sr Giass_££^i:r /^ Ronk ' v.. ? e ^ OtrOc. onJacre Orane's ^yste M s N y§x6l 9- n n n n n D D a D D D n n n n n □ n n a D D D a n D D D D D D D D n D D D D D D D D n D D D D D D D C D D n D D. D D □ □ n D D D D D n n n D n D D D n n n n D D D D n n D D n D n D n □ n □ D □ n D n n D nana a n D D D D n D D D D D D D D D D D n D D D D D D D n D D n n D n D D D n n n D D n D D n n n n n D n n n n □ n n n D D n n D n n D D D n n n □ n n n n D D a n n n D n D nan D n D D n n D n n nan nan Dan nan n n a ana nan nan nan nan n n n n n n n n n n n n a nsi D n D n D n n n n n n n n n D n a n a n a n n D a n n n n n a n a n n n n n S,10 ^V -^ -►FROM» ^- THE "OK" POULTRY JOURNAL --w,«-PRINTERY-VAv— MOUNDS. OKLA. 6,000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE "CRANE'S SYSTEM" By W?i. CRANE- The Purchasers of this Book are Given the Kiyht to Make. Use or Hire Made, any and all Houses and Equipments Desrcribed Herein, or Used in My System; Except Such Ar- ticles that are Patented and Manufactured by Others; such as the X-Ray Incu- bators andBrooders. the Eng Cases of the Star Ewti' Carrier & Tray Mfg. Co.. Norwich. Automatic!! Feeders, and Moe's Drinking Foun- tains. No Person Not Owning a Book have any Right to Make. Use or Hire Made any of the Housesor Equip- ments nor use this System, in so far as the Houses and Eciuipment, that is of My Own Invention, and Cov- ered by this Copyright is Concerned. Price $1.00 First Edition Three Thousand PUBLISHED, 191:2 By W. O. CRANE, TOLSA, OIILA. s^^ 4-1 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE Coprighted 1912 by W. O. CRANE Tulsa. Okla. iC!.A328553 CRANE'S SYSTEM Index to Subjects Page. Introduction of Crane's System 6 Specifications and Directions fo;- building Large Laying House, Portable 12 Caring for Large Laying House. 28 Caring for and Feeding Laying- Stock 32 Specifications and Directions fer Buildnrg my Portable, Colony, Chick Raising, or Small Mating Breeding- House 34 Caring for Colony, Chick Raising, or Small Mating House 42 Caiing for, and Feeding Ba])y Chicks. 44 Oat Sprouting for Green Feed 47 Sprouting Oats in the Open G/ ound in Summer 54 Incubators and Biooders 54 Crane's Fireless Brooder. .. 60 Crane's Automatic Dry ^Lish Hopper. 62 Crane's Automatic Water Four.tain 64 Feeding Trough for Large Laying House. 65 Feeding Trough for Colony Chick Raising or small ]\Iating Breeding House. . . 66 Oil Cups for Mite Proof Roosts 66 Storing Eggs for Hatching, or Market 66 Portable Roost and Droppuig Board 68 Portal)le Mite Proof Roost 68 Line Breeding 70 Poultry Diseases 74 Preparing Birds for the Show Room 81 Story of the Discovery, antl Histoiy of the Success of Crane's System 83 Index to Illustrations Fig. 2, My First Laying House 7 Fig. 3, View of Crane's Automatic Poultry Plant One Year from its Start 9 Fig. 4, View of Crane's Automatic Poultry Plant two Years from its Start • • . . . 11 Fig. 5, South and East View of Large Laying House. . . 13 Fig. 6, North and West View of Large Laying House. . . 15 Fig. 7, South and East View of Large Laying House Closed 17 4 6000 LAYING HENS (JN 1 ACRE Fig. 8, Drawing of Frame — Work of Large Laying House. . . 19 Fig. 9, Drawing of Jnterior of Large Laying House. . . 21 Fig. 10, Drawing Representing One Acre set with 294 Large Laying Houses. . . 23 Fig. 11, Drawing Of Blind Nest to be used in eithei- House 25 Fig. 12, View of our Oat-Sprouting Department 27 Fig. 13, Drawing of one Oat Rack without the Draws 29 Fig. 14, Drawing of one Oat Rack with Draws. . . . . . . 31 Fig. 15, Drawing of Crane's Automatic Dry Feed Hopper. .. 33 Fig. 16, Drawing of Crane's Automatic Water Fountain, Feeding Trough for Large Laying House, Feeding Trough for Colony Chick Raising House and Oil Cu])s for the Mite Proof Roosts 35 Fig. 17, South and East View of Colony, Chick Raising House 37 Fig. 18, North and West View of Colony Chick Raising House 39 Fig. 19, View showing Chick Raising House partially unhooked. 41 Fig. 20, Drawing of Portable Roost and Dropping Board. . . 43 Fig. 21, Drawing of Mite Proof Roosts foi- Large Laying House ■IS Fig. 22, Drawing representing One Acie of ground plated for 630 Chick Raising Houses 47 Fig. 23, Crane's Fireless Brooder 49 Fig. 24, View looking onto Chick Raising House with Brooder and Chicks 51 Fig. 25, X-Ray Incubator. . . 53 Fig. 26, Our Storing Eggs for Hatching Department 55 Fig. 27, Drawing of C*hart for Line Breeding 57 Fig. 28, Drawing Showing Sixteen ways of Toe Marking Baby Chicks 59 Figs. 29 and 30, Views of some of the Large Laying Houses in use 61 Figs. 31 and 32, Views of some of the Chick Raising Houses in use 63 Fig. 33, Photo of our Buff Orpington Hen 65 Fig. 34 Photo of our Famous Black Orpington Cock. . . 67 Fig. 35, Photo of our Famous Black Orpingiton Cock. . . 69 Fig. 36, Photo of our Famous Black Orpington Cockeiel. .. 71 Figs. 37 and 38, Views taken of Portions of our Plant in winter 73 Fig. 40, Crane's Fireless Brooder with its Fill of Babies. .. 75 CKAXE'S SY.STEM w. <». cra:se Miinajierof Crane's Auloma tic Pouliry Plant. Tulsii. Okla. Originator of ■Crime's System" and Publisher of this Book. (Life Member A. P. A.) fiOOO LAYING HENB ON 1 ACRE INTRODUCTION In offering this book to the public, I am offering no excuses. The main reason why 1 am publishing it, is because so many peo- ple have wished the plans and specifications of my Houses and Equipment that I have invented and used, that have proven so successful in our business ,that have attracted the attention of the Poultry World far and near. It is not infreciuent that we get inquiries by mail from England and other Foreign Countries. In getting up the plans and specifications I thought it best to embody with it, what I have learned by actual experience in keeping birds in confinement, as our System calls for ; so any new beginner with poultry either with my System or otherwise can start from the beginning and be successful ;but with this Sys- tem it means that every household can have their pen of chick- ens that have a space of ground lOxlS sq. feet; they can -install one of our Laying Houses without any yard, or further run-ways to buy or build, and the chickens will l>other no one, and if prop- erly cared for according to my instn;ctions herein will give plen- ty of fresh eggs for the M^liole family. If one will start with one of the many thorobred varieties will bring in many a Dollar be- sides, to buy the groceries etc., in the spiing of the year by sel- ling eggs for hatching. The name of my System it,*- elf is so seemingly exiaggerating is often branded as a falsehood li\ ])( ople not knowing anything about it, as they believe it cannot l.e done, find have to be shown; but in this Book I will make claw that 60U() Laying Hens can be successfully kept on one Acre oi ground; as we have demon- strated to thousands of peop^v' the h;f-t thuc yeais that it can be done, by using a fractional part of an acre, housing the requi- red number of hens that will figure out 617-i to the acre. My suc- cess has been so marvelous that most people are slow to compre- hend I tell the thuth at all times ; but I have neighbors about us that saw the first pen of chickens come onto the place, and have watched us gl-ow all the way. They knew my financial condition when I commenced and they know it yet. and will readily verify any statement 1 make in this respect in this Book. I wish to say this is my first attempt at writing a book, and I am no author and am not schooled in this cla^s of work, so all will bear with me in my attempt and manner of writing this CRANE'S BY8TEM '"^-j^^ Fig. 2. Fi"- •' This Half-tone is my first Layin- House, by which 1 discovered -Crane's Sys- stem/' was built from two Piano Boxes, backed together, and raised two and one-half feet above the ground. «ivin{i a room under the floor, and by putting a portable floor half way be tween the flloor and the roof for the chickens to roost over, gave me a three floor house. This Photo was taken, showing the original bens two and one-half years after they were put into it. These hens were never allowed out of the house all this time. The egg record for the twelve hens, for the first seven and one-haif months, was 156^ eggs, and was nearly as good up to the lime they were sold. 8 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE my first issue. 1 shall endeavor by my experiences if thc^ will clear as possible, so all can learn to make every thing as plain and but read. 1 shall not attempt to teach those who know more tlian I do, nor those who will not care to read and follow my metliods closely ; but hope every one who pays the price of One Dollar for this Book will find many times its value out of it and I am quite sure you will, if you will apply y ourselves to my methods. I am aware of the fact that there are other methods and so- called Systems of keeping poultry confined ; some were used be- fore I discovered mine, while otl:cis have been gotten out since; mine is often taken as one of these systems at first sight as its a confinement System. I cl aim this, I can house over twice as many biids on a given space of land, and this twice as many, can be cared for with half the labor, that the half as many can; thus doubling ones profit twice on a given space of land over aoiy other System now known; axid our birds will do as well or better. Therefore I claim my System is twofold better than any system now in use or is sold on the market in book form, when it comes down to condensing the number of birds on a given »pace, saving of labor, getting results in eggs, and having ones birds always healthy, free from lice atnd mites. I wish to state that all cuts in this book are made from actual photographs and drawings from the houses and equipment at our Poultry Plant, to show them up as lifelike as possible, so every- one may see them at the best possible advantage. Crane's System is fully illustrated and described in this book ; with Figs. 10 and 22, one can conceive of the idea of an acre plated to one each of my large laying, and chick raising houses shoAving that 6,000 laying hens can ])e housed on one acre, as we have demonstrated for three years. Also about 15,000 chickens can be matured to five month old anirually on one acre. By having these houses all fitted with Fairl)a.nks and Morse Auto Pneumatic Fresh Water Supply Systems, Mfg. by Fair- banks and Morse of St. Louis, Mo., giving fresh ruiuiing water all the time, and the Norwich Automatic Feeder and my Auto- matic Dry INIash Hopper, so all grain feeding is reduced from two and three times daily to once to twice weekly, will reduce the labor over one-half, therefore bringing the cost of caring for stock in my system to the very lowest minimum. Hatching and brooding the chickens with the X-Raj'^ Incubators and Brooders (of course others can be used) brings the labor of raisirrg chick- ens to a pleasure, and the cost to a low miirimum. I have always fed and watered by hand irntil about three months ago, arrd this is one of the reasons this book was rrot ]m])lished a year ago, as I wanted to try out a few in ore of these lal)or saving ideas. CI-^A.nE'S SYSTEM! Fig. 3. Pig'. 3. This Photo was iiiken ;\bout one year fi-om the time we starieci. Pehruary 1st- 191(1. showing' the original Piano Box House, and two houses of my second edition, having been made portable 5x6 feet with flat lop. but made three stories high, maintaining the same prin- cipals of the Piano Box House. Also t went y of my 3x6 feet and 2 feet high portable, colony chicU raising and .special small mating houses. 10 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRl; Cranes' System has its own Fireless Brooder that is illustrat- ed in Figures 23, 24 and 40 that has proven very successful, and my oat sprouting-, by cases, and out in the open ground that is entirely original; that 1 believe is the best methods knovai to- day. Also my methods of feeding, and caring for young chicka and laying stock for my System Houses in this confineitunt plan is invaluable; also my secret remedies ai:d formulas I'cr disease etc. prepaiing birds for the Shew Room, and Stoiing eggs for Hatching, and Preserving Eggs fre all verj^ valuable, and are covered by this copyright. There are many people who believe my System, Hire all oth- er Systems of this class, is cruel and not natural for the chick- ens; but they do not stop to think by closing their cow, horse or pig in the stable, or pen, and tieing it likely to a small stall it is cruel or unnatural to these animals. No it is just as sane to believe oot do it with birds on range, any more than you can stall feed a steer and let Idm have large at the siiiic time \^•ith ary good result. The (/nly reason that there are peo- ple tiiat tMrik that eenrin nioit systems are cruel and unnatural is because that very few of them have ever tiied it, and give their opinion without practical expci ience. W. 0. Ciane. CRANE'S SYSTEM 11 Fig. 4. Fig, 4. This Photo was taken just two years from the time we ^'^'-J^^' J;;;;7;;^'^^;^^: 191,; at which time the Associate Editor of the Union Poultry J-"--\-'"-^.;'^^'J^^^;^'!