Show w f 1 Jr J- J Dr t F r- r i A Rind Bird in the Hand I i r I Ii A Special Information Service United States Department of ot Agriculture y POULTRY CLUB WORK I. I l' l r r. r f J ir V j t t I r t i i 1 I A Detachment of the Juvenile Army of Poultry Growers and the Weapons With Which They Are Defeating the Kaiser Kaser l f da r- r 1 F DOINGS OF FARM 1 BOYS AND AHO GIRLS y Youths Are Developing Into Poultry Poul Poul- Poultry try Experts Under Guidance c 1 r 0 of f S Specialists pecla IS t s. s fl J I 1 A R n CLUBS IN VARIOUS STATES 7 t r. r t From Small Beginning Organization Has Developed to Include Eleven f k r t Commonwealths Results Commonwealths Results Obtained Ob Ob- G tamed by Members tY li Sh I Thousands of girls and boys of the fr United States have enlisted with Uncle Sam as poultry raisers The TheA f A bureau of animal industry United States department of agriculture cooperates cor co co- 1 r operates with many state agricultural kag 1 s colleges to toe assist Juvenile farmers in i h poultry husbandry The he e girls and boys of today who I show an Interest in better poultry husbandry husbandry hus hus- r b bandry dry by becoming successful membris mem- mem s bri-s of the poultry clubs will be our breeders breeders fanciers and poultry producers producers prot pro pro- t of tomorrow The he sp splendid development development de de- de- de 1 7 of poultry clubs marks this t line of work as one of the most imf important im im- 1 f r in the poultry office of the c I bureau of animal industry United f states department of agriculture 6 rt f Started In Small Way t Poultry club work was started In Virginia in 1912 with 11 clubs and s iV members From this small beginning kh r en on organization has has' developed to In- In lude 11 states with 1010 clubs in i Counties Qunties and a membership of about f energetic boys and girls Suc Sue Successful r r c results have encouraged still other states through the Smith-Lever Smith it hind fund to carry on work of a similar na- na lure fare in operation co-operation with the bureau gi g or Dr animal Industry but this club history his Il tory tort covers only the states In which a poultry specialist assigned to each Q state has supervision of the work and furnishes the subject matter to carry tr 1 it on The organized states are Virginia Vir VIr- w ginia North Carolina South Carolina 0 1 Georgia Tennessee Kentucky Oklahoma Okla Okla- I boma homa Kansas Washington Massachusetts Sr I and Rhode Island Several c f new Dew states have requested the as- as 11 Distance of specialist a a asp sp in their poultry poultry poultry poul poul- try dub deb efforts for the coming year Educational Features t F frt A Girls and boys are assisted in their their- r t 7 work by local school teachers county 1 farm larm agents and county home demon demon- Many of the members live 5 in the country and help in the introduction introduction intro Intra rJ of standard-bred standard stock imi improvement im im- 4 i provement of housing and feeding methods and marketing conditions is l Other litber members who live in towns t towns maintain backyard poultry plants and a aft it'll l aid materially In the production tion of and eggs I Poultry clubs have their educational r feature and aad are carried on so that the 1 boys and girls have an opportunity toy to y t. t JQ learn rn simple business methods Club tri members study poultry bulletins furS furS' furnished fur fur- S' S l. by the state and government r and subject matter prepared by the ip J The members write compositions corny com corn y positions on poultry management as a n apart part vart of th their lr work Each member t keeps a record or business account accurate figures on expendi's expenditures expendi expendI- s 's T tures tyres receipts and and profits number of e eggs set number of chickens raised etc Results Obtained During the year 1917 these boy and 1 1 q girl club members hatched Y chicks Ic s a and d raised matured tl fowls Over worth of poultry poul poul- t i try and d eggs for market and breeding y l purposes oses were sold or consumed at S h home me and the total value of their reo re re- o f R l Y r stock on hand and prizes won amounted to In addition to the he exhibits of fowls an and eggs ggs made mad madet e t at t county fairs an and other poultry shows these poultry club members arenow arenow are arenow now demonstrating in many Instances their ability to o Judge poultry and to carry on the various phases of poultry poul poultry try work such as op operating operate rat ing an Incubator preserving eggs caponizIng cockerels killing and dressing dressIng dress dress- Ing f fowls for market There were 10 exhibits held where members members members' exhibited ex ez- birds and dozens of eggs The total value of special and and cash prizes awarded to the members making these exhibits amounted to 5 I Features of Work Another feature of poultry club work wora that has been inaugurated is that o of holding short courses at various state schools and colleges college for the benefit of poultry club members who ho have mado made madea a good showing In their work On such occasion occasion members ar are sent to one of ot the state schools with all expenses paid and there given a n course of Instruction In instruction in poultry Such courses not only provide a a valuable course of in In- Instruction instruction but bur promote the various forms of amusement in a more mOle favorable favorable favor favor- able attitude toward education and what the social side of farm life can be made to be Another feature that thatis is being being taken up Is poultry management management manage management manage manage- ment contests These contests are conducted conducted con con- ducted by the poultry poultry c club ag agents and seemingly are are going to arouse much enthusiasm among the club members and will be the means of their obtaInIng obtaining obtaining obtain obtaIn- ing a most practical course of Instruction Instruction instruction tion an and 1 the proper methods of handling handling han han- and caring for poultry Girls Girls' and boys' boys poultry clubs are rire a 8 proven proven instrument of value in the forward forward forward for for- ward movement In wide nation-wide poultry culture u ture not only on account Of the very very satisfactory development but butmore butmore butmore more especially in the manifest enthusiasm enthusiasm en displayed by DY the boys and girls I ENCOURAGE BOY OR GIRL Poultry growing is one of the nations nation's most important indus indus- t tries Poultry growing in conn connection I with general farming yields a at t larger margin of profit than most other branches of ture Poultry growing is certain to become increasingly important and is likely to become increasingly IncreasIngly increasingly profitable 1 Poultry growing is not a casual casual cas cos- ual matter in which one may be successful without study and effort Anything like a large measure of success in poultry i growing r requires expert knowl know edge The United States department 1 of agriculture through its boys' boys and girls' girls poultry club work Is la Imparting to thousands of boyS boyd and girls expert information that will contribute largely to their success in life I 1 Encourage your boy or girl to Join a poultry club and dub and enco encourage encourage rage r- r age your community if It has not a club to organize one You will be contributing to I the success ss and prosperity bothof both bothof oth 1 of your child and your neighbor neighbor- neighbor i I hood 1 t r Determining Chickens' Chickens Ages A common way of testing the tle age of dressed poultry as described by home economics specialists of the United States department of agriculture agriculture ture is to take between thumb and finger the end of the breastbone farthest farthest farthest est from the head bead and attempt to bend nd bendIt It to one side In a very young bird such as a broiler chicken or a green goose it will be easily bent like the cartilage in the human ear In Tn a bird birda a year or so old It will be brittle andin and andin andin in an old bird tough I and Lind nd hard to bend bendor or break Tricky dealers have been known to break brenk the end of the breastbone before showing the bird thus rendering rend rin the th test u el I iii i |