The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-23


DOULTRY experts OF the De
Hpartment Of Agriculture after
II careful experiments and studies
have concluded that there is no
truth in the old contention that the
breeding OF poultry strains for high
egg production is lmpaIring the
quality OF eggs.
For untold centuries the hen has
been a companion OF man In the on
ward march OF civilization.
In America. where poultry hus-
bandry has attained its greatest de-
yelopment. the hen has become one
Of our leading national assets, grow
ing in the past fifty years from a
neglected side line on the average
farm 10 a position where sIh Is con-
sldered by the farmer as very ef-
hcient contributor TO his yearly In
come.
The hen might be termed a uni
yersal fayorite. In that a greater
number OF persons are Interested
and actually concerned with poultry
than with any other form OF live
stock. Last year there were more
than 100000 chickens in the
United States
The yearly value OF the products
OF the American hen has at times
passed the bIlllon-dollar mark.
The great bulk OF poultry and
eggs produced In the United States
comes from the Corn Belt states OF
the upper Mississippi valley. In
fact. nearly one-half OF our poultry
population. or approximately 200.-
100000 chickens. Is found I'm what
are known as the North Central
states.
No Longer a Hobby.
For many years considerable
proportion OF our poultry popula-
tion was kept In back lots OF city
and suburban communities by per-
sons primarily engaged in some re-
muneratIve occupation. Poultry was
raised largely for pleasure and as
hobby. and incidentally to insure
goodly supply OF fresh eggs and
meat for the family table.
Surveys made a few years ago In
eastern urban and suburban areas
showed an average OF one bird to
every two people. Such flocks, av-
eragIng from 10 TO % fowls. were
usually well cared for and consisted
OF birds OF high quality.
The postwar period has witnessed
the gradual disappearance OF many
OF these back-lot poultrymen.
This change In habits among a
great mass OF our population has
fortunately been accompanied by
the development OF large CONNER
cIal poultry farms and specialized
hennerIes, which have found popu-
lar favor not only on the North
American continent. but In many
Old world countries.
Commercial poultry farms are es-
pecially successful near large cen
ters OF population. where the de-
mand Is for a strictly fresh. new
laid egg and fresh-killed poultry.
Hundreds of such enterprises are
being successfully operated In the
Atlantic and Pacific coast states.
The eastern sections produce espe-
cially for the New York trade, and
the Pacific coast sections. after
meeting the demands OF the larger
Pacific coast cities, ship their eggs
TO the Atlantic seaboard, where
they find a ready market at attrac-
tive prices.
Industry is Systemized.
Revolutionary changes have been
going on in the poultry industry for
ten years. Less and less attention
is being given TO the purely fancy"
and 10 the breeding Of exhibition
fowls. and more and more stress is
being laid on their economic value
In the production Of human food.
The farm poultrymen are begin
ming to apply sound principles in
the management of their flocks and
are organizing comparatively to
move their graded eggs quickly 10
the large consuming centers.
The little White Leghorn hens of
the Petaluma district. In central
California. have become world IA
nous because OF the Intensive con-
dltions under which they are kept,
hundreds of thousands being massed
in one small valley; the entire COM
munity depends upon commercial
egg farming for a livelihood.
II was not so many years ago that |
the American hen ruled supreme in
the capacity of incubator and brood !
er. faithfully sitting out the q |
dreary days on the nest, cautiously |
leading her tender brood Of fluffy |
Youngsters through the early stages
Of their development.
The hen is too valuable today as
an egg machine to allow her to
waste weeks and months in hatch |
ing eggs and brooding chicks. Due |