^"^,,;te m'Ued its vahie at $3,500.00. All havini? heen produced from a start of t«eUe hens and one ^(^^.kerel in the two years: You will notice the old Piano Box House next to the Residence m Z^:^::. Z^^eL of my Third Edition New I.ayi.. Houses -^^];;ll^;\;;^^^:: the following Figures: 5, 6. 7. H and 9; seven of them havm^ l>een hlled ^n Uh White Le.horns, Iwem^one head to the house. We also had thirty of the chick laism. colony houses at thxs- time. 20 Pieces 1x4x12 ft. 4^Pieces 1x4x12 ft. 2— Pieces 2x4x14 ft. ' 6 Pieces 2x4x12 ft. 2 1-2— Pieces 1x12x12 2— Pieces 1x8x12 ft. 15— Pieces 1x4x12 ft. make 30 Pieces 1x2x12 ft. 2— Pieces 1x4x12 ft. 12 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE Specifications and Directions for Building Large Laying House--Portable Lumher Bill, Jind jMaterial List, for my New Laying House as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. 13 — Pieces 1x4x14 ft. common flooring. common flooring. common Boards. common Dimension Lumber. common Dimension Lumber. common Dimension Lumber. common Dimension Lumber. common Lumber. Ripped once to common Lumber. Ripped three times to mal e 8 Pieces 1x1x12 ft. 2 — Sheets of cheapest plain Galvanized Iron 30x96 in. 4 — Rocst Lon Red Hangers. 4 — Oil Clips for Roost Hangers. 1^ — 1-3 Rolls 3ply Roofing 36 in. wide, if obtainable. Amazon Brand, comes 3 ft. wide, can be obtained by local deal- ers of Buchanan Fester Co. Philadelphia, Pa. 2 — lbs. Roofing Caps, extra. 3 — lbs. Roofing Nails extra. 2 — pkgs. Double pointed Tacks. 1 — pkg. Common Carpet Tacks. 1 — doz Screw Hooks 2 1-2 inches long. 2 — doz. Screw Eyes 1 1-2 inches long. 1 — doz. Screw Eyes 1 1-2 inches long with eyes to fit the IRoost Hangers. 4 — doz. 2 inch Screws. 1 — doz. Screen Door Hocks and Eyes 2 1-2 inches long. 2- -lbs. 6d. Finish Nails. 2 — lbs. 8d. Common Nails. 5 — lbs. 6d. Common Nails. 3 — Bolts 3-8 in. one 3 in. and two 4 in. 5 — ^pr. Strap Hinges 5 in. 8 1-3 — yds. 3ft wide 1 inch mei-h Poultry wire Netting, 2 — pkgs. Steel corrugated Box Fastners 1-2 inch. 3 — yds. Muslin Unbleached 8 cent cpiality. 5 — yds. No. 5 galvanized wire to make long hooks of. 1— lb. Lath Nails. 1 — bunch Lath. 4 — ft. Sash cord. 3 — ^yc-.'-. 10 oz. White Ducking 1yd. wide. (JRAXK'S SYSTKM 13: Ri^. 5. Pig. 5. This Photo shows the South and East Sides of my Third and hist Edition in my LayinK house, with the South Doors open for the day. I have been u,sing- this house two years now and can see no way to improve upon it for this climate. It is made 6x6 feet square and T feet hi)jrh at the eave. and 7 feet. 8 inches at the ti'ahle. 14 0000 LAYING HENS ON I ACRE The above Material Bill costs here from $15.€0 to $16.00, ac- cordicg to how many houses one buyis for at a time; but material here is veiy high and can be bought much cheaper in many oth- er places. Carpenters want about $8.00 for building ore here, as they figure two days work, at $4.00. I do not build and sell these houses. In fact I have nothing used in Crane's System for stale. I simply sell this Book which gives the purchaser the right to build and use eveiy thing used in Crane's System except only the things that are patented by others. I will, however, gladly a-sLst anyone in procuring any thing used in my System, even to getting Houses built for any one at the lowest p'ossible cost. Ccmrii cueing with Fig. 8 as }(.\r guide, ycu vdU fi;st build the sub-ba^e and frame. Outside dimensions of this above the sub-base is 6x6 ft. square seven ft. high at the coiners, and 7ft. 8 inches at the gable. Take a 2x4x12 ft. and cut exact 6 ft. each for two pieces, for the sub-base F. Now cut four pieces 1x4x8 in. and nail v ithin 7-8 in. of the ends on F, having lower end even with bottom of F pieces, to act as corner posts and cleats for sub-base. Cut from 1x4x12. ft. two pieces for G. 6 ft. less the thickness cf 11 e two pieces F. so when nailed in to the corner cleats or posts on the pieces F. first cut, so your sub-base will be exactly six feet square. The corner pcs:ts or cleats answers for cleats to nail the side pieces G. to, and as posts to extend above the sub-base inside the Tip;v;- frame so the House proper cannot move around or slide out of place by heavy winds. Now squaie the sub-base and stay with stay lath across the cornfr. Set the sub-base where you wish the house to stand and level y*; : al- lowing the sub-base to rest on the highest point of ground and level the other corners up to that. Spade the ground up deep inside this sul)-base pulveiize fine, and fill this sub-base level full of fine clean dirt for the chickens dust bath. Grade the ground around the house so it will be even with the top of sub- base and slope away from the house, so all rain and surface water will run from the house to keep the ground floor dry. To make the end frames which is made in solid frame ; take two 2x4x14 ft. and cut exact 7 fe t long to make the four corner posts A. take one 1x4x12 ft. cnt exact 6 ft. for the base B. for both end frames. Take one lxT2xl2 ft. and cut 6 ft. for gable beards D. for both end frames. Frame your corner posts to half lap the bottom corners for the base pieces B. and the top ends cut out for the sinking the gable boaid just even into the cor- ner post; the gable board having first been sized by finding its center on one edige and ripped down from the center to four in- ches wide at the ends ; thus nmking the gable boards 4 inches wide at the ends and 12 inches wide at the centers having this CRANE'S SYSTEM 15 Fig. 6. Pitr. 6" This is another Photo of my New Laying' House, showing the North and West view, with the North Doors open so the chickens tiet all the air there is on warm days and no sun. Here we have the nest door open to show how busy the hens are laying, one waiting for another. 16 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE slope cii the upper edge for to fit to the rcof; giving 8 inches fall on both sides of roof from the ridge in the center to the eve. Nail ycur frames together at the corners seeing that you drive no nails nearer than 1 1-4 inch fr^jin the outside edge of frame. Take two 2x4x12 It. and cut six feet 1g£s the width of the two corner pests A. in each end frame for the four cix)ss girths C. Toe- nail thenQ to the coiner pests A. to the lower one is just 2 ft. 6 inches from the bottom of the base of frame to the top side of this giitb, and the upper one wants to ]'e 2ft. 6 inches from top of lower girth to top of this girth, or jrst 2 ft. fionr top of this girth to tcp of corner pest A. Next make four 4 lower corner braces H. by cuttirg from 2x4s on a right angle miter, and long enough to fit snug up under lower giith at corner p'ost, and ex- tend out on base B. and toe-nail irr place. Next make south and north side giiths E. by cirttiDg 1x4x12 ft. just 6 ft. long mak- ing two for each side. Now cut notches in your corner posts A. on your end frames to sink these side girths even with face of corner pest, cne being on the lower corner and the other just 2 ft. 6 inches from lower edge of frame to top edge of girth on line with Icwer girth C. irr end frame. Wherr you have these notches all cut to fit the side girths and girths ready, place your end frames over the F. ends of the sub-base standing them in place plumb, and stay-lath in place to the sub-base Now screw your side girths E. iir place firm by means of two 2 inch screws at each end; this will, hold ycur frame together and you can remove ycur stay-laths. To make first floor supports take a 2x4x12 ft. and cut 6 ft. le-s the thichness of the two top side girths E. for suppoit R. Fig 8, and tack to them temporarily, so it leaves a 10 inch opening betv/een it and irrside of east end frame, then take a strip of galvenized iron 1 1-2 inch wide nail to top edge of girth E, close to this 2x4 pass around under the lower side clcte to the end of this 2x4, and back to top edge of girth and nail; this will hold this 2x4 support in place without nailing, by doing likewise with each end. Halfway between this floor support and the west end frame cut notches 1x8 inch in both south arrd north top girths to drop in a board you can cut to fit 1x8x6 ft. support L. Fig. 8 this board with the 'latter 2x4 answers as center supports for the first floor, which rest on these and the two 2x4 end girths C. toe-irailed in the end frames. You are ready to put in all fillers, I call them the 1x2 inch strips marked J. to support the 3 ply roofing I cover the west end with, you can see from Fig. 8 how they are prrt in by means of toe-nailing u?eing 6d finish nails, and are put in flush with outside of frame and are all cut to fit its respective place. Now cut aud nail in place your guide strips from 1x2 in. strips for the upper floor on both east and west end frames; you will see in Fig. 8 one is in plain view on west end frame and Fig. 9 CRANE'S SYSTEM 17 Fig. 7. Fig, 7. This Photo shows the New Laying House closed for cold and bad weather, and storms, the fowls havinsi- plenty of ventilation, and no drafts, as the entire East End is open which is covered with one inch mesh wire first, and the two.upper rooms have ti-ood unbleach- ed muslin tacked over the wire; thus giving plenty of light as well as ventilation. 18 GOOO J.AYING HENS OX 1 ACRE also shows them as marked K. and the side strip of lath for side guide. This guide strip being one piece one foot long na-iled to the frame on north or back side on the level for the second floor to rest on at the back side when in place, and from the south end of this one foot piece nail a piece to slope within one foot of the top of the upper front girth E. and comes out within one inch of front edge of the end frame; this guide strip is nailec^ to the end frame after a lath is nailed to the back edge to act as a side guide in putting floor in place after being let down aud drawn out for cleaningj this 1x2 inch guide strip is nailed with its narrow edge to the end frame, thus giv- ing the wide side to act as a slide track for the floor to slide on ; both east and W3st ends are made alike. This house has three floors, the ground floor in the sub-base, and 2 1-2 feet above this is the first floor, and 2 1-2 feet above this is the fieeond floor, or roost dropping floor. Make the first floor next. I use the 1x4x12 il. common flooring for this, this floor is made in tAvo separate halves, each cleated together with 1x2 inch strips like doors, the boards running east and west-wise of the house, and are cut to fit inside of the hotise and rest on the West and east end girths C. also laying over the south and north side girths E. and supported in center by the center supports L. and R. Support R. being within 10 in. from the east end frame. Through this floor over this 10 inch opening you must leave an opening 10 inches wide between the support R. and the east end frame, and have it extended within one foot of the north side and eighteen inches of the front or south side for a stairway, to allow the birds to come up from the ground floor. The halves of this floor are made by useing 1x2 inch strips for cleats three to the half, having the cleats so placed so they will not come in contact with the end girths or center supports when the floor is in place with cleats on the under side. See Figs. 6 and 9 to make the panels of the north side above each opening for doors; these pannels are made of 1x4x12 ft. flooring cleated together with three 1x2 inch cleats the end ones being placed just the thickness of the 2x4 corner posts Q. in Fig. 9 from the end of the panels, so when p-ut in place they will fit closely to help brace the house. See Fig. 9 Letter T. on upper pannel, also brace cleats U. in same panel. The letters V. represents the common flooring boards. The lower panel being 17 inches wide and screwed in place with Three 2 inch screws at each end, the lower edge being even with the top of upper girth E. on the north side. The top panel is 25 inches wide and screwed in place wdth three 2 inch screws at each end just one foot above lower panel, and should be even with the top of corner posts; also lower edge being 7-8 inch below the top of top girth C. in east and west ends. Turn to Fig. 5 to CKANE'8 SYSTEM 19 SoutKSui Fig. 8. Pig. 8, This cut is from- a drawing of the frame work of my New Laying House, show- ing roof suspended over it. This cut gives about all dimentions, but will be explained fully in Directions for Building. make front of south side panels, the top one being made of Ix 4 inch flooring and three boards wide, and cleated at the ends and center same as north side panels and screwed to place with two 2 inch screws at each end, so that top edge is even with top of corner posts A. Fig. 8. For the lower panel take a 1x12x6 ft. board and cleat the ends inside same as the other panels, cut an opening 4 inches wide and five feet long out of the center of this board having upper edge of opening 3 inches from the top' edge for my galvenized feed trough as shown in Fig. 16 Let- ters H. I. J. Screw this panel in place with 3, 2 inch screws at each end, having lower edge of panel even with top edge of top front girth E. To make the roof as shown in Fig's. