Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-08-12

N ar k ct because
they themselves
have not realized their expectations. 1t
takes patience and good management
to place the business on paying basis,
but 1t can be done, even by boys and
girls.
All need experience with fowls to
make them understand the Importance
OF simple details and system in the care
OF any flock, but much can be learned
from the advice Of those who have
tried the business. Always remember,
however; that II you dc your part
faithfully there will be good financial
returns, whereas If things are run in a
careless or haphazard way the enter
prise will fail.
In buying fowls for tie flock do not
be satisfied with anything but pure
blooded chickens OF course they cost
little more than mongrel stock, but
they are enough better from every
point Of view to justify the added ex-
pense, especially in laying the founda-
ton for permanent flock.
1t Is safe enough to keep any breed
that you like so long as the fowls are
from good strains and full blooded.
Nearly every one has some preference
either Of size or color or other quail
ties, and there are none of the stand
ard breeds but which have much to
| recommend them But once you have
adopted a particular kind, stick to it.
Do not change, at least until you have
| given 1t several years trial. Usually
the fault, If there is any, is in care or
| handling, not in the fowls themselves.
When people are starting in a small
way there ought to be at least two In
! cubators and hens enough to keep
them running. For example, If twenty
| hens will produce dozen eggs per day
an incubator holding about sixty will
| be filed in FIVE days. This is as old as
eggs can be safely used for Matching.
| There will be surplus of eggs to sell
or to use in the household. Let the in
| cubators do the Matching and when a
hen quits laying and starts sitting take
| her away from the nests and lock her
| up in coop. This will cure her broodi-
ness, and she will get to work again.
1t is also best to have brooder space
| enough to care for the chicks. Home
made breeders will do quite well If
there is dry, snug building to operate
in. There is kind Of brooder which
does not use any sort Of artificial heat
which is rapidly gaining in favor, and
those who have used them for several
| years say they are far ahead of the
lamp heated systems and take just as
good care Of the chicks as the hens
would. They are easy to make and to
operate. 1t is worth while to try them.
One Of these breeders will care for
| about twenty chicks, 80 1t is well to
allow several to every incubator hatch
| ing Of eggs. They are merely little
boxes of half inch lumber sixteen inch
es square and eight inches high, with
| a door of building paper. They are
covered with a removable top made Of
a square of canvas tackled on little
| frame which sits down inside the box.
This cover rests on small nails driven
in the corners Of the box and Is raised
| as the chicks grow. The canvas should
be loose enough on the frame so 1t will
sag pretty well in the center, and
about three padded covers of cheese
cloth and batting should be kept to lay
over it in the cold weather. The floor
must be covered with chaff or old fan
nel-anything that will feel warm to
the babies feet.
The chicks are put into the brooder
as soon as they are dry and well fiuffed
out. They should be left alone for
twenty to thirty hours. except having
little water given to them when they
are first removed from the machine.
After that they should be fed every
three or four hours for few days and
then less often-about three times a
day. The main principle in brooding
the chicks is to keep them warm with
out crowding and to guard against
dampness.