The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-11-09
My Good Luck Chickens.

By Cathleen Colcord, Age 16, Belfast. Best
eS DRY by Poultry Club member written for
aldo County Contest of Boys and Girls
Agricultural Clubs, at Belfast October 2sth. |
Long before the expected date | had
mash ready for my chickens, although
the old adage says: "Do not count YOUR
chickens before they are hatched."
was SO elated over being business LADY
in the poultry world had counted three
or four times. My father had thrown an
old crate away; with hammer, wire, and
nails | fixed this. One day my mother
put a new flour barrel in the barn.
captured this and turned it on it's side
with enough straw in the bottom to keep
my new expected chicks warm.
Anxiously l watched side of the old
hens nest in the shed waiting for her to
take her chickens and walk out of the
place that had been her home for three
long weeks. After the chicks were many
hours old she came off With some boil
ed egg, chick grit and water, | had made
ready fed with the help of the old hen
i their first meal. FOR a week this was
their feed, but then l purchased for a
quarter some chick feed, which fed them
for quite long while. Later my father
told me he would give me enough grain
to feed my chicks until they laid for
seventy cents apiece. Every dav | fed
and kept fresh water before them, some
times sour or skim milk. Occasionally /
moved their crate to fresh ground and
/ dug angle worms. After a while the
! mother hen got uneasy and tried many
times to get out And one day finding
an egg in the barrel | returned the hen
to its owner and fifty cents in cash. |
didn't sleep we'll the following night for
/ fear my poor chicks would lay cold for
although spring it was cold FOR little
chickens all alone in a barrel. At seven
thirty one evening was sitting on the
doorstep. l heard little noise in the
direction where my chicks abided AS
am only scared of a mouse picked up
club and went around to see, and what
do you suppose met my view? Eleven
little chicks rolled out on the cold wet
: grass and dog with one in his mouth
trying to get away. With mighty swing
down came the club, with mighty yelp
he dropped chicken and all and have
never seen him again. Then l went in
vestigating. All were we'll, but wet and
cold. In day or two the littest chick
| died.
In August l moved them to new quar-
tiers, we'll ventilated home. Two win
dows and door faced toward the south;
sloping and fine roosts. With disinfect-
ant l sprayed the house, put in some
straw, grit, and dry mash. A nice new
yard among the bushes constructed with
the help of friend. l now fed them
cracked corn, wheat, and OATS In the
middle OF the summer l started by CIV
ing them cracked corn and oats and later
wheat. Fair time at Belfast arrived, SO
l showed nine of my birds and won the
following on them all: First, pen; first
and second, cockerel; second and third,
pullets. also exhibited them at the Gen.
trail Maine Fair, Watervile and won the
following: First, pen; second and third,
cockerels; third and fourth, pullets.
When they returned one of my pullets
! died. Now my birds are having all the
back yard, and yesterday one rooster
crowed and the pullets will soon lay, so
think l have success of the little poul-
try raising have attempted.
10 prove this | would be pleased to
have callers at any time at my home, Is
Northport Avenue, Belfast, and see nine
of the finest Buff Wyandotte chicks
flour cockerels and five pullets) in the
country round.
| Men Feel Tired 1OO