SF 487 
 .B55 
 Copy 1 
 
 **|7§0 PER YE^l^,** 
 
 ^OR^ 
 
 HOW I MANAGE MY POULTRY 
 
 The G-eneral Management of Poul- 
 try, with Instructions for Build- 
 ing Poultry Houses and Incu- 
 bators, to Preserve Eggs, 
 Cure Cholera, &c. 
 
 1.000 THINGS FOR THE POULTRY YARD! 
 
 C. G. BESSEY, ABILENE, KANSAS. 
 
 COPYRIGHT SECITREFI MARCH 25, 1884. 
 
POULTRY NATION STEAM PRINT, 
 -^■^ ELYRIA, OHIO. 
 
^SOJi<^^ 
 
 HOW I MANAGE MY POULTRY 
 
 The G-eneral Management of Poul- 
 trj, with Instructions for Build- 
 ing Poultry Houses and Incu- 
 bators, to Preserve E£> 
 
 Cure Cholera, &c. ^§^ 
 
 1,000 THIHSS FOR THE POULTRY VaRD! 
 
 i/ 
 
 C. G.BESSEY, ABILENE, KANSAS. 
 
 COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOB. .„,*-;, ^ -! ^^5>«^ 
 
 3 1884 /| 
 ^ d "« ft {My 
 
 ^^-1 ^ Of 
 
S>5 
 
 (^g[ lay no claims to entire originality in 
 ^l| this work. All breeders meet with 
 ^^ much the same experience, and it has 
 been my aim to compile from all reliable 
 sources, a concise treatise giving instruc- 
 tions to beginners. I would express my in- 
 debtedness for valuable hints especially to 
 the "Poultry World," '' Poultrv Nation," 
 and also *^ Wright's Illustrated Book of 
 Poultry." 
 
 0. G. BESSEY. 
 
00 
 
 The Poultry Yard. 
 
 The majority of farmers do not have much use 
 for yards unless it be to keep their breeding pens 
 separate from each other, but to the person living 
 in village or city, the yard is the first consideration. 
 It should be located if possible on a high gravelly 
 spot; a yard sloping to the south or south-east is 
 preferable. It should be as large as circumstances 
 will admit, the larger the better. The one that I 
 am using contains about % of an acre, divided into 
 10 departments, and with proper management will 
 accommodate from 100 to 400 fowls. 
 
 A very cheap fence for poultry can be made out 
 of a good quality of plastering lath, with a six or 
 eight inch board at bottom and top, after the lath 
 are nailed on, nail a one inch square cleat on the 
 posts, let them extend about fifteen inches above 
 the top of the lath, then stretch three strands of fin« 
 broom wire around on top of the fence fastening it 
 to the cleats, the first wire five inches above the top 
 of the lath, the second ten inches, and the third fif- 
 teen inches. This fence will turn almost any va- 
 riety of fowls. 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 The Poultry House. 
 
 The poultry house should be roomy, the larger 
 the better. It is not necessary to build expensive 
 houses, but they should be warm. Where parties 
 can aftbrd it, it is well to have them lathed and 
 plastered, but where a cheaper one is desired, it can 
 be boarded up and down cracks, well cleated and 
 lined with tar paper. A very clieap house can be 
 built without any sides, the shape of the letter A, 
 only more flat. The roofs commencing at the 
 ground on both sides, and raising to an elevation of 
 about 7>2 -eet in the center, can be built of rough 
 lumber any width, but should be about fourteen 
 feet long. It should be covered with tar paper and 
 have plenty of windows to let in the sun, a door at 
 each end, a hall 3 feet wide running from end to 
 end, made of plastering lath; this will leave ten 
 feet on either side which can be divided to suit cir- 
 cumstances. This plan gives the most room for the 
 least amount of money of any house ever built, and 
 is also very warm, but a house with walls is more 
 pleasant to work in. A great many farmers have 
 sheds, stables or small buildings about the premises 
 that, with a little work, several feet of lumber, a 
 window or two and some tar paper would make a 
 very good poultry house. 
 
 My house is 18x25, and 8 feet to the ceiling? 
 boarded up and down, cracks cleated and lined 
 with tar paper, four windows to the south and one 
 to the east, ground floor; divided into four rooms. 
 
 My roosts are built of 2x2 scantling, about eigh- 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 teen inches apart, all on a level with each other and 
 three feet from the ground. Eighteen inches below 
 the roosts I put in a floor to catch the droppings on ; 
 the roosts and floor are built on one side of the 
 room, so that I can get on three sides. They are 
 fastened at the one end to the wall, and in front to 
 scantling running from the floor to the ceiling. 
 This floor will catch the droppings, and the fowls 
 will have as much ground room as though there 
 were no roosts, and the house can be kept much 
 cleaner than without the extra floor. Some poultry- 
 men think that a house is not complete without a 
 hatching room ; for my part I prefer to have a hen 
 hatch in the laying nest, I think she will do it more 
 satisfactor.y than it moved. For nest boxes I use 
 small goods and tobacco boxes. Set on shelves or 
 fastened to the wall around the outside of the room, 
 they should be at least eighteen inches above the 
 floor or ground, and not higher than five feet. 1 
 prefer to have them arranged somewhat promiscu- 
 ously, so that hens when hatching can the more 
 readily distinguish their own nest from others. 
 There should be a good supply of nests, as a general 
 thing where there are plenty of nests pretty close 
 together when a hen commences to hatch, others 
 that may be laying in the same nest will go to the 
 next nest. A sod turned upside down in a nest box 
 with clean wheat straw makes about the best nest. 
 This should be renewed when the hen is set, and 
 sprinkled ^vith fine tobacco and sulphur, to prevent 
 vermin. No poultry house is complete for winter 
 use without a good supply of windows to let in sun- 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 shine, and a number of dust boxes. I prefer road 
 dust, sifted coal ashes, with a little sprinkling of 
 wood ashes and sulphur. 
 
 Cheap Poultry Houses. 
 
 (From "Farm and Garden.") 
 The first, which is a single and separate build- 
 ing, combines cheapness and warmth. It may be 
 built of any size desired, but the favorite dimen- 
 sions are ten feet square, and eight feet high, the 
 house being a roof (seven feet) resting upon a foot 
 
 and a lath partition inside will divide the house into 
 two separate apartments. For clieapness the yards 
 may be made of lath. The cost of such a building 
 in material, is the price of about 400 feet of lumber 
 (boards and studding included) but the labor is 
 extra. 
 
 The arrangement shown for three such houses, 
 with two yards in front and one in the rear, is 
 given in order to illustrate economy of space. It is 
 well known that the nearer we make the yards to 
 the square shape the greater space for the fencing 
 used. The two end portions of the building have 
 } ards to them extending toward the front, while 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 the centre portion has attached the yard leading to 
 the rear. The rear 
 yard takes exactly one- 
 third of the entire 
 square enclosure while 
 the two-thirds in front 
 is divided lengthwise 
 for the end apartments. By thus combining a 
 building for the accommodation of three breeds the 
 cost of Inmber for the ends necessary for single 
 buildings may be saved bj'^ the substitution of lath 
 partitions inside, while the sashes of the windows 
 are nicely inclined to collect heat and light, at the 
 same time serving the purposes of a roof. 
 
 A small coop for the confinement of a hen with 
 her brood can be made cheaplj^ and yet have a pane 
 of glass for light, with a wire or lath run attached. 
 
 It can be made with or 
 without aboard bottom, 
 and should be easily re- 
 movable from place to 
 place. If the boards are 
 preferred to form a bottom they should be cleaned 
 daily, and sprinkled with sand or road dirt. In 
 cold, wet weather, a good dry floor will be of the 
 greatest advantage. 
 
 The combined house and shed has two yards, 
 which we give simply to illustrate the advantage of 
 double yards. While the fowls may safely and se- 
 
8 Profitable Poultry liaising. 
 
 curely roost in the closed part at night the open 
 shed allows them to 
 enjoy the open air un- 
 der shelter during the 
 day, and they can have 
 the privilege of one of 
 the yards while some- 
 thing may be grown in the other. By alternately 
 changing from one yard to the other, whenever 
 necessary, the frequent spa'Mng of the recently oc- 
 cupied yard promotes cleanliness, while the small 
 crop of green food lessens the expense of keep and 
 affords material not always convenient by the use 
 of single yards. 
 
 The doable shpds or 
 houses, which are com- 
 bined under the same 
 roof, are shown as a 
 method of economy. 
 Should changeable 
 yards be desired they may be placed at the rear. 
 
 My Idea of Poultry Raising. 
 
 Is to have some good breed or breeds — strictly 
 first-class birds— a good warm house, feed well so 
 as to induce winter or early laying. 100 good hens 
 and ten good roosters, properly housed and cared 
 for, should have 50 dozen of eggs ready to hatch — 
 cither by incubator or natural — by the first day of 
 March or April, from this number one could expect 
 to have at the end of three moxiths 400 chicks, and 
 
Profhtahle Poultry Raising. 9 
 
 from tliis number could be selected, if the original 
 stock has been first-class, 100 chicks, such as are 
 sold by many of our noted breeders, a' from two to 
 five dollars when nine months old. The remaining 
 300 chicks, if properly cared for, will sell in most of 
 our large cities at three months old for $3.50 to $5.00 
 per dozen. Now there is scarcely a locality where 
 a good breeder with a good reputation, good stock 
 and judicious advertising, will not be able to sell 
 from one to two hundred sittings of eggs at from 
 $1.00 to $3.00 per sitting. I aim to keep on hand as 
 breeding stock 100 strictly first-class Plymouth 
 Rock hens and 10 good cocks or cockerels, from this 
 number I have sold this season over 200 settings of 
 eggs and have raised 150 young birds that will sell 
 at from $2 to $5 each. The culls that we have used 
 on our own table and have sold in the market will 
 almost pay the feed bill. 
 
 My Bill of Fare for Laying Heus. 
 
 Chemically speaking the shell of an ^gg con- 
 sists chiefly of carbonate of lime, similar to chalk 
 with a verj'^ small quantity of phosphate of lime and 
 animal mucus. The white of an egg — albumen — is 
 composed of eight parts ot water; fifteen and a half 
 parts of albumen and four and a half parts of 
 mucus, besides giving traces of soda, benzoin acid 
 sulpherated hydrogen gas. The yolk consists of 
 water, oil, albumen and gelatine. Now hens must 
 have something to form shell ; oyster shells head 
 the list, bones of any kind are good and by roasting 
 or burning them until they are brown and brittle 
 
10 Profitable Poultry Raising- 
 
 you have almost the genuine egg-shell; lime with 
 gravel and sand is good. Albumen — the white of 
 the e^^ — is found almost in its pure state in fresh 
 sweet milk, and in wheat, oats, rye and buckwheat 
 — barley and corn in the order named, corn with 
 other grain furnishes oil and gelatine. While at 
 large and during the summer season hens get plenty 
 of seeds, weeds. »&c., that furnish a ^reat portion 
 of the iten>s named. The bones and shells they are 
 not apt to get, and they seldom ever can find al- 
 bumen enough. Now this makes plain what we 
 are to leed. 
 
 FoK Breakfast. — Take one part meal or cracked 
 corn, one part shorts and one part bran, or one part 
 meal, one part chopped oats and rye and or.e part 
 bran, mix with milk, or water if in the winter sea- 
 son — the milk or water should be boiling hot. Do 
 not use enough milk or water to make the mess 
 slopp3\ Occasionally season with red pepper. One 
 or two mornings during the w^eek instead ot the 
 above feed " Buckeye Egg-Food." 
 
 For Dinner. — Feed either wheat or wheat 
 screenings, oats, rye, buckwheat or barley. I pre- 
 fer wheat. 
 
 For Supper. — Feed corn. Parched corn is one 
 of the best feeds for evening and very healthy. 
 
 During the winter season they should have oc- 
 ca ional feeds of boiled vegetables and meat scraps. 
 If they get too fat feed less corn and more of the 
 other iirains. R;ither underfeed than overfeed; 
 give fresh water daily, cleansing the drinking ves- 
 sel every time. Every three or four days give the 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 11 
 
 '* Douglas Mixture " in the water — a gill for every 
 25 head. If there should be symptoms of disease 
 give et^ery day. This simple preparation is one of 
 the best tonics known; it is alternative as well as 
 tonic, and possesses beside antiseptic properties 
 which makes it a remedy as well as a preventative 
 of disease. Place in your henery two shallow 
 boxes, in one put broken bone and oyster shells, in 
 the other lime, sand and charcoal. Have a good 
 sized dust box tilled with road dust or fine sand, 
 sifted coal ashes, and a sprinkling of lime and wood 
 ashes. Now keep your house warm, sunny, well 
 ventilated and clean, and you will have an abund- 
 ance of eggs and healthy fowls the year round. 
 
 A Model Poultry Yard. 
 
 [From the Western Rural.] 
 
 Summit Lawn Poultry Yards are located in the 
 suburban village of Arlins:ton Heights, twenty-two 
 miles out of Chicago, on the Wisconsin division of 
 the Northwestern Railroad. Here the proprietor, 
 R. B. Mitchell, Esq., has located a beautiful home, 
 and for the last three years has been raising and 
 caring for his favo'-ite fowls. We think that any 
 one visiting these yards will have impressed upon 
 them the idea that Mr. Mitchell has made a careful 
 study of poultry raising, which, with his experi- 
 ence and business habits, enables him to know the 
 precise expense and receipts of his various coops. 
 
 In this paper we shall briefly note the summer 
 method of handling, leaving the winter keeping to 
 
12 Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 a later noti(;e. Summit Lawn Ym-cIs are on the 
 very summit of the elevation at A'-lington Heights, 
 and embrnce some five acres of smooth, rich prairie 
 ground, having numerous patches of vegetation 
 suitable for deeding the fowls. 
 
 The large plat of all is the lawn, which is kept 
 closely shaven, and yields a daily feed of tender 
 grass eagerly devoured by the fowls. The vege- 
 tables raised, named in order of their relative quan- 
 tities, are carrots, onions, Kussian sunflower and 
 lettuce, all but the last being designed to furnish 
 winter food. The old fowls now on hand number 
 nearlj' three hundred and fifty, and the young 
 chicks about as many more. The breeds raised by 
 Mr. Mitchell are the white and brown Leghorns, 
 light and dark Brahmas, black, buff" and Partridge 
 Cochins, Plymouth Rocks, S. S. Hamburgs, and 
 this season he is adding Houdans. The old bird* 
 are confined in thirty-six yards, each yard or pen 
 being in the form of a ridge roof, sloping from the 
 ground on each side to the top, and with vertical 
 ends. They are about sixteen feet long by twelve 
 feet wide, with an elevation of six feet. The pen is 
 made of four large pieces of slat work forming the 
 ^ides or roof-like shape, each piece being sixteen by 
 four feet, and the two A shaped ends, in one of 
 which is the door of admission, in the other an 
 opening to a small coop about four feet square and 
 five feet high, water-tight, and provided with nests 
 and perches. Only ten or twelve fowls are con- 
 fined in one of these yards. Each pen is so con- 
 structed that it can be easily taken apart and re- 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 13 
 
 moved to a new location, or by means of one spare 
 one, the fowls can be transferred to new quarters 
 while the ground of the old run is deeply spaded, 
 til us fitting the whole for occupancy anew. Being 
 made of light laths, the whole pen is cheap, while 
 it I'lirnishes plenty of air and sun to the fowls. 
 
