The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-24
TOBACCO FARMERS
TURNING TO HENS
BEAUFORT Typical of Change
THAT Has Taken Place in
n. C. Agriculture

La CHANGE VINCE a taken place
North Carolina agriculture. In
, with the exception of CONNER
a., wheat and Burley tobacco every
.nscjal crop allotment phase OF the
ga farm program in the state is
-.,,tiye in Beaufort county.
rp,;s condition, whereby farmers
,.,.a heen forced to reduce acreages
,ehacco, cotton. peanuts. Irish Do-
,o.s and commercial vegetables led
p~.o,1fort growers to seek new sour
~ NJ income. They appealed to Dean
"a schaub and other farm leaders
suggest supplementary enter
rrises.
Working in cooperation with the
.nrtv commissioners, Dean Schaub
s,.de arrangements for the extension
sorvice. of which he is director. to
,,1.ce ". G. Andrews, a young State
,olege graduate, in tie county as a
.naoial poultry assistant agent last
INV Al the same time. a home
arden campaign was instituted by
l.a,n, Agent W. l.. McGahey and the
,ap,,lar assistant agent, Albert l..
Eagles.
Tins. Beaufort is turning from
limo. 10 hens and its market bas-
let nov contains tomatoes as well
.. tobacco, and collards in addition
IA cotton. The large number of new
and re-modeled poultry houses to be
raen on a tour of the county is proof
enough that Andrews is succeeding
in making rural people Of Beaufort
rorltrv-minded. The 1890 or more
home gardens in the county last
summer we're, according to Agent
N,Gahey. the largest number in the
history Of the county and about 500
more than we're planted in 1899.
First Problem Is Encountered
Andrews soon found when he went
into the county that his first job
vas 10 convince farm people that
ro,1ltr,jng is a profitable enterprise
il handled right. Whereas only three
flock demonstration records were
completed for the 1939-40 egg produc-
lion year. be has 20 demonstration
ilvcks in the county now. He held
II community meetings to explain
proper methods of poultry feeding,
housing, breeding. and management.
But the favorite answer of An
drews 10 he question: rs poultry
farming ~profitable?9" is to urge that
the farmer ask Mr.. Boschen,' and
Il possible. visit his flock.
My. Boschen" is w. E. Boschen
Ct Pantego. Many farmers through
out the state know him as the breed
er Of Boschen's Special corn, but
three years ago he decided to add
chickens as a sideline. His success
has been little short of phenomenal.
Last year Mr.. Boschen's 317 White
Leghorn hens averaged 227 eggs
each; the state average annual egg
production is about 81 eggs per bird.
Mr.. Boschen's hens returned a net
profit for the year of s2.17 each, and
Andrews says that the Beaufort
farmer charged feed against the hens
at the regular market price. instead
Of what it cost him to grow it, and
he grew most of it. including all the
grain.
Uses Psychology
One of the reasons for Mr.. Bos-
chen's success might be termed hen
psychology" He uses such tricks
as these to increase egg production:
Instead Of turning on electric lights
early IN the morning. as some poul.
try1nen do, Mr.. Boschen gives his
chickens what he calls a midnight
meal. Promptly at 8 o'clock each
evening he turns a switch and the
electric lights in the laying houses
eIoW dlilly. The hens think dawn is
approaching and they bestir them
selves on the roosts. After about
I'VE minutes of dim lights. the switch
is turned again and the lights come
IN bright, Down off the roosts come
Inc BIRDS and partake of food and
wafer, About 20 minutes later the
Ashts are turned down dim again,
anu back on the roosts go the hens,
because to them night apparently is
approaching. Another five minutes,
ana total darkness envelops the hen
house.
IN this way Mr.. Boschen induces
greater feed consumption. and more
ieeo means more eggs. He also COM
presses part of the laying mash he
"leIs the hens at the noon hour
anu leeds it as pellets on top of the
'.i1ainder of the mash. at the rate
vi 'hree pounds per 100 birds. Its
uessert for them, and they relish
.e 2llets after they have seen their
III Oh the same feed in soft FORM"
lie farmer said.
M Boschen also has the nests
s'eeea In the laying house so that the
nehS can't see the feed troughs while
meS are on the nests. 1T keeps
uelf minds on their business" he
ISM"
Knocks Before Entering
,nese are only a few of the
h sNNs OF the trade" that Mr.. Bos-
.n employs. Another. not sener-
WY used. is that Mr.. Boschen al.
w., s.S Knocks on the door of the lay
mouse before he enters. White
s"ofns naturally are nervous, but
~ NY pay little attention if warned
INV, visitor to their quarters. The
bilsi'e is true, and feathers fly
h. 'er and yon. if Mr.. Boscben or
,na employees enter without knock.
LII Agent NoColn -