The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-09
MATCHING BY HENS
Is PROFITABLE NOW
May Ia Good Month in Which
to Make Return to Ma
lures Method.
WARM WEATHER HELPFUL


~ a. {. SMITH.
Experience has convinced the most
observing students OF poultry culture
do as well In warm weather as those
brooded by natural methods. With the
latter man has had but little to DO He
has made an Improvement on prehis-
,oric systems OF incubation. excepting
that he may hatch when he will and
almost without restriction as to num-
bers Even this statement must Re
modified, because though eggs may he
incubated. IL Is quite another and more
complicated matter 20 hatch a sstisfac-
tory percentage during the of season.
Accepting the fact commonly admitted
by experienced poultry raisere that there
10 a double advantage In rearing chicks
naturally during the warm summer
months OF June and July. II means that
the hon mus, sc: in May. Here We
have q happy coincidence. because May
Is the month when most OF the hens be-
come broody. having laid for two and q
half or three months Healthy hens
that are set in May or early June usually
lay well during the late summer and
early fall A. this time eggs. though
no, quite as high In price as little
later. bring much more than In the
spring months. Moreover. production
IL much more certain under these CON-
di,ions than during the coldest weather.
even from the best managed hocks
From the standpoint OF profit. II 10
manifestly no disadvantage and IN most
ca ses a distinct advantage TO allow the
hen 30 take natures way OF recuperat!ng
after q strenuous season OF egv produe-
ton. There can oe then hut one other
question 20 consider. ana that Is the ad-
visibility OF rearing late Matched chicks
In some localities June chicks would be
regarded as late In others late May and
June chicks predominant because II IS i'm
possible 20 rear a good percentage OF
chicks before mat tine without consid-
cradle expensive equipment
7, IL agreed mat 20 obtain hishess
prices for broil.rs and rcastere and also
to raise pullete that viii lay early chicks
must be matched before this tina. There
are. however. many things N favor OF
late May and June chicks Chicks
matched late are surrounded from birth
with most favorable conditions. They
are Matched At Q time when all natural
conditions are favorable Cod nights
are past or . long way on the warm
sun has long since driven the frost from,
the ground and vegetation OF all sorts
10 growing and tender. Thus the fowls
are furnished q natural succulen' rood
which has eeg producing qualities TO
great degree
Whether or not the necessary Green
and rich animal foods are supplied by
nature on ample range u big eco
nomic item II must be given careful
on.idera.!on. for II favorable range
conditions exist the cost Of feeding Is
naturally decreased. Under such condi-
,Ions chicks should re reared at feed
ing cost not TO exceed one-third or one
hal' ~ what they bring on the market
at Wholesale prices. live weight. This
/. particularly true Of chicks raised on
free range In the small grain districts
and even 81 those raised In cominun.'
ties where garden crops are grown.
1t is most apparent from the above
that chicks Matched In the latter part ~
NAV and in June may he fed much more
chaap,y than those matched earlier In
the season. but many have difficulty IN
rearing very young chicks during hot
weather. Such dificuhy " largely due 70
.nexperience Certain fundamental prin'
ciplee mus. be applied TO the art Of rear
ing chicks whetter they be Matched early
or late Late chicks should BE- given
entirely different ranRe from early ones
Unless this 10 done their growth II re-
tarded, perhaps stunted. Many are lost
that would grow TO maturity n given
! suitah,e range, One reason why carry
chicks sometimes fare better than 'afe'
arrivals Is that they are started on fresh
ground. that IL, ground upon which NJ
chicks have been that season. They are
then removed 30 other pastures and the
next broods placed on the original plot
. l.
hausts the supply OF green food. insects
and the like. but also communicates the
ground to a greater or less extent.
SO far a. possible zach successive
brood should BE- sta rted on fresh ground
When this 10 NOT practicable the ground
should be turned and seeded TO some
rapidly growing green crop II the 500
il intact, a rest OF several days VIII
do much 70 renew rs freshness. e'-
pecial,y n there have been one or two
good showers meantime,
These two features, l. e., keeping the
late chicks apart from those Matched
earlier. and starting each brood on
fresh ground must be adhered TO always
/ when chicks are Matched and reared by
natural methods II your system OF rear
| ing is to be successful On the other
| hand, neglect to observe these two rules
ia the principal reason for failure with
! late hroods
After considering the above facts, II
appears that late May and June ch''Ns
may he simultaneously raised by sew
eral classes OF poultrymen
First--Ry the farmer in the small
grain districts. because these chicks vii
have Just pa ssed the feather'ng stage al
the commencement Of the har,ests wher
the scatterinGs will form very con-
| 4 80 hal al hA,
cause the climate In such localities II
generally unnt for outdoor chicks unit
the middle Of May or Hrst OF June, VIII
backward seasons early chicks can b,
raised only by the specialist and with
suitable equipment
Secondly the amateur tro,,er raisel