 StretL'iied acioss one side of the roof, Mr. Mit- 
 chell has placed a yard wide piece of tar paper to 
 shade a part of the inclosure if the fowls prefer 
 shade; and on the hot afternoon when our visit 
 was made, tliis shade was very agreeable to them. 
 The lowyr edge of this strip of paper being a foot 
 from the ground, gave a nice current of air below. 
 These thirty-six yards are so arranged as to form a 
 hollow square, and the boy starting with his barrow 
 of feed and passing round to all the fowls, tinds him- 
 self at his starting place with no extra steps. Siich 
 an arrangement also enables one to see at a glance 
 the entire condition of all the coops and fowls. 
 
 The feeding is done from two to six times a day 
 and is exceedingly liberal. Corn, oats, wheat, 
 screenings, cracker dust, oil meal, lard scraps, bran, 
 corn meal, with refuse from ilie house and ottal 
 from the meat market, are all used freely, and the 
 high condition of the fowls, with their activity and 
 excellent health, show how wisely he caters to their 
 appetite. But in anotiier way yet do they show the 
 result of liberal feedings. Mr. Mitchell keeps a 
 perfect egg record ; each coop has every agg 
 marked before it is taken out, and when the bey 
 comes out of the coop it is credited with the whole 
 number of eggs gathered in it. This daily record 
 
IJj. Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 is then preserved and carried into a book of month- 
 ly and yearly record, and thus he can tell just how 
 many eggs he has had laid in any day, week, 
 month or year, and so can tell to a certainty just 
 what food has paid in his egg factory. 
 
 From letters he showed us we found he had 
 furnished eggs to satisfied patrons in half the States 
 of our Union; indeed, before our visit we had had 
 the representatives of these yards shown to us in 
 another State. 
 
 Mr. Mitchell is well pleased with the egg yield he 
 has had so far, and thinks he has reduced the cost 
 of coops and keej)ing to the minimum for numbers 
 and breeds kept, and later will be able to show sim- 
 ilar cheap winter results. These yards are open to 
 the inspection of all interested visitors any day of 
 the week, except Sunday, and Mr. Mitchell cor- 
 dially invites calls. 
 
 Is There Money in the Business 
 
 Proprietor of Summit Law'n Poultry Yards, R. 
 B. Mitchell, of Arlington Heights, 111., makes the 
 following report: 
 
 During the year 1881 our average number of 
 laying fow Is has been two hundred and thirty. The 
 extreme cold winter of 1880 and 1881, and the want 
 of room to properly house our fowls, prevented 
 them from laying as many eggs as they otherwise 
 would have done, could we have given them more 
 commodious quarters. But take the season through 
 we have no cause for complaint, but rather congrat- 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising- 15 
 
 ulate ourselves on the success we have met with, aS 
 the following statement will show : 
 
 Some breeders might be averse to making a pub- 
 lic statement of their business, but as yet we can 
 see no improp iety in so doing, and as keeping 
 poultry is a mooted question — whether or not there 
 is any money in it — we deem it advisable to fuinish 
 all the information we can on the subject, from ac- 
 tual hicts and experience, for the benefit of those 
 who contemplate entering into it. Does it pay lo 
 keep fowls'? Our two huudred and thirty tovvls 
 have in eight months laid twenty-one thousand one 
 hundred and forty-three eggs; we sold, less five 
 hundred we used for setting; 
 
 For $l,i;!2 20 
 
 Fowls sold during the eieht months... 152 90 
 
 Total cash receipts .$1,285 10 
 
 EXPENSES. 
 
 Feed of all kinds % 180 00 
 
 Boy c'ght months at $7 00 per month. . 56 00 
 
 $236 00 
 
 Leav ing us as net cash receipts $1,049 10 
 
 We now have on hand to be added to this in- 
 come, two hundred very choice chickens, for which 
 we get from two to four and five dollars each. But 
 to close up the report, we will estimate them at 
 one dollar and fifty cents each, making $300.00, 
 leaving us a net profit of $1,349.10 for eight months^ 
 Let us ask, who can beat this with a hundred acre 
 farm? 
 
16 Profitahle Poultry liaising. 
 
 Artiiicial lucubatiou. 
 
 Most persoii< are aware tliat eggs may te quite 
 as successfully hatched by means of artificial heat 
 regularly and constantly applied, as by the hen sit- 
 ting on them. The hen does nothing for the eggs 
 on which she sits, but protect and occasionally turn 
 them and keep them constantly of about u unilorm 
 temperature, which is from 100 to 106 degrees of 
 heat by the common thermometer. This hatching 
 may be done by many other modes of ai)plying the 
 warmth in the same degree and with the same uni- 
 formity. 
 
 Incubators have been made and used with vary- 
 ing success in this country for about forty years, 
 an I in England and France for double that period, 
 but until witinn the past few years they have never 
 given very satisfactor}- results. 
 
 There are being manufactured in this country 
 at the present time, about thirty different incuba- 
 tors, of this number there are several that are being 
 used to good advantage. 1 have until quite recently 
 preferred the 'Eureka,' manufactured by J. L. 
 Campbell, West Elizabeth, Pa., but the 'Centen- 
 nial,' manufactured by A. M. Halsted, Rye, ]^. Y., 
 seems to take the lead at present. 
 
 Jaqnes lucubator. 
 
 For the description of this invention we are in- 
 debted to C. E. Jaques, Metuchen, N. J. This is an 
 Ameiican invention, and the cheapest apparatus in 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising, 17 
 
 the incubator line. The inventor says, the subject 
 Of artificial incubation is increasing every year, and 
 knowing that the majority of the people do not feel 
 able to purchase those incubators which are in the 
 market, I conclude to give them at a small cost the 
 benefit of successful experience. I have succeeded 
 in securing a chamber in which I can regulate the 
 temperature and hold it at any degree desired, my 
 claim for it is, that it is the easiest to construct and 
 cheapest to make of any incubator offered to the 
 public. I do not claim that it will hatch as large a 
 percentage of eggs, as those constructed on more 
 scientific principles, yet it will hatch a large per- 
 centage if carefully managed. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOB MAKING 
 
 JAQUES' INCUBATOR. 
 
 In order to make the Incubator herein described 
 you need only the following articles : a sugar bar- 
 rel, a round tin clothes boiler about twelve inches 
 deep, see Fig. 1, a tin milk pan, see Fig. 2, and a 
 kerosene lamp with a chimney. Have a barrel 
 
 Fig. 1. ^ Fig. 2. 
 
 without a head place in the boiler, which must b« 
 
is Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 the size of the barrel so it can be supported irTTts 
 place by its rim resting on the chime of tlie barrel. 
 The pan must be of such a size, as when it is placed 
 
 Fig. 3. 
 in the boiler (as in Fig. 3) it will have a space of 
 about five inches between it and the bottom of the 
 boiler. It will be necessary to solder the pan in 
 this position. All the space between the pan and 
 the boiler must be filled with water; tliis can be 
 done by punching a email hole in the side of the 
 pan near the top, and inserting a funnel. It will 
 not be necessary to refill in three weel«s, as the 
 evaporation is so slow, you will not lose a quart- 
 Make a door in the side of the barrel near the bot- 
 tom, of sufficient size to admit the placing of the 
 lamp under the boiler. Cover the outside of the 
 barrel with four or five thicknesses of paper, well 
 pasted on, to secure heat in the barrel. Bore two 
 one-inch holes in the lower part of the barrel, one 
 on each side, with tubes running from them to the 
 base of the burner to the lamp, in order that the 
 lamp may have a supply of oxygen to support the 
 flame. Bore three one-inch holes near the top of 
 the barrel, to allow the gas to escape. The cover 
 must be lined and wadded, so it will fit tight lo the 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 19 
 
 boiler, rhat the heat cannot escape. Cut a hole in 
 the cover 3x4 inches, paste a piece of glass over it; 
 directly under (which can lie on the upper shelf of 
 eggs), then you ascertain the temperature without 
 removing the cover; also bore two one-inch holes 
 througli the cover, insert a tin tube in each for the 
 purpose of ventilating the e^g chamber, which is of 
 sufficient depth to allow three layers of eggs; 
 cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of 
 cotton, on which place the first layer of eggs, and 
 at equal distance apart around the edge of the pan 
 put three blocks of wood Lbout two inches square, 
 on which place a round sieve with one-half or 
 three-quarter inch meshes; on the top of this put 
 another sieve larger than the first, so the rim of the 
 lower one will support it. Cover the bottoms of 
 the sieves with a piece of a coff'ee bag or some other 
 light material, so the heat can pass up through it. 
 The tubes to supply the lamp with air can be made 
 by wrapping a piece of hardware paper around a 
 broom handle three times, pasting it together ; after 
 the paste becomes dry, slip it ott. 
 
So Profitable Poultry Uaising. 
 
 Directions for Using the Incubator. 
 
 Place the lamp under the boiler, turn on a good 
 flame, when the mercury runs up to 100 reduce the 
 flame so it can just be seen above the cone of the 
 lamp, keep the temperature 103 the first week, 100 the 
 second and 98 the third week. It is very easy to 
 regulate, provided the temperature of the room is 
 not subject to much variation. In case of very cold 
 weather, close the ventilators at night and place a 
 heavy woolen cover over the whole Incubator. A.s 
 the eggs need a certain amount of moisture, thej' 
 should be lightly sprinkled with warm water every 
 day, or as often as is needed. A good way to ascer- 
 tain the amount of heat in the egg chamber is by 
 keeping in a small piece of skin of a salt codfish; 
 this should never be allowed to get so dry as to crack 
 when bending it, nor to be so moist as to become 
 wet, but should alwaj'^s be so that you can easily 
 bend it. After the fifth day examine all the eggs 
 by holding them up to a strong light. It any are 
 perfectly clear, remove them, as they are not 
 fertile, yet they are just as good for culinary 
 purposes. Do not place the eggs in until you have 
 secured and are able to keep the right temperature. 
 I use a large bracket lamp, and do not have to fill it 
 only once in 24 hours. After the sixth day turn 
 the eggs daily, which can be done by removing the 
 sieves; this will give them an opportunity to cool, 
 as in the case of a setting hen off" her nest. After 
 the chickens are hatched they remain in the incu- 
 bator 24 hours, when they should be removed to the 
 artificial mother. 
 
Profltdble Poultry Raising. 21 
 
 Artificial Mother. 
 
 To provide the artificial heat necessary, several 
 devices have been employed — perhaps none better 
 than the artificial mother illustrated above. This 
 may be made of any capacity required. A very con- 
 venient size is one that will accommodate fifty 
 chickens until three months old. Two feet wide 
 
^2 'Profitable Poultry Raising- 
 
 and four feet long, the sides are twelve inches high 
 under the glass, sloping to three inches at the back. 
 The cover of the back or inclined part should be 
 movable, and lined with sheepskin or with pieces 
 of flannel cut into strips three inches wide and 
 tacked to the underside of lid so as to hang down 
 lengthwise with the lid. From the highest part of 
 the lid should hang a curtain made of flannel, all 
 across the box, and to within a half inch of the 
 floor. This keeps the cold air out of their roosting 
 place. The front half of the " mother " is covered 
 by four panes of glass. This admits the sun. The 
 black dots in each peak are intended to represent 
 one-inch holes for ventilation. 
 
 An ordinary stone gallon jug (placed beneath 
 the lid) fiDed with hot water four or five times a 
 day, will furnish all the heat necessary. Feexl little 
 and often, and a variety; for the first two days the 
 yolk of a hard boiled egg, then coarse Indian meal, 
 scalded or baked, occasionally onions, cabbages or 
 meat chopped very fine; after a month old cracked 
 corn or wheat screenings at night. 
 
 Hatching by Means of Heat Generated in Manure. 
 
 The following ideas are taken from a letter of 
 Mr. Keen, of Philadelphia, to a friend. They will 
 be found very interesting, and his plan of incuba- 
 ting by means of heat generated in manure will be 
 very practical with farmers. What a noble work 
 for the farmer's boys and girls to busy themselves 
 in the beautiful days of spring, taking care of the 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising- 2S 
 
 thousand chickens any farmer's family may thus 
 raise per year at an expense of but a few days' work 
 of a hand or the farmer, and all the rest done by the 
 little fellows with a richer enjoyment than play. 
 Mr. Keen says : 
 
 " This mode will be more useful to the farmer?, 
 as they have the material at hand, and the only cost 
 attending it would be a little labor to accomplish the 
 hatching of eggs to any desired extent. 
 
 " This Mammel (to use the Egyptian name) I will 
 give a minute description of, that every farmer may 
 build one for himself and be able to perfect the 
 hatching of eggs and rearing of chickens without 
 the aid of the hen. 
 
 "It is a building 13x16 feet with a tight grooved 
 partition dividing It into two apartments, the front 
 one seven feet, the other nine feet. In this partition 
 are two openings to receive the front end of the 
 ovens. These ovens are six and a half feet long, 
 two feet two incites wide, nineteen inches high on 
 one side and eighteen on the other, in the clear ; back 
 end closed and made entire of inch boards; line,] 
 with tin sodered water tight, with shutters in two 
 equal parts, hung to the bottom and in the middle 
 with hinges, and buttons to close the front end. In 
 the upper part of the shutter are two sliding valves, 
 each four inches by six, to give air and regulate 
 the heat. The outside of the ovens and partitions 
 should be well coated over with pitch to exclude 
 moisture and preserve the wood from decay. The 
 ovens should be placed eighteen inches above the 
 ground, supported with posts at the back end, and 
 
^Jl- Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 four feet apart, with an open board partition, the 
 boards running up and down, ten inches apart, to 
 divide the dung between the ovens, and yet not en- 
 tirely separate, so that in renewing the dung of one 
 oven the other may not be chilled. There should be 
 a window in the back to give air and receive th® 
 dung through. The dung should be such as is made 
 in a well-litered horse stable, and used, straw and 
 dung mixed, and well watered while being thrown 
 into a pile, where it is to remain twenty-four hours 
 to soak, and admit the redundant water to pass off. 
 It should be placed loose around the ovens which 
 will not require renewing for two weeks; then only 
 renew half the length of the oven at a time, judg- 
 ing from the heat when more of it is to be renewed, 
 which will be required every week. Tan will 
 make a better bed under the oven than dung; the 
 heat will last longer. The eg% box four feet long, 
 two feet wide and three inches deep, lined with 
 baize, ten inches of one end covered with wire to 
 keep in the chickens that are just hatched; the 
 other part of the box should have a light frame, 
 with twine placed between the eggs and attached to 
 the frame, to turn all the eggs at one time. The 
 egg box rests on a carriage which runs on rails laid 
 on the bottom of the oven, with a movable attach- 
 ment, to run the carriage entirely out of the oven. 
 The egg box turns on a center, to reverse the ends 
 in the oven. The carriage is made in two parts; 
 the lower part has sash pulleys let into it, to roll on 
 the rails; the upper part is connected to the lower 
 with lour email bars of iron about eight inches long, 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 25 
 
 with holes for a wood screw in each end, and the 
 screw put into the top and bottom, when they lie 
 together (which moves like a parallel ruler), and 
 confined to different hights by a hook about ten 
 inches long, fast to the upper part, and hooking into 
 staples driven into a piece of wood running along 
 and fastened to the lower part. This arrangement 
 is to sustain the egg box at different hights, to suit 
 the required degree of heat, which [ have found to 
 be as near as it can be kept, to one hundred and four 
 degrees, from the first to the last stage of successful 
 hatching. My feed room can be made perfectly 
 dark. Through one of the doors is a hole one and 
 one-fourth inch in diameter, over which is a piece 
 of cloth tacked (an inch hole in it) that will exclude 
 all the light except what passes through it, where 
 can be seen the first progress of the chick, and in 
 four days if there is no appearance of the chicken, boil 
 it for the young brood. 
 
