Milford chronicle., 1915-03-12

SDOulQ ana VIII ylelQ pfOQt. HOW gfea
remains almost entirely with the attel
dant and the manner in which he feeC
and cares for his stock.
While the claim is often made that
hen will yield net profit Of from 81 I
f3, am of the opinion that this is mol
b often untrue than true. A conservative
estimate, however, of the hens wort
from the standpoint of profit can be est
: mated at 81 per year over and above be
} keep.
Some hens in the flock will of course
give greater returns, while some other
may 90 below this mark, but on th
whole the pOultryman should get a re
turn of a 81 average from every femal
member of bis flock. OF course. realiz
that this average is easier maintained will
a small flock than with one numbering
hundreds and thousands of birds yet NJ
matter how large the flock, this average
Is considered conservative and should bt
maintained.
When the chick is fret hatched, it re-
quires little or nothing to feed it, but
each and every day it lives it requires
more food at an increased cost, for as its
little body continues to grow, it takes
more food to sustain the chick and keep
it growing. This is imperative if you de.
sire success. The chick must be kept
growing every day.
The first week of the chicks life the
matter of feeding is practically without
expense, as the little fellow will only
consume few bread crumbs. The second
week is quite different, for while the ex-
pense will of course, not be large, 1t re-.
quiIes food, and this means an expense.
Each and every week thereafter, until
the bird reaches maturity, adds to the
cost of keep. by reason of the fact that
each week the bird consumes more food
than it did the week previous.
This is true, unless there is something
wrong with the chick, or unless you have
overfed it during the first week OF its ex
istence. Thus avoid all chances to throw
out OF gear the little and delicate organs
of the baby chick by not feeding it any,
thing Whatever for the first thirty six or
forty-eight hours, and thereafter during
the first week, only stale grated bread
crumbs which may or may not be mois
tened with milk. II the milk is added
to the first weeks ratiOns, however, do
not feed it wet, but only use sufficient
milk to make the bread crumbs of a |
consistency.
When the chick has reached the age |
Of about twelve weeks it will reqire lib |
eral quantity of food, aud at the age of |
fifteen weeks, will eat as much as a fully
bird While the chick is going
through the growing period never stint
IN the tood proposition. 1t needs the
ood to keep its body up into growing
condition, and also to develop it properly
10 that it will reach it's maturity as soon
ls possible and begin laying which is
he ultimate aim in bringing it into the
yorld.
Remember, half starved chick is slow
o mature, slow to lay and never amounts
o much from any standpoint. A pullet
iatched and raised under favorable con-
itions, and kept growing from its in.
ancy, should begin TO lay when it reaches
ne age OF d 'e months ana indeed, many
will begin this prefunctofy duly bsIure
heY reach that age
The question is often asked "Will all
reeds lay when they reach the age of
We months? OF course, it naturally
axes some pullets longer to mature than
thers, although all may have exactly the
anne treatment and be given the same
pod in liberal quantities This is also )
l..
lany children of wealthy parents, who ,
re given the best of attention and care.
o not develop into as robust adults as
1me OF poorer parentage, or are yet so
ealthy. This is a freak of nature, which
uman intelligence cannot understand, ;
ut the poultryman should care for and .
sed his birds in such a manner as to !
lake it possible for every one to reach
,.,kt ~ I
he Rocks, Reds, Wyandottes, LeRhorns /,
nd AncoDas will lay at the age of five
lontbs. All breeds, however, will lay at
x months under favorable conditions,
nus making il possible with early hatches
nd proper care TO have all of the pulIets
egin laying in late fall before the heavy
-eather sets in.
Now to go into the question of profit .
} be derived from hen. From the price !
grain at the present time, it will re- /
1ire about 20 cents to bring the chick
p to the age of ten weeks, at which time
should weigh about one pound. This
the time to send the young surplus
,ckerels to market and realize a profit
ON them, as they bring q higher price
len than at any other time. From this Z
me on, until the chick begins to laying, a
at the age of five to five and a half 4
onths, it requires an outlay of about
irty cents, which brings the cost Of Z
ising q chick to maturity about fifty q
nts. .
The cost OF feeding q matured bird II
lring its first year will be about 81, n
hich makes the entire cost of feeding a u
lick from its infancy up to maturity and a,
rough its hrst year as a layer, 81 so. G
In one year she will lay from 100 to $50 n
gs, provided she is we'll fed and has
en- given the proper care. This means a,
at she will lay from 10 to l2 dozen eggs
an average price of 25 cents, making m
I'm 81 so to So in money valuation from
r product. Deducting from the income in
rived from the sale of eggs, we find
at if she lays only ten dozen eggs she
II have yielded net profit of 81, and th
Ould she lay II dozen eggs, will yield in
ofit Of $150. nc
Few hens during their fret year will SO
less than ten dozen eggs. and MANY nh