cramped city yard.
Professor Stoneburns accompanying
contribution contains the actual exper-
fence of a busy physician In small town,
who found pleasure and health a tiny
side line poultry farm and who made
his recreation Yield profit instead of
proving an expense.
NHE purely finalciai, or business, as
pect of poultry, keeping bulks SO
= large In the public eye and is so
continuously discussed by writer's and leo
> turers on poultry topics that certain other
phases of 1t are frequently overlooked en-
tirely. At this time we wish to empila-
size another side of the matter, and espec-
tally call attention to the value of a flock
OF chickens as a source of recreation, a
hobby or pastine for the busy man, whose
real occupation In life Is an entirely DIFF
ferent line. +, -,.4
Thousands of business and professional
people. men and women alike. appreciate
the fact that "all work and no play make
Jack dull boy" that outside interests do
much, toward keeping the mind clear and
the body strong. thus making for greater
efficiency Also. that some hobby that
regularly calls them out of doors each day
brings the best results.
In discussing this subject, Oliver Wen
dell Holmes once wrote as follows
1T is not good for man to work all
the time at one thing. Carpentering is my
hobby. This is my change. like to put
ter away al this work. 1t rests me, be-
cause 1t gives my mind complete change.
No one should keep always at his BUSH
ness, whatever it may be. 1t makes no
difference how much you like It. The
more you like it the more dangerous it
is. Every man should have an 'outlet'-a
hobby, that is--in his life, and 1t must be
20 different from his regular work that it
viii take his thoughts into an entirely
different direction. call 1t safety valve,
and 1t is. My prescription to the care
worn business man or oman Is, get a
nealthful hobby and cultivate it."
Many workers in shop and store and Of
flee can testify that this prescription
is good one; untold numbers of men
and women broken down physically and
mentally under the rush and strain of
modern life have been restored to health
by following this rule. And in this con-
nection we wish to point out that poul-
try keeping is particularly good hobby
TO adopt. Not poultry farming, which re-
duires much Investment and great deal
OF time. but backyard poultry keeping.
the ownership and management of few
birds on the home grounds.
Investment Advantages
The advantages are many. One is not
compelled to spend much money In get
ting a start; a limited amount of land,
say, q city or suburban lot, will do the
the daily work Is interesting and draws
one out of doors every day In the year:
each season brings different round OF
duties, and thus monotony is avoided: one
may work along strictly utility lines or
produce and exhibit show stock; and fl
nally, the hobby pays its own way, yield
ing regular dividends In the shape of
truly fresh eggs and tender chickens. In
addition to accomplishing the main OBJ
ject sought
much interest In poultry. The writer
has many friends in this noble profess
sion who are enthusiastic and success
full chicken cranks." From one of them,
resident of the Empire State, the follow
= ing facts we're obtained for publication.
Tor obvious reasons the name and address
OF this gentleman cannot be published,
but the statements regarding his methods
and the results secured may be accepted
MS true In every respect.
The good doctor has large practice;
he Is a busy man. Some years ago the
strain began to tell upon him. AS his
interest grew he decided to Investigate
my plan and finally he decided that he
would use the prescription quoted above.
lJnfortuna tely he could not leave his office
for hours at a time to play round OF
golf; he was tied to his telephone. SO
he secured a few chickens and began
20 devote considerable time to them.
AS his interest grew he decided to in
crease his flock and keep nothing but
thoroughbred stock. But his house lot
was too limited III area to permit this.
so he secured some adjoining land upon
which he developed his tiny poultry farm.
This additional land Is about one-third OF
of an acre In size and upon 1t all of the
work is DONE. Here the adult birds are
kept. the chicks reared, quarters provided
for. pony and green food raised for sum-
,uer and winter use. The equipment of
this tiny but profitable farm includes
the following:
One four-pen house with large scratch
ing shed attached, one two-pen house
with basement for scratching room. one
single pen house, one small brooder house
with incubator cellar below. one small
eranary and store room, one pony She'd
lamp heated incubators, colony brood
or. fencing sufficient to inciose the neces-
sary yards. The total cost of this ecu p
,nent all of which is strictly high grade,
was in the neighborhood of 5000. Less ex-
pensive. buildings would serve all practi-