 '* Next in order is the rearing of chickens with- 
 out the aid of a mother. In the basement of the 
 first named building, on a level with the top of the 
 Eccalobeon, is a platform four feet by seven, with a 
 slide to open in fine weather into a small yard ; also 
 one to open into a box with wire front (over the 
 Eccalobeon), which is moderately heated from a 
 small stove; in this box is an artificial mother 
 made of rabbit skins, (I have also one made of the 
 skins of fowls,) hung about two inches from the 
 bottom, where the chicks are first placed; in three 
 or four days they are let into an adjoining apart- 
 ment, where there is a sheepskin mother; over 
 
^S Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 this is anotlier, with a sheepskin raised higher at 
 Oiie end tlian the other, for chickens furtlier 
 advanced to run under, with a small yard attached. 
 In the ghiss building is a platform sixteen feet by 
 four, about four feet above the ground floor, for 
 chickens still further advanced, with a yard to it. 
 They are next shut out from this apartment and run 
 with the full grown fowls. 
 
 "All these apartments will accommodate about 
 five hundred chickens of the ditferenc ages. This 
 mode of hatchingand rearing them is attended with 
 less than half the loss that usually takes plaice when 
 hatched and reared bj'^ the hen. With regard to the 
 feed for the first two or three meals, I give grated 
 stale wheat bread, laid on a sanded floor; next, I 
 give bread boiled ir milk, and while hot, mix. coarse 
 ground Indian meal with it, making it nearly dry. 
 For the other fowls, I give wheat screenings and 
 whole corn, with once a week boiled meat. 
 
 "' It will here be seen that I have made the man- 
 agement of eggs as plain and simple as Cap. Cooke 
 did ' when he stood one on its point.' " 
 
 Instructions for Construcling the Excelsior lucu- 
 bator. 
 
 Take two boards, each 4 feet long, 6 inches wide 
 and 1 inch thick, and two boards each 2 feet 10 inches 
 long, 6 inches wide and 1 inch thick, and nail the 
 ends together firmly, and you have the sides of a 
 box 4 feet long, 3 feet wide and 6 inches high. 
 
 Now cover the top of this box with boards 1 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 27 
 
 inch thick, plowed and groved, or matched, so that 
 they will fit closely together. Then for the bottom 
 take a piece ot zinc 4 feet long and 3 feet wide and 
 nail securely with two rows of small nails, for the 
 bottom of the box. This makes a box 4 feet long, 
 
 3 feet wide and 6 inches high, with a zinc bottom. 
 This box is called the heater. 
 
 Next make the e,g% drawer, by taking two pieces 
 
 4 feet long, 4 inches wide and \}4. inches thick, and 
 and two pieces Sk inches long, 5 inches wide and 
 1^^ inches thick, nail these together, making the 
 sides of the ^.g^ drawer, 4 feet long and 2 feet 1\}4. 
 inches wide; then cnt 23 slats 35>^ inches long and 
 1 inch square, and nail the 23 slats on the bottom of 
 this drawer 1 inch apart. These slats are the bot- 
 tom of the egg drawer. 
 
 Now this makes a drawer 4 feet long, 2 feet M W 
 inches wide and 5 inches high on the outside, and 
 4 inches deep in the inside, with a slat bottom. 
 
 Now take a -piece of wool sack, coffee sack, or 
 some other coarse, strong material, 4 feet long, 2 
 feet 8 inches wide, draw it tightly over the top of 
 these slats and tack to the slats and ends of the 
 drawer. 
 
 Now cut out of good timber two slats 3 Teet 7 
 inches long, 1 inch wide and half an inch thick, 
 and two slats 32 inches long and 1 inch square, mor- 
 tise the ends of the two half inch thick slats into the 
 ends of the inch square slats, making a frame 3 feet 
 7 inches long and 32 inches wide; take good heavy 
 muslin and draw it very tight, especially length- 
 ways over this frame, and tack it on solid, lay this 
 
28 Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 frame, muslin side down, on the coarse cloth in the 
 eg^ drawer. On this muslin the eggs are to lie. 
 
 Next cut 20 stats 2 feet 11 inches long and half 
 an inch square, then bore 20 holes half an inch in 
 diameter, in each side of the egg drawer, for the 
 20 slats to go in ; these 20 slats should be 1% inches 
 apart, so the eggs can lie between the slats, and the 
 slats should be down just as close to tbe frame with 
 the muslin on as can ]>e, to allow the muslin frame 
 to be moved easily between these 20 slats and the 
 slats that make the bottom of the e.g^ draw^er, then 
 place the eggs between the 20 half inch slats on the 
 muslin cloth, then, by moving this muslin frame 2 
 inches back or forward, you turn the eggs half over 
 or bottom side up. 
 
 Next take two boards 4 feet long, 8 incbes wide 
 and 1 inch thick, and two boards 2 feet and 10 inches 
 long, 8 inches wide and 1 inch thick, nail these to- 
 gether, making the sides of a box 4 feet long, 3 feet 
 wide and 8 inches high, being similar in shape to 
 the heater, except 2 inches higher, 
 
 Nail on a bottom of plowed and grooved boards 
 1 inch thick. Now bore 12 holes In different parts 
 of this bottom, half an inch in diameter, and get 12 
 pieces of tin pipe, 7 inches long and half an inch 
 in diameter, and put in each of the 12 holes. They 
 should extend up above the bottom 6 inches. These 
 are the ventilators. Now fill this box containing 
 the ventilators with saw dust, brand or sand, about 
 5 inches deep, or up to within 1 inch of the top of 
 the ventilators. Mind, this box has a bottom but 
 no top. Now set the egg drawer on top of the ven- 
 
Profltahie Poultry Raising* 29 
 
 tilator box, and then on top of the egg drawer set 
 the heater. 
 
 Now we want to arrange these boxes so the egg 
 drawer can be slid out and in, and the other boxes 
 maintain their position. To do this, take two boards, 
 each four feet long, V2 inches wide, 1 inch thick. 
 Nail one of these boards on each side of the heater 
 and the ventilator box, driving the nails into the 
 heater and ventilator, but be sure an 1 drive no nails 
 into the egg drawer, as it should slide out and in 
 freely between the heater and ventilator. Having 
 got these boards nailed solid, cut another board 3 
 leet long, 12 inches wide and 1 inch thick, and nail 
 to the heater and ventilator, on the back end. Now 
 the heater and ventilator are connected on two sides 
 and one end, ot course the other end must be left 
 open for the egg drawer to slide out. The bottom 
 of the Incubator is now protected by the 6 inches 
 of saw dust that is in the ventilator box. We now 
 want to protect the two sides, the back end and the 
 top with 8 inches of saw dust. To do this, take 
 two pieces of scantling 4 feet and four inches long, 
 lay them down and set the Incubator on them, so 
 that the scantling will extend out 8 inches on each 
 side of the Incubator. See that the scantlings do 
 not cover any or the ventilator holes in the bottom 
 of the Incubator. 
 
 Now take two boards 4 feet and 8 inches long, 8 
 inches wide, and lay one on each side of the Incu- 
 bator on these scantlings for a bottom to the saw- 
 dust box, which will surround the Incubator. 
 Then, by taking a board 4 feet long and 8 inches 
 
so ProfitahU Poultry Raisini. 
 
 wide and laying it across the back end of the Incu- 
 bator, letting it rest on the ends of the two side bot- 
 tom boards which extend back, the bottom of the 
 saw dust box will be complete. 
 
 Xovv you want to make one end and two sides 
 of a box to set on this bottom, the side? should be 
 4 feet 8 inclies long and 20 inches higli, an<l at tlie 
 end 4 feet 8 inches long and 20 inches liigh. Now 
 set this box on the bottom already made and nail It 
 securely, and with two boards 20 inclies long and 8 
 inches wide you can close up the fioiit end of the 
 box. 
 
 Now by aking a board 4 feet long and 8 inches 
 wide, you close the top of the end of the saw dust 
 box. This now makes a box within a box, with a 
 space 8 inches wide between the sides and the back 
 end, which is to be tilled with saw dust. 
 
 Now go to a tin shop and get two pipes made, 
 take a lamp chimney with you and get the pipes 
 made to suit your chimney, so you cm slip the lamp 
 chimne} up in the pipe tight. A pipe '2% inches in 
 diameter is a common size. The pipe should be 12 
 inches long, then an elbow, then inches more pipe, 
 get two pipes with an L atone end. 
 
 Now make a hole the size of your pipe in the 
 outside, or saw dust box 8 inches from the front end 
 and 10 inches trom the top, and make a hole the 
 same size in tl.e heater, 8 inches from the front end 
 and 2 inches from the top; then slide the 12 inch 
 part of the pipe through the hole in tlie saw dust 
 box into the hole in the heater, leaving the elbow 
 and the inch part of the pipe on the outside of the 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 31 
 
 saw dust box, and G inch pipe pointing down, for 
 the lamp chimney to be put in. Then put the other 
 pipe in the same way, in the opposite hind corner. 
 These pipes shouh] be seamed togetlier, as soldering 
 will melt. Then light your lamps and push the 
 chimney as far up in the pipe as you can without 
 making them smoke. If the lamps smoke, lower 
 them a little, that some air may pass around the 
 chimney. Two lamps should keep up the proper 
 heat in the coldest weather. 
 
 After putting the pipes in till the saw dust box 
 with saw dust even full, but right around the tin 
 pipes instead of putting saw dust be sure and put 
 earih, a< the saw «iust migh^ get atire. A little 
 box nailed to the outside of the dust box to cover 
 the tin pipe and elbow, and filled with earth, would 
 save much heat. Now your Incubator has G inches 
 of saw dust underneath the eggs in the ventilator 
 box and 8 inches on the top. This makes such a 
 l)erfect protection that a change of 40 degrees in the 
 temperature of your Incubator room will not make 
 more than two degrees change inside the Incuba- 
 tor. He sure and get a good thermometer, lay it in 
 the front end of the egg drawer with the top end 
 slightly raised; it should be one inch higher than 
 the bottom end. Let the lower end of the ther- 
 mometer point toward the back end of the egg 
 drawer, then by pulling out the egg drawer four or 
 five inches you can see in a few seconds how the 
 temperature is. Torches such as a»e used duiing 
 political campaigns make good Incubator lamps by 
 putting common lamp burners on them. 
 
3^ Profitahie Poultry Raising. 
 
 Now get six pipes, % of an inch in diameter 
 and 15 inches long. Bore six holes in the top of 
 the heater, 3 on each side opposite to where the 
 heating pipes enter the heater. Bore first hole 3 
 inches from the corner, the second 3 inches from 
 the first and 3 inches from the outside; the third 
 12 inches from the second and 3 inches from the 
 outside. Then put the other three the same way 
 on the other side. Then put in the pipes and slide 
 them down to within half an inch of the zinc bot- 
 tom. If the zinc bottom is too loose, bore a hole in 
 the center of the top of the heater, and punch a 
 hole, the size of the bolt you will use, in the zinc 
 directly below, and tighten up the burr until the 
 zinc will not flop up and down any when the drawer 
 is moved. Then by moving the drawer out slowly 
 and steadily, so as not to jar ihe eggs, the lamp will 
 not trouble. Make the egg drawer so as to slide 
 out smoothly and easily. 
 
 This Incubator, as above described, will con- 
 tain 250 eggs. It should be made G feet long and 
 4 feet wide, the same otherwise, to hold 500 eggs, 
 but remember that two Incubators that hold 250 
 eggs is much better than one that holds 500 eggs. 
 This Incubator is just as good a one as there is 
 made, for people who do not wish to travel and ex_ 
 hibit their machine, anyone can make it and anyone 
 can use it. 
 
 Dust Bath. 
 
 By instinct all birds are taught the need of a 
 dust or water bath for their well-being. They 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising- SS 
 
 choose a sheltered and sunny spot of fine, dry soil, 
 in which they open their feathers and fill them with 
 dust, which, applied often enough and in sufficient 
 quantities, is death to all parasites which invest the 
 plumage or skin. As the domestic fowl is not a na- 
 tive of a cold climate, it becomes necessary for us to 
 supply the deficiency which exists during our win- 
 ter season. This is readily accomplished by the 
 dust box, which every one who has fowls should 
 provide. Fine road dust, coal ashes, sand, pulver- 
 ized loam, or clay even, are all very good, and with 
 a sprinkling of flour of sulphur, constitutes as good 
 a bath as can be desired. This should be placed in 
 a sunny exposure of the room and kept dry and 
 clean, so that the fowls may enjoy its benefits when 
 they choose. 
 
 When poultry is kept in a yard, it is best to dig 
 up a small corner occasionally, to let them hunt for 
 worms and beetles, and then sow it in oats and corn 
 and lettuce. 
 
 Clipping Wings. 
 
 Clipping one wing of fowls to prevent their fly- 
 ing is a necessary operation sometimes, but never 
 necessarily disfiguring. It generally is, however, 
 since the farmer's shears almost always makes a 
 clean sweep of all the quills, and an ugly wing is 
 the result. Besides the ugliness, there are also 
 other disadvantages in such a sweeping operation, 
 A sitting hen uses the outer end of her wing to re- 
 tain the eggs under her in place, and those near the 
 
«?^ Profitable Poultry ttaisin^- 
 
 body protect the skin being torn by her mate's 
 claws. The proper way is to trim the feathers part- 
 ly off with a pair of scissors, except about one inch 
 at the end. It shows but little when the wing is 
 clo ed and does not disfigure the fowl, but lets the 
 wind through, so as to prevent flying. 
 
 Keep a shelter in the yard to protect your birds 
 from the sun and rain. 
 
 The Egg. 
 
 It is for the most part composed of albuminous 
 matters and oils and fats, together with fibrin, phos- 
 phorous, sulphur, iron, etc., in small but appreci- 
 able quantities. An egg is a potential chicken. 
 The hatching process adds nothing to the egg, but 
 only developes the chicken from the substance al- 
 ready there. Thus, in an egg there is a material 
 for bones, flesh, brains, nerves, feathers, and all the 
 organs of life. Hence egg production, considered 
 physiologically, is an exhaustive process, when 
 hens lay regularly and constantly. Furthermore, 
 the shells of eggs are composed almost exclusively 
 of carbonate of lime. When a hen lays freely she 
 requires a supply of the raw material trom wliich 
 to secrete this carbonate, and it should be furnished 
 her at all times. Is it any wonder, then, that hens, 
 as they are ordinarily kept, do not lay in winter? 
 Their food must contain the materials from which 
 they secrete eggs, or they cannot lay. Probably 
 nine-tenths of all the poultry in tiie country is fed 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 85 
 
 on whole, raw corn. We know that corn contains 
 all the elementary substances that eggs do, but in 
 very much smaller quantities, bulk for bulk, and 
 when a hen has no other food she cannot eat enough 
 to afford the materials for an ^g% a day, or every 
 other day. She will get fat and lazy but cannot 
 la5^ Hence the necessity for a variety of ^iet. In 
 summer, when at liberty, the hens can find the va- 
 riety of food that suits them, and generally lay well 
 without much care; but in winter they can get 
 only what is given them, and generally they do 
 not lay. But if we know the wants of the hens, 
 and supply them, we may have as many eggs in 
 winter as in summer. Poultry are large consum- 
 ers of grass when they can get it, and to keep in 
 good health they must have it, or its equivalent, in 
 winter. Cabbage or boiled vegetables of any kind 
 are good substitutes. Grass, if cut green and care- 
 fully dried in the shade, when cut fine and steeped 
 awhile in hot water, is nearly as good as green 
 grass, and is eagerly eaten in winter. Besides 
 gra.<s, or its equivalent, we must give a supply of 
 lime. Oyster shells, when they can be had, are the 
 most convenient; when they cannot be had, ordi- 
 nary stone lime from the kilns will do as well, after 
 it has been slacked, but gravel must be supplied 
 with the latter. 
 
