The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-01-11
start A HENNERY--
SPECIALISTS WILL AID

Every family which has even a
small backyard can go far toward
supplying itself with eggs and pro-
ducing some poultry which will lessen
its draft on the nations meat supply
Even in small backyard, with the
aid Of few hens, much Of the kitchen
garbage can be manufactured into
food instead of being wasted at a
time when there must be no waste Of
anything that can be made edible.
Keeping chickens even on small
scale can be made a pleasant, worth
while recreation, particularly inter-
esting to a child old enough to as
sumo responsibility.
This article is the first of series
of simple, practical instructions on
keeping poultry on a small scale. The
series is designed primarily to help
beginners start their flocks, but
should convey valuable information
to those who have had experience or
who keep poultry on suburban or
larger scale. The facts are those
gathered by the Governments poul-
try specialists on the Department of
Agriculture's poultry farm at Belts
vile, Md, and from the thousands of
private poultry yards which they have
visited and studied. These specialists
will be glad to send bulletins to fur
nish advice to those Interested in pro-
ducing more eggs and chicken meat
during the emergency.
Should | Keep Hens in My
Backyard?
Keeping small hocks of hens in a
small village or city backyard has
proved successful. 1t is an important
branch of the poultry industry,
Though the value of the product from
each flock is small in itself, the aggre-
gate is large. The product of such a
flock, both in the form of eggs, ard
fowls for the table, may be made at a
| relatively low cost, because of the
possibility of utilizing table scraps
and kitchen waste which would other
Wise be thrown away. A small flock
| of hens, even as few as six or eight;
should produce eggs enough, where
used economically, for a family of
four or five persons throughout the
entire fear, except during the molting
period and fall and early winter. By
preserving surplus eggs produced
during spring and early summer, this
period of scarcity can be provided for.
Keeping pullets instead of hens also
will insure production of eggs at this
time. Not only will the eggs from the
home flock materially reduce the cost
of living, but their superior freshness
and quality are in themselves worth
the effort expended. The need for an
extension of poultry raising is par
ticularly great in those sections where
the consumption of poultry exceeds
the production, with the result that
prices are high.
An Odorless, Crowless Flock.
Objection frequently is raised to the
keeping of poultry in towns and cities
because of the odor which may re-
suit and also because of the noise
made by ROSTERS Growing, particular
ly early in the morning. In some
cities regulations have been formulat-
ed to prevent or control poultry
keeping. Where there are such reg
ulations it will be necessary for the
beginner to find out their provisions
/ anu CoiuofHL W tiieHls luc pOultTy
flock need not become a nuisance to
the neighbors. If the dropping boards
are cleaned daily and if the houses and
yards are kept in reasonably clean
condition there will be no annoying
odors.
The male bird need not be a unis.
ance. Unless it is intended to hatch
chickens from the fiock, it is unnec-
essary to keep male bird. The fact
| that there is no male in the flock will
have absolutely no effect upon the
number of eggs laid by the hens
Those who wish to produce eggs for
Matching should get rid of the ROSTERS
when the Matching season ends. This
is desirable not only to eliminate the
noise of the rooster, but also to save
the feed that would be eaten by the
male, and for the further reason that
the eggs produced after the male is
disposed of will be infertile. Since
these eggs are incapable of chick de.
velopment, they can be kept much
better than fertile eggs and conse
quently are superior for keeping, put.
ting up in water-glass, or marketing
The flock, of course, must be kept
confined; otherwise the hens will stray
into neighbors' yards and gardens
whore they may cause damage, ant
almost certainly i'll feeling.
| The next article will deal with thu
kind of chickens to keep, the size Of
the flock and how to procure stock.