The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-02-09
VALUE OF CHICKEN
SHOWN UP STRONG
What Can Be Done With
Poultry On Farm
TALK BEFORE CLUB
T. Is AS Important To Have Good
Rooster AS It Is Best
Sire.


Mr.. and Mrs. George Buckholtz. A
program OF entertainment was car
rled out and luncheon served. Inc
Outstanding feature of the meeting
N,Gs u very entertaining and instruc
tive tank by Professor n. A. Chap
man. pOdltry expert OF the state uni
ltTsltJ farm. Mr.. Chapman in the
INTRODUCTION of mis- interesting talk
said that he was indeed pleased to
note the interest taken in the better
re movement among the cattle
breeders. 1t is all right and strict
y proper 20 have good bull on
every farm, but Air. Chapman said
nat it is just as important to have
sooG ROSTERS TO head the poultry
docks, il that industry is TO be
Like in the livestock industry, Mr..
Cnapman is not go much advocating
The raising Of more hens as the pro-
auction OF birds OF q higher produc-
ing quality. The hen like the dairy
low, has nor as yet been bred up TO
her highest efficiency. Good male
birds OF high producing parentage
IS necessary 10 accomplish this.
Professor Chapman said that &C
C0rding to the census OF 1910 Blue
Earth county ranked seventh in the
fourteen counties in the state that
were producing over 4 million dozen
ncsS per yea.. He said that the
Slue OF the poultry production com
pa:cd favorably with that of the
ia ~ production. about one half in
800. The value OF the dairy pro
fuytion in Blue Earth county in tho
car 1919 vas $1,333.553, while the
va!ue CT the eggs and chickens was
:i4G,T71. This was exclusive OF 9th
e.. poultry such as ducks, geese and
,rkeys. which would bring up the
aiue OF the poultry production up 4
.i.Ile over one nalf OF that OF the
GARY production. The speaker said
that the Blue Earth county hen
record. il the farm hen had produc-
ed more eggs PEI hen. According
to a census recently taken, the aver
age production Of each hen in eggs
is four ard two tenthS dozen per
year or fifty one eggs per year. This
he stated is about one third OF the
production OF some fiocks in Mime
sofa. The great project of the farm
bureau units for the year 1928 Will
be for greater production efficiency.
Increase Farm Flock Returns
Professor Chapman said that TO
increase the returns from the farm
HOOKS lIlGlG dlG
tors to be looked after. First OF
these is the selection of breeding
pen Of the best producing. hens IN
the flock and to mate them with
males of high producing parentage:
The speaker advised the Matching OF
The eggs from this selected mock
early in the spring. He advised the
putting OF the pull2t in a comfort =
able poultry house about the tirSt o.
October and reed them balanced.
II this is done the birds will pro-
duce egg in the months November,
December and January, when the
prices Of the eggs are me h ng th %
price. Eggs should be sold on the
basis of quality. AS the value OF
grain depends upon its weight. and
butter depends upon its score so II
is with eggs. the largest fresh eggs
will bring the highest market value
Mr.. Chapman said that an addi-
tional FIVE cents per dozen in the
price of eggs would mean to the
farmers of Blue Earth county. who
number 2,SY6. aid additional rev,
enue of $4,000. This money will
help pay the grovery. bill.
IN the selection of the best pro,
ducing flock. the speaker advocated
the partitioning off of part OF the
poultry house with the aid of chick
en- wire, and putting in this inclos-
IRE saw thirty hens to be kept by
themselves. so that the eggs from
this flock can be used for incuba
ton. He said that the time spent
in making this partition and arrang-
ing for the segregation Of the flock
is we'll worth while.
Five Principal Points.
The FIVE principal points to. be
considered in a good producing hen
are: First, the hen should possess
great vigor and alertness. which is
evidenced by her aboundirg health:
which is seen in her activity OF
movement Second, she should
have good head. The different
parts of the head of the hen are
indicative of her ability as a pro
Queer. A we'll bred hen should have
a large comb, long wattles, and ear
lobes. These three CHARACTERISTICS
indicate reproductiveness OF the IN
dividual and they are known as sex
characteristics. The male bird must
have the yigor, alertness and other
qualifications which go to make up
a strong healthy bird. The large
prominent eye placed high in the
head is indicative OF nervous force,
lust the same as the bright lntelll-
gent eye in the COW or sire in cat
tie is indicative of good producer.
Another point to be taken into
consideration in the selection OF the
flock is the good strong beak in
bird. The long crow -beak indicates
lack of vigor, while the short strong
beak is indicative of better ability
10 secure food. Just the same as
the large month in the dairy cow is
indicative OF her ability to eat
more roughage.
The next point to be considered
&c the melting Of the bird. The av-
erage Minnesota hen has about s.
0,l feathers. Some of these she
retains the whole of the year, and
others she discards in the melting
season. The highest producing hens
do not take time to change their
dress. lust a the highet producing
COW continues in the lactation state
for a long period. The hen gener
aIiv starts to mott at the end of her
nroducing season. Some hens start
10 mott or shed their plumage in
August. Others mott in October and
NoSember. The later melting birds
are the best to retain as layers BY
a careful examination of the wings
and other feathers of the bird the
late melting hens may be selected.
hen which carries some of her
old plumage over to the next year,
and does not take time to change
her entire dress is a good bird to
retain.