 Charcoal and Lime. 
 
 These two articles play a very important part 
 in the management of fowls, whether bred in a fan- 
 
^& Profitable Poultry liaising. 
 
 cier's yard or on a farm. Charcoal should be liber- 
 ally fed, tor no one thing is more conducive to 
 health than this. It should be broken into small 
 lumps and put where the fowls can ^et at it, and 
 they will eat it with great relish. We liave seen it 
 led to pigs with the very best results; and those 
 whicli^were treated to it were never troiibled with 
 disease or sickness, while neigliboring ones were. 
 This helps to prove its value not only for swine but 
 for fowls. Where the birds are kept in confine- 
 ment, it is a good plan to keep a trough in a shel- 
 tered place, full of small bits of fresh charcoal, and 
 the fowls will soon learn to help themselves. The 
 value of lime in the shape of whitewash is well 
 known, and those who use it liberally are the ones 
 who keep their flocks healthy and cleanly. To ren- 
 der whitewash more ettective in dislodging, driving 
 away or destroying lice and other parasite nuis- 
 ances, the addition of a little carbolic acid is inval- 
 uable, for scarcely anything else seems so distaste- 
 ful to the vermin. Air-slacked lime should be occa- 
 sionally scattered over the floor of the chicken- 
 house to remove unpleasant and unhealthy odors, 
 while a little of it should be scattered around the 
 yard and runs. For material for egg-shells, oyster- 
 shells and lime is the best for this purpose. — Ameri- 
 can Stockman. 
 
 Save None But the Best. 
 
 Whatever variety the breeder may cultivate he 
 will find every season among both his old and young 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 37 
 
 stock specimens that have failed or do not come up 
 to the average points of the rest of the flock, and 
 far below standard requirements, either in plum- 
 age, sjanmetry, size, shape, and many other quali- 
 ties. This showing year after year seems to be un- 
 avoidable where a large number are raised annu- 
 ally, and this is the experience of every breeder 
 with all known breeds. Save none but the best is 
 very expensive, and should be understood clearly, 
 however. And we suggest that while the breeder 
 aims to attaining perfection in the selection and 
 breeding of the very best specimens continuously, 
 he should have for his object the survival of the 
 fittest in his yard, and this can be accomplished by 
 the slaughtering process to good account, inasmuch 
 as the work may be made to pay him fairly by it- 
 self, while he is getting rid of the birds which are 
 a drawback to his efforts towards a higher perfec- 
 tion among his selected breeding stock. Now if 
 the fancier in breeding a hundred fowls of any given 
 variety finds but a score of cockerels and pullets 
 which come up to the standard requirements, the 
 other eighty should be culled and sold for consump- 
 tion. And altogether this may appear a large pro- 
 portion to be consigned to the b'.ock, nevertheless it 
 is best in the end, provided the breeder aims at 
 reputation in the future for raising the best stock 
 birds; for the score selected as breeders and exhi- 
 bition birds are worth more to him than ten times 
 the nominal value of the culls, if he desires to sell 
 them or retain them for himself, and out of these 
 perfect specimens he may the next year produce a 
 
B8 Projitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 largely increased percentage of superior fowls over 
 the average of the past season. — Poultry Journal. 
 
 • ♦ • 
 
 Poultry on the Farm. 
 
 Farming is made up of many home industries, and 
 to neglect poultry as one of the sources of income is 
 poor economy. At certain seasons, when most of 
 the other farm products are disposed of, eggs and 
 early broilers in the spring, summer, and roasters 
 in the fall, are in the aggregate quite an item, and 
 may furnish all the supplies needed. We have al- 
 ways maintained that the farming class have facili- 
 ties and advantages over the ordinary village poul- 
 terer in the way of range and keeping them cheap- 
 ly at all seasons of the year. It costs very little to 
 keep a flock of fowls on the farm. They usually 
 provide the greater share of their own living from 
 the stable, the orchard, the stubble field and the 
 straw stack. The grain and seed which they pick 
 up, if left unmolested, would be of no earthly use 
 to the farmer, and the worms, grubs and insects 
 which they destroy would injure his growing crops, 
 vines, fruit trees, etc. 
 
 Poultry Raising as a Business. 
 
 There is just now much interest in poultry 
 raising, and a disposition to take it up on a large 
 scale. The following extract from one of our re- 
 cent letters will give an idea of the many inquiries 
 made of us ; "Is poultry ruising a profitable- bǤi- 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 39 
 
 ness, and would you advise a j'-oung man to invest 
 one thousand dollars in it?" This might be an- 
 swered in brief: Poultry is profitable, but we 
 would not advise a young man (nor an old one) to 
 at once invest one thousand dollars in it. Farmers 
 find the poultrj'^ yard the most profitable part of 
 the farm, in proportion to the capital invest' d. 
 Many reckon in this way : If fifty fowls are profit- 
 able, five hundred will be ten times as profitable. 
 This is an instance in which figures do not tell the 
 truth. As soon as the number of fowls is doubled, 
 troubles are quadrupled. A range and houses 
 which will keep fifty in perfect health will be over- 
 crowded with one h>indred,and all the troublesdue 
 to a dense population will follow. While we be- 
 lieve that poultr}^ keeping on a large Fcale may be 
 made profitable, capital to purchase birds and build 
 houses is not the only thing needful. Those who 
 undertake the business must give their whole time 
 and attention to it. One point is settled — fowls can- 
 not be kept together in large numbers and thrive. 
 The whole matter requires careful study and expe- 
 riment. The beginner should start in a small way 
 and increase as success seems to warrant it. 
 
 Eggs aud Chicks. 
 
 Eggs should be regularly collected every daj^ 
 The wide-awake fancier can often learn to disti i- 
 guish the eggs of individual hens, and when this is 
 possible it is very desirable. Thereby, when it is 
 desired to set a hen, the eggs can be retained only 
 
^0 Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 from the finest hens or those that are the best lay- 
 ers. Hens of the lajang breed will lay 150 to 250 
 eggs per annum ; common hens average about 100 
 eggs per head. Every nest mustalwaj'^s have a nest 
 ef^^ (white china is the best), as it prevents the hens 
 from laying away. Hard-shell eggs are al ways pre- 
 ferable, and hence it must be seen that the hens 
 have constant access to shell-forming material. It 
 is not best to give them this in the form of broken 
 ^^^ shells, as they may from that acquire the un- 
 profitable habit of eating their own eggs. The cure 
 recommended, if the habit is detected early, is to 
 place in the nest an egg shell fille \ with the strong- 
 est mustard, mixed rather thick. AVe often have 
 inquiries as to whether eggs for hatching can be 
 sent safely by express for long distances. We an- 
 swer, unhesitatingly, Yes! We have sent eggs 
 hundreds of miles by express, and had 11 and 13 to 
 hatch out of a clutch (13). And again, we have sent 
 eggs equally as far and had none to hatch; then the 
 purchaser, if he is a novice, is apt to think himself 
 swindled, and write a very un gentlemanly letter. 
 There is, of course, always some risk in transporta- 
 tion, but there are many other reasons why the 
 eggs will someHmes fail to hatch, whether sent by 
 express or set at home. When eggs are ordered 
 from a distance a setting hen should be in readiness 
 to receive them as soon as they arrive. If none of 
 the hens are ready a brood hen can always be 
 bought at a low figure from some neighboring 
 farmer, or '* swapped " for a laying hen. To make 
 the hen take to her new riest she should be changed 
 
Profhtahle Poultry Raising. Jf,l 
 
 at nisjht, and it should be as nearly as possible like 
 the old nest. She should tirst be given some china 
 eggs until she settles down quietly to incubation. 
 The period of incubation is twenty-one days. Right 
 here we might say that to preserve the eggs for 
 family use, the best plan recommended in WrighVs 
 Poultry Book is to pack them closely together and 
 keep tightly covered up in a mixture prepared as 
 follows : 
 
 " To four gallons of boiling water add half a peck 
 of new lime, stirring it some little time. When 
 cold, remove any hard lumps by a coarse sieve, add 
 ten ounces of salt and three ounces of cream of tar- 
 tar, and mix the whole strongly. The mixture is 
 then to be let stand to temper, for a fortnight, be- 
 fore use. Thus treated, if put in when newly laid, 
 at nine months after they will eat quite as good as 
 though only laid six days, though, of course not 
 quite like new laid." 
 
 liens should \;>e set in the evening, and should 
 be fui-nished with comfortable nests in a dark and 
 unmolested spot. The nest should be made flat 
 Ovhen very concave the egjjjs do not lay so well), 
 and is best made out of an inverted sod, or three 
 layers of dry earth or ashes, with straw, hay, or 
 forest leaves placed thereon. Thirteen eggs are the 
 best number covered by average hens. But in cold 
 weather eleven, or even nine or seven— according 
 to the size of the hens and eggs — are amply suffi- 
 cient. A larger number would only become chilled. 
 The hen should be taken off the nest (if she does 
 not go off of her own accord) for food, water, brief 
 
4^ Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 exercise and a ^oo(\ dusting. Do not, as a rule, re- 
 move the young cliiekeiis until twenty-four liours 
 ;.fter all are hatched. Occasionally one may need 
 some assistance to get from the shell. This should 
 be given cautiously, and only in extreme cases, by 
 gently indenting the finger into tlie siiell (without 
 touching the inside niembrance), in a circle from 
 where it is clipped. When the cliicks are hatched 
 the mother should be i)laced in a coop about two or 
 three feet square, placed on the ground and with 
 slats in the fiour, through which the chicks can run 
 out and receive food. Young chicks should always 
 be kept dry and where they can get plentj^ of sun- 
 light. It must be remembered that fowls attain 
 their growth in from four to eight months, and can 
 never make up for any " back-sets " in that period. 
 Feed regularly and often until five or six weeks 
 old, at first with cooked meat and hard-boiled eggs 
 mixed. Give fine-chopped green food, and let them 
 have the benefit of a grass run. The floor of the 
 chickens' coop should always be kept clean and free 
 from vermin by a fresh supply of dry dirt. Chicks 
 should always be kept growing while young. If 
 intended for marketing they should be forced and 
 marketed early ; spring chickens pay the best by 
 all odds. For breeders, however, it is not neces- 
 sary to hatch the chicks too early, as those hatched 
 in milder weather require less care, grow better, 
 and are fully as profitable. Asiatics, however, in- 
 tended for fall shows, should be hatched by the 
 first of March. April, May and June, however, are 
 the best months for hatching fowls intended for 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 4^ 
 
 breeders. After tire first few days a bit of meat can 
 be chopped with the food once a day. Soft food 
 should be fed fresh very often — only so much each 
 time as is entirely consumed. A little bone meal 
 should be added to the food. A'ter tlie ch.cks are 
 two or three weeks old the evening meal can con- 
 sist of cracked corn and wheat, or good screenings. 
 Chicks should always have a grass run; if deprived 
 of this green food must be furnished to them daily. 
 Chopped cabbage leaves are highly relished by 
 them. A plentiful supply of pure, fresh water must 
 be constantly at hand, [n winter the chicks require 
 more stimulating food than in summer. Beef scraps 
 can be boiled and mixed with the soft food. If the 
 chicks have been liberally fed they will be in prime 
 condition lor the table without any extra fatting. 
 Growiug chicks must always have plenty of exer- 
 cise, and should not be crowded together in too close 
 quarters. In raising fowls for market, as a rule, 
 the chicks should be killed as soon as ready, cer- 
 tainly as soon as they have attained full size, as then 
 better prices are generally procured than later in 
 the season. The food afterwards led is, therefore, 
 worse than wastd. Besides this, there is consid- 
 erable risk from disease in holding a large lot of 
 poultry. In breeding fancy fowls the young chicks 
 that turn out inferior, ''culls" or ''scrubs," as 
 commonly called (and alas! even the best strains 
 will sometimes throw these despised and ought-to- 
 be-rejected specimens), should be marked as soon 
 as distinguishable, at from three to six months old'. 
 Don't be afraid to kill your poor chickens; it is the 
 
JfJf. Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 on\y wa}^ to ultimate success. If all are killed thit 
 year there will be tevver next year. 
 
 Havanua 3Iethod of Preserving: Eggs. 
 
 Put into a barrel 24 i^allons of water, 12 pounds 
 iinslaeke 1 white lime, 4 pounds of salt, let settle 
 until clear, then draw off 20 gallons of the clear 
 liquid. Tlien take 5 ounces of baking soda, 5 
 ounces of borax, 1 ounce of alum, 1 ounce taitar, 
 pulverize, mix and dissolve in one gallon of boiling 
 water and pour it into your 20 gallons of liquid; 
 put the liquid into a whisky barrel or coal oil bar- 
 rel which has been previously burned out. This 
 will hold 150 dozen eggs. Let the water stand 
 about one inch over the eggs, then spread an old 
 cloth on top of the ^%';:,a and put a bucket or two of 
 the lime settlings on it. Do not let the cloth hang 
 over the edge of the barrel. After being in the 
 liquid 30 days, the eggs may be taken out and piled 
 in boxes in a dark room or packed ready for ship- 
 j)ing — but it is customary to let the eggs remain in 
 the liquid until ready to ship. Do not nse the 
 pickle but once. You can put in a lew dozen at a 
 time, but always keep the eggs covered with the 
 liquid: as the water evaporates put in more. Put 
 in none but fresh eggs. A dry cellar is the best 
 place to pack eggs. 
 
 The Haws Egg Compound. 
 
 Use clean barrels or tank, free from all smell. 
 Dissolve 5 pounds of salt, 15 pounds of unslacked 
 
Profijtahle Poultry Raising. Ji,5 
 
 lime, I pound of cream of tart:ir, 1 ounce saltpeter, 
 4 ounces of soda, and 4 ounces of borax, mix in 16 
 o:allons of water. Let it stand two or three days, 
 stirring frequently. Drop the eggs in carefully 
 with a ladle, until the brine is full. Do not move 
 the barrel alter the eggs are in. Cover the barrel 
 and keep in a cellar or cool place. It the brine 
 evaporates add lime water. Do not allow eggs to 
 i-emain out of brine. 
 
 To Preserve Eggs. 
 
