NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES III |i||^i|il|||ii||ilil!IIIPI! This book is due on the date indicated below and is subject to an overdue fine as posted at the circulation desk. EXCEPTION: Date due will be earlier if this item is RECALLED. 200M/09-98-9 THE MODERN FARM HEN BY CHESLA C. SHERLOCK Editor Pierce's Farm Weeklies; Author "Care and Management of Rabbits;" "Backyard Poultry Keeping;" "Successful Rose Culture," Etc. ^ Published by THE HOMESTEAD COMPANY Des Moines, Iowa Copyrighted, 1922, by THE HOMESTEAD COMPANY All rights reserved. To my father, WALLACE E. SHERLOCK, who first had faith in me and from whom I have inherited a profession. PREFACE A few farmers have recognized the fine profit to be made from the production of high-class market eggs and the sale of hatching eggs and baby chicks in the breeding season. They have laid out the farm poultry work so that it can be efficiently handled in connection with gen- eral farming. And they are making good money. The thought has been with the author for some years that the methods used by these progressive men and women, if placed in a form accessible to other farmers, should do much towards elevating the general standard of the farm hen and would make farm poultry generally more profitable. The result has been the bringing together of this book which is written entirely for farmers and is based upon the experience and the methods of actual farmers. It deals only from the practical standpoint, keeping ever in mind the units and the conditions best adapted for average farm conditions. It attempts to reduce into a formula, as much as possible, every step along the road to poultry success. It should answer many of the questions which people are constantly raising as to the possibilities in poultry for the farmer. It will answer questions of methods, procedure and means. It exists for no other purpose. Grateful acknowledgment is made to Dante M. Pierce, who has made this work possible. Des Moines, Iowa. Chesla C. Sherlock. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I What Farm Poultry Eaiskrs Are Acttjallt Doing Opportunities In Poultry Farming — Egg Farming On a Commer- cial Scale by Farmers — Making Poultry a Profitable Side- line — What Actual Farm Men and Women of the Middle West Are Doing. Chapter II A Practical Farm Flock Unit How Many Hens? — Capital and Ground Necessary for the Best Kesults — How to Determine Size of the Flock — Reducing Labor and Overhead to a Minimum by Proper Planning, Chapter III The Selection of Breeds The Meaning of Breeds — The Breeds of Economic Value to the Farmer — How to Select the Breed to Fit the Purpose In Mind — The Meaning of Strains and Their Value. Chapter IV Buildings and Equipment for the Flock Iowa Semi-Monitor House — Missouri Fool-Proof House — The Min- nesota Type House — The Lord Farms Small Flock House — Colony Houses, Brooding Houses and Coops — Nests, Hoppers and Appliances. Chapter V The Laws and Principles of Breeding The Fundamental Laws of Breeding — Line-Breeding — Inbreeding — Cross-Breeding — Grading — Selecting the Breeding Stock. 8 The Modern Farm Hen Chapter VI Care of the Farm Flock Breeding Pen Isolate the Breeding Pen— Feeding for Fertile Eggs— Selection and Care of Hatching Eggs — Fertility and Hatchability of Eggs — Trap-Nesting and Pcdigreeing. Chapter VII Natural and Artificial Incubation Hatching With Hens — The Modern Incubator for Hatching — How to Handle the Incubator — Mammoth Incubators and Their Management — Running a Hatchery. Chapter VIII Successful Brooding of Chicks Objects and Methods of Brooding — Fireless Brooders — Oil Lamp Brooders — Crude Oil Brooders — Portable Coal Hover Brood- ero — Brooder House Methods — Care of Chicks On Large Scale. Chapter IX How TO Feed Poultry of All Ages Principles of Feeding — Value of Rations — First Feeding of Baby Chicks — Feeding Baby Chicks to Feather Them Out — From Three to Eight Weeks — Two Months to Maturity — Feeding for Market — Feeding the Laying Flock — Feeding the Breed- ers. Chapter X Developing the Young Stock Properly Importance of Systematic Care — Value and Kinds of Range — Rations and Methods. Chapter XI Culling Farm Poultry for Any Purpose Culling Continually Practiced— Purpose of Culling— Culling Young Stock— Fall Culling of Pullets— Culling the Layers— External Characteristics of Good Layers. Contents 9 Chapter XII Care and Management for Winter Eggs Details of First Importance — Regularity In Caring for the Flock — Keeping Things Clean — Should the Layers Have Range? Chapter XIII Artificial Lighting for Winter Eggs Purpose — Results — Costs — Systems One May Use — How to Run Lights — Dangers and Pitfalls to Avoid — Automatic Regu- lation. Chapter XIV Marketing Farm Eggs Successfully Shipping Eggs — How to Pack for Shipment — Use of Cartons — Grading Eggs — Private Trade— Advertising. Chapter XV How TO Sell and Advertise Stock Surplus Stock — How to Pack and Ship Hatching Eggs — ^Where and How to Advertise. Chapter XVI Poultry Diseases and Remedies LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Portion of an Iowa Farmer 's Side-line Poultry Plant 2? Plant Built Up by an Iowa Farm Woman 25 Small Farm Poultry Plant Housing 250 Layers Under Ideal Conditions 28 A Practical Flock of 500 Layers Maintained by a Farmer's Wife 34 Young Stock on Eange Along Edge of Young Orchard on an Iowa Farm 37 A Farm Poultry House Built of Hollow Tile With Full Monitor Eoof 40 Single Comb White Leghorn Hen 45 White Wyandotte Hen, Eepresentative of a Splendid Breed. 46 Single Comb Ehode Island Eed Hen 47 Columbian Plymouth Eock Hen 48 Barred Plymouth Eock Pullet 50 Iowa Semi-monitor Type Laying House Accommodating 1,000 Layers 55 Cross-section of Iowa Semi-monitor House 56 Floor Plan of One Unit of Pen, Iowa Semi-monitor House. . 57 A Eow of Missouri Fool-proof Poultry Houses 58 Front Elevation, Missouri Fool-proof House; Also Detail of Shutter Construction 59 Fool-proof Shutter Adapted to Colony Coop 60 An Adaptation of the Minnesota Laying House, as Used on Oak Dale Farms 62 Front Elevation Lord Farms Small Flock Laying House for 150 to 200 Layers 63 Cross-section Lord Farms Small Flock Laying House 64 12 The Modern Farm Hen Page Colony Coop for 100 Baby Chicks 66 Front Elevation Coal Burning Brooder House for Large Flock of Chicks 67 Cross-section Coal Burning Brooder House 68 Semi-monitor Colony Coop 69 Range Eoosting Coop 70 Small Flock Breeding Houses 70 Two-pen Small Flock Breeding Coop 71 Rear Wall Ventilating Device 72 Interior Arrangement Small Flock Breeding Coop 72 One Method of Nest Construction to Save Space on Inside of Laying House 73 Darkened Nest Compartment for Wall Use 74 Simple Wall Nest 74 Cornell Trap-nest 75 For Nests Under Dropping Board 75 Another View of Nests to Go Under Dropping Board 75 Missouri Trap-nest 76 Lord Farms Large Flock Hopper 77 These Fine White Rocks Are the Result of Proper Breeding 79 Line-breeding Tends to Secure Uniformity in Individual Characters 82 This Chart Makes It Easy to Follow Line-breeding 88 A Desirable Type of Sire to Head the Breeding Pen 90 Chart Showing Increase of Pure-blood Through Grading. . . 92 Which Would You Select to Head the Breeding Pen? 94 A Farm Flock Breeding Pen 98 Ideal Quarters for Breeding Pen 102 An Excellent Breeding Pen of White Wyandottes 108 Outside Runs for Chicks 126 Hollow Tile Brooder House in Dallas County, Iowa 131 Colony Brooder House With Small Run Attached 135 List of Illustrations 13 Page Proper Eations and Systematic Care Produced These Pullets 138 Young Stock Being Fed for Early Maturity 141 Five-months-old Pullet Developed by Proper Feeding 146 Importance of Fresh Water Must Not Be Overlooked 153 Colony Houses With Good Kange Develop Young Stock 158 An Economical Boosting Coop for Young Stock on Eange. . 161 A Colony Coop in the Orchard 163 Two High-producing Leghorns 166 Showing Desirable Head on Good Layer 172 The Small, Snaky Head on Undesirable Layers 173 Showing Desirable Abdominal Capacity for a Heavy Layer . 176 Pubic Bone Test — a "Three-finger" Hen 179 A "Two-finger" Layer, the Kind to Send to Market 181 Culling Chart 183 Artificial Lighting Chart 194 Automatic Alarm Eegulator for Artificial Lights 200 Egg Cartons Build Demand for Your Eggs 203 Carefully Selected Eggs Eeady for Shipment 207 Grade the Eggs Carefully for the Best Price 211 Eoadside Signs Will Attract Attention to Your Farm 215 One Way of Advertising Your Products 216 An Electrically-lighted Sign Does Service at Night 217 CHAPTER I. What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing Opportunities In Poultry Parming — Egg Farming On a Com- mercial Scale by Farmers — Making Poultry a Profit- able Side-Line — What Actual Farm Men and Women of the Middle West Are Doing Interest in farm poultry was never greater than at the present time. This interest has steadily increased during the past twenty years, due to the rapid strides made in scientific feeding, breeding, culling and in the development of successful methods of housing the flock. The close attention paid to breeding, the development of the 200-egg laying hen, the perfection of the incubator and of brooding devices whereby large flocks of young chicks might be handled at one operation, have all played a tremendous part in the fostering of proper in- terest on the farm in poultry culture. It is doubtless true that the greatest incentive has come through the failure of other farm products to meas- ure up to the high level of price stability attained and maintained year after year by poultry and poultry prod- ucts. Hens properly cared for and fed have always been profitable, regardless of existing price levels ; and in re- cent years they have been more profitable than any other farm product. The opportunities in poultry farming were never more promising. We do not, at the present time, in spite of our great production of eggs and market poultry, produce sufficient stocks to support our own needs. Thousands of cases of Chinese and Danish eggs are 16 The Modern Farm Hen shipped into this country every season. Then, again, the American egg supply comes largely from the farm hen, which means that the production largely occurs during the summer months and that the great per- centage of the supply must go into storage to meet the winter demand. People do not like storage eggs and they will pay a premium for fresh eggs rather than eat them. This means that the farmer or commercial poul- tryman who masters his craft and learns how to secure winter eggs will be in an unusually favorable position to secure the highest prices of the season and the greatest profit from his labor and investment. Modern housing methods, modern feeding and the practice of artificial lighting have all aided greatly in making winter egg production a matter-of-fact proposi- tion to the man who cares to exert himself along the proper line. For the expenditure of a comparatively slight sum for "seed" stock, the mere novice can secure the work of years of the best utility breeders in the world, thereby starting in with heavy egg-laying strains, where others commenced with mere nondescript layers. Egg Farming On a Commercial Scale by Farmers The farmer is in a peculiarly favorable position to engage in egg farming on a serious scale. He has the land, the soil, the range. He is in a position to grow practically all of the necessary feed right upon his place. If he carries a good-sized flock of laying hens as a side-line, he has the added advantage of feeding his feed upon his own place, thereby