WHERE THE PROFIT LIES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 278, 18 March 1879, Page 2

WHERE THE PROFIT LIES.

O yes—keep fowls by all means ; and lest anyone should be deterred from so doing for lack of proper " statistics," we propose to give our experience in this hue. i . Commenced keeping hens in the fall, with six gallinae of various ages—from the thoughtless, inexperienced pullet tothe ex-mother of a large and interestingfamily—including several of poetic temperament, who had been celebrated for their numerous lays—•' hist lays/ they proved to be, however, in this case. Put them in a warm, clean pen, gave them plenty of food and drink, and waited patiently for hen fruit ; but none appeared, consulted the Poultry Book, which said, " Give hens ashes." ' Gave them ashes. " Hens must have lime," says the Poultry Book. Bought a cask., but hens wouldn't lay. " Hens must have plenty of gravel," said the P. B. ; so got them a load; but no eggs. " Clear, fresh water is indispensable, if you would have your hens lay," said the'P. B. ;so gave them water— JZ" a pailful tluree times a day ; but they didn't lay. " Meat is necessary for hens," said P. B. ; so gave them a whole critter ; but they didn't lay—and threw away the Poultry Book in disgust. About this time an old lady told me I "ought to get a rooster." Good! Wondered I had not tlveught of that before. 'Rah for the old lady ! Bought a buzsium companion to share their joys and sorrows ; but no ." aigs"' resulted. Was told to '' give them oats." Gave them oats. Another said " Barley is best for hens." Gave the barley.: Wheat screenings were recommended. Got a bushel—and hired a man six months the next summer to get the weeds out of my garden in consequence—but the hens didn't lay." Some said, " Give them warm water."' Gave them hot water-—bilin' hot, but they would'n lay boiled eggs, nor any others. " Give them sour milk," said one ; so gave . them some. •' Cayenne pepper will make your hens lay," saicTthe newspaper ; so I bought a pound and gave it clear ; bnt no eggs. " Cheese curd " was prescribed ; hens got outside of it in a hurry, but refused to discount afterwards. .Neighbors said . kept my "hens too fat to lay;" shut; down on my feed a month ; but they did'nt lay. " Nothing like fresh fish to make hens lay," said a friend ; so invested in fish— results similar to previous experiments. Newspapers said hens should be provided with suitable boxes to lay in. Provided all sorts of boxes, from a dry goods case to my wife's work-box, but fv • hens had no use for them. " Pat scraps " were recommended, so tried fat: scraps ; finally became discouraged, and. decided to " pass" on the hen question, when it was suggested that my hens' combs were pale—''laying hens have rcd»combs ;" so bought half a pound of

Wrnillion and painted their combs, but it soon came off again. Determined not to be defeated, I covered their combs with red flannel and sewed it on; but it made no perceptible difference in the eggs. Finally about the last of February, there was a tremendous racket in the hen-house—hens cackled like " all possessed;'* ditto gentleman hen. Felt encouraged that they were about to lay (with one exception, of course) ; but after they had kept up that sort of thing about three weeks, with no results, concluded there was " nothing in it." Happening in the hen-house one day about the middle of March, I at once perceived that something unusual had occured. The racket had ceased ; the hens were quietly brooding or walking about on tip-toe. Chanticleer was very proud and conscious, but was making a great effort not to show it. The Pullets looked ' very pert and knowing, as if they wanted to giggle ; the old hens were tip-toeing it about much after the fashion of a party of old ladies at a certain kind of " family party," and looking as if they knew more than they cared to tell ; while in one corner reclined a matronly " biddy," weak and overcome, but serenely conscious, very placid and happy, and "on the whole, as well as could be expected," and near by the cause of this deep-felt emotion, an egg! My heart swelled within me ; my anticipations were about realized. Visions of custards, omelets, pancakes,' am and heggs etc., etcetara, floated through my brain, and the acme of success seemed about reached. Seventeen times a day for the next fortnight did I visit the hen pen ; but alas! the spell was broken—a plaguy short spell it was, too. No more eggs appeared during the time. They went through the motions every day till early in April, when they laid one more, and that was the last of the eggs ; for, being anxious to make them useful, I tried, amputating their tails just back of their ears, which resulted in a separation of the carotid artejy and jugular vein, stoppage of the heart, and consequent loss of muscular energy, asphyxia, and demoralisation of the system. I conquered at last, for though it was all the laying I could make them do, they would lie still. On figuring up, the profit and loss account, I was surprised to see it exactly balance, as follows :— Dr. dols. I Cb. dols. To r.me months' By 2 eggs, at keeping of 6 1 16.73 dollars hensand hens' each ... 33.46 husband (7 hens in all) at 4.78 dollars each ... 33.46 It will be seen that I have charged nothing for interest on capital invested ; but as the ultimate end of all hens is to be eaten, thought they would probably stand enough more chewing on account of increased age to balance the loss of interest on capital invested. Then amateur hen-keepers, take courage from this experience ; for if under the uncomfortable circumstances named, the experiment paid, under more favourable ones it would be a big business. Even the addition of one egg in the case would have given fifty per cent profit. Then, " keep hens," by all means.— S. llenshawe,in Poultry World.