The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-12-10


the care Of poultry. At the same time
there IL no branch that offers him a
better chance OF success. Even very
small boy can manage a small flock
Of chickens successfully.
II does not cost much to get start.
ed-another item in favor OF the poul.
try business. The equipment need not
cost much. and. in fact, most Of the
needed coops and fixtures can be built
by almost any ambitious boy with very
little expenditure outside of his own
work. Then a small outlay for eggs,
or trife larger one for stock, and
he is ready for business
There are several ways Of starting
q flock. The best plan is the one
that best suits the pocket, the circum-
stances. and the time Of year. The
cheapest way Is, OF course, to begin
with sitting OF eggs. or perhaps two
or three. and work up gradually from
that. But where one wishes to be.
gin in the fall-a plan that is. for some
reasons. preferable-it is much better
to buy few fowls outright. II is
easier, too. to learn how to take care
OF larger fowls than II is to start with
little fellows the first thing. One can
also get started sooner with mature
fowls than IL he begins with eggs.
The most important consideration
is, OF course. the breed to be kept. In
an article so brief as this II is impo5-
sible to compare the different kinds
OF fowls. more than to say that they
are divided into two principal groups,
those kept for eggs. and those kept
for broilers or other sale stock II
all depends upon the market which
will pay the best. The layers are sci
dom as good for raising frying and
broiling chicks as some OF the larger
breeds, as they usually weigh less at
the same age. though maturing even
more quickly in egg producing
IL is a common saying that there Is
more In the feed than in the breed"
This is very true. for any breed, prop
erly fed and cared for, will be sure
to give good returns, II the strain is
good. And right here is where the
fowls for the flock. do not be satisfied
with anything but pure.blooded fowls.
or course they cost a little more than
the mongrel stock too often found on\
the farms, but they are enough better,
from every point OF view, to justify
the added expense, especially in lay
ing the foundation for a permanent
flock.
II is safe enough. then, to keep any
breed that you like. so long as your
fowls are from good strains and full
blooded. Nearly everyone has some
preference. either OF size, color, or
other qualities. and there are none OF
the standard breeds but what have
much to recommend them. SO II you
wish to keep Brown Leghorns, or Buff
Orpingtons. or Black Minorcas, you
Will be perfectly safe in doing SO, no
matter what some one else may say
In favor OF other breeds. But when
you have once adopted a particular
kind, stick to II. Do not change, at
least until you have given 1t several
years trial Usually the fault, IL there
is any, is in care or handling, not in
the fowls themselves.
When you are selecting your fowls,
insist on having nothing but good, |
young birds. Throw out all the old |
hens; they have seen their best days.
IL you buy in the fall, try to get early |
spring-hatched pullets II you can, but /
do not take anything over eighteen
months old, at the farthest. To mate .
with the spring pullets you should
have yearling male. but IL your hens
are over a year old a cockerel from
the spring hatch is better.
Before you try 10 pick out your
fowls, study up well on the charac-
teristics of the breed you have chosen.
II the hens are to weigh five pounds,
standard weight. see that yours come
pretty near to that figure. II the male
bird is shown in the standard to have
hye-pointed comb, see that the one
you pick out has that kind. II the
wattles should be pure white, do not
put In a bird whose wattles are
streaked with red. Look with special
care to the shape OF your hens. Get
those that are just as near like the
pictures you see OF that particular
breed as you can. II you study the
poultry papers well, and notice the
of winning fowls,
you will soon learn the qualifications
you want II you cannot get birds
that are exactly right. come Just as
near to II as you can, and then breed
ap to a higher standard.
Read everything on the poultry