Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-29
By Judge F. J. MARSHALL.


Hundreds of people in all parts of
the country are beginning to take up
the breeding Of poultry in earnest.
They are easy to locate because they
are after information of all kinds
from all sources. Naturally they are
anxious to get started right.
We get any number Of these let
ters asking us for information as to
how to start a poultry plant. The
majority Of them are not explicit
enough as to their intentions. They
usually ask us how many and what
kind Of chickens should a person
keep in order to be able to make a
comfortable living from them.
As a rule they do not tell US which
branch Of the business they have in
mind. They do not tell us what their
qualifications are.
Many Too Ambitious.
Many people want to start into the
poultry business upon too large a
scale. In other words, they do not
seem to realize how important it is
70 have some experience. before en-
barking in too big a craft. They do
not seem to think that experience
counts as it does in all other branches
OF business. What other lines OF trade
are there where man or woman would
undertake to do as much business at
the start as their competitors are
doing after a decade of experience?
And yet with poultry they will ask
the question as to how many fowls
or laying hens a person should start
with to be able to make a good IiV-
ing.
Now if they would turn it about
ana ask question something like
m NJ gh
son keep the first year of his ex-
perience to insure making a failure
Of it?' it would be a little more rea-
sonable to the pOultTyman who has
been through the rounds.
From what we have been able to
gather from our rounds Of nearly all
the poultry plants of this country, the
successful ones started at the bottom
Of the ladder. In fact, those that
started at the top thinking that they
were taking a short cut, always had
to drop back for a fresh start after
year or two of failures.
Experience Is Necessary.
Some one must have the experience.
1t is a matter of history that there
have been a number Of large poultry
plants established in this country that
have been failures from the start for
the reason that their promoters start
ed in at the wrong end of the line
1t has been the plodding fellows
who have built to stand 1t has looked
like a slow business SO it is. with
the growth Of the OAK. It does not
grow like the gourd vine, neither does
1t wither and die at the end Of one
season.
When it is fully matured it com
mands admiration and respect from
all corners. As to the amount of capt.
tai required, much depends upon the
size and character of the buildings to
be erected the number and quality
Of fowls to be purchased the first
season.
The main thing in building is COM
fort and convenience The palmer
building is really the better, as it is
more easy to keep clean, and cleanli-
ness is absolutely essential to sue
cess.
OF course, the man with unlimited
means can do as he pleases about ex-
pensive houses. IN fact, that kind ask
but few questions; as a rule, they
push ahead and build, doing the con-
sidering afterward.
Cheap Houses the Best.
a very good cheap house can be
built from the cheaper grades of lum-
Der, creosoted with a gas-house prod
net that is very cheap and Will last for
years. This is a very healthy product
to have about to dilute with kero-
sene and use as a spray on the inside
for the destroying of mites and lice.
Perhaps the most economical all
around house is one that viii accom-
modate about 100 hens. This num-
Der can be housed, fed and cared for
a.,
that number could. AS you increase
the number you multiply the risk of
disease and the difficulty of handling
1t.
OF courss in our most extensive
commercial poultry plants larger
houses are used with comparative
success.
A house for 100 fowls would have
to be about 16 by 80. In a mild eli
mate where there is but little severe
winter weather such a house can be
utilized as a roosting house and
scratching shed combined during the
really bad weather
The rOosts should be placed in the
rear of the house, and when II Is de-
sired to use the front for scratching
12-inch board should be placed on
edge to divide the roosting section
from the scratch. In that way the
scratching part Will be kept free from
the dropping. These houses should be
about feet in front to the south,
slanting back to 6 feet at the caves.
Boarding Is Necessary.
The front yard should be boarded
down three feet from the roof to pre-
vent beating rains from wettlng too
far in The rest of the way down
should be covered with poultry net
ting to allow a free circulation of air
and let the sun in, as the sun means
health to any place.
True, such houses viii get hot in
the summer, but the fowls will only
be in there at night. Any carpenter
under proper direction can easily
build such a house. The roost poles
should be not high from the ground
or floor, as flying from high perches
causes much trouble in the way OF
bruised heels. The nest boxes should
be separate and not nailed to any
thing, in order that they may be
taken out for cleaning and disinfect-
ing at any time. A good place for
them is on a board along the rear
wall just above the roosts, with
small piece of netting stretched above
them TO prevent them from roosting
upon them, still making them easily
accessible from the roosts for laying
purposes. The roost poles should all