Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-01-27
LEGHORNs AS LAYING MACHINES

bI<uiiOhNS 40 IIhnlN1 MASifI y t1S
All of the light breeds, the Mediter-
raneans, in the chicken world are verit-
able egg machines. The Leghorns are
the best and most popular ofthis breed,
and OF the Leghorns there are several
strains-white, brown and buff. OF
these strains the whites are the most
generally popular birds, no doubt ow-
ing to their bright white color, al
though the browns and bluffs are
equally good layers, and as good in
other ways except as to color. But in
the color line some prefer the Bluffs
and browns to the whites. AS to
which is most beautiful depends upon
personal taste. The darker colored
strains are said to be in less danger
OF hawks and other predatory animals
because of their neutral shades.
For heavy laying. the Leghorns are
unexcelled. The brown Leghorns are
as good as the whites and Bluffs. Many
prefer them to the others. Ii is inn
possible to say how many eggs on an
average a brown Leghorn hen will lay
in a year. But, as Preachin Bill
would say, THE brown Leghorn is a
little scamp, but she lays an egg every
llIilt Sllt MUS the ne STATE
ment is almost literally true
Brown Leghorns are popular farm
breed of laying chickens. because they
are the most active breed in existence
and the best foragers In fact their
extreme activity and their ability to fly
over the highest fence that was ever
built are points to their disfavor 1t
is next to impossible to have satisfac-
tory garden and keep brown Leghorn
chickens on the farm. one farmer
the writer knows, and who has kept
this heavy laying breed of chickens for
many years, has his garden located a
long way from the poultry house and
grounds He would rather walk
long distance to cultivate the garden
and gather vegetables than give up the
breed He believes that extra number
of eggs his Leghorns lay over other
breeds more than pays for the extra
trouble Of cultivating the family gar
den at long range.
on the farm where Leghorns are
kept, 1t is well to have the poultry
house and grounds located on one side
of the dwelling, a considerable dis
lance away, with the family garden
on the extreme opposite side, as far
away as convenience will allow. With
this arrangement OF poultry house and
garden, the chickens will be widely
removed from the garden, hence the
chances for the chickens disturbing
the garden will be materially reduced.
Where any light, high-fiying breed of
chickens is kept on the farm, the gar
den fence should be tight and extra
high. a good garden fence to keep
out chickens of this kind is made by
using 4-foot or 5-foot woven wire, and
above this placing a narrow strip of
poultry netting, held in place by small
Stats nailed to the regular fence posts,
which combination makes service
able chicken fence feet to feet
high, over which the lightest and most
active chickens will seldom fly.
1t is debated question as to wheth-
er a special egg breed or a general
purpose breed is better for farm pur-
poses. 1t is we'll known generally that
either breed jcan be made to pay well
when handled right The heavier
breeds are better market birds and
better for the home table. while they
lay fewer eggs. Only the young birds
of the lighter breeds are worth con-
sidering as market birds, yet the hens
lay enough more eggs during the year
to make up their defects as meat birds.
Ii is a question after all, as to the
taste and condition of the breeder. If
one would rather turn all ones atten-
ton to egg production. the Leghorns
are the most satisfactory birds that can
be kept. If chickens for home use and
for market are wanted as well as eggs
some heavier breed, like the Plymouth
Rocks, will serve the purpose better,
For table use the Leghorn is not only
a very small bird. but its flesh is not
so tender and palatable as the heavier
and less active breeds of chickens.
Three and a half to five pounds is the
weight of a mature Leghorn, while
mature birds among the Plymouth
Rocks and other general-purpose and
heavier breeds will run up to pounds
and over. and their meat is of better
quality.
1t is a settled and well-proven fact
that a flock of from 100 to 200 chick
ems is paying proposition on every
farm. 1t is a debated question as TO
whether very much larger fiocks would
be profitable either as a side line to
general farming or as special in
dustry. However on the general
farm a medium-sized flock OF chickens
is highly profitable, because the birds
can CLEAN a good share OF their living
that would be waste without them.
They are means OF turning farm
waste into money or its equivalent.
The size of the flock and the profit
from the flock will be determined by
the amount OF good poultry forage the
farm affords, the inclination of the
farmer to work with poultry and the
time and equipment that can be devot-
ed TO the work.
Any farmer who is in love with poul-
try and who has the time to spare can
make speciality OF egg production on
a reasonably large scale. He, or she
can easily maintain a laying flock OF
from 200 to 500 birds. When farmers
In general get over the notions that
chickens can always pick up all their
living without extra feed and that they
will do just as well in any old kind OF