Evening star., 1916-08-20
Hints for Poultry Raisers.

Practical poultry raisers are complet-
ing their plans for the coming winter
season and for next springs Matching
sexson The difference between the
pr&ctical poultryman and the amateur
is that the former makes his plans for
thk busy winter and spring season at
this time of the year. while the latter
waits until spring before making even
a Beginning. If a successful begin
ming is to be made in the poultry bust
mems, even on a small scale. the start
should be made now. or at latest by
the middle of September. 1t is a great
deal better for the beginner to buy
his hens. build tho houses for them
and have the care of them through the
winter, than to wait until spring ana
then start in with dayold chicks. or
VIII an incubator loaded with eggs.
or even with setting hens. The things
that are learned during the winter,
even though the flock has been all ma
ture fowls, is valuable. and the ex-
perience gives the beginner a start
that otherwise he will not have.
In any line of business there are
failures They often occur by reason
Of want Of experience. and this is
usually the case with poultry failures
in no line is failure more often at
tributable to the individual than in
poultry-keeping. Not every man is
ftted to be success with poultry;
the business requires a real liking for
poultry and its care, critical eye to
every detail. and painstaking dis
position to attend to these innumera-
BILE details. Provided the poultryman
is equipped by nature with these neces-
sites for success. the most common
cause of failure is lack of actual eX-
perience in raising poultry. This lack
of experience is the foundation of many
of the other causes that contribute to
losses. Through experience any one
not naturally unadapted TO the nusl.
ness may become suCcSSSful. lack of
experience is the greatest stumbling
block in the business.
Lack of the knowledge. bought by
experience, of Fundamental details of
the poultry business, causes The making
of any or all of the following mis-
takes: Selection of improper location
for plant, keeping poor stock. starting
with the wrong breeds, buying poor
and improper equipment. too extensive
buildings. too large a plant, on a scale
entirely too ambitious; lack of knowl-
edge of proper marke rfrrg methods and
neglect of details.
The beginner in any kind of work
usually is optimistic. because it is hu-
man nature to see the sunny side of
any future proposition rather than to
take note of the possible ciscouraginS
eieHlSntS OF tue equation. ne lUtN-
perienced do not know OF the pitfalls
that are to be avoided. or how to avoid
them, but he can see with mis- minds
eye all the opportunities for Prost ana
pleasure because these appear on the
surface Improper location of the plant
is a common cause OF failure. Loca-
tions that are damp. exposed to cold
north winds in winter. excessively
shaded in summer. and those inacces-
0fble to good markets are fatal to any
homes 4 he a
Often a beginner wants to start on a
scale entirely too extensivr or he puts
too much of his investme.-t in build
ings- II is an esta blished axiom among
poultrymen that the housing of mems
should not cost to exceed - cents TO
$1-25 per hen. with 81 as q fair aver
age. Anything above this is a waste
Of money unless the object OF the in
vestor is simply tc make a show and a
display. not TO be charged against the
business.
Improper equipment and expensive
equipment result in many failures All
equipment such as hovers. broo4e and
fncubators should be simple but sub
stantial- While it does not pay to buy
the cheapest. yet the other extreme is
equally detrimental Complicated equip
ment requires more attention. and gen
orally does not give as good results s
simpler appliances. Taking up new
methods and uutried fads causes some
to fail in raising poultry. II is far
than to strike off on a new road that
is likely to have failure at the end.
The selection OF poor foundation
stock. or breed that is not practical
to raise, Will seriously injure the
chances for success. II eggs are the
object, the poultryman should select
breed that has a known reputation
for high production at an economical
cost. and this means q breed that is
popular among those successful in the
business of producing eggs for market.
II the poultryman desires to raise q
few fowls for his own use, he could
not do better than to take one of the
breeds known as the "all purpose"
breeds. No matter what his object in
making his selection, the breeder
should be sure that his foundation
stock is adapted ito the purpose for
which he wishes IL. He should buy
of a reliable. established breeder, one
who knows now 70 breed his flock up
to the highest efficiency for the pur-
pose desired. BY selecting such a
breeder. the beginner has the mans
reputation TO insure strong, rugged
foundation stock. II is most important
that the foundation stock be in Wig
orous health and not impaired. either