Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-02
THE POULTRY YARD
FARMERS FANCY FLOCkS
BY Ed Weber
BY Ed Weber

One often hears of the farmer with
the mongrel flock Of fowls these days.
but not 50 frequently as in years past.
The farmer now reads poultry pa
per, attends poultry shows, and is in
terested in a good laying strain or
combination Of meat and eggs, owing
to the fact the day of selling eggs at
twelve and fifteen cents per dozen
together with the marketing of chick
ems for five cents per pound has long
since passed.
The farmer with the mongrel flock
today as rule has mongrel hogs,
mongrel sheep, mongrel cattle and pro-
badly Is not much Of a thoroughbred
himself. one Of those farmers whose
fences, buildings, farm tools. ETC., all
show more or less down at the heel
appearance. Farmers fancy flocks may
be putting 1t little strong In speaking
of the feathered tribe in the country,
but nevertheless it Is true that many
a farmer today is paying more atten-
ton to housing and care of poultry
than ever before and giving more care
to his stock of some one breed or va
riety. While many q farmer at this
time considers the poultry. stock on
his place rather small potatoes" he
still likes to keep a nice flock of thor
oughbreds on his farm. Farmers, with
few exceptions never have, and pro-
badly will not in the future, be much
interested in show stock, neither are
they bothered with day dreams Of sill
yer cups, bronze medals and blue RIB
bons, but they are interested in heavy
egg producers, for be it understood
that many of the professors and feath-
er fanciers say that we have got. to
breed for eggs as we'll as the fancy in
the future, while few wise ones as
sert that the combination cannot be
produced.
Why Not Have Both?
Why necessarily combine, when we
might have an. exhibition strain or 9
meat and egg strain Of the same breed
or variety? Let US have both. The
true fancier wants few top-notchers
for exhibition, regardless Of anything
else. There's fascination and pleas
ure in producing such birds. Let the
200-egg hen come. We want her, too.
A breeder and fancier VINO can produce
these qualities thru his ability and
knowledge in breeding and raising
poultry will have the advantage in
sales of both the fancier and farmer.
Gao %a::!s e:ac feathers and type, the
other meat and eggs.
This theme reminds one of the Tom
Baron craze. Mr. Baron, a producer
as well as breeder. has been trap
nesting for years, and working hard to
produce heavy laying strain, and he
1c - hyp 4.
wonderful breeding secrets. as his lee
lures iii the east recently would indi-
cate, for he has told us Americans
nothing that we did not know, as any
lunkhead can build trap nest, and
any one with ordinary intelligence
soon learn the art of selection for
heavy layers. What we want to do IN
this country Is to get busy and breed
for these heavy layers, by the aid OF
trapnests and careful selection, with
proper feed and care. That's what Tom
Baron did. He produced certain DOM
inant trait in two different breeds.
When we do this we will interest the
farmer in Thoroughbred poultry. Great
er interest might be manifested by the
farming community of any section in
this country If we had more speakers
on poultry culture from local associa-
tions.
Prevention Best Remedy.
If the farmer, as is often stated
produces the bulk Of poultry meat and
eggs in this country, he is the indi-
yidual to reach in an educational way
for the bctterment of poultry products.
This may be somewhat discouraging
task to begin WITH for while many In
The rural districts are paying more at
tention to their poultry stock, thous-
ands Of others are giving no thought
to proper housing, feeding. breeding,
cnlling, etc. When disease appears In
O flock on the farm the ak Is resorted
to as one of the best remedies at hand
lI1tie luuus;;,;s ever having been given
ON the prevention OF disease. The best
cure is a strong decoction Of pre-
vention, boiled down by ordinary COM
mon sense. But where disease creeps
into your flocks, and you wish to try
your hand at doctoring, you will find
good remedies at any nearby supply
house for all diseases OF the domestic
fowl
Candle Welding.
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