 Place the eggs in a close box, burn some sul- 
 phur in the box and shut it up tight. Let it remain 
 closed half an hour, then put the eggs away dry. 
 They will keep for six or eight months. This is 
 the celebrated ozone ( I) proces^s. To preserve fruits 
 or vegetables, put a jar of water in the box with the 
 fruit. Burn sulphur, close tightly, let remain 
 closed for half an hour, then put the fruit in the 
 jar of water, cover with a piece of paper and stow 
 away. To preserve meat, omit water. Take it out 
 of box and hang up dry. It will keep months. So 
 will tish. No taste of sulphur aftects it, as cooking 
 liberates it, it being a gas in this form. 
 
 Keep the Chickens Growiug. 
 
 It is a mistaken policy to stint young (owls of 
 rich food, and plenty of it is what they need; and 
 no danger of overfeeding if they are growing and 
 have their liberty. Old fowls that have their 
 
JfB Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 growth and are sliut up, can easily be fed too much, 
 but do not fail to feed the young ones all they will 
 eat. A good feed of whole grain of some kind, just 
 as late in the evening as they can see to eat it, is 
 one of the means of making fine stock. Also g ve 
 them a plentiful breakfast of soft tood early in the 
 morning. Let no food lie on the groujid, or anj'^- 
 thing that will sour; it will be very likely to make 
 the little chicks sick. A few cents' worth of food, 
 given at the proper season to a tine bird, may make 
 several dollars difference in the price when you 
 come to sell. It takes a certain quantity of food to 
 keep up the waste of sustai ing animal life; so 
 every ounce of food properly digested, in addition 
 to their actual requirements, goes to increase the 
 fowl. Remember this, and never neghct the grow- 
 ing stock. Time lost h< re can never be regained. 
 Xeglect the little chicks and you will surely see the 
 effects of the neglect in the mature fowl. 
 
 Artificial nest eggs may be prepared very sim- 
 ply by breaking a small hole in the round end of 
 an ordinary Qg%, removing tlie contents and filling 
 the shell with plaster paris, sufficiently moistened 
 with water as to be easily poured into the shell; 
 after it liardens paste a piece of white paper over 
 the hole, or the hens will peck out the plaster 
 paris and destroy the e^g. It is easily made, and 
 will last a long lime. It is advisable to always 
 have such nest eggs, and fowls will not acquire the 
 habit of eating their eggs; hens are also less liable 
 to wander oft" and hide their nests when plenty of 
 nest eggs are placed in the nests. 
 
Profttable Poultry Raising* Ji!7 
 
 Egsr Production in America. 
 
 Altliough these United States are so rich in 
 grail), mineral, Inniber and the difterent commer- 
 cial productions, the first among which ma^^ be 
 placed the raising of cattle, etc., yet they are 
 obliged to send to Europe for a part of the necessary 
 quantity of eggs t? meet the demand, a thing almost 
 impossible to believe, yet it is unfortunately but 
 too true, I could hardly believe it, until I had re- 
 ceived it irom the Hon. Ed. Younds, Chief of the 
 Bureau of the Government Statistics at Washing- 
 ton — several reports'of which, unfortunately, are 
 too sparse. y scattered through the States — and one 
 of these reports shows me that there was imported 
 into the United Stares during a period of eleven 
 months in 1872, 5,025,958 dozens of eggs, worth 
 ,$688,796, and during the same time in 1873, 5,467,- 
 264 dozens, and worth $732,234. The increase is 
 again repeated in previous years, not necessary to 
 enumerate, for it would make these statistics weari- 
 some. 
 
 So it can easily be seen that there is no danger 
 of overstocking the markets, and I firmly believe 
 that the consumers would rather have their eggs 
 fresh than coming trom Europe, as the voyage 
 would not improve their flavor. After having read 
 these figures, that so lucrative a business is not more 
 generally followed and better managed; why poul- 
 try does not take its place among other industries 
 and occupy that rank which it ought to among other 
 commercial affairs is, that the thing is too simple; 
 
Jf8 Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 and if I was to tell a father with two sons to teach 
 them a trade of some sort, he would very likely re- 
 ply that they may be doctors or lawyers. If 1 was 
 to ask him the question : '' Have you an}'^ forture, or 
 have your sons any disposition for those profes- 
 sions? lie would reply : " Not much ; and I do not 
 know if they are so inclined." And suppose I 
 had added tlie advice: " Have them tan^lit the art 
 of raising poultry," I should make that man my 
 enemy, and ho miojht ask me if I took him for a 
 madman. Don't get angry, my friend,! might justly 
 say, for it is not every one who can raise poultry 
 with profit. 
 
 Plymouth Rocks. 
 
 Among the manj^ fine breeds of domestic fowls 
 raised noW-a-days by poultrymen generally, the 
 Plymouth Rocks appear to hold a ver}'^ prominent 
 position. This fowl is compar^.tively new, having 
 originated by crossing the Dominique cock with 
 Black Java hens, and keeping on breeding the 
 progen}^ of this cross until uniformity was secured ; 
 the color, hardiness, and other good qualities of the 
 former being preserved with the important addi- 
 tion of an increase in size. The Plymouth Rocks 
 are yearly becoming more popular as their merits 
 become known, the demand keeping pace with the 
 supply. They are a good sized fowl, dress well, 
 and fill a void between the Asiatics and the- smaller 
 breeds. When well bred they are comely, and can- 
 not help but prove attractive to the farmer, mer- 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. Jf9 
 
 chant, mechanic, and others who do not belong to 
 the fancy. The Plymouth Rocks may be consid- 
 ered a "general purpose breed," well adapted to 
 the practical poulterer as well as the novice. They 
 are very hardy, easily reared, mature early and at- 
 tain large size. The hens are good layers and an 
 excellent table fowl. In their case, therefore, there 
 is no need of keeping two breeds to obtain a good 
 share of eggs and acceptable broilers and roasters. 
 They are also a clean legged fowl, their combs and 
 wattles of moderate size and not likely to become 
 frozen when Jack Frost puts in an appearance. 
 They are good layers, if provided with comfortable 
 quarters and the proper kind of food. The pullets 
 lay at an early age, on account of rapid develop- 
 ment; being early maturing they attain their 
 growth and are ready for market sooner than any 
 other large breed. A nice spring chicken will sell 
 for as much money as a full-grown fowl, and in this 
 is one of the chief merits of the Plymouth Rocks. 
 — Poultry World. 
 
 Douglas Mixture. 
 
 Take of sulphate of iron (common copperas) 8 
 ounces, sulphuric acid 3^' fluid ounce, put into a bot- 
 tle or jug one gallon of water, into this put the sul- 
 phate of iron. As soon as the iron is dissolved add 
 the acid, and when it is clear the mixture is ready 
 tor use. This mixture is to be given in the drink- 
 ing water every two or three days. A gill for every 
 25 head. If there are any symptoms of disease it 
 
oO Profttahte Poultry Raising. 
 
 should be given every day. This is one of the best 
 tonics known to the poultry fraternity. 
 
 Buckeye Egg Cure. 
 
 Buckwheat, 8 quarts; Indian corn, well parched, 
 8 quarts; oil cake, or meal, 8 quarts; oats, well 
 parched, 8 quarts; Egyptian rice corn, or wheat, 8 
 quarts. Grind all together, then mix the oil cake 
 in and add one pint slacked lime, 1 pint ground 
 bone, tablespoonsfull of common salt, 5 table- 
 spoonsful capsicum. Put all tlie above ingredients 
 together and thoroughly mix. This will make about 
 two bushels of feed after being ground. Cook as 
 much of this feed as your fowls will eat at one 
 time, and feed it in the morning, warm. Do not 
 put in too much water that the feed will be sloppy, 
 but have it dry enough that when thrown down it 
 will not break apart. Feed this food two or three 
 times a week, and not oftener, for remember the 
 feed is very strong. 
 
 Atlantic Egg Food and Condition Powder. 
 
 Take 4 pounds ground dry meat; 2 pounds 
 ground bone, 1 pound oyster shells, one-half pound 
 of salt, one-half pound of ground cinamon, ginger, 
 or black pepper (any kind of spice will answer). 
 Mix the above thoroughly. Now mix in a separate 
 dish one ounce each of sulpur, copperas, bread 
 soda, saltpetre, ground saffron, asafoetida and hypo- 
 sulphite of soda. When these are well mixed add 
 
profitable Poultry Raising- 51 
 
 to the above, well mixing the whole. Now parch 
 2 pounds of ground oats and 2 pounds cracked corn, 
 mix, and add to the above. You will then have 
 about 15 pounds of poultry food, at a cost of about 
 50 cents. If the fowls are in good health the saf- 
 fron and asafa3tida may be omitted. Feed a table- 
 spoonful daily to each fowl. 
 
 Young Turkeys. 
 
 The best preventive for sickness in these birds, 
 as well as to help them through the red, is to mix 
 finely cut onions or chives in their food, which 
 ought to consist of Indian meal mixed with either 
 water or milk, but small potatoes boiled and mashed 
 with plenty of pepper may be used with raw onions 
 chopped fine instead. 
 
 To Insure Success, Observe the Following Rules. 
 
 Keep your fowl houses clean and well venti- 
 lated, but do not allow any draft to strike your 
 roosting places. 
 
 Feed little and often of sound grain ; give your 
 fowls a variety of food during the day ; at night 
 always feed w.hole corn. 
 
 Have your drinking vessels washed every morn- 
 in**", and keep them full of clean water every day; 
 in winter, give warm water; in summer, give a 
 fresh supply two or three times a day. 
 
 Always keep a box of crushed oyster shelU 
 where the fowls can get at it. 
 
S2 Profitable Poultry Raising, 
 
 Never trust your birds to the care of another, 
 no one but the owner can appreciate their wants and 
 attend to the little de'ails, which are all important. 
 
 Always separate the sick fowls from the well 
 ones, as most of the diseases of fowls are conta- 
 gious. 
 
 Use kerosene oil freely on, the roostin«i; perches 
 once a week— this prevents the accumulation of lice 
 in the poultry house, and the fumes of the oil per- 
 meates the feathers of the fowls at nij^htand drives 
 the vermin from their bodies. Whitewash the in- 
 terior of the coop every three months or oftener. 
 The following receipt for making a wash is the best 
 1 have seen : To a pail of whitewash add one pint 
 of crude carbolic acid; make a starch of a pound 
 of flotir and mix while it is hot; apply this freely 
 to every part of the hou e. For outside work omit 
 the carbolic acid and add a teaspoon ful of salt and a 
 pound of rice boiled in two quarts of water. 
 
 Permit all your hens, so inclined, to sit and 
 hatch one brood in the year. It is better for the 
 fowls, and you will thus get just as many eggs from 
 them in twelve months as if you bothered your 
 brains "to break them up." 
 
 Keep but one kind at tirst of whatever kind you 
 may fancy. When you can breed that well, try 
 something else, if you get tired of this. But don't 
 venture upon too much in the " variety line," at the 
 commencement, or you will tail with all. 
 
 Don't attempt to raise five hundred birds within 
 limits fitting the needs of five dozen or less. Crowd- 
 ing fowls into close quarters will breed thousands 
 of lice, but precious few chickens, remember. 
 
Profitcible Poultry Raising. 58 
 
 Dont't try to breed too many varieties at once. 
 You will succeed better with one or two in the be- 
 ginning. 
 
 The best plan for all bieeders is to raise chick- 
 ens every season to be layers of the next year, and 
 kill off all the old stock. 
 
 Rats are great enemies to chickens, and often 
 they have their seasons of carnage and destruction 
 before they are found out. 
 
 The poulterer who expects to make profits on 
 the poultry he habitually neglects, has expectations 
 that will never be realized. 
 
 It is well to introduce fresh cocks of pure blood 
 in the breeding pen every second year. This pre- 
 vents deterioration in the stock. A two-j'ear-old 
 cock with pullet and vi e versa. 
 
 Nooi.e kind of food will make hens lay well. A 
 judicious rotation of the best kinds of food, accom- 
 panied with the requisite concomitants and calcer- 
 ous matter, 
 
 A little ingenuity and skill, at a comparative 
 trifling expense, make comfortable quarters for 
 fowls out of the various erections whioli are to be 
 found connected with the farm and suburban home- 
 
 Carelessness. 
 
 Carelessness in the little details necessary to 
 good management will show in the condition, health 
 and prr>ductiveness of the fowls. The more care 
 and attention to their daily wants the better their 
 appearance and health, and the more cleanly they 
 
SJj, Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 are kept in well lighted and well ventilated bouses, 
 and the more uniformly they are fed and watered, 
 the better returns they will give their keepers. Re- 
 member, this course of treatment always brings the 
 best results, not alone in raising poultry, but any 
 kind of domestic animals. The inexperienced nov- 
 ice is too apt to think that any kind of care or food 
 will do in raising poultry, and when cold weather 
 sets in he allows his fowls to forage for themselves 
 anywhere and everywhere, neglects to provide 
 suitable shelter and proper food when the season 
 and necessities to their comfort and well-being de- 
 mand them. Poultry requires good food and good 
 care to be productive, and without productiveness 
 there is no profit. 
 
 Kerosene as a Curative. 
 
 We have seen, recently, testimonials from so 
 many quarters, as well South as North, as to the 
 efficacy of kerosene oil in chicken cholera, as to in- 
 spire a hope that an unfailing remedy has at last 
 been found for this hitherto most desolating disease. 
 A Woodville, Mass., correspondent of the New Or- 
 leans Home Journal says : "I tried all the remedies 
 mentioned in your paper for cholera, but none 
 seemed to do any permanent good until I tried coal 
 (kerosene) oil; this has eff'ectually arrested the dis- 
 ease, and I am satisfied it is a good thing." In addi- 
 tion to this the editor of the Journal says: "We 
 had a pullet which was actually on its last legs, not 
 being able or willing to feed any more. Our better 
 half took some grist and minted a sufficiency o* 
 
profitable Poultry Eaisin£. 55 
 
 kerosene with it to make into pills and crammed 
 some of it down the throat of the fowl. The effect 
 was almost instantaneous, as, at the next feeding 
 time, it appeared with the other fowls and partici- 
 pated in the meal, and since then has been constant- 
 ly improving. We now feed corn mixed in kero- 
 sene oil three times a week, and since adop ing this 
 mode have had no cases of cholera. 
 
 A correspondent writing to the Country Gentle- 
 man from Habersham county, Ga , says: " I have 
 found kerosene oil a cure for chicken cholera. Last 
 year I lost my entire flock. This year, by soaking 
 my corn in kerosene, but one has died, although 
 several have been sick. 
 
 Cholera Cure. 
 
 As soon as symptoms of cholera appear clean 
 up your poultry houses and completely shower the 
 floor from a watering can with one-half per cent, 
 solution of sulphuric acid, and the yard so far as 
 practicable t» eat in the same way. Feed nothing 
 but cooked food — \ery sparingly. Use the Douglas 
 mix'ure in the drink freely. Remove the fowls 
 that are diseased to a warm dry room. Take blue 
 mass a4id cayenne pepper, each one ounce, camphor 
 gum half ounce, and a teaspoonful of laudanum ; mix 
 well and make into pills of ordinary size. Give one 
 pill ever;^ hour until purging ceases. Then take 
 two ounces each of alum, resin, copperas, lacsul- 
 phur and cayenne pepper, pulverize and mix. Feed 
 three tablespoonsful of the powder with one quart 
 
56 Profitable Poultry Raising- 
 
 of boiled or soft feed. This powder may also be 
 fed as a preventative once or twice a week. 
 
 To Cure Chicken Cholera. 
 
