Milford chronicle., 1914-11-27

soteu the breeding ana raising OF fowls
Tor fancy, it must not be unders tc cd
that l am opposed to such by any
means. By devoting time and study tC
the proper mating and breeding of birds
one naturally learns much about the
poultry industry But those who IN ke
a success Of the breeding and raising Of
fowls for fancy are so few in percentage
TO those who pose as such, TINT ! find
there are far greater returns to be d
out OF the utility branch of the game for
the average man. 1t is for this reason
have and for the most part will DIVE
upon this phase of the business.
1t is true that almost any man who
continues to breed and raise poultry,
either on a large or small scale, will at
times produce an extra fine specimen
that is if he has as a groundwork Sc
cured some good breed and strain. A
man who is fortunate enough to rear
such a bird or birds is not to be con-
demned if he carries it into the show
room and endeavors to get as good a
return for its eggs as it is possible. On
the other hand, he has a perfect right
to do so.
But the point that l desire to make
is that the number of persons, particu-
larly those with limited means and who
enter the business from a money-mak-
ing point Of view, will, strictly speak
ing put his foot into it by trying to
make a success out of the breeding and
raising of chickens for fancy. The men
who are getting a living, and incidental
ly the most out of the poultry indus
try, are those who are devoting their
energies to some good utility breed for
commercial purposes.
Again, the most successful of those
who are in the business for commerce
purposes are the ones who are pinning
their faith to a single breed, exclusive
ly. By adopting some good breed, and
all others, the breeder great
ly lessons both the expense of keeping
them and his labor in caring for them.
Where two or more breeds are kept
it is necessary TO not only provide them
with different houses. but it entails ex
ira expense in the Construction of wire
runs in order that the breeds may b.
kept separate. This, of course, lessons
the free range which could otherwise be
allowed the flock. Ii they are all Of o e
breed they may be allowed to roam TO-
gether over the entire plant without
fear that the breeds viii be come cross
ed.
Poultry-raising means work. Good
hard work. And the man who engages
in it with the expectation Of finding an
easy, lazy sort of life, will wake up to
the fact that he has not only been great
ly disappointed, but that he has lost his
whole investment.
1t takes an active, wide awake, real
live wire of a man to make anything
out of the poultry business. One who
is not afraid Of work and willing at al
times to learn more about the business
than he is ready to confess he knows.
Don't misunderstood me. There is
profit in breeding fowls for fancy, that
is, for some persons, but these are
naturally few and far between. 1t mat
ters not how good specimens one might
succeed in raising, he goes into the show
room, and suppose for example, he sue
ceeds in carrying off the first prize. He
is unknown, and being so is without y
reputation as a breeder, and if he is able
to secure orders for eggs at all they are
from beginners. He is consequently
compelled to sell them at a low figure,
thus loosing on the venture. 1t takes
wears of continued success in the show
room to establish ones reputation as a
breeder to the point where he is abe to
get any amount of business for either
eggs for Matching or surplus stock.
The lack Of orders for these, together
with the large amount Of expense in
Cured in the breeding and perfecting
the birds, naturally results in failure
unless one is financially equipped to
stand the strain until such time that
his business will grow.
The breeding Of utility birds for com
mercial purposes however, is an entire
" different proposition. 1t is a very
beautiful sight to 60 into ones poultry
plant and gaze upon a flock of any par
ticuIar breed of chickens all of a uni
form height, with their color so nearly
alike as to be unable to tell one bird
from another, and all of them bred ac-
cording to the standard perfection. Yet,
when the profits of this breeding are
gone into, it is anything but interesting
to the man who is desirious OF obtain
ing a living out Of poultry.
The man who devOtes his energies to
the raising of utility fowls. on the other
hand, will always have a ready sale for
all the eggs he can produce and in addi-
ton may sell off his surplus stock at
a time when the birds are in demand
for table use. By devoting time and at
tention TO his flocks and breeding for
public egg-layers, he will learn much
about the business and will at the same
time be increasing his profits.
The trap nest has proven a valuable
asset to the man who raises poultry TO-
purposes, in that by its use
one IS enabled to select his breeders for
their egg-laying qualities and thus build
mo a strain of birds which may right
fully be called veritable egg machines.
The breeders of utility poultry are
naturally relying upon the output OF
their birds from which to reap profit
and the greater the number Of eggs PEI
bird each year, the greater will be his
profits. It is to this end he is LOOKING
and he should labor hard to reach his
GOAL This can best be done by the
proper mating Of birds for prolific lay
ing' and to single out the heavy-laying
birds for breeders he must rely to
great extent upon the trap nest.
In conjunction with the proper mat
ing of the birds for egg yield, the feed,
inc plays a very important part and
must be given some study. We have