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, use common flooring lx4xM ft. and 1x2 in. strips for cleats. The roof is made like the first floor in two halves and projects 4 inches over the house on all sides, this makes the length of the roof 6 ft. 8 inches so the flooring is cut this length and 20 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE nailed to three cleats, one in the center and one at each end so as to fit close to outside of gable boards on each end frame^ see Fig, 9 letter Z. After making both halves of the roof put them in place ,hook down the front half by means of screen door hooks and eyes on the underside, inside of house by pla- cing one hook at the gable at each end and one at each corner and one in the center in front. Hook down north half of roof with three of these hooks on the underside of roof and outside of house. Cover roof with 3 ply roofing as shown in Fig. 8 laying it from south to north over the ridge, then put on a pair of 5 inch strap hinges over the end frames at each end. These hinges will allow the north half of the roof to be unhook- ed and raised for more ventilation in hot weather, or to fold north half of roof over onto south half, for taking down and moving, or shipping safely. Take 1x1 inch strips and nail to roof from under side inside close to north and south eves to cover any small cracks that might be there to prevent drafts; also to keep roof from sliding down too far from wind storms etc. See how back half of roof is raised for ventilation in Fig's. 7, 29, 30. To cover the east end frame as shown in Fig. 5 take inch mesh wire 3 ft wide, and two widths 6 ft. 6 inches long each will cover it, and tack on with double pointed staple tacks, and cover over this, front of the two upper rooms unbleached muslin 8 cent quality one yard wide two strips 1 1-2 yd. long with edges seM^ed together and tack on tight with common carpet tacks as shown in Fig. 5. Cover the west end, see Fig. 6, use the 3 ply roofing, one yard wide cuts best, as two widths cover to no waste, each strip cut 6 ft 8 inches long and nailed with nails and C'lp.^ that come with it, the same as the roof To make the swinging screens, see Fig's 5 and C the ones for the upper front opening is made in two screens with a one inch space all around each; first nail in a 1x2 inch strip to the back and just even with the lower edge of the front top panel; also to the back and even with the top of front lower panel that the feed trough opening is in. Insert screw ej^es in this upper strip from the under side to hang these screen doors to, useing two to each door. Take 1x2 inch strips and make your frames for the screens by mitering the corners using corrugated box fas- tners 1-2 inch and 6d finish nails to fasten the corners with, then insert screw-hooks to the top edge of the screens to correspond and hook in the screw-eyes you placed in the strip above the opening to act as hinges for the screens to swing on, and cover the screens with 1 inch mesh wire from your 1 yd. wide netting using double pointed staple tacks. Make the front and back lower screens and hang the same way, placing the screw-eyes in under side of upper girths ¥j. Fig. 8. To make outside doors see Fig's 5 and 6, the nest door as shown CRANE'S SYSTEM 21 FiiT ^) This cut is from a drawing intending to make plain how the'interior of the two upper rooms of the house are ar- ranged and built. 22 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE in Figure 6 is made from 1x12x6 foot board as this openiag should be just one foot wide, by cleating the board with three cleats to prevent warping and hinge to upper panel, but the lower back and the two front outside doors is made from 1x2 inch strips cut to fit the openings by miteiiug the cornel's, and made like the screen framts only you put in cr3=:s filler strips as shown in the illustration, then cover the fiame with 3 ply roofing and hinge to place with 5 inch strap hinges. One pair to the door is enough if placed as shown in Fig. 7. You now make a stairway for first floor, see Fig. 9 letteis I and J. of up- per stairway ; it is made 1x8x55 in. with strips of lath nailed cross wise about 6 inches apart for treads, and place two screw-hooks in the upper end to match two screw-eyes, you now place in edge of the floor at back end of opening you left in the floor for this purpose, having the hook end of screw-hooks turned down, so they will drop in the screw-eyes, acting as a hinge for the stairway; bore a half inch hole in the center of lower end, now raise the stairway up to the floor, and place a screw-eye in lower side of floor just east of the hole in the stairway, now bore a half inch hole throue^ the corner post A. Fig. 8 in line with the screw-c.\ e placf.: .u the floor from the outside, also see Fig. 5, see rope hanging from this hole in south east coiner. Take 4 ft. of sash cord running it through the hole in corner post, screw-eye and hole in lower end of stairway with a knot at each end, and by pulling this coid you can raise the stairway up close to the first floor, and by driving two nails close together part way in, in the corner post at the right height from the hole to receive the knot in the end of the cord when the stairway is drawn up, will hold it up until released, when the stairv\^ay will drop down; but one should have a knot in the outer end of this cord just right so not to allow the bot- tom of the stairway to not come closer than 5 or 6 inches of the ground. To make shield or fence around lower stairway, see Fig. !) letter C. this is for the purpose of keeping hay or litter from being scratched to ground floor, is made by using 1x12 inch board cutting one piece to extend fi'om back of house to front edge of stairway opening, another piece to extend across the front end of opening, and nail together, now cut out notch for hens' to pass around through the back end about 6 inches wide and 8 inches deep leaving 4 inches for the hens to walk over as they pass up or down stairs; now do not nail this fence in place, but by nailing cleats of IxH inch to the floor and on back wall to hold this fence in place and for Leghorns (they being more active) I use the second fence or hallway as you will see in Fig. 9 letters D. and cleat B. holding it in place on back wall, but should have one on floor on west and south sides to hold it in place. For nests, after nailing cross cleats as shown CRANE'S SYSTEM 23 E D a □ D D D D n D D D D D D □ D D D D D D D D D D D D D D □ D D n D D n D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D □ □ □ D D D D D D D D D □ D D □ □ □ n D D n D n D D D □ n □ □ □ D D D D D D D D D D □ D D □ □ n -Eio \Sf n D D n n D D D D □ n D D D D D n D D D D D n D n D D □ an a D □ □ an □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ D nan nan ana □ D □ □ □ □ □ n □ D n a a □ □ □ □ □ Fig. 10. from East to West four feet apart m the ro« . and "^^^^^.^'^ °;°Vio feet square and when the row and 14 rows, which ^- --■''' "^^^^^^^^ IZILZ^.^^^^^^ for three mated up with Lesrhorns. twenty females to one '^'■^^- ^^^^^l^'^l^^l^^^ ■■ years, figures 6174 birds on the acre. -See Introduction of Ciane s b>stem. ^n Fig 8 letter J. on both east and west end frames one foot '4^ the floor to support the ?-f .«V^^ Tfift lli ess tht place the nest board which is 1x8 inch and 6ft. loiig less^*^^ fhickness of the two end frames of the ^J^^,^" ^ ^f '.\ ^^^^^ii^^ Place on this board as is shown in Fig. 9 letter H by maKiii^ S: as^n Fig. 11, only you will have to -t^out paH of back m order to gather eggs from tlK^ back, and ^^^^^f . \^, ^^i^^'^to hens. Finish stairway fence by using pieces of ath nailed o the stairway fence as shown m Fig. 9 front of nest H. We win put in second floor. First we must put in the center guide rail 24 0000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE as is shown in Fig. 9 letter K. You have already put in the guide strip's on east and west ends, and there must be a cen- ter one to hold the center of the two halves of the second floor in place, when hooked up or let down for cleaning; as the second floor is made in two halves M. there being one on the east and one on the v/est halves of the house, and as shown in Fig. 9 the center guide rail is let down in front and the west half of floor ]\I. is let down for cleaning. This center guide rail is made of 1x4 inch with 1x1 inch strips nailed in the cen- ter of it ; take a piece one foot long and nail one end to the center of lowa^r edge of back upper panel, and the other end is held in ])lace by means of screw-eyes and wire hook figures 3 in Fig. 9 to the upper back panel, i-o it remains in a horizontal position : to this is hinged from under side to a piece long enough to leach to the front edge of floor when hooked up in place, and within 2 inches of the front end of this guide rail is placed a screw-eye and another directly over it in the front half of roof and by means of a long wire hook figure 2. Fig 9 hooks up this center guide rail in place when the second floor halves are hooked up in place. As you have the guide rails in place. Make second floor in two halves to fit losely soo they will slide easiy in pace and to extend in front to the screen doors only, which will be one inch from front edge of front frame of house When this center guide rail is unhooked and let down it will not reach the top edge of lower front panel for a rest; so to pro- vide a rest, I use a piece lxi'4x6 in. long cut a notch in center of top edge of front panel, on a slope equal to slope of center guide rail when let down so when this piece is inserted and nailed in it, it will be even with top edge of this panel in front, so wiien the center guide rail is let down on this to rest it will be in line with the end guide rails. You will notice in Fig. 9 that this M cond floor when in place is level with the top edge of end girths R. in Fig. 9. Second floor frames is made but of 1x2 inch strips by mitering the corners as other frames for doors, and putting in necessary strips to support the covering, which 1 use poorest grade galvanizeel iron, and use lath nails to nail it to the frames anel clinch the nails as they will go throujjh some ; this will pa^- as tacks will soon come out. In the east side floor leave an opening 10 inches wide on the east siele, and to extend 1 ft. from the rear, and to within 18 inches from the frcnt, to place the upper stairway, as will be seen in Fig. 9 let- ters I and J. Place Screw-eyes in front end of both floors about 2 inches from front end and six inches from outside of each floor aiul place two in the under side of front half of roof to c'or- r( spend, and make two long hooks the right length to hook the.?e floors to tlu' roof by means of these hooks anti screw- eyes, and have the floors held level, and even with the top CRAiNEM SYSTEM 25 Fig. 11. Fig. 11 This drawing represents a Blind Nest to be used in my Houses when a Trap Nest is not wished, and is made from a common apple box, DIRECTIONS FOR IVIAKING:— Take si common apple box and take out one end and set it in near the center of the box, first cutting out a notch in the back upper corner about six inches wide and eight inches deep to allow the hen to pass into the nest and out. then cut off the front board even with the boai-d .vou set in and nailed securel.v. now nail a cleat crosswise at the outer end of the back board to i)revent splitting, and when the nest isto be used in my large Laying House, you will have to cut out a portion of the back of the nest, so you can gather the eggs, and care for the laying hens from the b»ick: an opening six in. square wUl answer. •edge of the end girths H. Fij^-. '.) in Ix'th end fianu's. Make up- per stairway like the lower, out of 1x8x46 in. long as shown with strips of lath on as letters I J. Fig. 9, and use screw-eyes a.iid screw-hooks as in lower floor stairway to hinge it in place in upper floor. To make the prop A. in Fig. 9, use a piece of 1x1 inch 47 inches long and place a strong screw-hook in each end, the one intended for the upper end straighten the hook out some ; place a screw-eye in under side and near lower edge and in the center of front upper door to receive the screw-hook of uppei- end of this prop, and another screw-eye two inches bekw feeding trough and in the center of lower front panel to receive lower end hook of this pi op, but in put- ing in this pi op, hook in lower end first, then having upper liook straightened out enough can be placed in screw-eye in up- per door, and will hold this door up and yet leave it to slope for- ward enough to allow rain to run off of front lower edge. Raise lower front door to the prop and by means of a screw-hook and •eye is hooked to prop as figure 4. Fig. 9. By means of screw- eyes and making long wire hooks both back doors can be hooked up as desired, see Fig. 6. If one is building only one or two of these houses its wise to anchor them to the ground to prevent up'-setting in heavy wind storms, by taking 2x4 in. pieces about 3 ft. long and digging holes about two feet in the ground at each liack comer and one inside center in front and setting 26 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE these 2x4 pieces about two feet in the ground, and bolting the two l.aek ones to the corner posts of the house and the front one to the lower girHi, see F\g~. 