St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-12-06
How to Make Hens Lay.

ON Whatever subject ~. q. j."
writes. he i sure to write we'll. and the
following article on the important mat
ter indicated above. which we copy
from the CoHHt,y Gcnticmdh. leaves
nothing further to he said thereon:
There are many hens kept through
the winter which are not worth their
feed. because they are chilled and half
SICK from being forced to live ON food
not suited To their needs. nr are too old
for Use. y hen l. an cyg-laNimg ma
chine. and i'll order to keep it in run
min" order. il must hr fed with vaIic-
tN of food. ont of which il can combine
the various parts of the egg white.
lolk and shell. Winter l. the hardest
season for hens. and they require more
attention ut that time: but if suitable
food is given. and the location of their
house il sunny and comfortable. one
can safely count on ;l> many eggs in De
ccmhcr. January and February. aS in
the summer months. Their food must
he varied: this i an essential item in
the care of hens. 1t i> best to feed
corn. wheat. oats. huckWhcat and pot.l-
toes. Having part of the corn U>t
from the cob. and the rest either crack
eel like homimN. or i'll ground meal. and
We find it works better to feed whole
corn at night and the more easily di-
%c>tcd food at morning and noon. When
I he cold weather becomes settled. il i
best also To Wet up the morning and
noon feed with >calding WATER and feed
il quite hot tnr Nh. Cock doodle
doc and Dame Partlctt like II hot hit
and sup of food when the air is frosty
and biting quite a> well a> y"u and me:
and they also like To feel comfortable
and happy. and will do their work
much more regularly if this little attcn-
tinm is granted To them. Small pota-
toes. boiled and mashed. are also Nalu-
able food tor them. and it is Il good
plan /" boil up Il large kettle of them
several times Il week: corn meal or
wheat screenings can hc mixed with it.
but with or without grain. il prove Il
paItahlr dish and hc greatly rrli>hcd \
little salt >prinklrd over the potatnc>
will make them more hralthtul. The
rld idea that salt will kill hens i not
exactly Il true one: : perhaps if they ate
large bits of rock salt it might prove in
furious. but We know from experience
hat >;llcd rurd makes chickens thrive.
md that hens eat of il NorIciou>iN. The |
practice of catim" feathers from THEN
pwn and each others mcck> i also cured
~ IN application of salt To their food.
II liquid or bulk. y tablespoonful of
salt stirred into Il gallon kettle of food
makes ii of better quality. Scrap cake. |
Nhich can he purchased ut the butch |
rs ut Il cheap rate. is Il very hcalthfuI |
God for poultry, a> il will supply the |
placc of worms and bugs. and gives .
more warmth to their systems. II can
'c bought in large cakes. and cut into /
licc>. mixing il with the boiling hot .
o"d given morning and evening. Bccf>
liver. lights and heart. if chopped fine.
ne also highly relishcd. and meat bones
With small fragments attached are dr~i-
able food and oil cake i> aS good a>
Iavc kept Il kettle behind the stove. in
" which all fragments of food were
brown apple and potato paling>.
kim> of all vegetables. bits of cooked
nnd. and all the dcbriS from the kitcII-
n and dinmgroom. At noon time the
,hole mess is boiled up and thickcncd
With corn or oat meal. or wheat screen
lg>. and II l. given every day to the
IcnS: the results are seen in plenty of
rcSh eggs all winter. and our break
;ISt> are rendered delicious 10y their aid.
5ut after all. unless we give food that
viii permit the hen to manufact urc the
gg she'll. it will often produce fat and
10 hen fruit !: occasionally y an egg with
,ut shell may he dropped and then
We know that lime. old mortar. bones.
II something containing shell material.
must he provided. If bone meal can
~ purchased. it is the best food. if not
lr must burn all the meat bones We
Sc. then pound them and mix with the
'oiling food. Oyster shells pounded
re good and bits of broken crockcrV
re esteemed IS it-bits 10y all ''biddicS."
irccm food. such as cabbage heads. &C..
: also very much rclished. and farmers
hould always remember to give the re-
use cabbage leaves to the hens rather
ham to the hogs. Boxes of coal ashes.
wood ashes. and sand or gravel are ais"
ccdful articles of furniture in every
Iennery; and air-slacked lime-a shoN