Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-15
POULTRY YARD NOTES.

In selecting breeders it IS essential to
determine what is expected of the
grown fowls and have this end IN view
while cu1ling out the flock The next
factor Is the question not merely of the
eggs that the hens lay in the spring,
but the eggs that they may lay during
the various months of the year. In
other words, the cost of producing eggs
No matter what kind, bread OR variety
OF poultry IS kept. success depends upon
the vigor OF the chick and the ability
OF the operator to raise 1t to maturity as
quickly as possible. Some chicks are
others, but even with this favorable
start they must be kept at their best
to develop into profitable layers.
Scgrcgate the males as soon as their
sex can be determined. Do not neglect
this Unless the young cockerels show
exceptional VICAR and vitality thew
should be fattened at once. and killed as
soon as marketable. BY strong, vigorous
cockerels 1t is not meant, necessarily,
the precocious youngsters which strut
around the yard and begin growing at an
early age. This is a good sign, but not
an infallibie one
1t is essential to have strong, lusty
chicks that get right down to WORKING
and by their working develop an appetite
for their rations. There is more truth
than fction in the claim that the feed
makes the breed" and this is especially
applicable to poultry, because It is nee
essary tor the chicks TO consume large
quantities of nutritious food II they are
expected to develop into heavy egg pro
ducers. Tho ability to consume large
Quantities of feed and the rapid growth
or the chick IS an excellent guide in
selecting the future flock
a perfect egg type of hen may be de-
tefTlned by experts, but the average
pouItfyinan cannot select his breeders
that way; In making n selection for
the breeding flock do not overlook tba
heavy producing hens
n the preparations for fatterjne Il
is good plan to provide a comfortable
yard or fair size, with a nice. warm
shed attached for the accommodation of
the selected birds for two or three
weeks before they will be wanted for
the Iatten1ng pens. Here they may
be fed sour milk with their mash and
as much table scraps as they viii eat.
The variety of food furnished by table
scraps VIII keep them in good physical
condition Plenty of green food may
form major portion OF the ration at
TINS time. and ono of the best meals
ut night is a liberal feeding of cracked
corn and huckwheat
During the yarding ner'od the treat
mont OF the birds differs little from
that Of the ordinary fowl, with the cx-
ception that tho range is cut down
abOQl tHFee weeks BEFORE the birds
are marketed they 8. ould be removed
to properly arranged fattening pens
These pens are so constructed that the
fowls cannot turn round, but are COM
PEELED TO remain quiet and to receive
their food at regular intervals from
troughs placed in front of 4 wide slit
through which they receive air and
light. The tioors OF these fattening
pens, or crates. as they are very often
called. are not boarded. but have Stats
running lengthwise, so that they viii
of necessity have to remain quiet and
also that the pens will require no
cleaning during this final stage OF the
fattening process. Very often some
birds will go off their feed and become
sluggish. These should be given a
few days run on grass to get them
back into condition, or If they are IN
fairly good condition they are better
marketed at once. Care should be
taken not to carry the fattening period
longer than necessary. Sometimes the
condition Of the birds will not allow
a longer period than two weeks in the
fattening pens.
Much Of the success in fattening
fowls for market depends upon the
nature and quality of the food. This
difficulty is overcome IL only sweet
whole grains are used or prime. ,srains