5 and 6. By cutting a hole through the wire nettiiig in the lower back corner of the east end 01 the house large enough to let the chickens' heads come through and plaoiiig a one gallon milk crock with water. 1 find is the best way to provide water for the l>irds in these hou£ef-: and the easiest kind of a vessel to keep clean and sani- tary and where one has several of these houses and can have the " Auto-Pheumatic I're.'-h Wa'er Supply, "' as described under this subject in another place, with running water fresh from the bottom of a well all the tin.e at each cj ock Vv'itli ove.flow drain urakes this System ideal, and saves a great deal of labor. For a first class water fountanr, see Moe's Top Fill Fountain advertisement in back of this book. You now have the house completed all but the Roosts which you will find illustrated as Fig. 21, and description and directions for buildiirg and placing in the bouse under subject, "Mite Proof Roosts." To make feed trough for lower front panel see Fig. 16 letters I. and J. Where one is building several of these houses they can be fastened to- gether at the tops by means of 1x4 irr. strips under the t^ves, S3 it would not be necessary to anchor them to tbe groi;nd. In building these houses stationary, all paneling front and back and roof could be rrailed orr solid without cleats, but flccis should be made removable to allow taking out all floors and fixtures inside, easily and quickly for thoro house cleaning from twice to loav times annually. For winter 1 use drop curtains ai ound roosts. To make same I use 10 oz. AVhite Duck 1 yard wide, ma; ing v;ne 2 yarcs long to hang in frorrt, or east of the roost, tac' et! to the center cleat under the roof w^ith a strip 1x1 in. taci.ed to its bottom that rests on the second floor when in place; and one curtain 1 yd. long tacked to strip the screen door hanrs to the front of the roost wdth a strip of 1x1 in. tacked to its bottom that also rests on the floor when in place. When these curtains are down they will hold in the body heat of the chickens in the roost room and at 8 degrees below we seldorh ever get a frosted comb even on a Leghorn, as we do not let the birds out of the roost room until the siirr is up in the moriring, then by raising the front end of the 1x1 in. strip at the bottom of the curtain running cross-wise of the house, and resting it on the strip the screen door is hung to in front, they can come out from under it, and also back in the evening, and when 1 close the house at night I drop this curtain down, when tliey will be safe until sun-up next day. To modify this house for colder climates I would have .-torui sash made with glass to fit east end, front of the two lower rooms, and the two front openings on the south side to take CRANE'S SYSTEM 27 Fig. 12. Fig 12 This Photo sho« . my Oat Sprouting Department, Four RncL s. of five drawers each makin/a total of twenty draws, each holding two bushels. ^^^^ ^ ^ ^'^^^^f^f^'^ "'/"f/. bushell With this outfit we were able to furnish all the ereen f. ed t^at ^'^^ ^^^'^^^ '"^^^^^l head all winter and some 6(.0 to 700 head of growing chicks all sprmg. See .utoect Oat Sprouting for Green Feed." 28 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE place of the front screens. Screw the one on the east end and hinge the others in front, after fitting them closely, and keep the back or north doors closed tight; then use about a 10 oz. Duck on east front of the upper room, and with the above win- ter curtains inside this hooi'se will be practicable as far north as Minneapolis I believe ; but the watering would have to be done inside of the house to keep from freezing up through the day. Caring for Large Laying House "We will suppose the house we start with needs a thoro clean ing fiom having been used. Unhook and take out second floor Unhook, raise back half of roof about 6 in. Raise roost brack- ets out of the screw-eyes, and take out roosts. Remove nests and nest board. Remove fencing around lower stairway, and untie draw cord at bottom of stairAvay, remove stairw^ay. By standing in opening of lower stairway one can by lifting on the center of iirst floor, loosen both halves of it, and by pulling each half toward the center, and lifting east end a little and shov- ing it a little against the mesh wire on east end, be able to turn each half, so it can be turned and lifted out the front, or be taken out of back lower opening. Take out the 1x8 in. and 2x4 in. supports under the first floor. You have nothing left inside the house now. By taking off lower screens after hook- ing up lower outer doors, clean out all dirt not fit to remain. Take a 12 qt. sprinkle pot filled with water and add two table- spoonful of concentrated lye, stir until dissolved, and sprinkle it all on the remaining dirt in sub-base and take another and sprinkle, and with an old broo!m and pail, drench the house with it inside. Still take the third sprinklerful and sprinkle, wash and scrub all floors and pieces that you have taken out of the house You can now spade up the dirt left in the sub-base and fill sub-base even full of fresh, fine pulverized dirt. When all parts of the house is fairly dry you can replace all floors and fixtures of tlie house by replacing first floor, and so on in re- verse Older you took them out. Place in a good litter on the first floor, good fine hay I like the best, as I find the birds will eat most of this as they scratch so much, they break it up in fine bits and eat it, so it answers both as litter and feed. Keep phnty of fine hay in your nests. You can now place your birds in the house, and if the}^ have never been in one of these houses before, arrange to put them in, in the morning and gen- erally by night they will have hecome acquainted with the house enoi^gh to find the roost themselves, although some of the larger breeds have to be shown a few times; but generally all leam to cliitil) the stairs readily and seem to really enjoy CRANE'S SYSTEM 29 3 ^^9'^ Fig 13 This is a drawing, showing one of the Oat Sprouting Cases or Racks to hold Five Draws, but the draws are out. so as to show ihe construction. To build, see Oat Sprouting for Green Feed." 30 (H.GU LAYING HENS i chicks do better and lost less : also used it with my laying stock with as good results. After the first day or two I put the brood- er with its chicks out in ray chick raising house that has been made ready if the weather is pleasant, and let them out of the brooder en the fres-h diit, but I do not let them slay out of the brooder long at a time as they might get chilled, so I put them back in the brooder for awhile to hover. This has to be done often until they are taught where to go to get wa: m when they get cold, and some times it takes a good many times putting- back to teach tliem. This is my rrrain objection to the fireless. brooders, as it takes lots of time to teach these little fellows to- go in the brooder beiore they get chilled to hover; This led me to try the X-Ray Brooder this season, and the result is, I feel I cannot say tco much in its pi^aise, see "Incubators and B: coders.'' In the X-Ray I pii': the chicks in as soon as ready to feed, having it heated and regulated, and feed them in the machine on pie-tins the first time, and after that I always feed_ 46 6000 LAYING HENS ON I ACRE tliem out in the ruinvay, and keep their water fountain out there too. Before putting the chicks in the machine I fill in a- bout 1-2 in. of Alfalfa meal in both the run and brooder for bed- ding and litter. Out of four different broods I raised in this brooder this year ] never lost a one which I could blame the brooder for, and I know I saved and raised several that I am sure would have died if I had tried to raise them with any other brooder I know of, or with a hen. In using any brooder it will not do to allow the little chicks to become chilled, so with the Fireless Brooder, on cold or freez- ing nights I used to bring my fireless brooders, filled with chicks into the incubator room, for fear they might become chilled, and out again in the morning, when the sun was up. I always want my chicks that comfortable that they do not crowd in the brood- er, or have to huddle to keep warm, so when I open a brooder after the chicks had been in for an hour and I find them huddling, I either bring them into the house or put on an extra pillow on the brooder. Either will remedy the trouble, so when you open the brooder when comfortable they will all be scattered and a- sleep, if you do it quietly. In the X-Ray Brooder I never have seen them huddle once in the four broods, and one can see the chicks all the time so handily, as it has glass on three sides of the machine. I have raised thousands of chickens with the Fireless Brooder, yet I believe its quite a good deal more work than with the X-Ray. Its a good deal like my wife says, "Its fun to raise chickens with th'- X-Ray, you can just see them grow." The only place I can find to buy the steel cut C. grade oats in 100 lbs. lots or in bulk is Montgomery-Ward & Co., Kansas City, Mo. As the chicks become older, say three or four weeks old, one can feed scalded mash feed, the same as you feed the laying stock. Also feed cracked corn and wheat mixed, or separately for a change. Always keep a five-pound but- ter crock filled with bran in the house, and to keep the chick- ens from scratching it out and wasting it, I cut out of 1 in. mesh wire, a piece to fit the inside of the jar and place on the top of the bran, so as fast as the chickens eat it out, this wire mesh would follow to the bottom. When the cockerels can be told, they should be separated, and raised by themselves, and if white birds are to be raised for show purposes, they should be kept from the sun. Don't feed chickens dry oats before they are four months old, and then its best to soak them well and drain the water off for a few hours before feeding. One can feed sprout- ed oats as much as one can get them to eat, and eat up clean, with good results. See "Sprouting Oats out in open ground in Summer." (UiANE'S SYSTEM 47 E :iio' JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUIrUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDnnDDDD ]DDDDDDDDDDDQQDDnaDDDDDnnDDDDD ]DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDQDDDDDDDDD ]DnDaDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD ]DDDDDDDDDDnDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDDnDDDDDDaDDDDDDnDDaD ]DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDnDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD'D e^ IDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD N ]DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDnDDDDDDDDDaD JDDDDDDDaDDDDDDDDnQDDDDDDDDDDD IDDDnDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD IDDDDQaDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD JDDDDDDDDDQDDDDDDDDnDDODDDDDDD IDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD ]DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD JDDDDDDDDDDDDDnDDnDaDDDDDDDDDD ]DDDDDDDDDDDDDDnDDDDnDDCDaDDDD IDDDDDDDDDDnnDDDDDDnDDDDDDDDDD Fig. 22 Fig. 22. This is a drawing for a plat of ground. 