Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-04-10
POULTRY MANAGEMENT


Wegive the following letter to our readers with
great pleasure. The author is the distinguished
temperance agent, who has sown the seeds ofvir-
tue and sobriely broadcast over Massachusetts, OF
which the harvest is already abundant. God bless
HIM I'VE understand that he stated in one of his
lectures, that he taught his children to consider
him as the hands9mest man in the world Don't
let HIM insist upon our signing that creed without
some qualification because we think we have in
the course of pretty extensive acquaintance, seen
one or two men quite as handsome But then if
"handsomc is as handsome does" we must admit
that he does great many things very hand
somely, and great many very handsome
things. Witness this essay upon poultry manage
ment. Though he has great deal to say about
eggs he very properly says nothing about egg
nogg or 'nulled wine. These are ungracous abu-
ses of these excellent gifts, against which he elo
quently protests. II. C.
To the Editor Of the New England Farmer:
DEAR SIR-At your request | furnish
for your paper few remarks on the SUBJ
jcct of chickens.
l. Never allow more than twelve hens
to one rooster: a smaller number, say
eight, would perhaps be better.
2. Never allow the ROSTERS to 90 toge-
ther: they are very jealous, and always
pugnaciously interfering with each others
rights. The strongest lead away the
hens the consequence is, the eggs are
fewer and do not hatch well. Hence the
universal complaint that larger number
of hens are not as profitable, in propor-
ton, as smaller number.
3. Chickens require good deal of
vate to soften their food, and gravel to
grind it. They also require animal food.
In winter they often cannot get water, nor
gravel, nor insects or worms. They are
well fed, it may be, with grain, yet do
not lay. Supply their natural wants.
Give them water, gravel and animal
food, such as fat meat, liver, or indeed
any kind of fresh meat. Keep them
warm, not permitting them to become
chilled, and they will lay as well in the
winter as during any other season.
4. Do not permit your hens to set at
different times, or rather only few at a
time. This causes broods of different
ages, and the younger are usually injured
or deprived Off fair quota of food by the
older. When your hens manifest a dis
position to set, let them remain on chalk
eggs until as many as you intended to set
arc ready. Then place fifteen eggs un-
der each hen. Select your eggs by hold
ing them up to the light. Those which
have blush, watery specks in them had
best be rejected. They do not hatch as
well, nor are their chicks as healthy as
the eggs that have no blemish.
5. When the young are Matching donot
interrupt the hen. When Matched, feed
them with Indian meal, with large pro-
portion ofpounded egg shells. Hens that
set "out," as it is called, generally have
healthy chickens. Ioften have examined
their nests, and seldom found any remains
of the shells in them. The little ones cat
them up. | have found that egg shells
greatly advance their growth and health.
6. If all the little chickens could be
taken from the hen and kept in room
warmed by stove, am satisfied from
experiments, that they would do much
better than to be with the hen.
Z. Never allow the young chickens to
get wet, nor to become cold. See that
they are supplied with ground worms
FISHING worms.) They will repay you
for this trouble.
8. Three times year, at least, grease
the head, throat, and under the wings of
your chickens. A very small proportion
ofprecipitato added to the lard is of SER
vice. You will never have your hens
troubled with lice if you follow this rule