 Place a saucer of water in a close box, burn 
 some sulphur in the box, shut tightly, and at the 
 end of half an hour open the box, take out the 
 water and dissolve hyposulphite of soda in the water 
 until it dissolves no more. Let settle, pour off" the 
 clear water, and give the sick fowl a teaspoon ful 
 three times a day, pouring it down the throat. Do 
 not compound hyposulphite with sulphite or sulphate 
 of soda. 
 
 Cholera. 
 
 Investigations of the cause and nature of chicken 
 cholera, made by the Department of Agriculture at 
 Washington, have not been without good results. 
 From experiments made it has been found that the 
 germ^ of this disease are taken into the body with 
 the food and drink, and seldom ever with the air in- 
 spired; that the ground on which diseased fowls 
 are kept becomes infected with the virus from ex- 
 crements of the fowls; also, that one-half per cent, 
 solution of sulphuric acid will destroy the germs. 
 These are not the only facts brought out by these 
 investigations, but they are enough, if intelligently 
 acted upon, to make poultry raising a much safer 
 business than it has been of late years. 
 
 If their highest happiness is to " scratch," and 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising* 57 
 
 it is thought best that they be indulged in this, 
 turn them into the field or even the vegetable or 
 flower garden, where they can have fresh ground 
 in which to atnuse themselves, but never let them 
 range and scratch and eat on the same ground. 
 
 The almost universal pr ictice is to throw the 
 food for the poultry on the ground. In this way 
 the fowls take up more or less dirt, if present, the 
 germs of the disease. As a preventative of the in- 
 troduction or spread of the disease in this way, the 
 fowls should always have their food and water sup- 
 plied them from clean vessels. Every d: y grain, as 
 corn or wheat, should be given them in small boxes 
 or troughs, from which they can pick the feed but 
 cannot tramp it with their soiled feet. 
 
 The other point f f interest and to be remem- 
 bered is that if the disease makes its appearance it 
 may be checked and finally banished by the use of 
 sulphuric acid. The floor of the poultry house, 
 after being cleaned, should be well showered with 
 the solution from the nose of a watering can, and 
 the yard, so far as practical, treated in the same 
 way. Sulphate of iron copperas is also a deadly 
 poison to these germs, and is safer to handle than 
 the sulphuric acid. One pint of dry copperas dis- 
 solved in two gallons of water will be found strong 
 enough, and I am not sure but a solution of less 
 strength wou'd answer as well. 
 
 Cure for Cholera. 
 
 A Kentucky farmer cures fowl cholera by boil- 
 
58 Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 inj( a bushel of smartweed ill ten g:Hlloiis of wat r 
 down to three gallons, and mixing the decoction 
 with their food twice a day, for three days, then 
 every other day for a week. 
 
 Lice. 
 
 To guard against the eneroacliment of lice and 
 other like vermin, the walls of the shed should be 
 regularly washed every year with a strong liuje- 
 wash, containing a poun i of sulphate of iron to 
 every three gallons, applied hot from the slacking. 
 A thorough syringing either with parafine or a solu- 
 tion of carbolic acid will also be efficacious in get- 
 ting rid of the annoyance. Carbolic acid is certain 
 death to all insects, and is an invaluable aid to the 
 resources of the poultry keeper. 
 
 Experience proves that the use of dry, sifted 
 coal ashes is an excellent exterminator of these 
 pests. The ashes may be sprinkled over the roots, 
 and a commodious box filled with the material 
 should be provided for the fowls to dust in — a pro- 
 vision of which they seem to take pleasure in avail- 
 ing themselves. In making up nests for hatching, 
 it is advisable to put ashes in the bottom and cover 
 with clean straw. After the chicks make their 
 appearance, the nest should be thoroughly cleaned 
 and the straw and litter destroyed. In localities 
 where coal ashes cannot be easily procured, good 
 dry sand may be substituted, in which carbolic 
 powder or sulphur, or both, has been sprinkled. 
 It sometimes occurs that, in spite of all the pre- 
 
Projltahle Poultry Raising. 59 
 
 cautions, the vermin accumulate to such an extent 
 that the house becomes literally alive with them. 
 In such cases a thorough cleaninoj is necessary. 
 All the hay and straw in the nests should be burnt, 
 the hens driven out and the house closed tipjhtly 
 and fumig:atcd with sulphur. This may be done 
 by putting a pound or so of brimstone in an iron 
 pot and droppino^on it a piece of hot iron. Keep 
 the house closed two or three hours, after which it 
 should be well ventilated and sweptout thoroughly. 
 The walls, inside and out— in fact, every place that 
 can be reached — should be washed with hot water, 
 in which has been dissolved potash, one pound to 
 every quart of water. Then follow with the kero- 
 sene oil. Fresh hay is needed for the nests, and as- 
 surance is made doubly sure by whitewashing. 
 This radical treatment is not accomplished without 
 some trouble, but the result amply repays the labor. 
 
 Roup. 
 
 Probably the amateur, and sometimes even the 
 experienced breeder, turns more anxiously to the 
 treatises on th'S disease than to any other, for the 
 reason that it is at once the most annoying and de- 
 structive of the whole catalogue, though less to be 
 dreaded now than formerly. Nearly all writers 
 agree that roup results from exposure to damp, 
 draughts and confinement in tainted coops. It is 
 highly contag:ious, the germs of the disease being 
 communicated by drinking or other contact. The 
 symptoms of roup are at first identical with those of 
 
60 'Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 a severe cold; the dischar<:e from the nostril, how- 
 ever, soon loses its transparent character, becoming 
 more or less opaque, with a peculiar and oft'ensive 
 odor; froth appears in the inner corner of the eyes; 
 the lids swell, and sometimes the e^e-ball is entirely 
 concealed. In very severe cases the cavity of the 
 nose becomes filled with the diseased secretion, 
 which cannot escape, owing to the small size and 
 closure of the nostril, and then the face swells con" 
 siderably. 
 
 Trkaiment. — In this disease, nearly equal num- 
 bers recover, under various modes of treatment, so 
 far as relates to internal remedies. But in all cases 
 the bird is at once to be isolated, and the water ves- 
 sels immediately disinfected. McDougall's Fluid 
 Extract is excellent for this purpose. Warm, dry 
 lodging Lud stimulating nutritious food are the first 
 essentials to recovery. The eyes and head should 
 be frequently bathed with warm water and reme- 
 dial agents of some kind applied to the diseased 
 membrane. This is somewhat difficult, on account 
 of the nostrils being closed up, but may be overcome 
 by inserting the point of a small syringe into the slit 
 in the mouth and turning it rather to the outside 
 for each nostril. Labarraque's solution of chlori- 
 nated soda is the injection most in use by a number 
 of the best fanciers. Tegetmeier says he has used 
 a few drops of a dilute solution (10 grains to the 
 ounce of water) of sulphate of copper, with very 
 favorable results. This internal treatment is a dose 
 of castor oil, to be followed every morning and 
 evening by a pill of balsam copaiba, 1 oz. ; licorice, 
 
Pro fit able Poultry Raising. 61 
 
 in powder, }4, oz.; piperiiie, I dracliin, with enough 
 magnesia added to make the mass inlo sixty doses 
 or pills. A few drops of tine ure of iron or Mc- 
 DoiigalTs Fluid Extract should be added to the 
 drinking water. 
 
 Excelsior Roup Pills. 
 
 Equal parts of ground saffron, asafd'lida, and 
 hypostilphite of soda, made into small pills the size 
 of a pea, or given in as much powder as will lay on 
 a cent, twice a day to each lowl. 
 
 Gapes. 
 
 This disease is caused by the windpipe of chick- 
 ens or young fowls being infested with worms, 
 eventually causing suffocation. How the disease is 
 propagated is a debatable question. The worm is 
 usually found double, of a pale reddish color, and 
 rather less thati three-quarters of an inch long. 
 
 The number in one chicken usually varies from 
 two to a dozen. Dirt and damp have undoubtedly 
 a predisposing tendency, as it is well known that 
 gapes rarely ever trouble a clean and dry yard. 
 
 By many it is supposed that the worm is gen- 
 erated in some manner by lice or a similar parasite 
 which infests the head of young chicks, and as a 
 preventative the following ointment, applied very 
 lightly on the back of the head, on the throat, at)d 
 under the wings, in a melted or fluid state, at the 
 time 01 taking chickens from the nest, is said to 
 
62 Profitahte Poultry Raising. 
 
 remedy the evil : Mercurial ointment,! oz. ; pure 
 lard, loz.; flour of sulphur, % oz.; crude petro- 
 leum, 1 oz. It is stated on good authority that 
 chicks annointed in this manner have never had 
 the gapes, while others of the same broods not an- 
 nointed have been attected. Another method of 
 keeping the chickens free from the i)arasites that 
 are supposed to produce gapes, is to sipply once a 
 week, under the wing and on the breast of the hen, 
 a small quantity of carbolic soap in solution. The 
 efl'ect of the ointment beginning to destroy the para- 
 sites, would seem to give color to the theory tht^t 
 gapes are the result of the piesence ot lice or simi- 
 lar vermin, and would also tally ver^' well with the 
 fact that disease is comparativ^^ly unknown in clean, 
 comfortable quarters. A free use of carbolic disin- 
 fecting powder is an excellent f)reventative. The 
 disease may be checked, after it has entered the 
 yard, by using fluid cai bonate camphor or lime in 
 the drinl.ing water, and the aftected bird made to 
 inhale the vapor of carbolic acid by placiiig a few 
 drops on a red hot shovel, and holding the bird in 
 the fumes until it is nearly suftocated. This kills 
 the worms, and is an eff"ectnal cure. 
 
 The worms may be taken from the throat, also, in 
 the following manner : Take a medium soft quill 
 feather, pluck the web from both sides to within a 
 short distance of the tip, and wet with a solution 
 of 20 grains carbolic acid and one ounce of glycer- 
 ine. Run the feather down the windpipe, give it 
 three or four turns and quickly withdraw. Kepeat 
 two or tliree times with a new featlier each time, 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 63 
 
 The acid paralyzes the worms, and the glj^eerine 
 sticks them to the feather, and they are thereby 
 drawn out of the trachea. The feathers and all 
 matter drawn from the throat of the fowl should be 
 burnt, in order to prevent the exposure of the rest 
 of the Hock to contao^ion. 
 
 Another remedy is to administer a kernel of 
 black j)epper to the chick affected, which is said to 
 destroy the worm. 
 
 drapes in Chickens. 
 
 In a recent conversation with an experienced 
 chicken raist*r, he informed us that he had been 
 very successful in conquering that precarious dis- 
 ease in his young fowls by the application of air 
 slacked lime. As soon as a manifestation of gapes 
 in his fowls appear, he confines his chickens in a 
 box, one at a time, sufiiciently large to contain the 
 bird, and places a coarse piece of cotton or linen 
 cloth over th6 top. Upon this he places the pulver- 
 ized lime, and taps tlie screen sufliciently to cause 
 the lime to fall through. This lime dust the fowl 
 inhales and is made to sneeze, and in a short time 
 the cause of the gapes is thrown out in the form of 
 a slimy mass or masses ot worms, which has accu- 
 mulated in the windpipe and smaller air vessels. 
 This remedy he consiilers superior to any remedy 
 he ever tried, and he seldom fails to afJect a perma- 
 nent cure. I^ie has abjured all those mechanical 
 means by which it is attempted to dislodge the 
 entozona with instruments made of whale-bone, 
 
GJi, Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 hog's bristles, horse hair or tine wire, alleging that 
 people are quite as certain to push the gape worm 
 farther down the throat of the fowls as to draw 
 them up. — Poultry Nation. 
 
 Selectiug and Mating of Stock. 
 
 In selecting fancy stock, of course llic standard 
 must be followed, and only the best anil most near- 
 ly perfect specimens of their kind vi'.VdXnQ.d , provided 
 they are all suited to each other. No hen should have 
 the same faults as the cock. If one is faulty in a 
 certain point, the other should be equally good in 
 that ;»articular, so as to counteract the bad impress 
 upon the offspring. Experience witli each breed 
 must teach the fancier the best birds to retain for 
 breeding. Often a bird that is not up to the stand- 
 ard, and sometimes even a disqualitid bird, is desira- 
 ble in the breeding yard, nay, of the higliest im- 
 portance; for instance, in breeding Leghorns, a 
 straight comb hen is inevitable to raise the finest 
 and most erect combs on cockerels. So a spotted- 
 breasted Dark Brahma and Brown Leghorn cock 
 will produce the most beautifully penciled pullets. 
 We remember seeing a communication in one of the 
 poultry journals, by the late Mr. J. W. P. Hovey, 
 in which he stated the case of a friend who ordered 
 a trio of Brahmas, at a high price, mated for breed- 
 ing, from a celebrated English breeder, and who 
 was disgusted at receiving a poor-looking trio of 
 birds, whose equals in looks, could have been pur- 
 chased anywhere at $2.00 a head. But appearances 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 6S 
 
 are deceitful, and hlood will tell, as was proven by 
 the result. From that trio sprung noted prize 
 birds. And so it is, the skillful breeder knows how 
 to mate his birds to produce the best offspring. 
 Amateurs, in starting, make a great mistake in pur- 
 chasing exhib tion birds (as birds matched for exhi- 
 bition are seldom rightly matched for breeding), or 
 in purcliasing low-priced birds from unknown 
 sources. The best plan is to send the price of a 
 pair or trio of breeding birds to a responsible 
 breeder, who has a reputation to maintain, and state 
 plainly that you want birds whose progeny will 
 speak their praises. In nine cases out of ten you 
 will be satistied, not only in the birds received, but 
 in the chicks they breed. In mating fowls, it is 
 generally believed the hens effect mostly the size 
 and torm, and the cock the plumage and market- 
 ings or the chicks. If a choice can be had, it is pre- 
 ferred to mate a cock (over one year old) with spring 
 pullets. Be sure you select a good, vigorous cock, 
 and the one who is, tlie " boss rooster." One cock 
 will readily serve 10 to 15 hens of the larger breeds, 
 and 15 to 20 hens of the small breeds. 
 
 VARIETIES OF FOWLS. 
 
 BRAHMAS. 
 
 No breed of pure bred poultry, from the days 
 of the hen fever to the present, have so universally 
 maintained a front rank in the estimation of all 
 poultry men as the Brahma. They are quiet in 
 their disposition,' and very tame. A three-foot 
 
^6 Profitahle Poultry Raising, 
 
 LIGHT BKAHMAS. 
 
 fence will cnnfinp tlieni, jiikI no bieed in the world 
 irj so well ad.iiiied to close L'ontinenient. They thrive 
 well ill the smallest (|iiMiteis. They are ext-elient 
 w'intei- layers; their eofjrs are ot varied shades. 
 That /*»?•« Bralinias should lay eo:^s of one uiiifonn 
 color is an exphtded hnbhle. They are very nmch 
 inclined t'> sit, and this is a ;;reat drawback. Tiiey 
 do not maune early, and are not so desirable for 
 spring niai-ket imre bred as when crossed. For 
 mothers, they are the ver}" best, when not too 
 heavy. They have plenty of loose tlntf, and will 
 cover ;i goodly number of e^<^^. They should be of 
 large size, but no giants. The days of the "long- 
 legged Shaughaes that could eat oli the top of a 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 67 
 
 barrel and 11 that was in It," is past. Farmers and 
 poulterers are beginning to realize that utility of 
 form must be studied. It needs no demonstration 
 to prove that it is highly unprofitable to feed corn 
 and wheat to produce such bony parts as neck and 
 leg. Matured cocks of 12 pounds, and hens of 10 
 pounds, are fully as la- ge as can generally be had 
 in connection with meritorious points. One pecu- 
 liarity of this breed is the pea comb, which, being 
 so small, is safe against the winter's frosts. 
 
