El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-02-21
Laying Hen Is Better
n II II nanCnWE

r T MIL few years ago about the
only thing one could hear re-
garding chickens was their show
qualities and about the. most important
claim any breeder could make for his
stock was grand sweepstakes cham
pions" and blue ribbon winners" for
the best shape and color, but never a
word as to whether his hens ever laid
any eggs.
Most people buying chickens want
them for the eggs they will lay and
until lately the buying public had with
but a few exceptions, no other -alterna-
tive than to buy from a show stock
bI eeder, as there were very few pOul-
uymen five or more years ago that
were breeding for eggs in this coun-
try.
Many Are Now Trapnesting.
Now there are quite a number Of
pCultrymen that are trapnesting and
breeding along proved lines for in
CT eaSed egg production. These men
have been quietly grinding away for
the past five or ten years to improve
the laying ability of their flOcks while
the breeders Of show stock have been
running around the country enjoying
the greatest of pleasure and satisfac-
ton tying blue ribbons on their chick
ems Tor beautys sake and just as soon
as they were fortunate enough to win
a prize, regardless of its intrinsic
value, Immediately raised the value Of
TINS particular fowl to any superficial
price that struck their fancy.
Very often show chickens" are
bought and shipped direct to the show
room without even being in the buy
er yard and If they win, then Mr..
Buyers on the strength of the win on
lHeSe chickens, and many times, this
chicken (being only One-they come
nigh, you know, raises the price on
every thing he owns in the way of
chickens and sells show quality right
and left This sort of thing in any
other line of business, modestly termed,
would be called exploiting; the writer
ing.
Tt is no trick to buy most anything
enc wants If you have the money but
wren one buys fine show bird or a
pedlSreed, trapnested hen-with a
proved record and Immediately begins
TO advertise as a breeder of such and
CIIerlng the output of their entire
mock as representing all the good
Qualities of the chicken or chickens
pCuSht they are simply takers and be-
long in class with the Quack doctors
with their curealls and the old fash
lCned circus sldeshOWs with their vari-
Gus smell games. There is great deal
o. difference between an honest |
breeder and Boosting boomer.
Experience Is a Good Teacher.
You viii find that the breeders who
have accomplished anything worth
while have almost always stuck to
their original selection Of breeds and
worked out their problems along def
mite lines that had been pretty well !
established beforehand. Experience
cracks a fellow pretty hard sometimes
but this helps to keep one on the right
track providing they viii stand I'D un-
der these knocks and take advantage
o such setbacks- Tightening UP their !
determination and grit screws every
time they receive a knock.
The show end of the chicken bust {
ness IS d great sport and pastime and I
the show breeders" are entitled to all /
lne credlt FOR boosting the poultry {
IS They must also shoulder the re- /
sponsibility Of not being able to show
a general Increase of egg production /
per hen or flock, a more uniform egg
yield throughout the year which would I
mean a more uniform price the year
round and a better understanding be
tween buyer and seller. The men who 4
nave been in a position to do some