turning an additional profit from it. The business of egg farming is primarily adapted to the farm. While great profits are made by many small poultrymen with limited acreage and range, the maxi- mum of profit will undoubtedly be found to be in favor What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 17 of the farmer. His land is not so high in value; he has less of an investment to take into consideration; he has more land and, therefore, a greater choice of location for his various duties in connection with the poultry busi- ness. Last, but not least, his overhead will be slightly- greater than it now is under the present system of gen- eral farming. More farmers should engage in egg farming on a com- mercial scale because of the opportunities it offers for a profitable market for the farm-grown grain and produce. Poultry make the greatest spread of profit and the quickest turn-over of any form of live-stock farming. Where the live stock breeder is required to wait six months, one year, or even two years, for a return on the grain and feed consumed, the poultryman waits but a few days for returns on the feed consumed by laying hens. He can produce an entire new unit (hen) within six months of feeding, whereas it would take more than a year to produce almost any other form of live stock. Where the hen consumes 75 to 90 pounds of feed during a producing year, a dairy cow will consume that amount several times in a year and perhaps not net as much profit as one hen. The rapidity with which the feed fed into poultry will secure a cash return, the comparatively short time in which the working units are replaced, the slight capi- tal involved in any one unit, and the fact that hens are the most efficient users of the feed consumed, all combine to make commercial egg farming of interest to farmers, from the production standpoinc. There is another element to consider. The busy sea- sons with the poultry comes at times when the average farmer generally has little to do outside of the usual "chores." During the winter, general farm work is comparatively light. That is the period of greatest ac- 18 The Modern Farm Hen tivity for the scientific egg farmer. In the spring, the majority of the chicks can be hatched and brought to the point where they are able to largely take care of themselves before the general rush of spring farm work sets in. Through the summer, if they have range and are handled under the colony system and are hopper-fed, they will require a minimum of attention from the farmer. They commence to require close attention in the fall when the harvest is completed on the average farm, releasing the farmer from the bulk of his year's work. Making Poultry a Profitable Side-line Where it is not possible, or considered advisable, to engage in commercial egg farming on an extensive scale, or as the main purpose in life, the farmer is still in a splendid position to develop egg farming up to the ex- tent of his possibilities, as a side-line. Many farmers in the Middle West are carrying as large flocks as a side- line to other farming activities, as many commercial egg farmers are able to carry. This is due to the fact that they have recognized the extreme value of equipment, proper housing, proper methods of care and feeding and have arranged everything with the idea of making every motion count for the most. We shall mention a few of these people a little later in this chapter. Poultry is adapted to side-line purposes on the aver- age farm for the same reason that it can desirably be made the chief concern, where other specialized interests do not interfere. Poultry farming in connection with live stock breeding has been carried on successfully by a number of Corn Belt farmers and breeders. It is a success on general farms, on fruit farms, on waste land, on poor land, on high-priced land. There is not a single specialized kind of farming that poultry will not fit into. What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 19 with the possible exception of truck farming and, then, there are many points of contact between these two that might make them advantageous to each other. A number of Iowa farm men and women are regularly- carrying 1,000 laying hens as a side-line to some other kind of farm work. They are enabled to do this because they have taken a leaf from the experience of the com- mercial egg farmers and have availed themselves of every advantage gained through the experience of these men. They have provided the proper types of houses for their birds for their climate, they have studied the principles of breeding and have applied them, they have studied rations and the feeding properties of grains and feeds — in short, they have not permitted the laying hen to shift for herself, but have set about the work of intel- ligently giving her the advantage of the best poultry ex- perience the world has to offer. And they have suc- ceeded, as the records plainly show. There is no particular "secret" about the business of making poultry a profitable side-line to general farming or present farming work. It takes no particular brand of luck with poultry ; there is but slight element of risk in it now, with methods so largely standardized, indeed, less than in the production of most farm crops. The hustler, the worker, the man who is thorough in his work and who does not become lazy or indifferent, the man who is willing to learn and to apply the results of the experiments made by others when it will benefit him, is the type of man who wiU succeed. What Actual Farm Men and Women of the Middle West Are Doing It is a singular fact that very few of the men and women of the Middle West who have made a success of poultry farming voluntarily took up that work. Some 20 The Modern Farm Hen outside force, some grim necessity, seems to have been the moving cause of their first serious attention to egg farming. But thousands of farmers are now seriously interested in the possibilities of poultry farming. They are mak- ing a careful study of the situation ; they are talking to and interviewing poultry raisers in all parts of the coun- try ; they are asking the advice of their farm and poul- try journals, and are visiting more or less successful poultry plants in their own neighborhood and are taking short courses at their state college preparatory to engag- ing in the work on a more or less extensive scale. Back of it all there lurks that individual interest in the success of others, for it gives us all something to pin our faith to. Can we succeed ? Will we succeed ? How can we be sure of success ? How did those who are a suc- cess start? These and numerous other questions sug- gest themselves to the beginner. We have attempted to indicate briefly the personal ex- perience of several outstanding men and women in the poultry business on the farm in the Middle West so as to answer these questions. The experiences of many more people might have been given, but they would serve no useful purpose, no purpose not met in the experiences given herewith. One fact has been impressed strongly upon the author and that is that the success of practically every person he has ever interviewed who has won at poultry farming has been grounded upon the same identical factors, namely, proper foundation stock, proper housing, proper care and feeding, plus attention to details. That is all there is to poultry success. We leave it to the reader. What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 21 D. E. Carlson, Iowa. D. E. Carlson, an- Iowa farmer who farms 115 acres of land, has made a big success from egg farming as a side-line to general farm work. Several years ago he was taking in $4,000 per year from his flock of 1,000 layers. He is doubtless doing better than that at the present time, as he has since increased his capacity. The story of Mr, Carlson's achievements with his poultry flock does not read with any of the sensational glamour which one finds in many stories of poultry suc- cess. It is a simple, straight-forward story of hard- headed thinking and wise planning to put the flock on a paying basis. Mr. Carlson, like most farmers, had definite ideas as to the improvements which he wished to make on his farm. In order to get at the work a little at a time and when he could afford it, he adopted the plan of making some sort of permanent improvement each year. A few years ago, it came the ''turn" of the poultry to be considered. Mr. Carlson knew that the flock needed a better house, if he was to get any sort of returns from it during the winter months when prices were high. He was in doubt as to what sort of a house would be best for general farm work. He did not take a chance and build the first thing that came along, or pick out a plan that seemed all right because someone else had it. He got on the. train and went down to the agricultural college at Ames and enlisted the aid of Professor Lapp in the poultry extension department. Professor Lapp immediately rec- ommended the semi-monitor type house, sometimes re- ferred to as the "Iowa house," for Mr. Carlson's use. It is designed especially for the farm flock and may be used for any size or age of poultry. Mr. Carlson returned home and built one of these houses 24x60 feet that same fall. Three hundred and 22 The Modern Farm Hen seventy-five hens were placed in this house in the early- part of November and during the month of December $350 worth of eggs were sold from this flock and 225 other hens kept in the old houses. He found that the hens in the new house laid from six to eight eggs each more than those in the old house, and that settled the matter for him then and there. He de- Fig. 1 — A Portion of an Iowa Farmer's Side-line Poultry Plant. termined to increase the quarters so that it would be possible for him to accommodate 1,000 layers during the winter season. The following year an addition was built to the laying house, making it 24x96 feet and containmg a feed room at one end, wath feed bins, mash mixers, and a place to grade and pack the eggs. Since that time Mr. Carlson has increased his plant to include another house cf this type 24x127 feet. This gives Mr. Carlson just the sort of equipment that a farm the size he maintains can support in comfortable fashion. It is necessary to buy but very little of the feed used. Mr, Carlson mixes his own mashes, grinds most of the ingredients going into them, and outside of a few feeds necessary to start off the baby chicks and growing stock properly, every- thing fed is raised right on the farm. What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 23 Mr. Carlson tested the English and the American strains of Single Comb White Leghorns side by side in order to determine just which strain he wanted to use in breeding up his flock to a state of high egg production. "I found that the American strain had it all over the English, ' ' he said. ' ' My American Leghorns lay a large egg. In fact, I have taken prizes and secured premiums on my eggs shipped to the New York market because of their size. So I think I will stick to the American Leg- horn, for in my own case it has proved to be the best producer, both in size of eggs and in number." Mr. Carlson has a mammoth incubator which brings off hatches of several hundred eggs at one setting. This enables him to get all the young stock he needs ordinari- ly in one or two settings and he has the balance of the season to produce baby chicks to sell to others. The young stock is brooded in small colony coops and brooder houses each 10x12 feet in size. These houses are built either on the semi-monitor or shed-roof type. As soon as the chicks are feathered and are able to take care of themselves, they are given range and from that time on the element of care necessary to bring them to maturity is not so great. Mr. Carlson's success has been swift and sure. This has been due in a large measure to the fact that he sought the aid of the experts at the state agricultural station and has had the benefit of their guidance and aid ever since. He has practiced the rigid culling necessary to weed out the drones in a flock the size he maintains. He was especially careful to have every detail right in the be- ginning. His housing appliances are correct in prin- ciple. His feeding rations are correct in ingredients to make heavy egg production possible. 