Milford chronicle., 1917-11-16

while there Is quite nice pIoh' 10 NC
derived from all branches oi poul'IS
raising. vet the one phase OF the ihous-
trv which offers exceptional returns Is
that Of raising brollers. OF COURSE,
,here are many difficulties in the way oil
euccessful business in this line YET
ttesa can be overcome and money made
II the business is given your undivided
attention and you are prepared to hanule
II as the proposition should be hahuleu'
MANY persons aim to get their chicks
ont at such a time that they VIII De aDle
IN SUNNY broilers during the hrst Two
months of the year and while this may
be alright, yet there is quite as Hluei'
nrodt realized from such method as II
,our energies were devoted to the Mareh
and particularly the April. broilers-
Rroilers invariably bring a better price
during April than in any other month Oh
the year. Chicks may be brought 10
the broiler age in about six to eight
weeks. at which time they should Weisn
i'm the neighborhood Of a pound each' anu
this is the weight at which they are us
uallv marketed. The biggest drawback
IN s,ipplying broilers during January ana
February is found in the Matching. Dur
ing these months it is unusually cola'
and as a result, the eggs are not as Ier-
tile as later in the year. This means
that many of the eggs do not hatch
therefore. the loss in eggs Is extremely
heavy. February is one Of the best
Matching months, and is early enough
TO get the broilers out to be marketed
early in April.
At this season Of the year the eggs
have a higher degree of fertility and this
means more chicks Matched and more
broilers for the market. April broilers
sold last year for fifty cents per pound
AT the start Of the season, and never less
than thirty-hve cents. The coming year,
however. calls for higher prices, and
there should be little trouble in main
tanning an even price the season thru
of fifty cents.
Remember that Old High Cost Of Liv-
ing habit has hit the poultry yard as
well as other staple articles Of food ana
the coming Of spring will see it hit even
a higher mark than it has done thus iar'
unless we miss our guess.
| When there is doubt about the fertility
Of the eggs, as during December and
January. don't risk the eggs IN the m
cubator for the purpose Of getting out
chicks and broilers. Sell the eggs and
wait until a more favorable time' or
during February, which will give you
ample time 10 incubate the eggs.
The food question is one of great inn
portance at this time and must be con-
sidered. Under normal conditions
chick can be raised from its baby size
to broiler size for about fifteen cents
but under the present abnormal condi-
lions. it will probably cost double that
amount to bring it to broiler weight.
But even so, there is quite nice profit
to be made from them and it is there
fore a profitable business.
To engage in the business Of raising
broilers it is best to be equipped for it,
else It is wise to leave it alone entirely.
The real secret OF success lies in the
matter OF brooding, rather than to any
other one thing-even surpassed feed
ing, as important as that is. There will
be comparatively little loss among the
chicks if the temperature Of the brood
er is right. Feed, Of course, is import
ant, but it is not the big thing in rais-
ing chicks during the cold season. Heat
plays a much more important part and
spells success or failure, according to
the way it is applied The temperature
Of the broiler should be regulated in ac-
cordance Of the state Of the weather.
Great care should be exercised not to
overcrowd the chicks in the brooder, as
it will surely result in the death Of many
Of the downy fellows and spoil your pro-
fits from the business. Overcrpwding
also means that many Of the chicks viii |
become stunted and therefore be unfit for
broilers. A stunted bird will never
amount to much and will not pay for its
raising. To raise broners and make !
money out Of them they must be kept
growing as rapidly as possible. in order
to get them on the market within eight
weeks.
In constructing the brooders it might |
be alright TO keep them in large iocks, |
but when raising them for broilers never
have too many in one brooder. They do ,
far better when kept in small tiocks, and
this viii prevent overcrowding and keep
them from becoming stunted as we'll.
In constructing the brooders don't for
get that the chickens need fresh air.
Many persons fasten them up in alright
houses, with the result that they are
generally coked before they are market
ed. This is improbable business, as the
consumer generally likes to do the cook
ing himself The chick naturally is a
frail little thing and cannot stand Sc