Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1915-02-13
WHAT THE FARM
BOY CAN DO
WITH POULTRY

the care of poultry. At the same time
there is no branch that offers him
better chance of success. Even very
small boy can manage a small flock
of chickens successfully
1t does not cost much to get started
another item in favor of the poultry
business. The equipment need not cost
much, in fact, most of the needed
coops and fixtures can be built by al
most any ambitious boy with very lit
tie expenditure outside of his own
work. Then small outlay for eggs,
or trihe larger one for stock, and
he is ready for business.
There are several ways of starting
a 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, for some
reasons, preferable-it is much better
to buy a few fowls outright 1t is
easier too, to learn how to take care
of larger fowls than it is to start with
little fellows the first thing. One can
also get started sooner with mature
fowl than if he begins with eggs.
The most important consideration
= q he hraaI - H. L..
an article so brief as this it is impos-
sible to compare the different kinds
of fowls, more thar to say that they
are divided into two principal groups,
those kept for eggs, and those kept
for broilers or other sale stock. 1t
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 egg producing.
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, if the strain is
good. And right here is where the
caution should come in In buying
fowls for the flock, do not be satisfied
with anything but pure blooded fowls.
OF course they cost little more than
the mongrel 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 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 if you
wish to keep Brown Leghorns, or Buff
Orpingtons, or Black Mnorcas, 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 it 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.
If you buy in the fall, try to get early
spring matched pullets if you can, but
do not take anything over eighteen
months old, at the fartherest. To mate
with the spring pullets you should
have a yearling male, but if your hens
are over year old cockerel from
the spring hatch is better.
Before you try to pick out your
fowls, study up we'll on the charac
terstics of the breed you have chosen.
If the hens are to weigh five pounds,
standard weight, see that yours come
pretty ear to that figure. If the male
bird is shown in the standard to have
a ive-pointed comb, see that the one
you pick out has that kind. If the
wattles should be pure white, do not
put in bird whose wattes are
streaked with red Look with special
care to the shape of your hens. Get
those that are just as near like the
pictures you see of that particular
breed as you can. If you study the
poultry papers well, and notice the
illustrations of winning fowls,
you will soon learn the qualifications
you want. If you cannot get birds
that are exactly right, come just as
near to it as you can, and then breed
up to a higher standard