 'Light Bramahs, with us, are perhaps more gen- 
 erally bred throughout the entire country thaaany 
 otiier brec'i, and yet there is always a very lively 
 demand for good stock at satisfactory prices. They 
 aie often inclined to be long-legged; this must be 
 guarded against by judicious selection. U\ mating, 
 tl»e cock and liens should not both have dark hack- 
 les, or the progeny will be very unsatisfactory. 
 There is a prejudice in the minds of some that Light 
 Brail mas are delicate, on account of their plumage. 
 This is entirely a mistake. I'hey are altogether a 
 most worthy breed, and invaluable to increase the 
 size, laying and early maturity ol a lot of "dung- 
 hills." 
 
 Dark Brahmas have nearly tiie same character- 
 istics as the Light. They are, however, deeper and 
 more compact in body, with shorter legs. They are 
 like the Lights, well feathered down to the ends of 
 the tot?s, but should be free from vulture-hock. 
 They are very hard to breed to the "standard;" 
 only four or five birds out of every hundred will be 
 
68 Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 J)ARK BKAHMaS. 
 
 niftiit<>rion« show birds, even froiu tli(^ best stock. 
 But all tlie reinaitiiiio^ birds are by no means worth- 
 less. Many of them are *!jenerally as ^ood, and some 
 even better, for breeding. 
 
 COCHINS. 
 
 Cochins are larjjje, noble-looking fowls, with an 
 abundance of loose, flutty feathers, especially in the 
 hens, thus making them the very best mothers. 
 Mature cocks should weigh 10 to 13 pounds, and 
 hens 8 to 10 pounds; small weights should not be 
 tolerated, neither should extra heavy birdsbebred, 
 if, as is generally the case, they are correspondingly 
 badly proportioned. The legs should be abundantly 
 feathered to the toes, but not " vulture-hocked." 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 69 
 
 '-^^^m06i;i^ 
 
 BUFF Ct>CHINS. 
 
 They are very docile, chii be picked up by a child, 
 and are easily confined. They are rather poor fora- 
 gers, and mnst be fed liberally. They are good 
 winter layers. Their eggs are of various shades. 
 They are very much inclined to sit, and hard to 
 break. On account of their large size they are in- 
 valuable for crossing, whereby they can be im- 
 proved .n early maturity and flesh. They have sin- 
 gle, erect combs, of fine texture. Kecently a strain 
 of Pea Comb Partridge Cochins has been intro- 
 duced, and it is claimed for them the undoubted 
 advantage for cold winters. We fear, however, that 
 should this variety become popular, the distinct 
 types of Brahmas and Cochins would be lost — 
 
70 Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 I'AJUIUDGE corn INS. 
 
 merojed into one common mixture. Cochins have 
 so long been bred almost exclusive'.y for large size 
 and fashionable form and markings, that the econo- 
 mic qualities have been neglected. Much can be 
 done in the way of improving their laying, etc. 
 The varieties are the BufF, Partridge, Black and 
 White Cochins- There. s also a new breed, styled 
 the Sebright Cochins, not yet recognized in the 
 standard, nor will that name be allowed, Butf 
 Cochins are fowls of unusual beauty. They should 
 be one of clear buff color throughout, (ree from any 
 white or colored, feathers, or uneven shading. 
 Partridge Cochins a^-e very aristocratic, with the 
 deep black breast and beautifully resplendent and 
 varied plumage of the cock, and the exquisitely pen- 
 ciled hen, For small city yards a more pleasing 
 
Profitahle Poultry Paisin^. 71 
 
 ],!.\tK (■('^,•lll.^.^ 
 bl'OOd C'dll'l >if;il Ci'l > It ■• il»'-iH't|. I>l;i'-U C"<'li i ne :i ro 
 
 only r(H'<Mirl\- e-r;(l)li->lif'il, hnr :ii<' vi-y l>oMn'i(ii| 
 and profitHble. Tlifv cMnimt (Mil xH.n to i-ikc ,1 
 proniiiieiit position nnionii; tlipii fHlJowv:. Whitp 
 Cochins, heiiiiT of a piir-f «;nov\ y wiiih-nc-s i lir<.ii(r||_ 
 our, do not pi-esi'iit tl.<^ difHculties lo \\\o yonn'j^ 
 bi'ee 'er vvl)i<|i .ut' sure to \h' rxporio k- d in r.iisinir 
 the other VMilHtics o' Co<'liiii'i. ;ind Immh-c -avo <uie 
 of the bP'St variptif'S to -^tait wiili. Ah rocldii^ ]v»c- 
 sess the Siiuje idiaractrr i<ii s, mihI i In- .- nrifriu- >hould 
 select the \ari«!ty b<'si s-iiu'd i<» hi. (.pu-y, 
 
 l.ANGSHAN'S. 
 
 This new A-^in'ic bi<'Hi| \\n< ali-ady att,iin(>d 
 considerable po|Milai-ity, I n cddi- cr phiniau*' tl •• 
 T.anjrshan are a rich metalic bjaciv, and nsiMnble 
 the Black Cochins, but are a distinct breed. They 
 
72 Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 WHITE COCHINS, 
 are round and deep in body, with breast broad, full, 
 and carried well forward. They attain maturity 
 early and grow to a large size; a cockerel of 7 or 8 
 months old, fattened, will weigh 10 pounds, and 
 pullets, same age, 8 pounds. Their meat and skin 
 are white, and thej^ are an excellent table fowl ; 
 the meat being of a delicate flavor. They are first- 
 rate layers and not inveterate sitters; they lay better 
 than any other Asiatic. 
 
 The laying qualities of the Langshans are cer- 
 tainly remarkable for so large a breed; none are 
 better winter layers, and a few so good the year 
 round, and when their large size and quick growth 
 are taken into consideration, the Langshans must 
 certainly b^ acknowledged a profitable breed. It 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising- 7S 
 
 is not too much to saj'^ that they lay as well as the 
 best layiiioj strains of Plymouth Rocks, Being a 
 new breed, they will comm uid a more ready sale 
 than the older varieties that are more oren«rally dis- 
 seminated; hence it will pay farmers and others to 
 grow them, to sell surplus stock to neighbors. 
 Their tine qualities, together with their handsome 
 appearance, a id fine, stylislj carria^, cannot fail 
 to make this breed prove eminently satisfactory^. 
 
 LKGHOKNS. 
 
 Of late years Leghorns have attained a won- 
 derful, almost a miraculous popularity. And well 
 deserve it, too. They are, without doubt, the best 
 layers. They are non-sitteis although, as in all 
 non-sitting varieties, a hen will take a notion to- 
 wards incubation, and will often perform her unac- 
 customed duties very satisfactorily. Leghorns lay 
 as many as 200 and 250 eggs per year. The pullets 
 begin to lay at, four and one-half and five months 
 old. The cockerels will crow at seven weeks old, 
 and a very amusing sight it is to see a large flock 
 of chicks at this age. They very soon learn to run 
 after the hens. From the very egg, almost before 
 "their mother knows they are out," they are the 
 liveliest of all chicks. They are splendid fora-^ers, 
 and after eight weeks old they generally pick up all 
 their food among the wheat and stubble around the 
 barn, etc. Their eggs are pure white, rather thin 
 shell, and nearly transparent. They are not a large 
 breed, but where eggs are desired, are all the more 
 profitable on that account; i. «., with less machinery 
 
74 Profltahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 to feed, tliey will shell out l.itjror results tlmii any 
 other bret'il. The cocks weitrh 4}n to 6 pounds, and 
 the hens 3^ to 4 pounds. 'I'ln-y ar.- very hardy and 
 easil}^ raisctl. For market, aItlioiiu;li not la'i;*', thry 
 are very presental)!*', with hrii^lit y* ll<»\\ 1i-ms and 
 skin. They hive high sin;^lo conih-, which, in tliis 
 climate, are :ipc to get frozen in w in km-. ! lii> ^p- ils 
 
 WHITE LEGHORNS. 
 
 their looks, but does not hurt tlieir hreedinfr quali- 
 ties. No breed will so improve the laying: (imilitios 
 of barnyard fowls as puie Lr>jrhorns. A cross of a 
 White Leghorn cock on Light Brahma hen makes 
 excellent farm chickens, earl}^ maturing, good siz*^, 
 fine quality of tlesh, and excellent layers. 
 
 White Leghorns were the first introduced, and 
 fire the most generallj^ disseminated. They should 
 be pure snowy Avhite throughout, and entirely free 
 from any colored feathers, or a shade of yellow. 
 
Profi'table Potiltry Raising. 75 
 
 Their car lobes should be solitl white or creamy 
 white, and in thi^ pirticul'ir good strain- breed re- 
 markably true. Their comb should be of medium 
 
 BROWN LEGHOI.NS. 
 
 size, perfectly erect and evenly formed, deeply ser- 
 rated, with five prontinent points, wattles pendant, 
 legs bright yellow, carrif.ge proud and upright. 
 
 Brcwn Leghorns are of more recent introduc- 
 tion, but are already the most popular. They are 
 very beautiful, resembling the Blaclt Red Games in 
 plumage, and from their fighting qualities we have 
 reason to believe they contain some good blood. 
 
 In England this breed is becoming very popu- 
 lar, although as yet quite rare. They are pre-emi- 
 nently an American breed. L. Wright, in his Eng- 
 lish Bool of Poultry f says : "We consider them the 
 
76 Profitahle Poultry Raising- 
 
 best layers we have ever met loith.'" Th-y have always 
 been our favorites, and wherever inti"»>dncefl soon 
 take the lead for eojo;s, on account of tlie immense 
 quantity and ar^mirable quality of the same. Thoy 
 have all the desirable qualities of this breed to a 
 pre-eminent degree. 
 
 WYANDOt rKS. 
 
 This new breed has so ma'\y good points to rec- 
 ommend them, both to the fancier and fnrmer, that 
 thev will surely become very popular. Their plum- 
 age is white, heavily lace 1 with black, the tail alone 
 being solid black; the lacing on the breast being 
 peculiarly handsome. They have a small rose<.omb, 
 close fitting; face and ear lobes bright red. Their 
 legs are free from feathers, and are of a rich yellow 
 color. In shape they bear more resemblance to the 
 Dorkings than any other breed. Hens weigh six to 
 s-^ven pounds, and cocks seven to eight pounds each. 
 They are very hardy, mature early, and are ready 
 for market at any age. Their tlesh is very fit)e fla- 
 vored and coarse grained, which, with their ^vellow 
 skin, model shape and fine, plump app«'arance, par- 
 ticularly adapts them for market. They are extra- 
 ordinary layers, surpr sing every breeder at the 
 quantity of eggs they produce. If allowed to sit 
 they make most careful mothers, are content any- 
 where, and will not attempt to tly over a fence four 
 feet high. Their great beauty and good qualities 
 will make for them a host of friends wherever the 
 breed is introduced. 
 
Profi^tahte Poultry ttaising* 77 
 
 BLACK SPANISH. 
 
 Tlie White Face Black Spanish are one of the 
 ohlHSt pure bree<ls. They are everhistinoj hiyers of 
 very large egj?.*, of excellent flavor. Tlje yolk of 
 the egg is not larger than of the ordinary ^-^^^ the 
 white or alhinn^^u predominating. They are v« ry 
 
 / WHITE FACE BLACK SPANI8H. 
 
 properly bretl, tlie only danger being from their 
 large, erect, single combs, which will become frozen 
 in very severe weather. They are very high in 
 body, with tine, sryli^h carriage. Their legs of a 
 lead color, becoming lighter v\ ith age. Breeding 
 in-and-in also produces pale legs, and then a cross 
 should be made witli a bluiSh-black legged cock of 
 fresh blood. They are very poor table fowls, but 
 their tine eggs entitle them to a high rank among 
 the breeds of domestic poultry.. 
 
78 Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 
 
 Plymouth Rjcks. for a "general purpose 
 bret'tl," are unsurpassed; desirable alike for eggs 
 and early m irket chicks ; wliile they neither lay as 
 many eggs as the non-sitting breeds, nor attain the 
 great size of the Asiatics, yet tliey most nearly com- 
 
 PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 
 
 bine the excellencies of each of these classes of 
 fowls, and where one breed alone is kept, it would 
 be hard to make a more suitable selection. Their 
 origin is generally believed to have been from a 
 cross oi the Black Javas and American Dominique. 
 Certainly it is that they possess the good qualities 
 of the latter with increased size. Their p'umage 
 is an even Dominique color thioughout, the cock- 
 erels being seveial shades lighter than the pullets, 
 and both having single combs. For exhibition it is 
 
Profitable Pouliry jRaising. 70 
 
 iieeessar}' tliat the cock and the hen should assiini-, 
 late as nearly as possitjJe in colors and markings. 
 Ir is, however, disastrous to mate a dark cock with 
 li^lit htns or breedintf, as some dark chicks will 
 r<'siilt from such a matinj^. Plj'mouth Rocks are 
 tlrsi-rlass l.i^'eis ami o'ood mothers, but not invet- 
 ( late sitters. They probably lay more eg^s than 
 an}' otlier large br^ed that hatches and rears its own 
 young. -IMiey are of lar^e size aud mature very 
 early. For spring cliickens, '"this breed, as soon 
 a- it gets disseminated, will undoubtedly be one of 
 the most protit:ib e." Tiiey have bright yellow legs 
 and are a Hrst-rate t:il)le fowl. Tneir many good 
 l)oi)it-i can scarcely l)e <JVi*r-i^stinMted. They are a 
 '> g.MM'ial pui"i)ose " breed, and aie tin? best faiMnei-'s 
 fowl, take them all in .ill, yet produced. Tiiey are 
 remarkably hardy and healthy, excellent 'oragers, 
 and not high-flyers. The cocks wc-igh nine to 
 eleven pounds, and hens s ven to nine | ounds. 
 Their i)lain, Quakej-like attire is a suitable every- 
 day work dress, ;ind even farmers, who have an in- 
 born dislike to fiUicy chickens, cannot but admit 
 that the pure bnd IMymouth Rocks are far ahead 
 of any cross for farm stock. Every farmer will find 
 a trio of the fowls a prolitable investment, while 
 fanciers will find no breed of fowls in so great a 
 demand. 
 
