Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], January 15, 1953, Image 1

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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January 15, 1953
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Montana's
Largest
Poultry
Farm
By E. R. HALBROOK
is located in the Bitter
of Hamilton. It is an
imposing plant as shown by pictures accompanying this
article. The capacity is about 10,000 laying birds, consisting
of approximately 1,000 White Plymouth Rocks, 2,090 New
Hampshires and 7,000 S. C. White Leghorns. Mr. and Mrs.
Milo Wilson are proprietors, with Mrs. Wilson supervising
most of the plant operations, since Mr. Wilson is also active
in lumbering which requires a considerable portion of his
time.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson started in the poultry business on
their present farm in 1937 with 700 chicks and have gradually
built up their plant to the present capacity.
The farm operations are complete from the poultry stand
point, Chicks are hatched for replacement on the farm in
modern electric incubators which have a capacity of 32,000
eggs. Incubation was first added to the farm operations in
1940. Only Wilson farm eggs are set in the incubator and
these are from breeders which have been selected, pullorum
tested and qualify under the state poultry improvement
program as U. S. approved-pullorum passed.
Feeds for both chicks and hens are mixed in a one-ton
mixer. A grinder, storage bins and platform scales complete
the feed mixing set-up. Since there are 200 acres of farm
land it is possible to raise some, but not all, of the grain used
for poultry.
Eggs are cleaned in a mechanical egg cleaner and graded
for size on a mechanical grader. (Please turn to page 16)
M ONTANA'S largest poultry farm
root valley a few miles south
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flange view of a portion of the approximately 7,000 S. C. White Leg
horns run on the Wilson farm.
E R S MONTANA AND NORTHERN WYOMING
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Part of the buildings on the Wilson Poultry farm. (Halbrook photos)
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Main poultry building on the Wilson farm. It is 60 by 80 feet in dimen
sions and four stories high and has a capacity of almost 7.000 laying
bens.
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Range view of a portion of the approximately 2,000 laying hen flock of
New Hampshires run on the Wilson farm.