24 The Modern Farm Hen In addition, he keeps pace with the newer develop- ments in poultry culture. He has installed artificial light- ing in the laying houses and has used the lights for sever- al seasons with marked success. ' ' The lights are a great aid in getting winter eggs, ' ' he said. ' * There can be no doubt about that." Mr. Carlson is also using trapnests for the purpose of spotting the better laying hens and pullets. "I find that chickens require a lot of work and close attention," he said, "but they certainly make you the money. And the fine thing about it is that it is a quick cash return, something not possible with all forms of farm work." The Carlson success is merely the result of three things: Proper housing, proper feeding and care, and attention to details. It is something within the reach of every farmer. Mrs. Etta Bechtel, Iowa. Mrs. Etta Bechtel, an Iowa farm woman, was forced to turn to commercial poultry production as the only way in which to earn a living for her family. The Bechtel's had become involved in an unfortunate land deal which deprived them of all of their farm land with the exception of 55 acres. They would have lost it all had Mrs. Bechtel not refused to sign the deed for the 55 acres mentioned, "When we came back," said Mrs. Bechtel, "I deter- mined to go into the poultry business on a large scale. I had faith in the hens and I told my husband that poul- try was the only hope for salvation on the 55 acres, and he was so utterly discouraged that he agreed with me. That was eight years ago," Mrs. Bechtel tested out practically every breed and strain of poultry before she finally settled upon the Eng- What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 25 lish strain White Leghorns. Mrs. Bechtel, unlike D. E. Carlson, found that the English Leghorns laid better for her than the American strains, so all others were dis- carded. *'I started with 200 pullets," she continued, "and had good success from the start. I had eggs to sell and got ray start b> advertising in leading farm and poultry papers. 1 had a great business from the start in hatch- ing eggs and have always had to turn down business through inability to supply the demand." The market eggs produced by the Bechtels are all shipped to a commission house in New York City. Dur- ing the hatching season, the output of the Bechtel plant is marketed in the form of hatching eggs and baby chicks all over the country. "The cornerstone of my success," she said, "is based upon the fact that we started with the very best founda- tion stock that we could buy. When we started with the Barron strain, I bought the very best pen that we could afford. We have often paid $50 and $75 for cock- erels to head our breeding pens — pedigreed birds coming from high-producing dams. At other times we have Pig. 2 — Plant Built Up by an Iowa Farm Woman. paid as high as $5 per egg for eggs coming from laying contest winners with high official records. One cannot be niggardly in this respect. The best that money can buy is the least that one can afford in this respect. ' ' 26 The Modern Farm Hen The Bechtel flock is trapnested and line-breeding for egg production is carefully carried out. They keep their hens through the second year and then dispose of them for breeding stock at from $2 to $2.50 each. The sur- plus cockerels from the early hatches are marketed as broilers on the New York City market. Last spring they brought 60 cents per pound when they averaged one and one-half to two pounds each. An example of what can be done under average farm conditions in the way of winter egg records under proper environment is shown in the performance of 400 pullets on the Bechtel farm during December, 1921. These pullets netted Mrs. Bechtel $100 per week during that month, the eggs selling at 70 cents, 75 cents, 80 cents and 85 cents per dozen during the month on the New York City market. It cost Mrs. Bechtel $3.81 ex- press to ship two cases of eggs to New York and she netted $20 per case on her eggs. Mrs. Bechtel grades her eggs to weight and size, es- tablishing 26 ounces to the dozen as her standard or min- imum grade. Her yearling hens will produce eggs aver- aging around 30 ounces to the dozen. Her baby chicks are likewise carefully graded before being shipped out. This insures customer satisfaction. Missouri fool-proof type laying and breeding houses are used on the farm, after testing them in comparison with other types, including the Iowa semi-monitor house. They found the latter was not as successful as the for- mer, in their own case. Great consideration is given to the mating of the breeding pens, as it is one of the tests of success in poultry culture, particularly so in increas- ing egg production from year to year. In 1921, Mrs. Bechtel shipped 40,000 to 50,000 baby chicks. She has a mammoth incubator of 7,000-egg ca- pacity and several smaller 300-egg machines. Her total capacity is 10,000 eggs at one setting. What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 27 Artificial lighting and rigid culling is practiced. The Bechtels are enthusiastic in their support of artificial lighting. "When we turned on our lights," they said, "our egg production jumped 30 per cent." Mrs. Bechtel is just an ordinary country woman, of average ability and temperament. But she has a quiet determination, an air of conviction without undue self- assertiveness about her, which impresses one with the thought that she is capable of her job and entitled to the success that has come to her. Hugo Anderson, Minnesota. Hugo Anderson has demonstrated in a big way what can be accomplished through a small beginning in com- mercial egg farming. He carries a minimum of 3,500 layers through the winter each year on his 26-acre plant near Duluth, Minnesota. He has also demonstrated that cheap lands unsuited for other agricultural purposes can be made to earn a high return when turned to poul- try and egg production. Mr. Anderson markets all of his eggs in privately marked cartons through a large de- partment store in Duluth and has never been able to supply the demand. During the hatching season he markets thousands upon thousands of baby chicks and hatching eggs all over the country. His total annual business is above the $25,000 mark, the monthly income running from $2,000 to $5,000 the year around. Mr. Anderson is the father of the commercial egg farming community at Barnum and the largest individ- ual producer. When he started in 1907, the hen was a curiosity in his section of the country. People had al- ways thought that it would be impossible to keep hens that far north in the winters experienced there. There 28 The Modern Farm Hen is plenty of room for this assumption when one consid- ers that it often gets as cold as 40 degrees below zero and stays there for six weeks at a time. Today Barnum is said to be the second largest com- munity egg-producing center in the United States, rank- Fig. 3 — Small Farm Poultry Plant Housing 250 Laying Hens Under Ideal Conditions. ing next to Petaluma, California, in this respect. Hard- ly a soul in Barnum is not engaged in egg production on the side. Even the cashier of the local bank has his flock of 1,000 layers on the side. At the time we visited Bar- num, he was topping the list at the local creamery for the size of the egg check (Mr. Anderson does not market through the creamery, but independently) running be- tween $600 and $700 per month. Mr. Anderson has paid close attention to egg-laying ability and has built up a high-record strain. One flock of 200 selected pullets averaged well over the 200-egg mark for him in 1918, and he states that his selected flock of layers averages 60 per cent egg production throughout the year. These records seem exceptional to breeders farther south, but when it is taken into con- sideration that the crisp climate in northern Minnesota tends to cut down the normal molting periods and What Farm Poultry Raisers Are Doing 29 hurries the hens to quick feather development when they do molt, it is not unreasonable. Mr. Anderson uses artificial lighting for his layers and states that he could not get along without it. He is also severe in his culling methods and is constantly working for high flock averages, believing that is more impor- tant than individual records. He feeds correct rations, gives particular attention to the construction of his houses, as is mentioned in the chapter on Buildings, and pays close attention to details. These factors have won success for him, as they have for others. CHAPTER II. A Practical Farm Flock Unit How Many Hens? — Capital and Ground Necessary for Best Eesults — How TO Determine Size of Flock — ^Re- ducing Labor and Overhead to a Mini- mum BY Proper Planning The first question that comes to every farmer who wishes to give the hens the place they deserve in his farming business is, How many hens should I be able to handle at a profit? The average person is inclined to think in terms of numbers rather than in terms of profit and, consequently, overestimate the maximum sized flock that he should handle. It is not numbers that makes for profit in the poultry business, any more than numbers make for profit with dairy cattle. The laying hen is an individual and her performance must be considered and judged as such. Many farmers are maintaining flocks of several hun- dred hens and are receiving such returns as they do get from a few dozen hens. It is obvious that the culls and drones deprive such farmers of profits, rather than pro- duce them. It is likewise possible to overdo the matter in the initial start made. The tendency too often is to seek to acquire a large flock of hens in as short a time as pos- sible. Consequently, the beginner makes the mistake of spreading his money over numbers rather than restrict- ing it to quality in the seed stock purchased. No man can determine in advance just how many hens he can handle at a profit. He may estimate, but the 32 The Modern Farm Ren difficulty with estimates is that they are generally over- done. The best practice, and the safest practice is to make a modest beginning with the best seed stock one can afford, then gradually expand as one learns the ele- ments of modern methods and how to apply them to the flock. Having won a profit with the few hens, then it is in order to expand and increase the operations. This plan insures the laying of a sound foundation under your work in future years, but if you make the mistake of trying to jump into the poultry business on a full- fledged scale within a year or two, you are very likely to wake up some morning and discover that you, have built the roof to your house and have given no thought to the foundation and the structure. Make haste slowly