 IIAMBUKGS. • 
 
 riamburgs area very popular breed of non-sit- 
 ting fowls. They are unrivaled in variety and 
 beauty of plumage. All llamburgs possess thesame 
 general characteristics. iStylish and active in car- 
 
80 Frofitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 riage, slender, i-ather short, blue or siaty-blue legs, 
 with deep red rose comb and close-fitting, pure 
 white ear lobes. They require free range, and are 
 then easily kept, as they are excellent foragers. 
 They will lay upwards of 200 eggs in a year. While 
 their eggs are not so large as those of the Leghorns, 
 
 BLACK HAMBURGS. 
 
 yet, as long as eggs are sold by the dozen this makes 
 littl e material ditference in supplying the market. 
 Mr. A. Beldon says of their early maturity, he has 
 found that pullets of the penciled varieties lay at 
 five months; the spangled not quite so early. The 
 varieties of the Hamburgs are the Silver and 
 Golden Penciled, the Spangled and the solid Black. 
 The Black are the largest of all, and lay the largest 
 eggs. They are also considered the most hardy. A 
 great fault with many Black Hamburgs is a tend- 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 81 
 
 ency to white on the lace. This should never be 
 tolerated. The face must be one rich, deep red, like 
 the wattles, contrasting strikingly with the pure 
 white ear lobes. We have also seen fowls awarded 
 a premium as Black Hamburgs that showed very 
 plainly the carriage and form of the Black Spanish. 
 gam; s. 
 Games are generally familiar to every one, and 
 are by many considered the fowls. Even those who 
 
 BLACK BKEaS'IEU KED GAMES. 
 
 rightly disapprove of the pit and its uses, admire a 
 really dead game cock. No breed can equal them in 
 true symmetry, elegance and style, with fearless 
 expression. They are light feathered and all 
 muscle. A game fowl will weigh much heavier 
 than it appears. Cocks of good size will weigh six 
 
3^ Profitable PouUry Raising. 
 
 and a half pounds, and hens five to five and a half 
 pounds. Their flesh is unsurpassed, being the finest 
 fiavoied of any breed of fowls. The}' are excellent 
 laj'ers of fine, rich eggs, much e-*teenied. The hens 
 are the very best niotliers, and will faithfully pro- 
 tect their young broods. They Jire easily reared, 
 
 DUCK WING COCK. 
 
 and are undoubtedly a very profitable breed for 
 econonnc purposes— the only drawback for domes- 
 tic use being their fighting qualities. But these 
 latter adding so to their beauty and elegance, be- 
 sides the extra quality of their flesh, surely war- 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising- 83 
 
 rant a little extra trouble with the young stags. 
 When the young stags are troublesome in lighting 
 each other, they can be penned in small coops, ar- 
 ranged in tiers, and each one let out occasionally in 
 a siii.'ill yard, to exercise. There is always a lively 
 demand for pure games of fine strains, at very sat- 
 isfactory prices, and they are consequently one of 
 the most profitable fancy breeds. The varieties of 
 g.-im-^s are numerous; our limited space does not 
 
 RED PILE GAMES. 
 
 permit a description of each. The most prominent 
 are the Black Bre.isted Keds, Brown Breasted Eeds, 
 Duckwings, Derby, Piles, Sumatra, White and 
 Henry games. 
 
 POLISH. 
 
 The Polish fowls belong to the non-sitting 
 breeds and are excellent layers. Their flesh is very 
 
olj. Profitable Poultry Raising ^ 
 
 fine, tender aixl juicy. They are ren8onaHl y hardy, 
 if kept from wet and dampness, which liiey cannot 
 stand. They bear confinement well, better than 
 any otiiers of the laying breeds, and can be bred 
 snccessfnlly in very small (inarters. 'I'liey are very 
 tfime. As an ornamental fowl they are ne plus ultra, 
 and eomliinii.ir, as they do, so mmy ji:ood qualities, 
 are excellent for a g<'nrbMnan's |>:irk, while for farm 
 
 SIIAER POLISH HEN, 
 
 use they cannot equal the Leghorns. The varieties 
 of Polish are, the White Crested Black, pure White, 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 85 
 
 Golden and Silver; the three latter being both plain 
 and bearded. 
 
 For a gentleman's henerj', where a plentihil 
 snppl}^ of fresh, rich eggs is desired, we know no 
 more ornamental or '"striking" vaiiety of fowls 
 than the White Crested Black Polish. These fowls 
 areentircdy black in color, of a licb glossy shade 
 excepting the crest, which is pure white, with onh'^ 
 a few black feathers at the base in front. They are 
 prond and stylish in carriage, and ever active, being 
 
 WHITK CRESTED BLACK P( I.ISH. 
 
 ppcnliarly wide awake. Of l.itf years tisey hnv<^ 
 become exceedingly })opnlar, and we have evon been 
 snrprised at the great demand for first-class stock 
 and eggs ; but we considei- tliat they are the most 
 attractive variety of a very beautiful and useful 
 
86 Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 breed of fowls. As old breeders know, most Polish 
 are subject to the vertigo, but we have never liad a 
 case of this among our White Crested Black Polish, 
 they seemingco possess unusual vitality and strength 
 of constitution. 
 
 DOKKINGS. 
 
 The Dorking is held in high repute in England, 
 and is well deserving of general cultivation by the 
 farmers and fanciers of America. En perfecting 
 this fowl, John Bull — true to his old-time reputa- 
 tion — has admirably catered to the tastes of an 
 epicure. As a table fowl the Dorking is unsur- 
 passed; affording an extra portion of very fine 
 meat, remarkably abundant in the points most 
 esteemed — the breast and wings are all of the very 
 richest qualitj . They are a very heavy bodied fowl, 
 well put up, with long, broad back, and close feath- 
 ered. Altogether, they are one of the very best 
 breeds for the "general purpose" of both table 
 fowls and eggs. The varieties are the Pure White, 
 the Silver Gray and the Colored Dorkings, the lat- 
 ter not being bred to any special, standard of color. 
 The Silver Grays embrace two varieties, the Rose 
 Combed and the Single Comb, the latter being the 
 most generally bred. They are so handsome that 
 they have many admirers. The White Dorkings, 
 as their name indicates, are spotless white in plum- 
 age, contrasting nicely on a green sward. The 
 Whites must all possess rose combs, square in front, 
 firm and close-fitting, terminating in a point be- 
 hind. All pure Dorkings should have a supernu- 
 ^nerary fiftb toe. We \yill conclude with tbe fol- 
 
Profiiahle Poultry Raising* 87 
 
 lowing remarks from the pen of a well-known Eng- 
 lish breeder: — 
 
 " This good old-fashioned breed is so well 
 known, and every where so appreciated, that we need 
 say but little about it. Taey have one fault, how- 
 ever, which detracts from their value, viz.: that 
 they will not thrive well where ducks are largely 
 kept, whether from the fac: that the damp soil 
 which suits ducks is prejudicial to their health, or 
 from other unexplained reasons. We have, our- 
 selves, certainly proved that ducks are 'death* 
 to Dorkings, and are compelled to keep them away 
 from ground whch is tainted by waterfowl. The}^ 
 lay a large white egg, are great favorites for table 
 purposes, owing to wliite meaty brea-ts and the 
 whiteness of their flesh." 
 
 HOUD^N^o 
 
S8 Pj^ofltahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 Hoiidans, with their fine, well-formed bodies, 
 covered with a beautiful plumage of black and 
 white intermixed, pinky legs,, and their head al- 
 most hidden by the large crest, muffs and beards, 
 and triple antler-like comb, and supernumerary 
 toe, cannot fail to attract attention everywhere. 
 They are the best and most hardy of any of the 
 French breeds, and are a fine farmer's fowl. They 
 also bear confinement well and are easily reared. 
 As a table fowl they are well entitled to the cogno- 
 men of '* The French Dorking." They are excel- 
 lent layers of fine eggs of large size. The cocks are 
 very vigorous, and can serve a large number of 
 hens. The chickens usually hatch some hours be- 
 fore their time, and it is a rare occurrence to find 
 an unfertile egg. They are non-sitters. Houtlans 
 make excellent crosses on common fowls or on Asi- 
 atics. 
 
 LaFleche and Crevecoeurs are also French 
 breeds of poultry bred to a small extent in this 
 country, but on account of their delicate constitu- 
 tion are not valued for farmer's use. All the French 
 breeds, it is believed, originated from a cross of the 
 Polish and Crevecoeurs, and are, in fact, a Poli?h 
 fowl, to all intent and purposes, but increased in 
 size; the same ancestry is shown by the delicate 
 constitution which characterizes nearly all the vari- 
 eties. 
 
 AMERICAN DOMINIQUES. 
 
 These fowls are like the Plymouth Kocks in 
 plumage and bright yellow legs. But unlike the 
 Plymouth BoeKs they are an old established variety 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 89 
 
 and breed very true to color; the cocks, however, 
 are lighter colored than the hens. They have neat 
 rose combs, are excellent table fowls, good layers, 
 free breeders, very hardy, and one of the most val- 
 uable breeds for the general farmer. Th^y are not 
 quite as large as the Plymouth Rocks. 
 
 BANTAMS. 
 
 There are several distinct breeds of Bantams; 
 the Game, Silver, and Golden Sebright and Black 
 African, being the most important. All are culti- 
 vated almost solelj'^ as pets, and hence it is not in 
 our province to speak of them here. Bantams can, 
 however, be bred in so small a yard (five or six feet 
 square) that they can be kept by many who have no 
 better facilities. They also will produce as many 
 eggs, although of small size, as larger fowls. Noth- 
 
 SEB RIGHT BANTAMS. 
 
 ing can exceed their eggs in delicacy of flayo r 
 
90 Profitahle Poultry Raising. 
 
 Small Bantams can be run in the same yanl with 
 large Asiastics or Plymouth Rocks, without danger 
 of mixing. 
 
 TURKEYS. 
 
 The varieties of turkeys are the mammoth 
 Bronze, White Holland, Black, Slate and Buff Tur- 
 keys. The Bronez Turkeys are gene ally considered 
 the largest. Adult gobblers will weigh 40 and 45 
 pounds each, hens 15 to 20. Young turkey gob- 
 blers, at eight months old, will weigh from 20 to 25 
 pounds each, and hens from 12 to 15 pounds. These 
 are fair average weights. They will gain about one 
 pound in two weeks. But o<^casionally, and also 
 when birds are especially well ted, they will ex- 
 ceed these weights. For breeding stock, however, 
 it is not well to force them too much. Further 
 north, where the snow is on the ground for a longer 
 period, and where, consequently, the turkeys are 
 fed more corn, they will weigh heavier. The new 
 American standard onlj' recognizes the light-tipped 
 turkeys, while the dark bronze are really tlie more 
 beautiful, and by many breeders prfeired. Both 
 colors can be bred from the same stock if they are 
 so mated, but some of this off-spring will be of a 
 mixed bronze plumage. The silver-tips, however, 
 are generally purer bred. The dark bronze will 
 often throw buff or cinnamon birds, showing that 
 they have beeii crossed with that variety to secure 
 the desired color. Pure Turkeys are believed to 
 have originated from a cross of the wild turkey and 
 the gray Narragansett, 
 
Profitahle Poultry Raising. 91 
 
 BRONZE TUKKEYS. 
 
 The White Holland Turkeys are a very hand- 
 some and showy variety. The rkh red beads and 
 the glossy black beard of the mile, contrasting 
 beauti'uUy with a plumage of snowy whiteness. 
 For a lawn, a finer or more aristocratic ornament 
 could not be desired. They are not only "a thing 
 of beauty," but are also a very valuable breed. 
 They are very much larger than the common white 
 turkey, and also unlike ihem, very hardy. Their 
 flesh is much esteemed as of a superior delicacy 
 They are especially valued on account of their supe- 
 rior laying qualities and early mating. While their 
 eggs are not quite as large as the Bronze, they ar^ 
 produced more abundantly. 
 
9S Profttahte Poultry Raising. 
 
 Black turkeys are distintjuished by an intense 
 deep black color throughout, and are of large size. 
 
 Blue turkeys, soinetimr»s called Slate turkeys, 
 shoull be of an even slaty color throughout. The 
 best stock of this breed was imported from France. 
 They are much esteemed on account of their pro- 
 lificacy, early maturity, large size, and rich flavor 
 of their flesh; being, in many cases, fully equal in 
 size to the Bronzp. This breed is well worthy of 
 more general cultivation. 
 
 Buft' turkej's are, as their name indicates, of a 
 pure buft' color throughout. They are compara- 
 tively but little bred. In no stock is the importance 
 of a good male so fully evinced, and every farmer 
 should, each year or two, as alread\' hinted, pro- 
 cure a good thoroughbred gobbler, of either the 
 Bronze, White Holland or Blue varieties. 
 
 PEKIN DICKS. 
 
 The duck of the period, and the coming duck. 
 Although of recent introduction into this country, 
 they have become remarkably popular in a very few 
 years. They have already gained the preference 
 over the other varieties. They are in constant de- 
 mand, which pioves their real meiit. The plumage 
 of the Pekin Duck is of a creamy-white, and they 
 have yellow bills and orange legs. They are very 
 ornamental, so much so that they are kept in some 
 of our public parks. Their average weight is from 
 14 to 16 pounds per pair. They, like all Asiatic 
 fowls, appear decidedly larger than any other vari- 
 ety of the duck family on account of their loose 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 93 
 
 PEKIN DUCKS. 
 
 tliitfy feathers, but sometimes they are equaled in 
 weight by tiie very best Roueiis. They are also 
 hiiichly esteemed for their early maturity, hardiness* 
 tlesh and eggs. They are the very best laying ducks 
 known; a single duck has been known to lay 150 
 eggs pel' year. Tuey are easily confined, and re- 
 quire no more water than chickens. 
 
 AYLESBURY DUCKS. 
 
 They are deservedly popular on account of 
 their prolitic qualities, size anil early maturity. 
 Tliey are of a spotless white, with flesh colored 
 bills and bright orange colored legs. They lay 
 large and well flavored eggs in abundance, between 
 the months o' March and June. They are an ex- 
 cellent table fowl, their flesh being beautifully 
 whi'e, and always commanding a high price in the 
 
 market. 
 
9jj, Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
 AYLESBURY DUCKS. 
 
 EMBDEM GEESE. 
 
 The Embdem Geese appear first, so far as at 
 present known, in Holland, althouojh they receive 
 their name from a town in G3rm:xny. They were 
 first imported into America in 1821, having been 
 shipped from Bremen, for which reason, doubtless, 
 they are sometimes called the Bremen. The Emb- 
 dem goose is pure white, the legs, feet and bill being 
 yellow, the eye of a peculiar blue. In shape, they 
 have some advantage over their rivals, the Tou- 
 louse in the absence of the depending belly, which 
 
Profitable Poultry Raising. 95 
 
 is, in some e3'^e8 a deformity. This variety of geese 
 reaches nearly, if not quite as large size as any 
 other. The light feathers of the Embden variety 
 make them more popular with some, since these 
 bring a better price in market. The tlesh is spoken 
 of with great praisrt as being less dry thin that of 
 thj coninun goosd ; the breed is of a quiet disposi- 
 tion, and therefore grows rapidly. The Embden is 
 an early layer, and under proper circumstances 
 often produces two broods a year. Whoever will 
 keep them will find them profitable, while their 
 beautiful, snow-white plumage m ikes the fiock an 
 ornament to the poultry yard. 
 
 AFRICAN, i>R HONG KONG GEESE. 
 
 They are a very ornamentil breed. They are 
 as hardy and as easily reare 1 as any oth ^r geese. 
 In color they are of a grayish brown, with 
 a brown strips down the bick of the neck. 
 They have black bills and dusky orange-colored 
 legs. A mirked peculiarity is a black protuber- 
 ance or knob at the base of the upper bill. They 
 mature early and are a goo I table fowl. I'hey are 
 decidedly the best layers of a goose family, laying 
 25 or 30 e^gs> before showing any inclination to sit, 
 and will lay three or four litters in a season, while 
 other varieties rarely lay over 15 eggs. They com- 
 mence laying in February if the weather is mild, 
 and again in September. 
 
96 Profitable Poultry Raising. 
 
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