RAISING EARLY SPRING CHICKENS N AMERICA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5366, 8 June 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

RAISING EARLY SPRING CHICKENS N AMERICA.

Mr. J. Hi Eushmore,; the 1 president-of the New York Poultry Association, has recently published in The .American Country an-article on raising early, chickens, as broilers for. market. As the.method adopted offers some-; interesting variations on our plans,, we make -some extracts; , . . . ~ ' . . i. m. j ; Mr. Eushmore says that raising broilers for the winter" and J spring markets constitutes nearly the sole employment of, hundreds of housewives, and has recently, engaged,‘the attention of capitalists. , , ■The season when broiled chicken is esteemed are winter 1 and spring, extending into-early summer. The ■ profitable -rearing of winter broilers is one of the most precarious tions. In the first place, experience is necessary to enable one to manage the laying stock so that; they will, become ibroody at the proper time. ,

< ,Eor late hatches , for winter, use,, a ~warm stable is the ■ most suitable . place Mn. which to put the nest. It should be made on the ground, and may be enclosed on . the sides-by boards three or four inches' high. If tho.hen is a tried ' one, 1 she .may safely he left to' herself, with no 1 more care than to keep a supply of fresh water, food, and gravel within easy reach. Of course, a dust-bath should not be, omitted : this is essential - • When a number .of hens occupy, the same place it is necessary.to, confine, each one. t This is done by turning an open,--wicker.hencoop over each nest. , The-hens should 1 be taken from the nests-once a d»y and fed as long as they will eat. The person having them in charge should remain to see that none of the time required for eating'is wasted in quarrelling, and to return them to their own nests. Each hen should occupy the same' nest during tho whole time of sitting, ; < When the eggs have been hatched, and the ; chicks commence to peep out-from under the mother, they: should be placed in a coop that has a moveable -I board bottom; and placed on the sunny side of a building or board fence, Mr. Eushmore says the food given before the chicks are eld enough to swallow.grams of wheat may consist of wheat middlings and Indian cornnieal mixed to a stiff dough. We prefer a first food of equal parts of, eggs and milk; as far superior to 1 the chopped greaves reoommended by the writer. - - Green food, is essential to the-progress of chickens. ! Finely chopped onions- and cabbages make a fair.substitute forigrass.-,;lf the chickens have received -proper attentioh-they will be ready for market -at the age of two mouths. Spring broilers may he hat ched at any- time daring the winter and early spring., Early hatched pullets of the, previous .season’s ,hens ■ will afford plenty of eggs at the right time if ■well housed, and Cochins or Brahmas will furnish a sufficient number of sitters. - Select the warmest place at hand,andput not more than six or eight eggs under-each hen as-the temperature is liable to fall to the freezing point or near it; observe the same precautions that are mentioned relative -to the., care of winter broilers, and give the chickens access to the first sprout of grass that can be found. The Asiatic breeds, either pure or mixed, are preferred in the States because of tbs greater hardness of the chicks. The strongest objection to them is the large " proportion of hone and offal’to meet when the birds are young.- 1 The Plymouth 1 rock, analogous to our cuckoo Dorking; crossed with Leghorns; makes excellent broilers, maturing very rapidly) - la this country we should; prefer Dorking and game crossed. In some districts the heat from the kitchen range is profitably utilised in rearing broilers. Any one may raise at least fifty without much expense if they are willing to put,up,with a little inconvenience, and during, storms, or extremely cold weather taking (no into the kitchen. .