The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02
GROWING ROASTING CHICKENS DURING
 THE WINTER OFTEN PAYS BIG PROFITS
THE BEST BREEDS AND TESTED METHODS OF MANAGEMENT.
Bx PROF. F. H. sroNEBuRN

tCOpyr1Snt 19l4, Dy MatoS-MeDZ AuN. Oo,
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 Fresh killed table poultry is always scarce in the spring and early summer and consequently high prices are paid for stock of the right quality. In cer- tain sections of the country the produc- ton of winter roasting chickens has de- veloped into quite an industry, which has proved to be highly profitable for the successful growers.
 This week Professor Stonoburn dis cusses the interesting phase of the poul- tryman's work and presents the import ant points bearing upon the production of this speciality.
 Upward of 5ooOoo,o0o head of young fowls are reared each year within the boundaries of the United States, and these are valued at about s250,0000oo. The un- informed often think that this great out put comes largely from the special poul- try farms or poultry plants which are to be found in practically all sections or the country, but as matter of fact, this is not the case. On the contrary, the great bulk of our market poultry products are produced on the six and half mill lions of general farms, upon most of which are to be found fiocks containing from 50 to several hundred fowls.
 Poultry on General Farms
 In the majority of cases these fiocks have the range of the farm and are cared for. wholly or in part. according to the pressure of other farm work. by the women and children of the household. Of course. the results secured in number oF ;oJxr reared do not compare favorably with these secured by exclusive poultry farm CTS, but the cost of production is low owing to the fact that the labor item is not considered, and the cost of feed is greatly reduced because the birds pick up much of their living in barnyard. orchard and field And while the surplus poultry products from each farm, those available for sale after the family has been sup piled, is often small. when we consider the millions of focks which are contribut- ing to the great stream of table eggs and poultry which is flowing steadily to our great consuming centers, it Is at once apparent that the aggregate amount from each source is enormous
 Of course the major part of this output comes during the natural breeding and rearing season, when hens lay heavily even under adverse conditions, and when they sit and rear their young. Obviously
 
 and cheapest during the spring and early summer months, and chickens during the fall and early winter. Quotations aver age lowest during these periods and mount upward during the time of short age. Were it not for the perfections of the cold storage system it would be inn possible to meet the demand for eggs and table poultry Curing certain seasons of the year.
 The poultry man who can successfully overcome the handicap of the calendar and have plenty of fresh eggs for sale during the fall and winter, and soft-meat- ed chickens during the spring and early summer, can almost dictant prices There is a certain class of trade which demands fresh goods at all seasons, and Is willing and able to pay well for them Naturally this gives the business poultry man his big opportunity, since he is call ed upon to meet little or no competition from the general farmer, who follows na- lures schedule in his poultry operations, matching his chicks in the spring and marketing them in the fall, when theye have reached suitable weight
 Success of Plan Demonstrated
 A little group of poultrymen near Bos- ton reverse the plan, and have demon strated to the fraternity that there is a nice profit to be made from the growing of chicks in the winter season. They hatch the stock in the fall. push it along for rapid growth and sell it during March, April, May and June. when the market is bare of fresh-kied poultry.
 Though this idea originated in eastern Massachusetts. and the greater part of the output of high-grade winter chickens is still grown in that section, poultrymen in other localities are nov successfully adopting this plan. A friend of the writer living in New Hampshire took up this work few years ago, and today is the proud owner of beautiful, fully equipped fo i,I1 hoe han fnr n1yf of 1an profits of his winter-grown white Ply mouth Rock roasters
 At this time the Boston market pays the best price for stocks of the desired quality. But the same scarcity of fresh roa sters exists in all other large markets, and there would seem to be no good req son for thinking that they could not use at good quotations the output of farms To- cated within reasonable shipping distance of them. Certain 1t is that the trade can speedily be developed.
 Of course. these out of-season chicks must be matched and reared by artificial methods. But most poultry farms are fully equipped with incubators and brood CTS. and this equipment is usually idle a good part of the year. Might it not be rood business to keep this busy during the winter and SO bring in some profit which would not otherwise be secured?
 Large Roasters Preferred
 Since spring roasters of large size are most in demand one must make use of the meat and general purpose breeds in this work. The White Plymouth Rock seeems to be most popular, and has large ly supplanted the Light Brahma which generally used decade ago. Some growers still remain loyal to the old-time favorite. either pure crossed with some ether breed of sufficient size. If these kinds are not available one may at least test out the plan with any of the Rocks. Wvandottes or Orphingtons.
 The usual matching time is from the last of Aupust ta the first of October, Chicks matched dlf'ing this period reach market maturity sst the desired dates.
 One of the trying problems to be solved