210 square feet. One Acre covered with my <3olony Chick Raising or small mating Breeding Houses, as illustrated in Fit^s. 17. IH and 19: 3x6 feet and 2 feet high on a 4 inch base; they are situated 4 feetapart in the row and rows 4 feet apart: thus Kivirg plenty of light and ventilation to every house and plenty of walk room around every house^ and this gives 30 rows and 21 in the low, making a total of 630 houses on the acre- One can care for 25 chicks to the house, until 8 weeks old. thus producing 15,700 broilers every 8 weeks or nearly 100,000 annually. One can mature 12 birds five months old in each house; thus maturing over 15,000 birds five months old annually on One Acre. See "Introduction of Crane's System." Oat Sprouting for Green Feed It has been a belief of mine for many years that oats sprouted propel ly would make the best feed possible for confined chick- ens to produce e^gs, and at the same time keep their bodies in a perfect condition, and too a great saving could be made in the feed bill, because oats properly sprouted will increase from six 48 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACKE to eight times in . quantity, yet vrili not increase over three to four times in food vahie ; but even at this will give a saving of two-thirds to three-fourths of the feed bill. One can keep growDi fowls on Sprouted Oats alone with good results, yet I do not. recommend it as ] believe in a change in rations, therefc:e I give a vaiiety, as they will eat mere and can get better results. I recommend good Sprouted Oats first, last and all the time about all they will eat and eat up clean if you want the best re- sults, ior chicks 10 days old, to grown fowls of all kinds, yet don't forget the other things that they need, see subject of "Feed- ing Matured Fowls"; Also "Feeding Chickens". With this belief I commenced from the beginning by trying- to sprout oats, but I was not satisfied with my experirrrents so. I bought several other men's ideas who were using some kind cf a process that was for sale, for this purpose, but none that 1 bought, entirely satisfied me, as with every process I obtained I found none of them practical to use to furnish 500 to 1000 birds, as either they would take too much time and labor to keep- enough on hand, or they would sour, or not grow even, or be in such shape as to take too much time to do the feeding. So I continued my experimenting and finally success crowned my ef- forts when I discovered "My System of Sprouting Oats". Fig. 12 is a Photo taken of our Oat Sprouting Department using my System, where we furnished all the Sprouted Oats wished to feed over 400 head of Laying Stock and in the spring commencing- with February we fed sorrre 6D0 to 7G0 head cf grovring chicks all they wanted. Ihis took one man about 20 minrrtes night and morning to care for this department, and crre could feed them to some 60 different houses in less than 20 minutes to a feeding. So long as we could keep the temperature in this room between 55 and 75 degrees above zero we would have no trouble with our oats sprouting, or their becoming spoiled or souring, if the oats we bought would germinate and j^row To make these cases or racks with diaws, see Figs. 13 and 14. Lumber and Material List for one of tht.'e lacts with draws. 2 — 1x8x10 ft. Common Lunrber 1 — 1x4x12 ft. Ccmmcn Lumber 3 — 1x4x10 ft. Common Lumber 3 — 1x2x12 ft. Ccmmon Lumber Two or Three Dry Goods Boxes, or Shoe Boxes that con- tain 1-2 inch luml)er that a:e at hast three feet long. 1—1 Lb. 8 d. Nails. 1 — 1 Lb. 6 d. Common Nails. 1 — Lb. Lath Nails. See Fig. 13. Cut standards A. 6 pieces 5 ft. long. Take down Dry Goods Boxes and select 12 pieces B. 6 in. to 8 in. wide, cut 3 ft. long. Cut 10 pieces C. from the 1x2 in. x 12 ft.. CRANE'S SYSTEM 49 Fig. 23. Fig. 23. This Half-tone is of Crane's Fireless Brooder, made from a jralvanized iron wash-tub' that can be made up to cost less than $1.00 and is as good or better than any Fireless Brocdor known, and I think just a little the best. See description and directions for building- under .subject, "Crane's Fireless Brooder," elsewhere. 50 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE 3 ft. kng. Cut 4 pieces E. from 1x4x14 ft. 25 1-2 ia. long-, and one 29 in. long D. and Two pieces' F. 29 in. long of the 1-2 inch lumber 4 in. wide. Cut two pieces Gr. from 3 to 5 ft. long 4 in. wide f: cm the 1-2 in. lumber. N^ow nail together. Fir&t lay three of the .standards A. A. A. on the floor or saw lioisos. m) the two outside ones are jnst three feet apart from outsidv> to outside, and the center one place so its front edge is 12 in. from front ■edge of front standard. Now take a B. piece that is 6 in. wide, •and nail to these three standards A. A. A. even Avith the bottom •ends using lath nails for all 1-2 in. lumber. Novr nail another B. piece even with the top ends of standards A. A. A. Commencing with top of B. strip nailed to the bottom, space with a rule and "mark on both front and back standards A. A. every 11 inches toward the top ,and you will find 10 in. left from the last one, •and the to]3 of standards. Nail on the four B. strips so theii- top ■edges are even with your marking so their top edges are all 11 inches apart. Now nail one C. strip to B strip at the ])ottom of standards A. A. A. and have it just 2 in. below top of edge of B. strip. Take four C strips and cut notches out of what is to be the upper edges 1 in deep and 4 in. long, the front edge of same should be 12 in. from the front end of this strip, in order to drop the ends of E. strips into when nailed in place. Nail your 4 C. strips with notches to B. strips already nailed on standards A. A. A. using 6 d. nails so the top edges of C. is just 2 in. below the top edgees of B. strips on all of them. This will give you just 9 in. between top and bottom edges of all C. strips for the draws to slide on You have one side finished; We will call it the right side. Now nail up the left side same way, but be careful, and do not make it just like the right, as you see from the drawing, the strips and runners have to be on the inside of both so they are nailed ^n different sides of the standard pieces A. A. A. Having both sides ready set them up, and nail in the 4 E. strips using 8d nails; also nail front top F. strip m place. You may find it a trifle long but that can be sawed off after it is nailed on. Meas- ure the distance apart at the back of the standards and see that it is the same as it is at E. strips, and nail G. pieces in place, nailing together where they cross. Now invert the rack and fit D. strip in place by cutting out of B. strips, notches on each side frame, out of bottom edge close to middle standard A. in front of it 2 in. deep and in width the thickness of D. strip. Cut notches out of D. strip two inches deep and same distance from the end as is equal to the thickness of A. B. C. and do likewise at each end and nail in place as is shown in drawing with 8 d. nails. This will finish the rack. See Fig. 14 and pro- ceed to build the draws by cutting 1-2 in. lumber enough first to make the sides of the draws I, which is 8 in. wide and 2 ft. long. For the ends H. cut 10 pieces 2 ft. long from your 1x8x10 ft. CRANE'S SYSTEM 51 Fig. 24. Fig. 24. This Photo was talcen looking into one of my Colony Chick Raising Houses of a flock of 25, three weeks old, Buff Orpingtons, showing my Fireless Brooder in use on the floor side of the house and my Automatic Chick Water Fountain in use on the dirt side of the house. The wire screen on the top of the house being shoved alonji' to give a better view. 52 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE and nail the I side pieee.s to the end pieces H. Yon can cut more of the 1-2 in. box lumber and make the bottoms which is cut 2 ft. long and nail, using 6 d. nails for these draws. Bore about 8 1-2 in. holes in the bottom for drainage. One can put galveuized iron on the bottoms of these draws and let it turn up on the edges or !-:ides of the draw about 2 inches and nail with lath nails and clinch all that comes through on the inside. With a 10 d. nail punch about a dozen holes through the iron bottom, h<";ving one at each coiner to drain off any surplus water, should you over-sprinkle them. This by far makes the best bottom that will never wear out but costs al cvt ^^5 cents per draw more. Plfice your cases in a room, or basement or incubator cellar that you can regulate the heat or U mp'erature and keep it between 55 and 75 degrees above Zero, and set your cases over either a linoleum or cement floor, so if you sprinkle a little too heavy it will drip on this kind of a floor and can be kept wiped up handily and the room will show no sign of dampness from the oat grooving. This System of Oat ^'prouting is worth many times the cost of this book to any one if ycu have no more than a dozen chickens and want winter eg-gs. As this feed will produce the eggs, and if one has breeding stock, you cannot help but ap- preciate it as this feed will cavse your eggs to be fertile, if you have good vigerons stock and the chicks will be stronger. To sprout oats I figure two of these cases with a total of ten draws makes a set, as it takes about ten days to mature the oats for feeding if the room has been kept a little cool. This gives a draw per day which holds 2 bu. of finished feed. I use three No. 1 galvanized iron wash tubs in connection with each set. Eveiy other day I take 1-2 bu. of dry oats and soak them in one tub by covering with water over night in the Oat Growing room. In the mornmg 1 take one tub and place three bricks on end a- bout the edge, and take the other tub that I have punched full of holes with a nail and set on the bricks in the other tub. I now pour the soaked oats and water and all into this tub with the holes in the bottom and he: e I let them stand for 48 hours, but I stir them up every night and morning, then I divide them betv/cen two draAvs in the rack keeping them stirred up every night and morning, sprinkling them at the same time with water, using a common sprinkler pot. If one has water pressure at hand one can sprinkle with a hose having a spray nozzle. When the oat sprouts are about one inch long, they are the best to feed Baby Chicks after ten days old, but they can be kept and fed with good results and profit, when the sprouts are 4 in. long, to laying hens. They are at their best when about 2 in. long, when each draw will l)e full, holding 2 bu. which comes from a peck of good dry oats, making 8 bushels from one, costing from 4 cent* to 9 cents per. bushel, according to price of oats. CRANE'S SYSTEM 53 - --ie illustrates the famous X-Ray Incubator, made by the X- Ray Incubator ( 'o.. of Wayne. Neb., that I have fullv demonstrated and tested, and hav- ing used many of the popular makes. I believe this machine is the best and the cheapest to run n,ade. See their Adv. in the back of this book, also subject 'Incubators and Brooders- elsewhere 54 ()000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE Sprouting Oats in the Open Ground in Summer This is entirely my own invention, or discovery so far as I know. 1 soak the oats over night just as when used in the sprouting racks. During tlie three early months of spring, and late fall months, this method has proven a great success, witti no shade, but through the hot summer weather, I believe it can be done the same way by building a shade of lath overhead, and on the south and west sides of the j^lot of ground you wish to use for this purpose, by placing the lath about 1-2 in. apart. One might have to irrigate them in some way during long dry spells on account of the hot sun in this climate. 1 have not tried out this hot weather shade part of this yet, but I believe it will work alright. After selecting the place you wish to use for this purpose, either spade or plow the ground quite deep and pulverized well. Take a hoe and run trenches about S in. deep and 12 to 15 iii. apart, now drain the w^ater off the oats that have soaked over night and sow them about 1-2 in. deep in these trenches and cover them with about 1-2 to 1 in. deep and pat them down. If you will soak them 24 hours ahead of sowing, but draining the morning after setting them to soak, they will come up a day sooner. They come up very fast, and thick, raising the dirt with them and when they have raised the earth over them about an inch, or is even with the surface of the ground ])et^V('en the rows, I take a garden rake and take off the earth in })etween the rows. This M'ill leave the oats as square on top as if they had been sheered off like a hedge, and they will be just lidit to feed young chicks, by digging them with a spading fork and shaking the dirt out ol' the roots and by the aid of a wheel- barrow, I wheel to all the houses and feed in the sod. They should be fed to laying stock at the time they are about two in- ches high, but can be fed with profit when five inches longf, and they like them so well that they will eat them in preference to anything else and it makes one of the best feeds one can give for eggs, or conditioner. One can use the oat sproutiug hacks herebefore described in summer if they have a basement that can be kept cool, anywhere from 55 to 80 degrees above z-ero. Incubators and Brooders The question always arises with anyone when the time comes to buy, which shall I buy, or which is best. Right hei-e let me say after having more or less experience with incubators for over twenty years, and some years hatching 10,000 eggs, and after inventing and manufacturing a fireless incubator some twenty years ago, and making the subject a study all these CRANE'S SYSTEM 55 Fig. 26. Fig. 26. This Photo was taken of our Etrg- Department, showing- how we store Eggs for Hatching.or otherwise: using the Star Egg t'.urier & Tray Mfy. Cos.. cases, that holds twelve dozen each. Each case has twelve Cartoons that holds one dozen each, and the egtis stand on end. so by turning the case end for end. it turns the eggs all at once. See subject "Storing Eggs for Hatch- ing," elsewhere; also Star Egg Carrier & Tray Mftr. Co's., Adv, in the back part of this book. 56 GOOU LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE years. I am delighted upon finding on the market what I terai an Ideal Incubator, -which is a pleasure to operate; While I consider the same time there are many good standard incubators on the market; I have nothing to say against them, and many of tl'.''in are good, yet taking all in all, everything considered, I consider my favorite has many advantages. 