is the best and safest rule for the beginner to follow. The farmer may think that he knows a great deal about chickens and how to handle them, but he will find, if he is fair-minded and willing to learn what has been done in the poultry world in re- cent years, that he has to unlearn a great deal that he already knows, and learn a lot of new practices and methods in addition. The very best way to start is to buy a breeding pen (one male and four females) of the very best blood lines in your chosen breed that you can afford to buy. This means, in the first place, that considerable time will be spent in investigating the breeds and the strains within these breeds. After the best strain has been selected, it is then necessary to secure the very best specimens that you can afford to buy. Of course, this breeding pen will call for more of an initial outlay than baby chicks or hatching eggs would cost, but it is the safest and best plan in the long run. For one thing, you know absolutely what you are get- ting, and can tell fairly well what to expect from the birds as breeders by a careful examination of them. A Practical Farm Flock Unit 33 With hatching eggs and baby chicks the gamble is greater, and the results seldom as satisfactory. In our judgment, a breeding pen of the very highest type we could find for seed stock would well be worth $100, and it may be that you will have to pay more than that. This is not an outrageous price when you stop to consider that live stock breeders pay into the thousands of dol- lars for a single breeding animal which may not return any greater percentage of profit than a good laying hen. The point is that the best that money will buy is none too good for seed stock. Capital and Ground Necessary for Best Results The farmer will not, of course, require the capital to engage in poultry farming that anyone else would re- quire because he has land with which to make the start. This generally eats up a good share of the commercial poultryman's capital at the outset and reduces his chances of success. From the standpoint of capital, the farmer is in the most favorable position of anyone to engage in poultry farming. He not only has the land with which to work, but he also has practically all of his living and house- hold expenses accounted for. This means that he can start on the proper scale for less money than the man who enters poultry farming from some other occupation. The capital required will vary in individual cases and according to the object the farmer has in mind. In practically every case the purchase of new seed stock — pure-bred stock — wiU be necessary. Likewise, modern poultry buildings wiU have to be erected in order to pre- pare for the new flock. If the business is to be built up from a single pen of seed stock, no outlay will ordinarily be required for brooder houses or incubators the first 34 The Modern Farm lien season, but these must be planned for before the flock has been brought to its maximum size. Some farmers will require practically no capital at all, outside of the money invested in seed stock. By a few well-chosen alterations in existing poultry houses on the farm, in the light of recommendations given elsewhere in this book, they can adjust the housing problem to the proper basis. Being ovmers of their land, no capital will be required in that direction and the general farm work can be depended upon to support them until the poultry business comes into its own, or performs its rightful share as a flourishing side-line. L M^^ !•?*' ■ . -<.^?^" ■ - '-' ''-^- ,-4^,' '•I Kig. 4 — A Priirticiil Flock of 500 Layers Maintained by a Farmer's Wife. To others more capital will be necessary. The exist- ing poultry houses will have to be torn down absolutely and complete new houses constructed. This will require capital before the new flocks can be expected to produce an income. Seed stock will require capital, provision will have to be made for the brooding and shelter of the growing stock, appliances and equipment will have to be purchased or made. And the capital required will A Practical Farm Flock Unit 35 rise in amount in proportion to size of the flock which the farmer expects to maintain ultimately, because it will be necessary, in the interests of ultimate economy, to plan all building operations with this goal in mind, to look to the future and to anticipate the future wants in order to avoid a waste or loss of capital and labor. This will call for the expenditure of more capital for the time being than might otherwise be the case. The actual amount necessary will depend upon cir- cumstances surrounding each case. One should have, roughly speaking, sufficient capital to invest to carry him and the flock through the first full year at least. This depends upon the size of flock one may be able to carry through the first winter, and that can never be estimated to a certainty. But any flock, regardless of size, should be made to earn a profit after the first sea- son or one might as well abandon any thought of making a success at poultry farming and turn to something else. And this is just as true where poultry is to be a side-line as where it is to be the main source of income. If it is not an efficient side-line it has no excuse for existence ; it is merely eating up feed and labor that could be ex- pended in some other direction. It will not ordinarily be necessary for the general farmer to set aside any considerable amount of ground for the exclusive use of the poultry flock. If the proper laying houses are constructed, as recommended else- where in this book, no yards will be necessary at aU. In fact, the laying hens will do much better from every standpoint if they are confined throughout the laying season in the laying houses. The actual ground occupied by the laying house or houses will not be a considerable item. Thousands of hens have been maintained suc- cessfully on a few acres where intensive methods are followed. In fact, where the soil is suitable for inten- 36 The Modern Farm Hen sive poultry culture, 2,000 laying hens to the acre have been successfully produced and maintained year in and year out. There is no need for the average farmer going to this extreme; indeed, it would be practically an im- possibility unless outside labor was engaged to aid in the work. Some yardage will be necessary for the brooder houses where the chicks can be allowed to run in nice weather. But chicks are usually taken out of the brooder houses when a month to six weeks old and sent to the colony houses on range. These may be located either in the orchard or along the cornfield, thereby utilizing to double purpose land engaged in some other productive purposes. How TO Determine the Size op the Flock There are several ways in which one can determine the size of the flock which he can best maintain, but the mat- ter must, in the last analysis, be settled by the individual himself. The determination of the question is grounded in the purpose to which poultry is to be put, and the ability, energy and resources of the individual. Where poultry farming is to become the chief busi- ness of the farmer, it might be said that there is no limit to which one may go. "When it is considered that many specialty breeders on comparatively small farms are do- ing a business annually running from $25,000 to $100,- 000 the truth of this statement is better appreciated. A number of large specialty breeders devote the entire acreage to poultry farming ; several we have in mind, so utilizing farms over 100 acres in extent. Looked at from a labor standpoint, one man can easily manage a flock of 1,000 layers, raise the young stock each year, run the incubators, pack and ship the eggs, as a side-line to general farming. But, and this is where the A Practical Farm Flock Unit 37 rub lies, everything must be planned and arranged, as indicated in a subsequent paragraph, so that every mo- tion will count and all labor will be reduced to a mini- mum. Practical farmers who are raising poultry as a side- line on farms in the Corn Belt have told us that they can handle 1,000 layers to good advantage without being tied down too close, and they are men who speak from experience. But they are utilizing every bit of modern equipment that will aid them in their work and they are "on their toes" all the time and on the lookout for meth- ods to reduce their labor, eliminate lost motion, save steps, and, at the same time, not neglect the welfare of their flocks. Fig. 5 — Young Stock on Range Along Edge of Young Orchard on an Iowa Farm. Where poultry is to be managed as a side-line to other farm work, we have taken particular pains to determine what would be a practical rule to apply regarding the size of the flock to be maintained and have come to the conclusion, where the farm is not too large to be man- aged by one man successfully, that IQ hens to the acre is about all that can be handled efficiently. Again, this implies that the poultry department will be so arranged and the flock so housed as to make every move count in their care. A farm of 160 acres would give, under this rule, a flock of say 1,600 laying hens. This is the maxi- 38 The Modern Farm Hev mum that can be carried as a side-line. If it gets beyond that point it will soon be crowding the other farm work, and a flock of this size improperly handled will crowd any man, as it is. But an energetic farmer and his good wife can, under proper surroundings, maintain a side- line flock under this rule practically the entire year with- out additional labor. An 80-acre farm should support 800 fowls on a side- line basis and 120 acres 1,200 layers. Flocks ranging from 500 to 1500 layers will be found to be the most efficient for average market egg production on a side- line basis, and will be sufficient to provide work for the farmer during the seasons of the year when his general farm work demands the least of his attention. At any rate, the 10 hens to the acre rule, is probably as safe an arbitrary rule as can be given. It is well to keep it in mind when one is apt to indulge in overestimates and feel the urge to try and do too much. If one or- ganizes the work and handles flocks of the sizes indi- cated, for profit, not for numbers, the greatest pleas- ure and profit will be returned by the hens. Reducing Labor and Overhead to a Minimum by Proper Planning It is well to devote some time with a pencil and a pad of paper to "figuring" how one can reduce labor and overhead to a minimum in advance of the actual launching of the poultry venture or side-line. The first consideration is the proper location of the various buildings with reference to accessibility from the house, in order to reduce the steps necessary in car- ing for the flock. This is an important item, far more important than the average person stops to consider. A few extra steps several times a day will amount to several extra miles in the course of a month and a good A Practical Farm Flock Unit 39 many miles in the course of a year. Besides, it con- sumes time, makes the poultry work a burden and, gen- erally, might be eliminated entirely by wise planning in the beginning. Speaking generally, the poultry buildings should be in the general direction of the other farm buildings. Many people place them in an isolated position in the opposite direction from the other farm buildings. This increases the steps and the labor necessary in handling the flock, as the feed required will have to be carried or hauled an additional distance from the cribs or bins. If brooder