The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1919-04-17
BIXBY MAKES 81 A DAY
OFF HIS CHICKENS
Former Lynden Lawyer Runs Poul.
try Business On Side And Makes
Fine Profit

Frank Bixby, formerly of Lynden, Is
making in the poultry business In
Bellingham, according to the follow.
ing article published this week In the
Washington Farmer:
That an attorney can find health.
full recreation and diversion from
Office and courtroom and have his en-.
joyment increased by the fact that
his birds are yielding him q good pro-
fit. is the experience of Frank w.
Bixby, a successful practicing attor-
ney of Bellingham. Washington. Mr..
Bixby found that he had at times to
get away from both courtroom and
Office practice to save his health. and
the chickens are credited with a saw
ing in doctor bills and better nerve
conditions as we'll as a profit in their
output.
Mr.. Bixby owns two and a half
acres within the city limits Of Bell
ingham. three blocks from the Nor
NAL school, where houses are not
very thick. and he rents an additional
acre. On the 1st Of November, 1917,
he began his poultry operations. He
has charged all equipment to his first
years expenses. This includes build
ings to the amount of $636.70: a
used car. about $3.50; a few other
equipments and rent. SIS; stock.
1925. or total Of almost $4,000. Labor
and feed were charged as $2712.99.
making a grand total of $4712.20.
This years receipts werc $4998.46.
leaving a balance of $286.17. II per-
manent equipment Is considered. Of
over $4,000. In other words Mr.. Blk
by's White Leghorns have earned him
nearly 81 a day for evory working
day of the year. OF the labor charge
of 5000, about one-fourth was actu-
ally expended on other matters: the
family eats all the eggs they want
and these are not credited. and oc-
casionally the COW or pig are fed
out of the chickens feed, without
any credit being given.
Mr.. Bixby's equipment is efficient
but not fancy. A rather unique feat
ure is a hospital where oil poultry
not right is placed for observation,
and final disposition. This includes
any whose color may not be salts
factory. His brooder house is 81
x 16. with four electric broOders.
Stove brooders were unsatisfactory.
Mr.. Bixby expects to build brood
er house with hot water system,
because 1t will allow q better ventil-
ationa and teaches the chickens to
roOst.
Feed is first delivered to the gar
age, which is higher than the poultry
house, and from there trolley cable
and carriers deliver 1t to the feed
room. Oats and barley are mixed
In O tub and put into a 24-hour
sprouter OF Mr.. Bixby's own adapt
alton. 1t has four movable compart-
ments that are simply oblong troughs
and an endgate. One compartment
is emptied and the others moved up
one place each day, while the one far
thest back. Of course, is filled. The
trOughs are covered with hinged
doors and lantern Is set under them
II needed, but the damp oats usually
furnish their own heat. One tub Is
q morning feed for q flock OF $50.
A patent scratch food and q patent
mash are used by Mr.. Bixby. He
mixes the mash with mill run. hall
and half, as the patent mash alone IL
too stimulating.
At 4 a." M, or in time to give the
birds 13 hours work, Mr.. Bixby turns
on electric lights. But he lets nature
make the evenings. After the hen,
have gone to roOst and 1t Is fafrl,
dark, Mr.. Bixby scatters a little o.
the scratch food. This, with whatev
er wet mash was left over the nigh
before. gives them something to q
to work on first thing In the morn
ing. At $50 he feeds the tub o
SpTOuIcu Odtb duu A~S s.S'
puts fresh water in the numerou
water buckets in racks In varfou
parts of the house.
The dropping boards are CLEANED
every morning and hydrsted linn
is scattered once a week. In tn
summer the roosts are painted o
sprayed once q week with equal part
of kerosene and crsosote. Mash ]
kept in the hoppers all the time. A
bout an hour before roosting time
enough wet sh is fed that tho
will have plenty and Leave Just a III
tie. Shell. grit. charcoal, cracKe
dry bone and clear fish meal In CON
partmcnts are kept before the bird
at all times. A straight mill run
kept In the hoppers and formerl!
bran was used.
The entire building is $50 Z 20.
can hold 400 or 1900 birds. NJ
Bixby grows his own kale and hs
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