Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-11
AGRICULTURAL. 4
Written for the Boston Journal by Young Farmer
CAFE OF CHICKENS

Written for the Boston Journal by Young Farmer
CARE OF CHICKENS.
Having succeeded in Matching the chickens,
do not attempt to crowd too many under one
hen while the weather is cold. Give no more
than she can hover well under her. The first
day they will need but little food. although a
few hard boiled eggs may be chopped fine
and given them. The second day feed meal,
scalded and slightly warm. A little black
pepper or good ginger mixed with the meal
will do them no hurt the first week, especial
ly ii very cold weather. After they are a
week old cracked corn will prove a better
feed than dough. Or give the dough morn
ings and cracked corn afterward during the
day. A little grease rubbed upon their heads
and on the wings of the hen will help keep of
vermin, which are as destructive TO chickens
as Colorado beetles are to potatoes. Give
them a warm place to stop nights, but see
that they are not crowded, and that it is also
a clean place. Do NOT allow them to run out
in wet grass nor be ont in the rain, but give
them as much sunlight as you possibly can,
and plenty of clean gravel. and dry sand to
scratch in. Above all the rest, give them
plenty of pure clean water, which should be
slightly warmed during cold weather.
As the chickens grow larger do not allow
them to crowd into barrels or similar places
at night, but see that they are separated into
small fiocks each flock consisting of chicks
of the same size, as near as may be, because
a small one among large ones is apt 10 be
overrun and kept an underling all the time
and see that each flock has room to huddle
together without crowding, and that they
have dry, soft earth or sand TO sit upon. Do
not be IN too much hurry to get those which
you intend to keep upon the roosts. Crooked
breasts and legs are ofien the result of al
lowing growing birds to roost.
Let the food be plenty in quantity and va
Iious in kind, and if you wish TO induce
them to lay early let it consist largely of
meat scraps. Those which YOU intend to
dress for market will do better upon corn or
dough, as the meat is not as fnttening as corn.
Those which are to be kept over winter
shouid have also pounded bones or bone meal
nearly every day to help them to make
good frame. With due regard to these hints
and other well known and often neglected
rules for the care of fowls and chicks think
any one may be sure of keeping fowls pro-
fitably, no after what may be the breed Sc
lected l have my fancy for one breed and
you may have better reasons for thinking
well OF another, but ] have often thought OF
the answer | received once from lady who
was, like many 4 farmers wife, well skilled
and successful III poultry management. |
asked what breed of fowl she thought the
most profitable. The answer was quickly
given: THAT which is best taken care Of
usually
MODEL HEN HOUSE.
Looking in at the hen yard of poultry
lancler a few days ago, | was pleased with his
hen house, not because it was the finest |
ever saw, but with its perfect simplicity. As
he was man of abundant means, and his
place is near n fashionable resort. there was
n temptation TO have a nicer building than
his neighbors but he preferred to set a good
example to his poorer neighbors. This build
ing was framed, and Of convenient size for
two hocks of about twenty fowls in each;
boarded mp on outside and inside of the
frame with matched boards. and with large
window upon the south 1t was very warm
inside, even when the air outside WAS nearly
at freezing poiRt. Upon the inside of the
sill plank was spiked over to go down a foot
into the ground, all around the building,
which prevented the outside moisture from
coming under the building and as the earth
inside was raised some inches with sand and
dry loan, they had at all times dry place to
wallow in. As it was for large fowls the
roosts were low, and a space was left where
the hens could stand uIon the ground all
night, instead of roosting, if they preferred,
which some did. | noticed his fences be-
tween his poultry yards We're boarded up
some three feet high, and short pickets above
that. This prevented the cocks from fight
ing through the fence. The whole arrange
ment of the building and yards was neat
enough for gentleman's country place, and
yet not too extravagant for any farmer to
copy. His hen yards were set with plum and
peach trees. and he said lie had no difficulty
in getting abundant crops of the finest fruit
every year. which was a handsome profit in
itself upon the cost of keeping the fowl.