'i herefore I am using the X-Ray Incubator, the machine with the Glass Top, as manufactured by the X-Ray Incubator Com- pany of Wayne, Neb. This machine ] find after miming it several times comes the nearest to perfection, and is the easiest regulated, and the cheap- est running, at the same time giving the best results, and is far superior to any machine that I have ever looked over or used. The arjangement of air circulation, the caring for the chicks until ready to take away form the machine, is simply ideal in this machine, and the advantage of having every egg in plaii] N'iew at all times has a great advantage at hatching time, as one can see w^hat to do, and when to do it, and enabels one to get a strong healthy chick from nearly every good egg, and the Automatic Regulator by cutting off the blaze of the lamp thus stopping the flow of heat as .well as saves the fuel, making it positive in regulation, and cheap' in operating. I el tcu leave the City for a day at a time, and I always know tile machines are doing their duty just the same, and the gettirjg lip of nights to look after them is all unnecessary. I never had it to do with the X-Ray ,as the automatic trip is bound to cut off the blaze before the machine overheats the eggs, after the machine is once regulated. Directions for running this ircubator will be found with this machine, as well as with all other makes, and it is best to follow the rules laid down by each manufacturer generally, and you will be near the right track. Yet I will add a few useful hints practiced by many old experienced incubator users that will not be fount! in any of the manufacturers' directions, and wil] save you the c ost of this book on nearly evei\y hatch you undertake. Fiist, sel( ct your eggs for the incubator and place them in the t!ay or trays so that the small end of the egg points down waid slightly, and arrange the egg in rows so they fit closely, and you will get more into the tray until the first test, which I usually do on the 5th. or 7th. day. The white egg the 5th. day, and the dark egg the 7th. day. Usu.allj^ you will find a few unfertile eggs, which you take out, giving more room in the tray. But save these unfertile eggs to hard boil for the little chicks' first food, and feed some until a few days old. Second, after eggs are all iu the tray, take a dish of water about the same temperatui'e of the eggs and sprinkle them well CRANE'S SYSTEM 57 Fig. 27. Fi^ 27. This drawi.^ represents a Chart for line-breedins:. whereby one can Pr-d'.ce practi- cally two new strains from a sin.le mating or pen in three, or five .enerat.ons. See subject. Lme Breeding." elsewhere. with the fingers as a lady does the clothes she is about to non and immediately place tray in the incubator that you have already heated up and 'regulated ready to receive the eggs. J^ggs less 58 (iOOO LAYING HENS ON 1 ACHE than tJiioe days old do not require tliis. Third, on the 10th. day of the hatch take a large pan with water about 2 1-2 in. deep, heat to a temperature of 98 to 104 de- grees, and place all the eggs in this water and let remain for one to two minutes and return to machine at once wet, and close up machine tjuickly. Repeat this on the 18th. day. When you first discover eggs jiiping see your sand in moisture pans under the tray is good and w^et, close the machine and keep it closed until all chichs are hatched, or due to he hatched, never opening the machine: unless you see that they are coming too slow on ac- count of being too dry and in such case have a dish of hot water ready and some woolen clothes, open the machine quickly, wring flannels out of hot water as hot as you can handle, lay over the eggs, ehicks just coming, and just out and all. close the machine quickly and leave twenty minutes: then open the machine as little as possible and draw out the flannels and close the machine quickly, and cover the glass if in an X-Ray machine with papers or pads ,being careful not to cover the vent holes on the top of cover oT the machine at the corners; this you will find will assist the balance of the hatch and the chicks will all come out nicely if they have not been neglected too long. Now in the X-Ray machine when the chicks are all hatched, or you think they are through you can remove the tray, chicks shells, and all and place the chicks in the bottom of the machine, close down the cover and run the machine about the same as for hatching, and leave the chicks here for the first thirty-six to forty eight hours Avithout feeding or water, when they will come out of the machine fully ripe, ready to eat, drink, and are strong ready to battle for life in this world. If you \vill follow the rules laid down by your Incubator and these useful hints you will hatch every strong useful chick and raise it too, if fed, watered and ]u)used properlv. BROODERS. They are Iavo kinds — Heated and Fireless. Of late years the Fireless Brooders have come into prominence to a great extent, as it has been difficult to get a Brooder that -would be self-reg- ulating at all times, when chicl Nail D. strips on inside of C. in center. Nail E. on top end of D. strips, and your roost is ready. You will find it easy to clean, will not draw moisture from the droppings, and very convenient and, if cleaned off daily, will aid much in keeping the house- clean. Portable Mite- Proof Roosts See Fig. 21, lettered A. B. C. D. E, also Fi.g 9 where roost is in place in the house. This roost I invented especially for my large Laying house, and I have been very much pleased with the results since I have had it in use the last three years. We have never seen a mite in the plant. You will see from Fig. 21 that its simply constructed of four 3-8 in. iron rod brackets, that hang in screw-eyes with eyes that will fit nicely the 3-8 in. iron rod brackets that slip into them. Oil cups on these iron brackets, and 1x2 in. strips for roosts. As all measurements are given in the cut it will not be neccessary for me to repeat here. I usually take 1x2x2 in. blocks and boie 3-8 in. hole in center place on under the cups and tighten in place with small nail driven from under side between the iion lod and the block, to hold cups in place To place in house put two screw-eyes in inside back panel Y. Fig. 9 one above the other about 3 in. apart, to receive a bracket, so it will suppoit the roost, AA^hen on the- CRANE'S SYSTEM 69 ^. Fig 35. Fig. 35. This Half-tone is from a Photo of our much admired. S. C. Black Orpington Cock* 'King Night," which has been valued at $.iO(».00. and won First over ""Buster" at the E.O.P.A. Show at Tulsa. 1910; being the first time •'Buster " was ever beaten. 70 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE bracket 6 in. above the second floor, and about 9 in. from the- west end frame of the house; place another set of screw-eyes 13 in. from the other set, for the other bracket, east of it. Place the strips A. and B. on all four Brackets and set north brackets in screw-eyes you have placed and raise south brackets up to the south half of roof when you can easily see where to set the Screw-eyes, for the two south brackets to hang in, and have them spring into them. When set and hung so the roost is 6 inches from second floor the whole length, and about 9 in. from west end of the house, fill oil cups with ciude oil, or a mixture of 1-2 lard and 1-2 kerosene. See that the joint around the bracket rod and the center tube of oil cup is packed well with j)utty,. when your roost will be ready for use. Line Breeding Line Breeding Chait see Fig. 27. This is the method used by nearly all of our best breeders to perpetuate their strain, or to produce new strains. One should start with as fine specimens as possible. One can start from one male and one female, or one male and seveial females, and use this chart just the same. This chart is very similar to what I have seen published, called Felch's Chart; but of the two charts that I have seen, neither was correct. This chart will figure out as is marked and des- cribed below. This line breeding one seldom sees explained in Poultry papers for some reason, that 1 do not know, and until recently I never have seen a chart published and exlplained in a Poultry Paper. 1 find very few indeed that understand how it is done, especially after second year's mating; therefore most everybody buys a ncAv cock to mate up with their hens, every year or two to keep from running down their flock by in- breeding. This is a great mistake, as no one can tell what the cross of two strains will produce in type, markings of feathers,^ or how good they will be as egg' prcduceis, even if the new cock is well bred and a fine specimen of the same breed as females. But all high grade well bred strains have been produced mostly by following out some system of line breeding, and this chart will give you, 1 believe, the best system of line breeding known today. By this chart you can pioduce practically two new strains in three, or five years. First year, mating pens 1 and 2, you will produce pen 3, 1-2 blood of each father and mother. Second year mate Mothers pen 1, to the l)est son of pen 3 which is 1-2 mothers blood, and this will gi\c vcu pen 4, 3-4 mothers blood, and 1-4 fathers blood; also same year mate father from pen 2, to daughters from pen 3, and you will get pen 5, 3-4 blood of the father and onlv 1-4 mothers blood. Third vear mate the CRANE'S 8YSTE:m 71 Fig. 36. Fig. 36. This Half-tone is made from a Photo of the State Famous S. C. Black Orpington Cockerel we raised in 1911. Winning: First at State Fair at Oklahoma City in September. First at E: O- P; A. Show at Tulsa, in Januar.v. 1912; also winning First and the Special A. P. A. $20.00 Gold Medal Prize at Muskojjee in Januar.v 1912. and a valuation of $5lX).00 placed upon him by the Judges. The owner of this bird at the time he was shown and won the A. P. A. $20 00 Gold Medal, was not a member of the A. P. A., therefore, the Metal was with-held and was given to the owner of the next best bird in the show, who was a member of the A. P. A. Moral: Join the American Poultr.v Association hefere the next State Show. 72 (iUUU LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE best grands(.u from pen -i. to g; nd inotlieis pen 1, and yon get pen 6, 7-8 mothers blood, and !-!■ fatheis blood only, making prac- tically a new strain of the motheis blocd separated fiom the fathers; also mate the grandfather from pen 2, to granddaugh- ters of pen 5, and you will get pen 8. 