Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1915-02-04
Kindness in lie Poultry Yard
Does il Pay?
J. w. GiIIem, cookeviIIe, Tenn.


For you to have the best of success
raising poultry you must show kind
ness to your birds To do this you
must commence just as soon as they
are hatched Handle the little chicks
often, smooth their downy backs, feed
them from your hand, and they will
soon learn to appreciate it, and as they
grow up you must not neglect to pet
them from day to day. What is more
pleasing to you than to have your birds
come running to you and flying all ov-
er you when you feed them. Your
birds will soon learn to love you If you
will love them. They will come run
ming to meet you when they see you or
hear your voice, but this voice must be
soft and gentle, not loud and harsh !;
and when you call your birds always
have something to feed them, if only a
little, as they will at all times have
confidence in you Try this and see.
You must never scare them, and when
they are hungry and get under your
feet and want something to eat, don't
kick them out of your way And new
er throw your feed at them, but go
quietly among them and put your feed
down in good quiet manner.
How nice it is to have visitors or
customers come to see your birds and
have the birds to flock around them
and so gentle that they can pick them
up and look them over. There are a
few varieties of fowls that are more
nervous than Othrs, especially the Med
iterranean breeds. they are of more
wild disposition and want to run when
you go near them. Then on the other
hand, there are the Asiatic and Amer
lean breeds, that are very docile.
When you go out among these they
run to you instead Of running away and
seem that they want you to pct them
Then when you want one to fry or boil
60 out to the yard and pick one up
from the flock that you wish to kill.
Don't frighten them by grabbing first
one then another or by running them
down; that is not kindness and does
not pay. We have visitors and GUS
toners come into our yards to look Or
buy stock and the first thing that they
ask is what makes your, birds so gen.
tie. My answer is this, Kindness" :"
Is it not very unpleasant to go into
your poultry house and as soon as you
enter the, door your birds begin to fly
In every direction and IL you happen to
have a hen or two setting, they fly of
the nest and break up. few eggs Or
several of them, you have trouble
washing the eggs and making a new
nest. This Is all very bad when Kind
ness" would prevent it all. can go
among our birds at any and all times,
can pick up any one I want and my
setting hens I can pick up. off their
nests, change them or do anything I
like around them and they are content
ed at all times.
A great advantage in keeping your
birds tame is, when you are going to
exhibit them at the poultry shows
When you put your birds in the coops
and condition them for the show, they
are already tame and are not nervous
like most Of the birds shown. II they
are not tame when you go around them
and they break up their plumage you
are hurting your chances at blue rib
bon, and if score card show you may,
lose several points A half point goes
q long way when you come in a point
or two Of winning a loving cup or
some other good special. II you have
shown your kindness to them as you
should, they will stand up and be
proud that they have won the honor
to be on exhibition. And does not all
this mean success to you. Gentle
birds show up SO much better and the
Iudge can give them justice either by
or score. Now be kind
10 your birds. They are your birds
and your friends, they will repay you
tOr all kindness by filling your egg
boxes and fill your pocket with money.
Fry this and see the results. !