houses are to be constructed, they should be planned to be the nearest to the residence of the other poultry buildings. Many people build the laying house first and later when they come, to build the brooder house have to place it farther away from the residence because the laying house was placed near the residence. This is a mistake, from an efficiency standpoint. The brooder house will require more frequent visits from the caretaker than the laying house and it should be nearest the residence. Colony coops should be built on runners. This will, in the end provide for a considerable saving in the costs of handling the growing stock. Colony houses built on runners are practically self-cleaning, as they are simply moved to a new location by hitching a team to the runners, leaving the droppings behind. Some of these will doubtless be used for brooding baby chicks and they should be planned with substantial floors. These can, during the winter, be used for surplus lay- ing stock, or to house the breeding pens, which are best kept separate from the general laying flock. Another great labor-saving aid which should be uti- lized to the fullest advantage is the hopper system of feeding. No busy farmer can expect to attain the best 40 The Modern Farm Hen results from his flock if he does not indulge in mash feeding, and this will require hoppers, and from the labor-saving standpoint, the hoppers more than justify their existence, especially in the case of growing young stock. "Where hoppers are utilized to the fullest advantage, it will be possible to handle the young stock on range with a single visit per day, largely to see that every- Fig. C — A Farm Poultry House Built of Hollow Building Tile with Full Monitor Roof. thing is all right, and, if necessary, to close the doors of the coops at night to protect the flock against enemies of field or forest. The hoppers can be built large enough so that they will require filling but once a week. This greatly reduces the overhead and labor necessary to cam' the young stock to maturity, at the season when the farmer is rushed the most by his general farm work. Likewise, there is a great advantage in using the proper equipment to water the flock. Large founts should be purchased, founts that can be kept from freezing during winter weather. This will not only insure the maximum egg supply during cold weather, and the abundance of water has a great deal to do with it, but it will greatly lessen the labor involved in keep- A Practical Farm Flock Unit 41 ing the water supply normal. Much money can be wasted in starting out by buying small and inadequate founts. Take your time, and select the best. If you build a long, continuous laying house, make plans for a few outside doors along the center of the building. These can serve a double purpose of doors and ventilators. They will save many unnecessary steps, where it is desired to get into center pens, as one will not have to go to either end of the long building and pass through several other pens in order to reach the desired one. In placing one-inch mesh wire over the open front openings of the pens, it will prove a great time and labor saver to place the wire on frames which are hinged and made to fit the openings. These can be opened up when it comes time to clean out the litter, and will more than pay for themselves in one season because of the labor they will save in handling the litter. A wheelbarrow or wagon box can be backed up to the window or opening and the litter forked directly into them, thus eliminating at least one extra handling. If the poultry flock is large, it will pay, if possible, to in- stall a litter carrier on an overhead track such as is used in dairy and horse barns. Take pains with the cement floor you lay in your houses so that they will be absolutely dry. There is one sure way to insure a dry floor and that is to use a layer of hollow tile under the cement. The dead air (]paces in the tile prevent dampness coming through. We have used such floor ourself for several seasons now, through all kinds of weather, and it has never been the least bit damp. This is more of an item in the labor bill than the beginner may think, for it gets away from the almost daily changing of the litter in damp weather. And, one may rest assured, the litter 42 The Modern Farm Hen has to be changed at the first sign of dampness, if the health and efficiency of the flock is to be maintained. The few extra cents spent in hollow tile will be repaid time and again in the course of the year. As a general rule, do not plan nests under the drop- ping board. They are hard to get at, hard to keep clean, and provide too attractive a hiding place for lice and mites. Do not build nests or install nests that cannot be easily and quickly cleaned. This is of vast import- ance to the man who is producing eggs either for mar- ket or for hatching purposes, and who is not? The bottoms of the nests should be removable, as shown else- where in this book, so that they can be cleaned in a jiffy. Many other labor saving devices and plans will sug- gest themselves to the thinking man. Use them, utilize them to the fullest advantage. They mean money in the pocket. CHAPTER III. The Selection of Breeds The Meaning of Breeds — the Breeds of Economic Value to THE Farmer — How to Select the Breed to Fit THE Purpose In Mind — the Meaning of Strains and Their Value Many people are confused as to the meaning of the term ''breed." It carries a definite meaning and when incorrectly applied often causes misunderstanding. The Standard of Perfection, published by the American Poultry Association, which is the final authority on breeds and breed types for the guidance of the breed- er and the judge in the show room, divides fowls into three main divisions. First, we have Classes, then Breeds and, finally. Varieties. The term "Classes" refers to those breeds and va- rieties belonging to general types having points in com- mon and classed usually according to the region in which they originated. Thus, the American Classes, Rocks, Wyandottes, Reds and Buckeyes, originated in the United States; the Mediterranean Classes, Leg- horns, Anconas and Minorcas originated in Italy, Spain and the Mediterranean countries ; the Asiatics, Cochins, Langshans, originated in Asiatic countries; the Eng- lish Classes, Orpingtons, Dorkings, originated in Eng- land, etc. It will be noted that the term "Class" is very broad and includes a wide, general range of fowl. The term "Breed" is narrower in its meaning, but still somewhat broader in its application than general 44 The Modern Farm Hen usage among breeders and poultry raisers indicates. Generally, it applies to a race of fowls having the same general size, type andl shape. The Plymouth Rock breed, for instance, applies to all fowls having the es- tablished Rock type, size and shape without reference to color markings. Thus, it may be used to mean Barred Plymouth Rocks, White, Buff or Partridge Rocks, In the case of Leghorns, it may be used to mean White, Black, Buff, Silver or Red Pyle. In Reds, it applies to either Single or Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds. The term "Variety" is a further sub-division of the term "Breed." It means a certain definite type of fowl coming under the general breed classification. Generally, the name of the variety is taken from its most noticeable external characteristic, namely, color marking. Thus, Barred Plymouth Rocks, are a va- riety of the Plymouth Rock breed. White Leghorns are a variety of the Leghorn breed, and we have a fur- ther subdivision here of Rose and Single Comb. It is improper to call a variety a breed, in the larger sense and, likewise, a breed is not a variety, except in one or two isolated cases. The Breeds of Economic Value to the Farmer There is a multitude of breeds and varieties of chick- ens. Many exist merely because of their unusual color markings or extraordinary types. They have little or no economic importance, being bred chiefly as a past time and to amuse the fanciers of the ultra fancy per- suasion. For all practical importance, the choice, or the in- terest of the farmer will be confined to a very few gen- eral breeds arid varieties under them because only a The Selection of Breeds 45 few have been bred to a high state of productivity and are of economic importance. Leaving sentiment out of consideration and speaking from the standpoint of ultimate profit, the farmer will be limited in his selection at the present time to the following breeds: Rocks, Wyandottes, Reds, Brahmas, Leghorns or Minorcas. He may want to include the Orpingtons and perhaps he should, but please keep in mind that this discussion is limited to the economic side of the question ; namely, the value of the breed for either meat or eggs. There are many reasons why the Eng- lish fowl with their white- skinned characteristics are not in favor for commercial purposes. The English fowl are not any better layers than our American classes, although they are often just as good. From a fancier's standpoint, the Orpington possesses marked advan- tages, but we incline to the belief that the farmer will not find it as desirable, everything considered, as the breeds mentioned. These breeds may be further classified according to the chief purpose which they have been bred to serve. The Rocks, Wyandottes and Reds may be designated as General Purpose Fowl, because they have been de- veloped with the double purpose in mind of securing good layers and a good market fowl. In other words, they have size. The Brahma is the sole representative of the Meat breeds which is now bred to any extent in Fig. 7 — Single Comb White Leghorn Hen. 46 The Modern Farm Hen this country. The Cochin has practically passed out. The Brahma is still the favorite for soft roasters and gives some wonderful results when crossed with White Rocks for this purpose. It may generally be ruled out of consideration, however, for the average farmer is not in a position to produce fowls for market at a profit. The average farmer must have eggs in order to secure the maximum profit. The Leghorns and the Minorcas belong to the Egg breeds, their chief purpose □ being the production of eggs. This does not mean that they are worthless as market fowl, as so many peo- ple claim. The Minorcas compares favorably in size with many of the General Purpose breeds, and many strains of the Leghorns are bred over-size and practical- ly as large as the Rocks or I Reds. Because of their rap- id rate of development. Pig. 8 — White Wyandotte Hen, i -i i i? Representative of a Splendid Breed. brOllcrS Can be grOWU from Leghorn stock to practically the same weight in the same time as from the General Purpose breeds. This means that Leghorn surplus cock- erels can be marketed early in the spring to the same advantage as any other breeds. The farmer, if a profit is to be won from the poultry work, must make his choice from these breeds. They are the breeds which have received the most attention from the breeders and have been developed with cer- tain purposes in mind, all of which are grounded in some economic advantage. The man who takes up an- The Selection of Breeds 47 other breed is merely depriving himself of the advan- tages offered by breed progress. How^ TO Select the Breed to Fit the Purpose in Mind It should not be a hard matter to select the breed to keep, if sentiment and mere fancy is left out of con- sideration. Every farmer will have a definite purpose in mind before taking up poultry work seriously. The