The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-13

Hartford, Nov. 13-Poultry thieves bcwarel The Connecticut depart. ment of agriculture announces that Connecticut farmers may now se- cure added protection from poultry thieves. This will be accomplished through simple process of tatoo- ing poultry so that it may be easily and positively identified. It is point ed uot that thieves can go on stealing chickens, turkeys and fowl of all kinds just as usual but their chances of avoiding detection will be jusct about million times less be- cause of the new poultry tattooing system which is now available.
 Every poultryman in the state can now tattoo his birds with 8 number that is. registered with the state police department. Tattooing, it is pointed out, is not a ne wsystem of detecting stolen poultry but the plan has been worked out in Con- necticut so simplifies other methods that it brings the cost down so that even the backyard farmer with only a few mirds can well afford to secure this protection from hav- ing his birds stolen and then being unable to identify them.
 Keeps Cost Low
 The Connecticut system worked out by the combined efforts of the Connecticut department of agricul- ture, the state police department, poultry extension department of the Connecticut State College and the Connecticut Poultry association in- cludes some of the better features of other tattoo plans throughout the United States and has several additional features to keep the cost at 8 minimum. For three dollars any farmer in Connecticut can , now secure tattoo pliers, ink enough to tattoo approximately ] 1000 birds, an individual number registered with the state police de- partment, warning sign for post ing his property and a years mem bership in the Connecticut Poultry association which includes 8 years subscription to their ofilcial month ly publication.
 In addition to having the num- bers registered with the state po- lice department, the Connecticut plan is a part of New England program which, with the close CO., operation of New York and New Jersey, will make 1t difficult for poultry thieves to dodge across state borders and escape detection. Commissioner of Agriculture Olcott F. King, in his announcement, also points out that there is a Connec- ticut law requiring that all carriers of live poultry other than the orig inal farm owners shall be licensed and display their license numbers in conspicuous place on their ve- hicles.
 The tattooing program, he believes, is step in the right direction to eliminate the increasing number of poultry thefts that are being made each year and will be just as Suc- cessful as the poultrymen want to make 1t, as the plan has no com- pulsory features. It is left up to the individual poultrymen to de- CluC II tA4CA AkOSAO dAC WO3 WA SAAAo added protection.
 The tatooing of the birds is a simple operation and may be per- formed at any age from the broiler stage on. The web of the wing is stamped with special tattoo ink which is injected into the skin with specially designed pliers, leaving the registered number plainly visible. The low cost has been made possi- ble through the direct purchase of the materials from manufacturers. Police Involved
 Applications for registered tattoo numbers and necessary equipment may be made direct to the State Department of Agriculture at Hart ford. the Farm Bureau offices lo- cated in each county, or the Exten-