Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-09-27
RURAL ECONOMY.
From the Ne,o England Farmer.
RAISING OF CHICKENS.

dOOut tO WlllCS iiay S>St'S '" Si.S ~
faces of some, but if | succeed in rendering
even small service to any, the object will
be accomplished. He thinks he may throw
out a few hints that may be useful in in.
creasing the number and quality of an ami
NAL that is so universally made to conduce
tothe luxury of the table, and the proper
sustenance fthe human system.
In the first place, then, would advise
those interested to procure for themselves a
good breed of fowls. The pair sent you
last fall, | consider nearer to perfection, in
all respects, than those of any other breed.
Icall them the Ostrich breed, from their
strong resemblance when about half grown
to the famous bird. They are large-their
habits are very domestic-they lay we'll
set well-hatch wel-and nurse well-and
their flesh is very delicious. Have a well
sheltered place for them to roost in, with a
sufficient number of places for them to lay
their eggs. Let your box be about a foot
wide, and about Is inches high-with par
titions about ten inches apart. The box to
be enclosed on every side, with the excep-
ton of about six inches of the front, and that
the upper part-place the oxenough against
the WALT to prevent the depredatons of chill
dren, &c. The hen is fond of a small aper-
ture to creep into for the purpose of laying.
At the proper setting season remove your
eggs carefully every night into safe place,
to prevent their freezing or getting much
chilled, which will prevent their Matching.
No "nest egg" is necessary upon this plan.
The nest egg, in my opinion, seldom pro-
duces chicken, early in the spring, because
of its generally having been chilled.
While the laying business is very brisk,
prepare as many setting boxes as you may
think fit. Let them be about eighteen inch
es square, enclosed On every side, with a
loose cover for the top. not so tight as to
shut out the air; put hay or straw enough IN
to form a nest, in which you may place
about thirteen eggs-put the hen in the box
and lay on the cover, with a weight suffi-
cient to prevent her from knocking it off.
You may confne her without any injury for
three or four DAYS, at the expiration of which
time YOU may take of'the cover, and leave
her until she hatches-which almost every
body knows, will be exactly twenty one
davs from the time of commencement. The
advantage of the large box are these: 1t
piyes room to move round without breaking
the eggs, and the little ones chance Of
coming out without the danger of their rum
ming away. When hens set on the ground
or in unprotected places, they are subject
to be interrupted by animals, and where two
or three chicks are strong enough to run
they leave the next, and the mother, follow
inc them, leaves the half Matched to perish.
This is great loss oftime, eggs, and chick.
ems.
Asthe warm season advances, always Ell.
deavor to set three hens at exactly the same
time-they will consequently hatch at the
same time, and you can then divide the
chickens of the three between two, and they
can generally take care of more than they
can well hatch, ie properly managed.
Make as many movable coops as you
think necessary, with shed roof and Stats
in front, which piace in some safe place from
hogs in the sun-the sun is very invigora.
ting to young chickens. The hen and
the chickens should be fed with corn meal
wet with water or milk, three times day,
and watered at least once. The hen should
bekept confined in this way, at least for a
week, to prevent her from leading thsns-ssto
the wet grass in the morning, which is very
preludicial to their well being. At the ex-
pirahon of that time, if the weather Is good,
you may place block under one corner OF
the coop and let them out; at night, they
will return and take possession again, when
you should take away the block, and keep
them in again until the dew is off the grass.
Ifthe weather is unpleasant keep them in
all day.
When the chickens acquire more size and
strength, they should be fed in what is call.
ed chicken FEEDER which is a covered
enclosure six or eight feet square, with stats
lust close enough together to admit the
chickens, and exclude the older fowls.
Each of my hens last year raised to per-
fection, on an average, at easttwenty chick
ems. They each raised two broods, and
several hatched three times.
When the chickens are taken from one
hen and given to another, the one from
which they are taken should be confined for
about week, and then set at liberty, when
she will soon commence producing another
famiy.-Ohio Farmer.
TO DESTROY WORMS ON TREES.
ro,.yo,,on .-pleaSe IN pive the follow