The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-11
Increasing Poultry
 Products in U. $.

Washington, D. C., May 1.-The statement made at the recent agricul- tural conference at St. Louis that the poultry products of the United States could be doubled within a year means that if everybody in position to help did their part six hundred million dollars worth of food would be added to our supply this year.
 This includes both meat for the table and eggs. Very few farmers practice a systematic plan of dispos- ing of their fowls after they have ceased to, be productive, although 1t is we'll known that fowls of the heav- fer breeds, such as the Plymouth Rocks, cease to produce profitable number of eggs at the end of their second laying year, andethat this holds true of the lighter breeds, such as the Leghorns, at tre end of their third laylng year. Consequently, if efforts were made to dispose of all females when their best laying days were over large quantity of poultry meat would be placed on the market. All poorly developed chickens should likewise be culled out and used as meat. This way of disposing of un- profitable fowls would allow the farmer to feed his grain to younger and more productive fowls.
 Caponizing the cockerels that are not intended for breeding purposes will not only increase their size but will place a more desirable poultry tice that should be adopted more widely is that of fattening all chick ems that are to be marketed before they leave the farm. This can ge done easily by confining the birds for a week or ten days and feeding them a good fattening ration. They will come to market then in better condi- ton and the farmer will receive a profit for their added weight.
 The greater production of turkeys, ducks, geese and guineas, all of which can be profitab1y raised and ready market found in most sections, would increase the supply of. poultry meat considerably. The production of ducks especially should be emphasized at this time, because of the rapidity with. which they grow. Ducks of most of the meat breeds, properly fed and managed, frequently weigh from five to six pounds at ten weeks of age It is estimated by poultrymen making a speciality of growing ducks that the feed cost per pound of pro- ducing duck meat ranges from cts to 12 cts, depending upon the current prices of grain and other feeds.
 The ntmber of marketable eggs can be increased by following few prac- tical suggestions. Among the most important of these are the production of the infertile egg after the breeding season is over, and the proper hand ling of eggs by the farmer before sending them to market. The in- fertile egg is obtained when all male birds are removed from the flock This does not decrease the number of eggs produced, but it does increase greatly their keeping qualities. The production of the infertile egg and the proper handling and marketing ot eggs by the prcducer would increase trem endously the number of mark etable eggs each year by diminishing the quantity that are rendered unf1, for food.
 An increased production of ducks eggs is advisable where available ! markets are found.
 The poultry house should be clear and sanitary and the fowls free from insect poets, thereby preventing dis sase and mortality. It Is estimated hat nearly $9.o0o,00O worth Of poul- rv Is lost each year through disease \ alone. Special attention should b.