man who takes up poultry breeding as a side-line will, in the majority of cases, desire eggs for market before all else. The man who wishes to devote his entire at- tention to poultry breeding may have other goals in mind, such as the produc- tion of fancy stock for the show room. Whatever the purpose, each man can ascertain it by asking himself what the chief motive in his mind is. Perhaps he will want to run a hatchery. Then he will have to determine the most popular breeds and cater to the popular demand. And in the end, that popular demand is influenced by the same factors which would influence him if he were going directly into the poultry business himself. It is, in the final analysis, from the economic standpoint, either mar- ket eggs or market poultry. Where flocks are main- tained merely for home use, or largely for that purpose, then other considerations will enter in. Poultry breeds have been developed with definite purposes in mind. One race of breeders have sought Fig. Single Comb Rhode Island Red Hen. 48 The Modern Farm Hen egg yield more than they have sought anything else and they have brought down to us the egg breeds. An- other class of breeders have been looking for a market fowl and have bred such fowls and have given us the Brahmas and the other fowls belonging to the meat breeds. Still another class have sought to produce a fowl of good size, that would make a good market fowl and, at the same time, lay a large number of eggs. And so we have the general or dual purpose of breeds. All the farmer has to do is to determine first what ob- ject he has in wanting to breed poultry, and then make his selection in the proper breed. He cannot go far wrong. There is no such thing as the "best" breed of poul- try. There are a number of *'best" breeds and we feel that we have covered the outstanding ones in our rec- ommendations above. The final choice must depend upon individual desire. There are some considerations, however, which must be taken into account and one should not allow prejudices to influence him adversely in meeting these considerations. If eggs are to be the principal object in your poultry work, do not make the mistake of keeping any but an egg breed. Commercial poultrymen have tried time and again to make a "go" of it at egg farming with flocks of dual purpose fowls and have not succeeded, except in cases where exceptional conditions favored them. From a strict profit standpoint there can be Fig. 10 — Columbian Plymouth Rock Hen. The Selection of Breeds 49 no doubt but that the Single Comb White Leghorn is the most efficient fowl of all, but we are not always looking for the maximum profit. We do not make this statement because of individual prejudice or favoritism, but upon the authority of various experiment station investigations. For instance, in point of feed consumed, it was found at the New Jersey Egg-laying Contests that the amount of feed consumed by heavy laying hens per year ac- cording to breed was as follows: Leghorns 76 pounds Wyandottes 80 pounds R. I. Reds 87 pounds Plymouth Rocks 90 pounds The United States Government Poultry Farm at Beltsville, Md., has carried on some experiments along the same line, but has gone a step further and tabu- lated some figures to show how much feed each breed requires in order to produce one dozen eggs: Leghorns 4.8 pounds Leghorn yearlings 5.5 pounds Dual purpose 6.7 pounds Dual purpose yearlings 9.6 pounds Other figures might be cited along similar lines, but these are sufficient to show that the Leghorn hen or pullet is the most efficient egg producer that has yet come under the eye of the investigators. An additional point to be considered is the fact that a lower housing cost per bird is required with the egg breeds than with the larger fowl, as they do not require as much floor or ground space as the larger fowls. Roughly speaking, dual purpose fowls require one-third more floor space in buildings, at least, than the egg breeds, and the meat 50 The Modern Farm Hen breeds, such as Brahmas and Langshans require even more room. This will amount to a considerable item in overhead cost on a place where large flocks are to be maintained. The Leghorns have had it pretty much their own way at the egg-laying contests so long that there is no disputing the statement that they are the most outstanding egg-laying breed now known to man. But large individual rec- ords have also been made by Rhode Island Reds in offi- cial contests, and by Rocks and Wyandottes in lesser degree. The first outstand- ing layer developed by an egg-laying contest was Lady Show-You, a White Plym- outh Rock. Her record was more than 260 eggs. The most outstanding de- velopment in the breeding of high record layers has been, however, among the White Leghorns, probably due to the fact that this breed has more universally engaged the attention of the commercial poultrymen than any other. There are dozens and dozens of Leghorns having egg records over 200 eggs each in one year now in the country, and sev- eral breeders have pullet records running over 300 eggs. One breeder on the Pacific Coast, for instance, has made a tremendous development along this line and has close to three dozen such layers to his credit. Many farmers are prejudiced against Leghorns, look- ing upon them as an unsatisfactory fowl for general Fig. 11 — Barred Pljmouth Rock Pullet. The Selection of Breeds 51 farm purposes. We are not presenting a brief for any particular breed, as it is of slight consequence to us as to the breed selected, but we do feel the responsibili- ty of presenting the facts. Each man can then judge for himself. The dual purpose fowls are, in many respects, wonder- ful birds. Personally, we have always had more than passing interest in the Rhode Island Reds and the Ply- mouth Rocks. We have compared them side by side and have found them to be wonderful fowls in every respect. The Rhode Island Reds are generally great layers and, if there is any choice, are probably better layers than any of the other general or dual purpose fowl. There are, however, one or two strains of Barred Plymouth Rocks which will hold their own as lay- ers with any other breed, the Leghorns alone excepted. One or two strains of Wyandottes have also been bred up to good egg yields, but just now we are not discuss- ing strains but breeds in their entirety. The Meaning of Strains and Theib Value The strain is vastly more important than the breed or variety. One flock of fowls may make a poor record during the year and another flock of the same variety and breed on a neighboring farm may earn a substantial profit. The difference is likely to be in the strain, other things being equal. There is confusion in the minds even of certain poul- try breeders as to the meaning of the term "strain", judging from their advertising matter. A strain is a certain definite family of fowls within a given variety and breed, so bred that the family characteristics have been sufficiently established along a definite line to give them a distinction over ordinary fowls in the same va- 52 The Modern Farm Hen riety and breed. A strain is not a variety of fowls, and the fact that a man breeds a strain does not make it necessary that he should have originated his family him- self. But the right to claim one's own strain is loosely used at the present time by thousands of breeders. We have already pointed out that there is no such thing as the one "best" breed or variety of chickens; that strain is what counts for the most in this respect. By that we mean that there are certain breeders in al- most every variety and breed who have, through long patience and effort, succeeded in breeding up families of fowls within their varieties and breeds that are out- standing in utility performance or show room quality, as the case may be. One can find strains in almost any breed or variety that will pay a good profit under care- ful handling, while other apparently well-bred fowls in the same breed or variety are practically worthless for any purpose. The difference lies in the breeding, in the inherited characteristics, in the family or strain blood. There are, of course, certain breeds in which more strains have been developed than in other breeds and varieties ; and the more strains there are developed along some definite line, the more the influence will be felt on the entire breed and variety the country over. The re- sult will be to elevate the standard of the entire breed and variety. That is one of the reasons why Single Comb White Leghorns are so popular in the country for commercial egg farming ; more strains for high egg-lay- ing ability have been developed in this variety the past 20 years than in any other. Many people make the common mistake of thinking that if one flock of hens in a given variety make good records that it is the breed or "kind" that counts and that any fowls masquerading under that same breed or variety name will be good layers. That is why so many The Selection of Breeds 53 peopie are constantly changing "kinds." They do not take into consideration the value of strain; they look more at the feathers, in their search for the same "kind." It will not require a great deal of study, even for the novice, to soon learn what the best strains are in the va- riety he selects. An examination of the advertising pages of any good poultry journal will soon give a cross-section of the best breeders in each variety. Any editor will be glad to advise you, if you are in doubt. But do not make the mistake so many people do of buy- ing into a strain second or third hand. This always is unsatisfactory. It pays to go to headquarters and pay the price. To buy second or third hand is to acquire all of the faults in management and care that the other fellow has foisted upon the good strain, in the majority of cases. CHAPTER IV. Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks Iowa Semi-Monitor House — Missouri Fool-Proof House — The Minnesota Type House — The Lord Farms Small Flock House — Colony Houses, Brooding Houses and Coops — Nests, Hoppers and Appliances The first use of the Iowa Semi-Monitor Poultry House is generally credited to Charles Laros, an Iowa com- mercial poultryman living in Poweshiek county. Mr. Laros practices intensive poultry culture, carrying larg- er flocks to the acre than the average farmer will find Fig. 12 — Iowa Semi-Monitor Type Laying House Accommodating 1,000 Layers. practicable, but his problems of housing were essentially the same as those confronting the farmer. He found that it was hard to secure proper ventilation from his shed- roof type laying houses without also having drafty pens. The result of his experiments in this direction was the first Iowa Semi-Monitor House. It later came to the attention of the extension department of Iowa State Col- lege and was advocated widely as the most desirable farm flock house. 