Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-06-09
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EGGS AND POULTRY.


UsErvL HlNrs.-Among all nations, and
throughout all grades of society, eggs have
been n fayorite food But in all our cities,
and particularly in winter, they are held at at
such prices that few families can afford to
,se them at all and even those who are in
easy circumstances, consider them too too ex- ixr
pepsive for common food, l.s.ro -. ,s.i
:, There is no, need Of this. Every family
or nearly every family, can, with very little
trouble, hive eggs in plenty during the
whole. year; and of all the animals domes-
,icated for the use of man., the common dung
hill fowl is capable of yielding the greatest
possible profit to the owner,,--s ls,tri .,tv
In the, month of November, ! put apart
eleven hens and a cock, gave ,hemta small
chamber in wood house, defended from
storms, and with an opening 10 the south
Their food water, and lime, were placed on
shelves convenient for them, with warm nests
and chalk nest-eggs in plenty, These hens
continued 10 lay eggs through the winter
From these eleven hens received an aver
age Of six eggs daily during the winter and
whenever any one of them was disposed 10
set, viz as soon as she began to cluck, She
was separated from the others by grated
partition and her apartment darkencd these
cluckers were well attended and well fed,
they could see and partially associate through
their CRATES with the other fowls and as soon
as any one of these prisoners began 10 sing,
she was liberated, and would very soon lay
eggs. 1t is a pleasant recreation 10 feed and
tend a bevy of laying hens they may be
tanned so as TO follow the children, and will
lay in any box. ..t... ......
Eggs shells contain lime, and in winter,
when the earth is bound with frost, or cover
ed with snow, if lime is not provided for
them they will not lay, or, if they do, the
eggs must of necessity be without shell.
Old rubbish, like that from old chimncys and
buildings, is proper, and only needs TO be
broken for, them. They will often attempt
to swallow pieces of lime plaster as large as
walnuts.
have often heard it said that wheat is the
best grain for them, but doubt it they will
sing over Indian corn with more animation
than over any other grain. The singing hen
will certainly lay eggs if she finds all things
agreeable to her; but the hen is much of a
psude, as watchful rs weazle, and as fasti-
dious as a hypocrite: she must, she will have
secrecy and mystery about her nest, all eyes
but her own must be averted follow her
or watch her, and she will forsake her nest,
and stop laying she is best pleased with n
box covered on top, with n backside aperture
for light, and side door by which she can
escape unseen " .'
"A farmer may keep hundred fowls in his
barn, may suffer them to irample upon and
destroy his mows of wheat and other grains
and stiit have fewer eggs than the cottager
who keeps single dozen, who provides Sc
cret nests, chalk eggs, pounded brick, plenty
of Indian corn, lime, water, and gravel for
them and who takes care that his hens are
not disturbed about their nests. Three chalk
eggs in nest are better than a single nest
egg, and large eggs please them. In have
often smiled to see them iondIe round and
laytinto a nest of goose eggs. Pulets will
commence laying earlier in life, where nests
and eggs are plenty, and where other hens
are cackling around them.-Bowcns N. 4.
Farmer. ... q ..