Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1914-11-05

Tnere iB no part OF farming more
fascinating to the average boy than
the care Of poultry. At the same time
there IL no branch that offers him
better chance of success. Even a very
small boy can manage small flock
Of chickens successfully.
It 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 q trifie 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 q few fowls outright. 1t is
easier too, to learn how to take care
Of larger fowls than 1t Is to start with
little fellows the first thing. One can
also get started sooner with mature
fowls than II he begins with eggs.
The most important consideration
Is, Of course, the breed to be kept. In
an article so brief as this 1t Is impo3-
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
fop broilers or other sale stock. It
all depends upon the market which
will pay the best. The layers are sell
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 reproducing.
1t 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, IL the strain is
good. And right here Is where the
caution should come in. In buying
fowls for the flock, do not be satisfied
1x.ith onVfhino hut yuro hIoodod fau,Io
or course they cost a little more than
the rnongrel 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 q permanent
flock.
1t 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 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 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.
II you buy In the fall, try to get early
pullets II you can, but
do not take anything over eighteen
old, at the farthest. To mate
with the spring pullets you should
have q yearling male, but II your hens |
are over a year old q cockerel from |
the spring hatch il better.
Before you try to pick out your
fowls. study up well on the charac-
teristics Of the b. eed you have chosen.
II the hens are 20 weigh five pounds.
standard weight. see that yours come
pretty near to that figure. II the male
bird Is shown ia the standard to have
D five-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 |
hose that are just as near like the
pictures you see OF that particular
breed as you can. II you study the
poultry papers we'll, and notice the |
Of prize-winning fowls,
Tou will soon learn the qualifications |
Tou want II you cannot get birds
hat are exactly right, come Just as
hear to It as you can, and then breed |
~ to q higher standard.
Read everything on the poultry