Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-04-02
Raising Chickens.

Mr.. 0. S Bliss, Of Franklin county, VT,
contributes the following to the Cmtatry
Gentleman
| read with surprise, every week, some
wonderful story about the difficulties at
tendant upon chicken raising or some more
wonderful theories wonderful they arc to
me, at least, since | esteem the raising Of
chickens the simplest Of all arts. \ little
systematic painstaking is all there is Of it.
There is something in breeds, though that
is very largely matter of fancy. | have
tried several, but take them all in all,
much prefer the colored Dorkings Their
flesh aud eggs are coniessedly the best, and
they arc with me perfectly hardy and
healthy. They are sprightly and intclli-
gent, and | would rather undertake to
train Ounce in the school room than a
Brahma in the poultry yard. rarely lose
a chicken after it is hatched, aud my treat
ment is so simple can hardly describe it.
We usually contriye, if possible, to have
two or three hens hatch at the same time,
and take the chickens away when about
twelve hours old, returning them oil to one
Of the hens at the same time, or when the
youngest are strong enough. Our feed
from the first is Indian meal the very
first we wet it with cold water, because the
chicks pick it better, but we prefer as a
rule to scad it, We sometimes wet it
with sour milk whey, and we frequently
feed the sour milk curds in connection with,
but never as a substitute for, the Indian
meal. The same is true Of boiled pota-
toes, and any scraps Of any kind we may
pick up about the house. As soon as the
chicks are old enough to notice worm,
and that is in from three to six DAYS from
the shell, we begin to dig little earth worms
for them, partly because we think it de-
sirable change of diet, but more because
we like to see them chase and pull one an.
other to get the worms We give them
about as many Of these as they care for for
several days, when they begin to hunt
for themselves in the garden and else
where. We keep the mother hen in a
close box turned down upon its sides,
and laths nailed across the front, few
days, till she learns that it is her home, and
then, knocking off the laths, we take a
half wide, and putting it around one leg,
run stout cord through it and tie her, so
that she can have about 30 or 80 feet in
front of her box. Here she scratches and
wallows and eats, nd ibitum, but she can.
not travel beyond the length Of her tether.
At night she retires with her brood to her
box, which is closed up with boards, so as
positively to exclude all marauders, skunks,
rats weasels, ETC., some little regard being
had to ventilation. All our neighbors are
losing their chickens, and only o night or
two since our dog, attracted by the outcry
in neighbours coop, went to the relief and
dispatched a monster skunk but We offer
no inducements TO such visitors. We have
tried all the nostrums to protect our chick
ems from vermin, and have killed more
chickens than lice with them. We now use
little kerosenc--too little for mention
and find it perfectly efficacious. They
should never be permitted to get lousy, but
we are careless and do sometimes permit 1t.
In that case we catch them as they leave
the coop in the morning and touch the roots
Of the tail with a feather dipped in kero.
sene. A few drops is sufficient for flock
of twenty-five. But in this as in every.
thing else, the ounce Of prevention is bet.
ter than the pound of cure. Taking my
dish Of feed and my kerosene feather,
seat myself quietly in front of the coop and
touch each chick on the head-in two min
utes it is done, and if there are no lice
there will be none. The philosophy of the
] -. 40, :. Al Il.