7-8 fatheis l)lood, and only 1-8 mothers blood left, this gives practically another new stiain of the fatheis blood sej^arated from the mothers; also mate best male f i om pen 5, which is o-4 fathers blood to fe- males from pen 4, which is 3-4 mothers bleed and vou will get pen 7, 1-2 blocd of both father and mother. Now you can start over again using either pen 6 or 8. and follow out the chart from the beginning for the next three years, or continue by this chart for two years more by mating the fourth year a 3-4 mothers blood male from pen 4, to 7-8 mothers l)lood females from pen 6, and get pen 9, which is 13-16 mothers blood and 3-16 fatheis blood; also mate 7-8 fathers blood male from pen 8 to the 3-4 fathers blood females from pen 5, and you get pen 13, 13-16 fathers blood and only 3-16 mothers blood; also mate male 7-8 fathers blood from pen 8, to 1-2 fathers blood females from pen 7, you will get pen 12, 11-16 fathers blood and 5-16 motheis blood; also mate male 1-2 mothers blood from pen 7, to 7-8 mothers blood females from pen 6, you will get pen 10, 11-16 mothers blood, and 5-16 fatheis blocd; also mate male 7-8 fathers blood from pen 8, to 7-8 mothers blood females from poii 6 and you will get pen 11, 1-2 blood of both father and mother you started with. The fifth year you can mate 13-16 mothers blood females from pen 9, to a 1-2 mothers blood male from pen 1} and 3'ou will get pen 14, 21-32 mothers blood, making practical- ly a new strain. Also mate a 13-16 fathers blood male from pen 13, to 1-2 fathers blood females from pen 11, and you will get pen 18, 21-32 fathers blood, practically another new strain of the fathers blood. You can also mate 13-16 fathers blood male from pen 13, to 5-16 fathers blood, and 11-16 mothers blood fiMnales from pen 10, and you will get pen 17, 9-16 fathers blood; also mate male from pen 12. which is 11-16 fatheis blood, and 5-16 mothers blood to 13-16 mothers blood females from pen 9, and you will get pen 15, 9-16 mothers blood; also mate 11-16 fathei's blnod male from pen 12, to the 11-16 mothers blood females from pen 10, and you will get pen 16, 1-2 fathers and mothers blood you started with from pens 1 and 2. So you see at the end of five years you have not inbred closer than 1-2 bloods, and have two pens that represents the fathers and motheis bh)od separated, giving you two separate strains from the birds you started with, and if you have been careful in selecting your breeders all these five years you should have improved your birds as well as kept up their vigor. This eliart ard explanation alone is worth maii>' tiiiK s the value of tliis bet ] t< these wb(» d > n>t know CKANE'8 SYSTK.Al 73 F:g a Fig. 38. Fiys. 37 and :?8. These Half-tones ;ire from Photos t.iken of Portions of our Plant in February. 1912, after a heavy snow storm, the snow remaining several days, which shows my System in use in the snow. We tiot our largest ega yield the day these photos were taUen dur- ing the winter up to this time. 74 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE how to line breed. Always breed from 3' our best layers, and use the American Standard of Perfection as your guide for selecting your best specimens from 3'our best layers for your breeders, then follow this chart and 3'ou are safe. Poultry Diseases I am not going into full detail and make this liook a doctor book for the sick chickens, but 1 will point out ways to keep poultry healthy, by use of my System of feeding and housing. Yet no matter how sanitaiy one may keep the houses and birds, one will have some sickness, caused mostly by severe changes in weather. This causes more of the sickness we have than all other causes combined. In fact it is our only cause of sickness with my "System", when the foAvls are caied for properly. For a good book on Disease and Remedies, I will refer you to G. E. Conkey & Co., Cleveland, Ohio. They publish a disease book, entitled "Poultry Diseases" — "A Handy Book of reference for Poultry Men'', and 1 think that they will mail you one, or refer you to some poultiy sui)ply dealer who will give you one. This book describes each disease, and gives a remedy of their manufacture. We are using some of these remedies and like them very much, especially their roup, Bronchitics, and Healing Salve. 1 Ix'lieve the other remedies are just as good, yet we have not had occa- sion to use them much. We use in addition to the above mention ed remedies, otheis of my own, that have proven very success- ful, and you will find them very cheap to get up. SYSTEM BUILDER AND CLEANSER I use quite a little Red Venitian, or Mineral Paint Powder, by mixing with brand mash with boiling water, in which I dis- solve enough red venitian to make a stilf dough, quite red. This I feed at least twice a month or once a week will do no harm, 10 both growing chicks and laying stock. This tends to cleanse the system like charcoal, and will cause egg production from an increase circulation of bleed and their combs will be red and rosy, keeping them in the piul; of conditiou. CHOLERA OR BOWEL TROUBLE 1 give a tal)lcsi)0()nful of Ei)soui Salts to two ([uarts of water in their drinking water foi- a dfiy or two, and kecpinu' all other water away from them, l^'oi- indixidual dose, give one- half teaspoonful dissolved in hot water. 'Ihis is a good thing to give lor mcst any disease along with other me<^lieines, ;is it will assist to cast off the disease germs. CRANE'S SYSTEM Fig. 40. This Photo shows Cranes Fireless Brooder with its till of little ones out on the lawn. 76 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE CROP BOUND I give a tablespoonful of castor oil and kneed the crop soft, and thoroughly mixed with the oil. Repeat every six hours until crop is empty, keeping all food away from the first. After the crop is empty commence to feed lightly for a day or two. COLDS, OK RUNNLNG AT NOSTRILS I apply Conkeys ROUP (U'RE POWDER, using a little on the flat end of a tooth-pick, and tip it into entrance of nostril, after cleaning the opening, and let the fowl breathe it into its head. Also use it in the drinking water as directed on the box. Usually one or two applications on the nostrils will remedy the case, It not of too long standing. SORE EYES Besides Murine Eye water, I use the Nitrate of Silver solu- tion given below for Swelled Head, and if taken in the early stages it will cure nearly all cases. CANKER SORE MOUTH I use Carbolic Acid, applying with a small camel hair brush to the cnaker spots after removing all the puss or canker that I can with a pair of tweezers. This will burn out and kill the canker growth, and when killed, apply an application or two of sweet oil to help heal the sore. SWELLED HEAD Where an absess gathers between the eye and nostril after it has assumed quite large proportions I lance the swelling quite deep, and try to force out the puss if ripe, but sometimes the gathering is not far enough along, only to bleed very profusely. I have plenty of cotton and a pair of tweezeis handy to absorb the blood, and use the tweezers with a small piece of cotton twisted on the points very close as a swab. I soak in carbolic arieties. Of course we liatch^ed all eggs from th^ nirre pens, we did not sell for hatching to others at fancy prices, that yiear. In the fall we had about Five hundred young chickeiLs that we had raised, and the most of the puliets was kept as breeders for the third year, yet we sold enough cockerels and pullets to equal the price we paid out for the pens that we bought that 88 (5000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE season of the new varieties added. At the end of the second year we had over four hundred birds as breeders made up of ten varieties, and was from the best strains in each variety that our country boasts of to day ; many of these birds had a sliow record that was state wide as prize winners. We exhibited at the Eastern Oklahoma Poultry Association Poultry Show at Tulsa, Okia., Januaiy 10, 1911, just before the close of our sec- ond years work, One Hundred and Thirty-five birds ; covering two pens each of the ten varieties, and some three, that we were breeding. At this show we won all the prize loving cups offered; namely, one for the largest and best display. Second for the best display of one variety, based on show points and Third for the best pen in the show, making three $25.00 cups. We also won three Best Pen Specials Ten Dollars each, offered by the County and Five Dollar Specials on the best Cockerel, and best Hen in the show, also enough Specials, and regular First, second and Third Prizes, to make over Seventy-five Prizes in all ; this of course give us great prestige for the next seasons work. At the end of the second year, February 1, 1911, we had another Photograph taken of our Plant to show our lapid progress, as will be seen in Fig. -i, when about this time the associate editor of the Union Poultiy Jourual was here and estimated the Plant worth at least $3500.00, and it was my l)est opinion tliat he gave it a correct valuation. You will notice that by this cut the old Piano Box coop that I started with ; near the center of the large coops. You will al**o notice that I have made my third edition in a Laying house and have embodied in this hotise all the essentials to bring it up to the height of perfection, and still maintain the principals of the old Piano co*op. This new house was gotten up and was building the first two, when my oldest son took sick with typhoid fever and died in a weeks time, June 9th. of the second year 1910, and by December 25th. of the same year we had fifteen of thse new 6x6 ft. Houses and two 5x6 ft. one being the Piano Box house and the other my second edition. In this my last edition 6x6 ft. House we mated, in Leghorns 20 females to one Male, and plac- ing them in our yard four feet apart in the row running East and West, and nine feet between the rows, so to allow the sun to enter the house even to the low^er room when the sun runs low- est in the short days of winter, figures out on a square of 21 Ox 210 ft. each way; One Acre, 294 houses; 21 head of Leghorns to the house, as we have always mated with success for over two years, means that one could house 6174 matured birds on One Acre. Hence the title of my System "6000 Laying hens on One Acre". With the above size matings in our houses we have found that our hens have always been in the pink of condition giving us as large or larger egg yield than when five or six CRAinE'S system 89 are kept in a house of three l)y six feet; and does not tal-e as much time to care for them, as it does of the house of only pos- sibly six head; and on the ground that it takes to place cne of the large houses one could not place over two of the small three by six houses including space between the houses to give the necessary sunlight and air at all times of the year; there- fore one ca,n readily see how I put about twice as many li ds on a given space of ground and care for them with less than one half the labor, that one could any system using a coop of three by six size in wliieh one can house half as many on the same space of ground. While with these large matin gs in L?g- horns, and the egg >i(ld so great the fertility has given us surprisingly large pereentages, many times going 100 p^ercent on te!-ling eggs at a time in incubator hatches; but in larger breeds one does not want to house more than is wise to mate with one male; such as Orpingtons I would not mate more than 10 to 12 to the house, and Plymouth Rocks about the same ; while R. I. Reds, and Wyandottes we have always mated fifteen females to one male. The house is in all cases large enough to hold all that is wise for one to mate with one male in any variety, for the best results. During the first year and ip to Xmas. of the iseco-nd, I worked at the store from ten to twelve hours a day, and all the attenticn I could give the Plant was before daylight ,and after dark,, except on Sundays, as I carried my lunch most of the time at noon, and the Plant was otherwise caicd for by my two boys that attended school, they were twelve and fourteen, and my housekeeper, until June of the second year, when the death of my oldest son oecured, leaving the youngest son, my hou'sekeep- er and myself to care for the Plant till Xmas when I quit my posi- tion at the store to give the fast growing Poultry Plant my full and undivided attention. Believing in the necessity of green food for confined birds, (During the first years work), I experimented persistently trying to sprout oats successfully and not have them become sour and sp'oil, or consume to mich time careing lor them to keep enough on hand to feed large num- bers of fowls, as 1 wa^ convinced that it was the best fotod that one could feed to eithei- la.ying hens or growing chicks whether confined closely or on r-ange. 1 bought other mens ideas that Avas for- sale, but always something was wrong, either they would overheat, and would not gi-ow even, or the process was to ted- ious and take to much time to keep them on hand; so I kept studying and experimenting until I had it figured out to my satisfaction, and the second winter we spr^outed oats all the time, enough to feed our entire stock <)f over Four Hundred head, all they would eat, arrd did not take over fifteen minutes time for one of us to attend jto theui rright and morning, and they at 90 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE all times were in the best passible condition to feed. This Sprou- ter is illustrated as Fig's. 12, 13, 14 and is described under head of "Oat Sprouting "., by this means I was able to turn one bushel of dry oats into six to eight bushels of sprouted oats, the best feed possible to feed either grown fowls, or little chicks; so you cam see how I was able to keep our fowls so cheap thus giving us added profits which seems at first sight almost impossible. Starting out the third year with four hundred layers of ten varieties I devoted my whole time, and employed a man six weeks during the busiest time of hatching, as 1 nui eight large 240 egg incubators, hatching over 10,000 eggs, between January 15th. and June 15th. our hens furnished all the ec^s and as many more that was i>:old to other people to hatch at fancy prices. We sold most of the chicks we hatched as day-old-chicks, shipping mar- -^f them to distant points, and never had one reported died in transit or arrived in bad condition; but before the close of the season we 'had to reject -several large orders, some 1000 chicks each, as we had no incubator cellar, and we did not dare run too late as it gets very hot here in June to regulate an in- cubator in an upper room. We kept and raised about seven hun- dred for our own Plant. During this season our Plant was net- ting us about $300.00 per mcinth. Seeing that our plant had assumed such proportions in so short time, and we did not own the house and lot we were using and paying quite a stiff rent; I commenced to tliink of locating its future home wliere we could have things permanent, such as a good incubator cellar and brooder house ; also a feed house or granery, so I could buy feed when cheapest to last a year if need be ; also room to set out an acre of our system houses if we wanted to go into it that strong. 1 have looked about for such a place to suit my fancy and have found what I think in the near future will be the permanent home of the Crane's Au- tomatic Poultry Plant, namely ; Provident City, Texas. Not that this location is not good, as 1 have proved that it is good, and I doubt if it can l)e beat; but we have fifteen acres down there that we exj^ect to set out to Figs and Oranges, and can install our Chicken Plant on as large a scale as we want. We are in as fine a climate there as the U. S. offers, and we have Houstoin, Galvestcn and San Antonio equally near at hand, with a rain- fall enough so one can raise almost everything. So with this in view we have been reducing our Plant, getting ready for the change and sometime within the year I expect will find us permanently located on our future farm with a warranty deed bought with money made from the Poultry Plant free and clear. As I was able to work at my trade at the store for two years after my sickness I was a})le to pay up most of my sick indelit- CRANE'S SYSTEM 91 ness that way leaving me about free to care for the chickens ex- clusively. While I am here reducing the Plant getting ready to move I am trying my best to fulfill many promises by getting out this my first issue of my System Book with cuts, drawings and specifications of all my houses, and equipment that we have used to attain to such a success in so short a time with but a few chickens to stait with, and practically no money. A poor mans System. Start small. Gather knowledge as you proceed, Add to the size of your plant as your success, and trade warrants. If you will apply the old adage to your business "cleanliness is next to Godliness'', and look after the little things, and are not afraid to do the regular chores Sundays, and in all kinds of weather, and will apply a little good common sense, and judgment, with a good deal of study, and thinking you are bound to succeed. I have proven this beyond any question of doubt the last three years. There is good money in the poultry business if you will heed the above, and follow out ray system in full as I shall en- deavor to explain in this Book. Figures showing over $400.00 was cleared in less than one year from one Pen of six hens and one cock of White Orpingtons- in our Plant useing my System. Dec. 1910 I purchased a pen of White Orpingtons of high quality there being six yearling hens and one cock. I entered them at our local E. 0. P. A. Poultry Show in January 1911, winning. Special Connty Prize, $ lO.GQ- Regular 1st. Pen Prize, 3.00 Regular 1st. Cock Prize, 2.00 Regular 1st. Hen Prize, 2.00' Regular 2nd. Hen Prize, 1.00 From Jan. 1st. to Aug. 1st they laid 878 eggs. Sold five settings at $10.00 for each fifteeen eggs, 50.00 Sold eight settings at $5.00 after May 15th. 40.00 About 400 eggs was set, hatching about 244 chicks. 190 Day-old-chicks were sold at $1.00 each, 190.00 One pen of five head 4 mo. old sold for, 12.00 One pen of five head 4 mo. old sold for, 10.00 One pen of five head 6 mo. old sold for, 50.00 Ten cockerels was sold for, 35.00 25 Dozen eggs was sold for, 35 cents per dozen 8.75 Total $413.75 [n August 1911 I sold the old pen for all they cost me, and I now have left the best cockerel I raised from that pen, and is easily worth $25.00. I also reserved some eggs from the old pen, that I set this spring, and have as fine a pen of four pullets and two cockerels as 1 ever raised, that I would not take less than $50.00 for. 92 6000 LAYING HENS ON 1 ACRE Of course the above figures are the largest we ever made with one pen, but one can imagine how we have done so well, when we had seventeen of these large breeding pens, and repre senting ten of the leading, and most popular breeds in 1911, to sell eggs for hatching, and day- old-chicks from, and had to turn down several large orders for Day-old-chicks, some for 1000 chicks each. HUGHES' CRUSHED Lime-0-Grit FOR Chickens, Turkeys, Geese and Ducks Specially prepared for this purpose and far superior to any GRIT on the market for HEALTH, BONE and EGG-PRODUC- TION -:- -:- -:- -: -:- It Makes the Chicken Lay HUGHES' Crushed LIME-O.GRIT contains 80 per cent cai bonate of lime, 10 per cent sihca and 3 per cent iron and mag- nesium -;- -:- -:- -;- -:- Leave it to the Chicken Miinufiictured (inly h\ The Hughes Stone Go. TULSA, OKLAHOMA i/he tJl/iistrations in this tjjook. IV ere made iyu J/ie >yicnie KDngrautng L^ompanu ^Luskogee =:= Oklahoma Pure Water -Healthy Chickens The cause of most of your poultry troubles can usually be traced to yourfailure to properly protect their drinking water from contamination from the cliickens themselves. It is a very easy matUr ^^ to end this class of trouble liy supplying ; you r chickens withpure water and keeping it pure with a ^ Moe's Top-Fill Poultry Drinking Fountain It always supplies just enough pure water— won't slop over— dead air space ^eeps -water cool in summer, warm in winter. Simple in construction— remove coverandfillfrom top— water ceases to flow when cover is removed— no valves to Bet out of order. One, two and three gallon capacity. Satisfaction guaranteed. ^ Xf not at dealers, sent direct on receipt of price, 1 gal., $1.25; 2 gal., $1.75; 4 gal., J;!.^.^ ■ OTIS & MOE. New Otis Building, Chicago. 111. Binding-Stevens Seed Co. TULSA AND MUSKOGEE, OKLA. We have a most complete line of Poultry Supplies, Incubators and Brooders, Drinkintr Founts, Feed Boxes, Etc., in Oklahoma and at reasonable prices. Ask for our Descriptive Catalogue of Seeds and Poultry Supplies. Correspondence solicited. USE PERFECTION POULTRY FOODS FOR BEST RESULTS The Norwich Automatic Exerciser and Feeder An inji'enious machine with which Poultry Auto- matically Feed themsel- ves. Operates with any grain or mixture, and feeds much or little as desired. Saves 25 per cent of feeding expenses, reduces labor more than half, increases eyg production and keeps the flock in perfect con- dion. Guaranteed Rat. Bird and Waste Proof, will last a Ufe time, never out of order, and unless found absolutely satisfac- tory, may be returned and money refunded. Special Feed- er for the Crane's System. ni .o.wic-.co„..u.s.A. : THE NORWICH AUTOMATIC FEEDER CO Crane's Automatic Poultry Plant Breeders of the Famous Prize-Winning Srains of , S. C. Blacky White and Buff Orpingtons, Ring- let Barred Plymouth Rocks and Crystal White Indian Runner Ducks EGGS FOR HATCHING and STOCK FOR SALE IN SEASON Send for Mating List FREE W. O. CRANE, Manager AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER OF THIS BOOK 6000 LAYING HENS ON ONE ACRE, CRANE'S SYSTEM. Price $1.00 Post Paid Life Member A. p. A. Phone, ReJ. 1297 Box 865 Tulsa. Okla. I Positively guar- antee to save you from 75c to $1.25 every hatch. And I'll save you 95 per cent of the work that the old stale machines require. I'll save you al! that work of remov- ing the lamp and fliliiif; it tverv day — just one tilling maUesahatcli with my X Ray. ho I can safely guarantee to Baveyou three fourths the oil you would use in an old style machine— and oil is an expen- Five thing to waste. I'll save you all the uncertainties of the old sti/le machines by my automatic regriUatiou of heat. I'll save you all the responsi- bility of lookinft- after ventil- ator shutters and air valves. The X-Ray does these things antomatcally. ^ I'll guaranteeyou big- ger hatches because \ absolutely 7f)ioK' with my X-I!ay Incubator you can get bigger and betier batches every time. 1 have made it passible tor thousands of peo- ple to get bigger, better, more profitable hatches— and I can do tlie same thing for lOU. If you want me to please write for mv new FRKE 191-! Booli on X-KAY INCUBATORS AND BROODERS. rU Save You Money Every Hatch — My Incubator Uses Only 1 Gallon of Oil — Lamp Has To Be Filled Just Once! BECAUSE my incubator is radically differeitt from all old ■ style machines. I put the lamp of the X-Ray Incubator underneath, -w'here it should be— and not on the side'. 1 his means a perfect distribution of heat — perfectly ervn temperature over the egg chamber at all times-perfect ventil- ation-no heat 'waste whatever and no cold side. 1 make my oil tank much larger than those used on the old style machines. My tank holds 7 to 8 quarts of oil-but just 4 quarts is all that s needed for a hatch -and this tank has to be HUed just once/ Not every day as with the old style lamp-on-the-side inachines. bo here's where the big saving coynes! Just think- for the entire hatch just one gallon of oil is needed where the old style mases reouire from 3 to 5 gallons. And tnere's no daily mussing around ^^it!l he oil tank-j,is*t till it up at the ,s'»rpartat a'.l.iio worrying or iretting. Every part of my X-Kay Incubator is dHrereiita.nd far better than the old s- ahead of all the rest— all tho=e olcl-fashinu- ed laiuii-on-the-side machines that are so dirty and unsanitary? \Vliy not get the oiiethat's built on the right prin- ciiil'e— theone that thousands of tests have jirored to be the best and most profitable one! loiioughtto get aii the facts about these woudertul mai-liines of mine. You ought to get my Eig Free £oo,V . on X-Kay liKMbators and Brooders ctnd learn about (r/Mhe better features of these machines. Flease write for it today— i-/s. It provides a special way of winning new customers. One enthusiastic cus- tomer says it pays for itself in less than seven trips. It protects your valuable hatchings in every way dur- int? s^iipment. from both breakage and vibration. It will improve the hatchinji- percentage of your settings and please your customers. Send in a post card to us for information and wait for the evidence. SAFE-EG-PAl/^ fop HaLtchin|s .Im. Patent Applied for 15 egg size IF YOU REQUIRE SPECIAL EGG DEVICES TO FIT YOUR INDIVIDUAL CONDITIONS GIVE US AN OPPOR- TUNITY TO QUOTE YOU. Star Egg Carrier & Tray Mfg Co. 109 Dallas St. ROCHESTEK NEW YORK PURE BRED CHICKENS FREE TO HELP YOU START in the poultry business, we^offer you a proposition that will make it very easy. By special arrangement with our advertisers, we can give a single bird. pair, trio or pen for little work in the interest of the "OK" POULTRY JOURNAL. Secure eight or more subscrip- tions and the bird or birds will be sent you free. It will be an easy matter to make up even the largest club, which will entitle you to a pen of pure bred birds. No one interest- ed in poultry will refuse to subscribe for the "OK;" as they will be getting a journal brim full of mealy reading matter of special interest and matter which they cannot get in many journals. One reader made up the large club of 30 subscribers in three days, so can you. THE "OK" CO-OPERATIVE PLAN. A Single Bird, your choice of variety, for 8 Subscriptions A Pair of Birds, your choice of variety, for 15 Subscriptions A Trio cf Birds, your choice of variety for 20 Subscriptions A Pen of Birds, your choice of variety, for 30 Subscriptions [ All taKen at 50 cents a year. ] You do not need to wail litl you have the full number, send in the names as you get them and will give you credit, and when you have the desired number let us know what variety you prefer and wc will get the bird or birds to you as early as possible. Send for samples and begin ' NOW." Mounds, We are especially equipped to do printing for Poultry - men. Let us figure on your work. ADVERTISING RATES ON REQUEST LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 002 866 81 07 t