The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1918-08-16
Youths Are Developing Into PouI-
try Experts Under Guidance
of Specialists.
CLUBS IN VARIOUS STATES
From Small Beginning Organization
Has Developed to Include Eleven
nweaIths-Results OBJ
tained by Members.

Thousands of girls and boys OF the
United States have enlisted with
Uncle Sam as poultry raiscrs. The
bureau of animal industry, United
States department of agriculture, co.
operates with many state agricultural
colleges to assist juvenile farmers in
poultry husbandry.
The girls and boys of today who
show an interest in better poultry hus-
bandry by becoming successful MEM
bers Of the poultry clubs will be our
breeders, fanciers and poultry pro-
ducers of tomorrow. The splendid de-
velopment of poultry clubs marks this
line of work as one Of the most i'm
portant in the poultry office of the
bureau Of animal industry, United
states department of agriculture.
Started In Small Way.
Poultry club work was started In
Virginia In 1912 with IL clubs and $50
members. From this small beginning
an organization has developed to In
clude II states with 1,O1O clubs In 300
counties and a membership Of about
$4,000 energetic boys and girls. Sue
cessful results have encouraged still
other states through the Smith-Lever
fund to carry on work of a similar ma
ture in cooperation with the bureau
or animal industry. but this club his
tory covers only the states in which
a poultry specialist assigned to each
state has supervision of the work, and
furnishes the subject matter to carry
1t on. The organized states are: Vir-
ginia. North Carolina. South Carolina,
Georgia. Tennessee. Kentucky, Okla
homa. Kansas, Washington. Massachu-
sets and Rhode Island. Several
new states have requested the as
sistance Of a specialist In their poul-
try club efforts for the coming year.
Educational Features.
Girls and boys are assisted in their
work by local school teachers, county
farm agents and county home demon
strators. Many of the members live
In the country, and help In the intro
duction of standardized stock. i'm
provement Of housing and feeding
methods and marketing conditions.
Other members who live in towns
maintain backyard poultry plants,
and all aid materially in the produc-
ton Of poultry and eggs.
Poultry clubs have their educational
feature and are carried on SO that the
boys and girls have an opportunity to
learn simple business methods. Club
members study poultry bulletins fur
nished by the state and government
and subject matter prepared by the
specialist. The members write COM
positions on poultry management as a
part Of their work. Each member
keeps a record, or business account
showing accurate figures on expendi-
lures, receipts and profits, number Of
eggs set, number Of chickens raised,
etc.
Results Obtained.
During the year 1917 these boy and
girl club members Matched 08,273
chicks, and raised SO.31O matured
fowls. Over s17.908.25 worth Of poul-
try and EGGS for market and breeding
purposes were sold or consumed at
home and the total value Of their re-
ceipts, stock on hand. and prizes won
amounted to $4l.31242. In addition to
the exhibits Of fowls and eggs made
at county fairs and other poultry