56 The. Modern Form Hen There was nothing essentially new in the design as the half-monitor type of construction had been advo- cated by Dr. P. T. Woods some 10 or 12 years before, and had been used by other authorities with variations in the intervening period. The distinctive feature of the Iowa Semi-Monitor House is the fact that it secures proper ventilation for the laying flock in all seasons and eliminates the ills attending stuffy, damp and impure air. Many people have objected to the semi-monitor house because it was more expensive in initial cost to build. The outlay of a few extra dollars should not be questioned when such additional outlay removes one of the most serious ob- stacles to proper poultry housing. No doubt other forms of construction will secure practically the same results in ventilation at less cost, but we do not know of a lay- ing house now in use that secures all of the advantages of the Iowa Semi-Monitor Poultry House that can be constructed for the same money. PRedAtieo Boom/M Fig. 13 — Cross-section of Iowa Semi-Monitor House. The semi-monitor poultry house, as in the case of hog houses, makes it possible for the sunlight to reach all parts of the interior of the house during the day- time. Sunshine is the best germicide in the world, and Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 57 this value should not be overlooked. Shed roof houses may be constructed to secure practically the same ad- vantage in ventilation, but they cannot be built as wide as the semi-monitor house and also secure a flood of sun- light in the rear corners. Consequently, the shed-roof type house can seldom be built over 16 feet wide and secure sunlight on the droppings board, without run- ning them up too high in front. This is, in itself, a waste in money and tends to make the houses exces- sively cold in bad weather. The Iowa Semi-Monitor Poultry House is built in units 22 feet wide by 24 feet long. Mr. D. E. Carlson, an Iowa farmer mentioned in a preceding chapter, uses this house on his farm for his side-line flock and he has made the house 24 feet wide and considers that it is an improve- ment over the orig- ^'s inal plan. We are inclined to agree with him. Allowing three and one-half square feet of floor space to each hen, a pen 22x24 feet in size will accomodate 150 layers. The same house will accomodate 250 Leg- horns, affording two square feet per layer as many breed- ers do and speaking in round numbers. The house is built in long, continuous style where larger flocks are desired, saving in construction costs and bringing the flock all under one roof. Mr. D, E. Carlson has two of 14 — Floor Plan of One Unit of Pen. Iowa Semi-Monitor House. 58 The Modern Farm Hen these houses, one, 24x96 feet in length and another, 24x127 feet in length. The plans given will be found to be self-explanatory. This house can be used for poultry of practically all ages and for all purposes. Muslin curtains can be placed in the shed or open front part and baby chicks brooded there with colony hovers or brooders, or the laying hens can be placed in this part of the house and the chicks given the rear and more protected portion, or one or two pens may be given over entirely to chicks until they are old enough to go to range. Missouri Pool-Proof House The Missouri Fool-Proof House was given to the poul- try world by Prof. T. E. Quisenberry and was the result of his work at the Missouri Poultry Experiment Station at Mountain Grove. The term "fool-proof" is applied mmt Fig. 15 — A Row of Missouri Fool-Proof Poultry Houses. to this house because the ventilating device cannot be tampered with, is built right into the wall structure and works constantly in all kinds of weather. It has the advantage of the open-front house and, at the same time, gets away from the soiling of the litter in the interior of the house so common when sudden storms come up. The chief feature of the house is the shutter ventila- tor which is made of 6-inch strips set on an incline, so as to admit a free passage of air but to prevent rain or Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 59 snow beating into the interior of the house and damag- ing the litter. This feature eliminates the disagreeable task of getting up in the middle of the night to let down muslin or burlap curtains over open front openings to protect litter and the interior of the house, in the event of a storm. The Fool-Proof House is constructed on the shed-roof style and the most efficient size house of this type is one 16 feet wide. It should not be less than this, if maxi- mum comfort is to be secured roosting fowls at night and it cannot be greater unless extra roof studding is used. Some farmer have constructed them 20 feet wide with good results, but they cannot be wider. They are built in the long, continuous style depending upon the number of fowls to be accomodated. The unit is a pen Fig. 16 — Front Elevation, Missouri Fool-Proof House; also detail of Shutter Construction. 20 feet long and 16 feet to 20 feet deep. One pen 20x20 will accomodate about 200 Leghorns and a less number of fowls of larger breeds. "When built as large laying houses in sections 20x20 feet they should be about 9 feet high in front and S^^ feet high in the rear. Where built in shorter widths, as 16 feet for instance, the front can be made 8 feet high and 5}4 feet high at the rear. 60 The Modern Farm Hen The fool-proof method of ventilation can be adapted to any shed-roof type house with good results. It is equally serviceable in colony houses and small laying flock houses. In fact, it can be used on practically any style of poultry house to good advantage. The fool-proof ventilating device should appeal to any busy farmer because it answers the ventilation prob- lem and removes much of the labor necessary under oth- er forms of construction, particularly the open-front house. It has the advantage of requiring no extra at- tention, and this is something every busy man will ap- preciate. The Minnesota Type House The Minnesota Type House is an adaptation of the shed-roof type house to the more severe climate of north- n n = ! u Ccncrttt foun^utien or iailt < Kg. 17 — Fool-Proof Shutter Adapted to Colony Coop. em winters. This house is recommended for all locali ties where any amount of zero weather is experienced. It is absolutely frost-proof, if constructed according to the plans given and will keep a flock of laying hens in Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 61 excellent condition and health, regardless of the severity of the climate. We first ran across this type of house on the farm of Hugo Anderson, a poultryman mentioned in a preced- ing chapter. Mr. Anderson's farm is located within a short distance of Duluth, Minnesota, where the winters are generally very severe. In fact, Mr. Anderson stated to us that it was not uncommon for the temperature to go down to 40 degrees below zero and stay there six weeks at a time. We visited Mr. Anderson's farm the first of Decem- ber and saw yearling hens and cock birds which had been carried through the previous severe winter without a single frost-bitten comb! It seemed incredible and we dropped the remark that the cocks looked like cock- erels and the hens like pullets. It seemed impossible that there should not be a frosted comb in the lot. Mr. Anderson asked us to examine the spurs on the male birds and we saw that they were, indeed, yearlings. ' * You want to know why we don 't have frosted combs up here?" he asked. "Well, that is due entirely to the method we use in the construction of our laying houses. "The front walls of the houses, which face the south, have two thicknesses of boards, between which there is a layer of heavy building paper. The other three walls have this outside double thickness, then there is an in- side wall of matched lumber which creates a dead-air space in between, in addition. The most important de- tail is found, however, in the construction we use in our roofs. Oftentimes, you know, people take great pains with their side walls and then forget aU about the possi- bility of frost entering the house through the roof. There is also a double wall with a dead-air space between in the roof construction, the under wall of matched lum- ber being nailed on first. Then the space normally de- 62 The Modern Farm Hen voted to a dead-air section is filled up tight with saw- dust and the top side of the roof is put in place and roofing paper over it. This gives us a roof construction through which frost never enters, and that is the big reason why we haven't any frosted combs on our place. It gets cold enough up here for that, all right! "As for ventilation, I have found that the best plan for our northern winters is to have large, full-length windows in every pen and to keep these windows closed tight during cold weather. Fresh air is supplied through a ventilator at the top of each window, which is just the width of the windows and 18 inches high. There is one of these for each window. This ventilator is merely .. :, ±\i fl ■^r' A'^'fTa a - sa- a^- ^^t liiiid:,! Ij-i^S iiUlf 1 H ipxr^^'^iiiaj Fig. 18 — An Adaptation of the Minnesota Laying House, as used on Oak Dale Farms. a muslin-covered frame, hinged at the bottom and which opens inward at the top, throwing the incoming air against the roof and preventing it sweeping down upon the backs of the hens. This supplies sufficient fresh air, and is the plan recommended by the Minnesota station for this climate. In storming weather the frame is closed to keep rain and snow out, and yet sufficient air penetrates the muslin to keep the stock in excellent con- dition." Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 63 Mr. Anderson's contention that this house kept the stock in excellent condition in his climate was verified by the writer, who had ample evidence before his eyes in the large flock of yearlings shown him by Mr. An- derson. They were in the pink of condition, in such ex- cellent color and vigor that one could hardly believe that they were not pullets just in off the range. The fact that these yearlings made a 40 per cent egg record the day we visited the farm, December 1, also indicates something. The Lord Farms Small Flock House The accompanying plans illustrate a laying house that is particularly well adapted to general farm usage. Fig. 19 — Front Elevation Lord Farms Small Flock Laying House For 150 to 200 Layers. It was perfected by Lord Farms, a large commercial egg plant, which has specialized in market eggs for 20 years and which has tried and tested almost every kind of a house known. This house is based upon the Cornell poultry house and is practically identical with that house, except for a few improvements which lessen the 64 The Modern Farm Hen labor involved in regulating the curtains, and which provides more openings on the front. It is significant to note that many of the larger com- mercial breeders are getting away from the large flock unit houses and are going back to smaller flocks and building their houses accordingly. They have come to the conclusion, and it is a very pertinent one, that small flocks make better flock records than large flocks, under average conditions. This house has been adopted by the Lord Farms and other breeders as giving the very best flock results, and being the most economical to construct. It is safe to say that no farmer can get along with a house smaller than the one shown herewith, if he raises any poultry at all. Pig. 20 — Cross-section Lord Farms Small Flock Laying House. A house 20x20 feet, as the one here shown, will accomo- date all the way from 150 to 200 Leghorns, and a small- er number of larger fowls. It offers the advantage of calling for a small initial outlay of cash in buildings and making it possible to expand as the flock grows. In these plans we have a good example of the proper pitch to place on a double pitch roof for the best results. The double-pitched roof is especially valuable on a wide Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 65 building. A house with a low wall behind, and a shed- roof construction, is very hard to clean because the at- tendant has to stoop over in order to get at the