The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-02-06
Iaricutt .rel .
Winter Management of Poultry.

On calling the attention OF our readers to
the subject which forms the caption to this
article, we digreSs to say, that no man should
kee, rouItry who l. net willing to give it a
i.fr share Of attention; for the same results
follow neglect in this, as in every depart
meHt Of human labor.
During no other time does poultry require
rs much attention as in the winter, and yet
ii ! season when from many it receives
the least. It IS no unusual thing. when
travelling in the country in carly evening,
20 see the turkeys, guinea fowls, and chick
ems. rssortinC To the fruit trees or the fence,
for their rOosting places, in which 10 spend
their long and chee-lcss nights Of nearly or
quite fifteen hours each instead of being
provided with a warm and dry place We
sincerely doubt whether half of our farmers
ever provide any better place for their fowls
than 20 let them shift for them elves, as best
thew can. in "A cold barn, or some open shed
or wag1n-hOuSc. BY such treatment they
consume more food, Of en- freeze their COMBS
and even toes, and of course, not an egg IS
produced until winter Is past and spring far
advanced. Such neglect - not good econo-
nv. besides being thoushtlessiy cruel.
The form OF n poultry-house is not mate
r;,I. bat to he a good house, it must possess
sufficient siz End the other requisites men
be lined, leaving an open space of from four
to EIGHT inches, which should be fill Cd in
with DIV tan. saSvdust or chaH of grain.
II the house i not sufficiently warm 10 pre-
vent ,He reduction Of the temperature be-
low is Far TIVE combs and waitieS ot Such
bir,I- aS have large ones, are very likely to
s.llTrr
!, IS better to feed poultry in winter from
three To four times daily, than twice. which
- the ordinary custom Bv frequent f. ed
in, ia. binds eat hut i;te at q Time and re-
YER iniure themselves: but when fed but
once or twice daily, there Is danger of their
ovcr-eatin-. which frequently produces fatal
results. Our rule j., to regulate the guam
tItv given 1t each time, that each fowl shall
have I'll it wishes, and have nothing lett.
Our experience confirms VIVA, many have
s.ii. that regular and frequent feeding Is
better f,r the health Of the fowl. at any sea-
s1u If the year. than il j. to Till vessel
W.T., grain and allow them access To !; at all
tiur-S We also think that ou!,ry will cat
Is wi;i frequent feeding, than by twice
f.e.lily laiiv-
u y also better to give n vari IL ~ grains
thar to feed on any one kind Grains 90
much further ground than witLou; u, espe-
.fa''v II the meal * Scalltl and the 4. hole
grain .iven IN it, raw state.
CaLtrtg.. forms al excellent article # food
IN winter 70 almost any kiai of poultry.
By chopin. mp the stems snis1ar>c leaves
they wi! all b. eaten. y few chopped o.
ions. occasionally given, are excellent, as
are also red pePprrS-
Bat poultry must not only ne fed proper
", and with a variety Of good food, but
mast a'so be well Supplied with pure water.
In Snowy country birds viii live without
water in winter, but they DO much better
with il
No uoultrv-hOuSe IS complete until il i
furnished with It's box of sand, fine gravel,
or o. mortar, aud box of burned oys or
Shells, or calciEed bones, and box of wood
ashes.
/. those who keep poultry would follow
ont these simple suggestions, they would
fad that Tor al! their care and trouble, they
would be amply reinuneruted with album
dance It f.es', eggs al winter. No only so, 4
bat such treatment would ward Oft disease, !
and Tins save tie III. e many q firc bird /
Ard now that We have alluded to the sub
i-ct OF ~caSc among fowls, we must close
this article ny giving it as our advice, found
cd on the opinions of others as well as cur
own experience, that the best treatment for
such fowls as are attacked with the Group.
is 20 Kill them aS soon rs it is discovered.