Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-22
CITY CHICKEN RAISING
BECOMES FASHIONABLE
Who Never Tried Their Hands
Getting Very Much Interested.
AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY
Rush OF Laying liens to Market Fol-
lows Raising of Embargo, Making
1t Easy to Stock Up the Back
Yard.

! More Richmond people than one
would have guessed are considering
Fthc alvisabiiity Of cnbarkinE In the
/ pleasant business of raising chickens
! in town. and many inquiries are conf
| ing in as to the best methods of pro-
! ViCiing backyard henncri"S. The north
] s.dcrs and the southsidcrs are taking
! very much interest in tins question.
and the suburbanitcs around Richmond
almost to n man have decided that
there shall be no chicilenlcss lots in
! the suburbs.
y little information OF general
character regarding this industry may
be timely.
With the termination OF tho rcstric-
lions placed by the government on the
sale OF hens. there will undoubtedly be
q rush of hens to the Richmond mar
lsct In fact, the rush has already
commenced. although the embargo was
raised only at midnight last Friday.
Many OF tho hens now being offered
for sale on Cary Street and elsewhere
in RichmonG will be layers. and profit
able oncs. for several months yet.
rare opportunity is therefore present
ed to backyard poultry keepers and
Would-bc town and SuDu;hau chicken
raiser TO help conserve TODD and 1T
the same time make u profit. Tor one
OF the greatest advantages Of back
yard poultry Keeping is tic small cost
of feeding. due to the proper Utiliza
ton OF table scraps.
Tho views of an expert along this
line may be of some help at this time.
She writes:
Scraps OF meat or leftover vcrc-
tables which cannot he utilized in any
other way. make excellent feed. There
arc also many other waste products,
such as beet tops. turnips. carrot Tops,
potato p0rings, onion tops. watermelon
and cantaicupe riuds. tho outside leaves
vi
and cake crumbs. etc, all of which
are relished by the hens and can be
used TO advantage. In saving the scraps
and waste. il IS we'll TO separate the
ror.ions adapted for feeding 10 the
flock ana place these in y receptacle
or pail OF thcir own. ncCoinpoSrd
waste material or mcldy bread or cake
should never lie saved 20 feed 10 hens.
IS it is harmful TO them. and may
cause serious bowel trouble. sloppy
material. such as dishwater. should
not be thrown into their pail. 1t is
uGelesS TO put slch things banana
pccs or the skins of oranges. as these
have little FOOD value. Any sour milk
which Is; not utilized in the house
should hc given TO the chickens. This
should be fed separately. however,
either hy allowing the hsns to drink
IL or by allowing it 10 clabher on tn.
hack Of the stovo and then feeding il
in that condition.
Table scraps and Kitchen waste are
best prepared Cor feeding by running
Them through an ordinary meat grind
or. After the material has been put
through the grinder 1t * usually n
rather moist mass. and il is we'll TO mix
with IL some corrmrnl bran. or Other
Ground grain until tho whole mass
assumes a crumbly condition. Tho
usual method is to feed tho table
scraps 81 noon or night, or at both
lines, as may be desired In 4 trough
or on a board. All shou!d he fed that
the hens VIII eat UP clean. and il any
Of the materia! is left after onc-h1lf
or three quarters of an hour it should
he removed II allowed "a lie. it may
spoil and would he very bad for the
hons.
With ;hc table scraps It IS well 10
iced some grain y gooG grain mix
turr for this purpose is composed OF
equal parts 10y weight Of wheat, crack
ed corn and oats. Another suitable
Grain mixture is composed Of two parts
By weight OF cracked corn and ore
part oats"