The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-01-05
farmers' Column.
"Speed the PlOsU."
Care o Poultry In the Winter.


The following hints as to the proper
care of poultry in the cold weather are
given by correspondent of the Rsral Nee
Yorker.
Examine the interior of the houses and
see that they are tight. IF you expect
goodly stock of eggs from your fowls,
you must keep their house warm, and
there is no better way of doing this than
by lining the house with strong papers
1t is the cheapest lining, and if saturated
with moderately strong solution of car
bolic acid, will keep vermin at bay. Don't
say that this is "too much truuble.n So
1t is trouble to bed the cattle and feed
the stock, but you must expect to take
some trouble you demand profit from
them. Don't begrudge trouble in the
fowl house. The result will be seen in
the filling of the egg basket, and there
is no portion of the farm that will nav
higher percentage of profit on the outlay
OF labor than the hen yards.
Clean out the nests, wash them with
either Kerosene or carbolic acid, and put
fresh turf in the bottoms. A dirty box
VIII make willing layer steal her nest
Bear That IN mind as a golden rule, and
you won't have to spend so many houra
IN the woods searching after run away
hens. ""'
The nights are becoming longer and
colder. See that the fowls have heGore
dusk, a few handfuls of whole corn and
comfortable roost. If your fowls are to
oe kept IN health, they must not be left
all night with empty crops nor allowed
TO rocst IN exposed places. The plan of
allowing fowl the exquisite privilege of
roosting on "a ricketty beam and an empty
crop" is anything but economical. Don't
nave the roosts one above the other. or the
BIRDS Will be continually fighting for high,
eat place.
Before you go to bed take look at
the chickens. There is no better time IN
inspect them than when they are quiet on
the perch. make it arue to 90 through
my FOWL house every night. have been
singularly fortunate in the health of nv
mock, and ascribe it to this Practice
Passing along the roost, which is low. Won
glance at each bird, and being accustom.
ed to their faces, it is wonderful how soop
you Will detect the first symptoms of ill.
ness. The altered appearance of the bird
from the evening before strikes YOU almost
instantly, and the trouble being taken at
the start, you can at once remove the bird
and stop tho disease from spreading
through the flock.
II you have an old window sash about
the place, for which you have no special
use, put an extra light in tho southern or
eastern end of the fowl-house. It will
he grateful to the fowls in the winter. on
cold days, when they will huddle together
IN the house to escape tho biting winds.-
The sash will enable them to bask in the
sunlight without going out of the house,
ana the Increased good health of the chick
ems VIII repay your trouble.
Those who intend to house birds for
the winter should let them run as much
as possible while the grass is green,
Don't shut them up until the last moment
and they will 30 much the better bear fine
winters confinement.
Lastly, feed your fowls literally. ana
they will return it to you with interest
Keep them clearly and disease will be
rarity. House them comfortably and they
Will lay regularly.