Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-04-02
Raising Chickens In 1918.
20. II. Wflber, Instructor in Poultry Husbandl
In Farmers' Week Course.)

~. ~. W uDof, 1neIfuCy0f ID kOuitfy uu1panuty
In Farmers' Week CourseJ
During the present year perhaps more
than ever before does the question OF
raising chickens confront the poultry
man q . serious problem. Previously
the raising Of chickens has been simply Q
matter of routine In the poultry work.
This year It is an entirely different
proposition. We are urged by the Food
Administration to raise all the chickens
We can during the present spring and to
all our houses to capacity with good
pullets this fall. This request comes at
time when labor, feeds and other
necessities are exceedingly high and
hard to get. We must meet this request
and at the same time meet 1t with q
profit to the producer.
Many OF our poultrymen have alarm
ingly reduced their focks during the
past year and many more are debating
with themselves whether or not they
will raise chickens this spring. 1t is
not 80 much question of whether we
will raise chickens, but, how many can
We raiser
One of the very important essentials is
that they come from good stock. This
is time when the selection and breed
ing OF or parent stock is of vital I'M
portaace. We cannot afford to produce
weak chicks. Every chick must be
strong individual In order that 1t may
make good use of the feed and develop
into q strong, healthy bird. The breed
ing pens, therefore, should be made mp
of the most vigorous birds In the flock
and of those which show the qualities of
good egg production. It is preferable
that the hatching eggs come from two
year old hens or else from we'll matured
pullets. Immature pullets should not
be used for breeding stock az they tend
to produce small chickens that do not
develop ss we'll.
Another important point is that We
must hatch our chickens early and when
all things are considered April is per-
hsps the best time for the average
poultryman or farmer to have his chick
ems appear. They should be Matched
early enough 30 that they will be we'll
matured by October or the first Of No
vember. If they are hatched too early in
the season, unless care Is exercised In
feeding, they will begin laying in Sep,
tember and In such cases they tend to lay
for q short time, then molt and will not
lay again for two or three months.
When chickens are hatched later than
the tenth of May, they do not usually
get developed before cold weather
comes on In the fall and therefore
will not lay until spring. 1t is common
y accepted fact that hot weather Inter
feres with the growth Of chickens, espe.
cially young chickens. April hatched
chicks are fairly we'll feathered by the
time that the bot weather comes on and
are better able to stand it. Better
growth will be secured and there will be
less mortality.
No doubt the greatest problem con-
fronting the farmer during the present
season is the feed situation. In many
sections of the state 1t is almost impos-
sible to get whole grains or even mixed
feed. The farmer must, therefore, de-
pend upon foods grown upon the farm
as much as possible. Heretofore wheat
has been an important Ingredient in the
chick ration. This year We must get
along without 1t and its place must be
largely taken by the use of corn and
oats. The mash or ground portion of
the chick ration will not be as bard to
obtain, as most of the common whest-and
corn by-products are still upon the
market.
Half the success In raising chickens is
In getting them we'll started. Chickens
should not be fed until they are SO to
4S hours old. At this time they should
be taken from the incubator or nest and
given drink of sour milk. Be sure
that each chick gets drink. 1t Is q
good plan to take each chick and dip bis
bill into the milk before putting them
into the brooder. II the infertile eggs
have been saved they make an excellent
food for the first week. They should be
hard boiled, ground up she'll and all and
mixed with four or five times their bulk
of rolled oats. This mixture should be
fed 8 or 4 times day during the first
week, but never feed more then they
will eat up readily at one time. When
the chicks ares or days old dry mash
composed Of: