Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-08-28
TEN ACRES FOR POULTRY
An Interesting Working Basis for
Keeping Fowls EcOnOmicaIIy.

There are three ways to devote ten
acres OF land to fowls. One is to use
AL the space for the fowls, buying all
the o o they need. Another is to
support fewer fowls entirely from the
products of the land and yet another
IS to buy part of the food and raise
part of it upon the land.
The condition of the land itself, as
we'll as the owners purse, must deter
n Inc the course to be pursued. Some
land will not produce enough to sup
Eort even a moderate-sized flock until
it has been run over by the fowls for
a few seasons. Other land is so fer
tile that it will readily maintain a
EOod-sized flock from it's produce.
While one fowls eats little in one
day-a trife over fou rounces-the
cost of feeding a large flock for one
year is considerable. For instance, a
mock. Of 1850 laying hens will con-
sumo about 16 "a tons of corn and
wheat. 6 AS tons Of oats, 4 1=2 tons of
green food, 4 liz tons of bran, 16 "a
tons Of cut bone, 6 As IONS of addi-
tional food, meals, etc. Over ffty-six
tons OF food in year! One should
consider his available capital before
going into this, as the poultryman can
lose much money for feed alone if his
flock should prove below the stand
ar dof production or succumb to dis
ease.
Where food car be produced on the
farm the beginner is on a safer footing
if he raises at least a part of his feed
than if he uses all his available space
for range and buildings, buying all
that he feeds.
After he has become established
with sufficient capital, if he knows
poultry and has learned how and what
10 buy, he can increase his stock and
his direct outlay for food with less
risk
Land that is used for poultry and
cropped alternately is, however. main
tanned in the best condition for both
purposes. Whatever else the poultry
raiser decides to do. he should ar.
range for frequent change of runs.
en- ten acres, allowing one acre for
the use of the fowls and nine for grow
ing all food-stuffs, about $50 laying
hens may be maintained under the fol-
lowing system of planting: 4 IL acres
In wheat, producing about 2,730
PO0nu0 VI 6Ao4AS oNIO0 III OoIoS pAS-
ducing about $3.50 pounds of grain:
l acre in corn, producing about 1880
pounds grain 1-20 are in green food.
such as cabbage, and IL acre or less
al alfalfa.
One hundred and fifty hens should
average at least one hundred and fifty
eggs each during the year. If one
can dispose of these 1875 dozen eggs
at an average price of thirty cents
GER dozen, he will receive $562.50 from
the sale of eggs alone-not a get-rich-
quick amount by any means, but a
substantial return from a small flock.
The sale of wheat and oat straw and
corn-stalks should owe the cost of
the production of these feeds. If the
cats are planted upon ground preyi-
ously sown to clover or cow-peas no
fertilizer will be required.
Where the grain fed is bought, the
land should be sown to clover, alfalfa,
we or oats. the last-named covers be-
ing allowed to get but a few inches
high when the fowls are turned upon
them. Where this is done over two
thousand fowls may be kept.
This plan may be used alternately
with the other, one year buying the
grain, and the next year raising it and
dlsposing of the older fowls.-M. Rob
erts Conover in Farm and F1reside-