Milford chronicle., 1915-11-05

ana the prices are naturally 0lgn. Wnen
persons keep small hocks of chickens
that are practically idle, while they are
compelled to buy feeds which also are to
be .had only at advanced figure, many
are prone to make the assertion that
small fiocks do not pay. On the other
hand, there are still others who always
lay stress on the fact that large flock swill
not yield as great profit as small ones
There are still other persons who will
assert that chickens cannot be kept on a
back lot with any degree of success or
profit. These will not hesitate to say
that the only way to attain success in the
poultry industry is to take place in the
country where the fowls can be given
more or less free range
While believe that it is very good to
give the birds the advantage of free
range where it is possible, at least to a
certain degree, yet that does not prove
that chickens cannot be kept at profit
on a city lot or in limited spaces, and
therefore to those who make the as
sertion l am compelled to say that it is
untrue.
From personal observation have seen
many instances where poultry has and is
being kept on small lots and in city
yards, and which yield profit to their
owners besides amply supplying their
tables with eggs and an occasional fry or
roast.
True it is that the person who INDUCES
in the raising of poultry after this fash
ion, is somewhat handicapped insofar as
the feeding is concerned, being COM
PEELED to buy the greater portion of the
feed, yet at that, it is still profitable to
raise the fowls and many folks are en-
gagged in the pursuit. The average small
flock raised on a city lot will yield greater
sturns per bird than will the larger flock
on the average farm or large poultry
plant.
The average family has large quanti-
ties of of-fall or scraps from the table,
which is fed to the birds, supplying much
of their food-the sort that the hen needs
to stimulate egg production. The farmer
or large poultry raiser, on the other
hand, is compelled to buy large quanti-
ties of beef-scrap and other food neces-
sary for the health and produchveness of
the hens. His farm will not supply it
nor does his table furnish sufficient guam
titles to take care of the large number of
birds he maintains The supplying of
table scraps to the birds by the city
breeder is an item. II chickens were not
kept this would be a dead waste, while
if fed to flock, it is converted into eggs
and meat.
of course, in order to yield a profit,
chickens kept on a city lot mist receive
the verv best of care and attention, and
while this is also true of those raised on
a large scale, yet those confined prob
ably need more attention than their sis
ters who sojourn on the farm or larger
plant This is due to their being more
closely confined, causing their quarters
and surroundings 10 need more of ones
attention than where they have a broad
space in which to roam, The birds them |
selves, however, will need the same at |
tention in either case. !
The secret of success in the poultry |
business lies wholly in the attention to
details, no matter under what conditions |
the birds are raised, and it has been |
clearly demonstrated on any and many |
occasions that it pays to raise poultry |
either on a broad or limited scale. What /
a wonderfully pleasant thing it is to be
able to trot out to the hen house in the
evening and gather half dozen or more
Of nice fresh eggs-particularly after
YOUR neighbor has broken like number,
received from the corner grocer, and
found possibly all of them bad. Never
a chance to ruin cake or other eatables
when you can break your own eggs into
the batter.
Don't be as active in fighting off the
disease known as Chicken Fever, as
you would an ordinary spell of sickness,
but rather, let the fever become deep
4 7 taN s4,f f11e.I
end and will then fight to retain it.
Many poultry raisers, and particularly
hose who raise birds on city lots, were
induced to enter the business by catching
the fever" either by attending some
poultry show. or by their associations
with lovers of the feathered beauties,
commonly called Bugs" Be that as it
may, it is good side line and one which
will yield you both profit and pleasure.
Probably the hardest problem with
which the city lot biee Ter has to cope is
that of supplying green food for the
birds. This is big problem on its face,
but in reality is a very simple matter.
The farmer or large poultry raiser with
ample ground on which to raise the larg
est portion of the food, is in a position
70 get this most necessary food by storing
away quantities of it in the summer for
use in either colder months. The privi-
ege is not accorded the city lot breeder
md he therefore must look for some
iorm of green food to take the place of
beets, mangels and the like,
which is stored by the farmer for this
purpose. Two reasons make the latter
impossible for the back-lot breeder-frst,
ack of room; and secondly, the expense
attached to purchasing in sufficient guam
.ities would mean the laying out of too
much money, thus adding considerably
10 the cost of production OF eggs and
thereby reducing abe profits.
At a very small cost to the breeder,
his seemingly most difficult problem
nav be overcome. Green food can best
De supplied by the feeding of sprouted
pats and this can be done at trifling
,ost. On the other hand, believe
;prouted oats to be better form of green
iood than the vegetables which are us
1ally stored by farmers and large poultry
-aisers, and one that will produce greater
-esults.
This fact has been proven by actual