dropping boards, but a double-pitch roof on the same building will add convenience in doing this work. Double-pitched roofs are also cooler in summer and warmer' in winter than the shed-roof type, if not built too high in front and at too great a pitch, provided there is an outlet for the warm air, as indicated in the plans for this building. This house is not too large to be constructed upon runners or skids so that it can be moved from place to place and used as a colony coop for the growing stock, if deemed advisable, or it can be constructed upon a permanent foundation. One feature worthy of special mention is the system of ventilation. It will be noticed that there are three sliding muslin frames on the front of the building. These are for the purpose of covering the open windows in stormy weather so that rains and snow cannot beat in and soil the litter, or for cold nights when it is de- sired to give the hens additional protection. Most of these muslin frames on the average house are either hinged on the outside or inside of the openings. If on the outside, the wind soon destroys them, while if on the inside they soon become dust-filled and dirty and do not do f uU duty in ventilating the interior, necessitating the changing of the cloth continually. By placing them on frames in grooves on the front of the building as shown in this plan, they are always in position for use and can be adjusted to any height deemed necessary, something that is impossible in the case of hinged frames, which are usually either entirely open or en- tirely closed. Likewise, it is not necessary for the at- tendant to enter the house in order to adjust the frames. All this work can be done from the outside in a few second's time. 66 The Modern Farm Ren The house is planned to face the south and there are windows on both the east and the west sides of the build- ing, another advantage for summer ventilation that is too often overlooked on the average farm poultry house, and entirely impossible in the long, continuous style of poultry house. The two windows on the front provide ample light on dark days when the muslin frames have to be entirely closed. Colony Houses, Brooding Houses and Coops Colony houses and coops are necessary where a large number of young chicks are to be matured. These houses are not necessarily of expensive cost in construc- tion. They should be built upon runners or skids in order to make them portable, unless a permanent loca- tion is chosen for them in ideal surroundings, as in an i e-f- .. . f .,-,^;,'.-.-^, V ii .-.A- Li ^^^^^ ^ClolV, CurV.o^ - t: CT203D OCCTirl Look.ojXwi" Fig. 21 — Colony Coop for 100 Baby Chicks. '•J-.i-Joi.t.^ TtjoHt Xl-tVATloH orchard. Colony houses make it possible to establish a unit in flock size in which to mature young stock, and as the number matured increases each year to add to the number of coops. Where the coops are properly built Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 67 and of the best size, they can be used during the rest of the year for surplus laying stock or cockerels. Colony Brooder Coop for 100 Chicks The accompanying plans show a simple form of con- struction for a colony coop 6x8 feet in size, sufficient for raising 100 chicks with an oil burning brooder on range. The coop is 4 feet high in the rear, 6 feet high in front, and may, or may not, be built on runners. The front •rl^ ■*-s'o'-- Door Fig. 22 — Front Elevation Coal Burning Brooder House for Large Flock of Chicks. is equipped with a door permitting access to the interior, and making it possible to protect the chicks at night against natural enemies. It also has an open front win- dow, equipped with a sliding muslin-covered wooden frame to keep out the rain or to prevent chilling of the chicks on cold days. The plans are self-explanatory. 68 The Modern Farm Hen This coop is economical in cost of construction and when properly built will last for a life-time. Coal Burning Brooder House This house is 10x12 feet in size and designed especial- ly for larger flocks of chicks brooded under portable coal burning brooder stoves. It is 4 feet 8 inches high at the rear and 6 feet 8 inches high in front. A sliding win- dow is placed on the east side of the coop (the coops al- ways face the south) and additional ventilation is af- forded by windows and openings on the south or front Fig. 23 — Cross-section Coal Burning Brooder House. and an opening in the rear wall 6 inches wide by 6 feet long. A similar opening is provided in front close un- der the roof. These devices keep the coop cool in the hottest summer weather, something absolutely necessary to prevent over-heating, crowding, losses and stunted chicks. One common fault with many colony coops is Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 69 that they do not make maximum summer ventilation pos- sible, and probably the greatest losses in growing stock is due to this one cause. The openings are all so ar- ranged that they can be closed when desirable, and so that the house can be properly ventilated, regardless of the direction of the wind, and the brooder stove there- by regulated so that it will not burn out, or suck out. The plans give full directions for construction of this type house. The portable coal burning brooder stove is placed in the exact center of the floor and it is well to make the floor double thickness immediately under it. Semi-Monitor Colony Coops The accompanying illustration shows the semi-moni- tor colony coop used by Charles Laros in his orchard on his Iowa poultry farm. It follows the semi-monitor form of construction is 10x12 feet in size and is built on a permanent foundation, al- though there is no reason why this coop could not be built on runners and moved from place to place. A coop of this kind is more expensive to construct than ordinary shed-roof colony coops, but it is probably more durable and can be used to better advantage the year around for laying stock or surplus breeders or cockerels. Fig. 24 — Semi-Monitor Colony Coop Used by Charles Laros. 70 The Modern Farm Hen Range Boosting Coop This coop has been used with good success by a Dallas county, Iowa, poultry farmer for roosting quarters for young stock on grass range in a young orchard. It has no floor and is intended only for chicks after they have been taken from the brooder house and are able to take care of themselves on the range. It is merely a roosting shelter, has two flat perches, and is cleaned Fig. 25— Range Roosting Coop. by moviug tO a nCW loca- tion. It can be built any convenient size, 4x6 feet and 6x8 feet being the most convenient sizes. Small Flock Breeding House D. E. Carlson, an Iowa farmer, uses these 6x8 feet individual pens for his breeding flocks, which are iso- Fig. 26 — Small Flock Breeding Houses Used by D. E. Carlson on His Iowa Farm. Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 71 lated, as they should be, from the laying flocks and are given individual yards so that they cannot range with the other stock. There is nothing special in the ar- rangement of these coops. Three window sashes are placed in front, hinged at the top to open outward. This affords sufficient ventilation and protects the in- terior of the coops from beating storms. A small door is placed on the east side (opposite in picture) to permit access for gathering the eggs and cleaning the coop. Two-Pen Small Flock Breeding Coop The illustration shows a two-pen breeding flock pen which has been used for several seasons by the author. It is 10x12 feet in size, 7 feet high in front and 5 feet high at the rear. This coop will com- fortably house two breeding pens of 15 females each, and a laying flock of up to 50 Leg- horns can be main- tained in it, by slight crowding ; in fact, one winter 55 fowls were kept in this coop with good results. It was built of old lumber and shows what can sometimes be done with waste material. The only new material used was the framing and it was new only because we had no second-hand material available. A feature of this coop is the ventilation afforded by the large open windows protected by muslin covered frames opening outward and held in place by ordinary storm sash holders. The ventilation principle is fully Fig. 27 — Two- Pen Small Flock Breeding Coop. 72- The Modern Farm Hen illustrated by the accompanying drawing. Particular attention is called to the opening at the rear of the house which is so arranged that air may constantly play through the house when the fowls are on the roost with- FLOOR PLAN Showing Interior Arrangement of Fig. 27. Fig. 28 — Rear Wall Ventilating Device of Pig. 27. out subjecting them to drafts. We have found this house exceptionally cool in summer and extremely satisfac- tory in winter. In severe weather, the opening at the rear is closed by hooking up the hinged cover. Nests, Hoppers and Appliances Properly constructed nests will lighten the labor load the farmer will be called upon to carry when he has his flock developed to its maximum size. Nests should be so constructed that the bottom can be slipped out easily, thus making cleaning practically automatic. This is one of those details which cannot well be overlooked, for Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 78 it is of more importance to the busy man than one might think at first thought. A number of plans are given herewith for various types of nests which can be used in the laying house. For general use on the farm, we advise against the con- struction of nests under the dropping boards, especially where the labor item is to be of some moment, because '^ipp* -^Z^S^HI „,._._. :-r — ^^^■■■■B ^HH^HB^ifc.;' ^^^i^fllHI^H^I ^^^^^^^^^^'jj^hn^Si Fig. 30 — One Method of Nest Construction to Save Space on Inside of Laying House. these nests are generally hard to get at and keep clean, and they are very difficult to keep free from mites, once these pests get into the house. A sufficient range of nest types are given to fit almost any preference or condition. Very good nests can also be purchased upon the open market, if one can afford to buy them. Galvanized iron nests and nesting cabi- nets are especially recommended because of the ease with which they can be kept free of vermin. Ordinary orange boxes make excellent nests, each box making two 74 The Modern Farm Uen compartments by simply taking off half of the side, or one of the side boards. These are inexpensive and can /a" Fig. 32 — Simple WaU Neat. Fig. 31 — Darkened Nest Compartment for Wall Use. be placed on wall shelves around the laying pens, or in tiers, one above the other. Trap Nests Trap nests are not necessary for the farm laying flock unless one desires to engage in specialty breeding for high record individuals. If pedigreeing is to be practiced, trap nests are essential and when one goes into the poultry business as a life calling, the sooner trap nesting is commenced, the better. It is the sure route to a high egg-laying strain, and it tells no lies. There is no guess-work involved. It writes the record of every hen from day to day. Trap nests can be purchased on the open market, or they can be made right at home as preferred. Two plans are shown herewith for home-made trap nests which have proved successful. One was developed by Cornell University and the other is recommended by the Missouri Experiment Station. The plans show the dimensions and give full working details. Buildings and Equipment for the Flocks 75 Fig. 33 — For Nests Under Dropping Board (Side View). Fig. 34 — Another View of Nests to Go Under Dropping Board. ^ ■