The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-08-21
POULTRY BREEDING.
HOW TO GET MOST EGGS.

~ A"SNAHS PVutGI L1aC
are layers, is considerable different
from that of feeding those that are
breeders. In the latter case we want
eggs that will hatch chickens with a
strong constitution and good quail
ties, while in the former case we want
eggs, aud only eggs we care not
whether they will hatch or not; our
only aim is to get the greatest num-
Der of eggs from our fowls.
In order to accomplish this end, we
keep only pullets of last years hatch
and feed all they will eat of rich food
constantly growing richer. If they
flag, we give stimulant to impart to
them fresh start-red pepper is the
cheapest and perhaps the best thing
for the purpose. Fowls will contin-
lie to lay well the second year, but it
will not be found as profitable to feed
them through their moulting season
as it would be to keep them laying
their best" for one year and then kill
them. Another thing; if you only
keep them one year, you will have no
tough fowls" to haunt your dreams.
KILLING YOUNG HENS.
Dung hens may be killed two
weeks after ceasing to lay, aud, if
well handled, they will be fat and
may be thrown on the market at an
advance of from one TO five cents per
pound above common ''choice lots"
if they happen to be Brahams. Many
will, perhaps, object to this dollhouse
system as being detrimental to the
constitution, but as we set no eggs
from these fowls. the objection has
no valid foundation, and falls through. |
DO men object to forcing steers, by
high feeding, into rapid tattening on
the plea that it is injurious to the
constitution Of others which are not
so fed?
FOWLS CANT BE 10 FAT TO LAY.
There is one point to be remember
ed it takes certain amount of food |
TO keep the animal alive, and after
that all the food eaten must go either
to make eggs, to build the body, or
20 produce fat 1t is nonsense to
talk of pullets being too fat to lay"
With old hens it may be possible,
but | have never had this happen to
any Of mine, nor have | know of any |
one else that had fowl so affected, |
although friend of mine keeps hop
per of corn always before his fowls,
and from October till March, in adj
dition to this, gives, night and morn
ing, feed OF boiled corn meal, and |
vet his fowls lay extremely well.
Some time ago gave the results
of some experiments with pigs, which
showed that it took fifty pounds Of
corn meal to keep hog one month,
and that one hundred pounds of meal
per month produced gain of about
twenty pounds that is, fifty pounds
went to supply the waste of the sys-
TEN and all above that went to in
creasing the weight. Ii COWS, pair
consuming small quantity produced
five quarts of milk for every one hun
bred pounds Of green lucern eaten,
while pair consuming larger guam
tity, produced six quarts for every
one hundred Of lucern they eat
The same will be found to be
the case with fowls-''the fowls that
eat most will give the most profit"
as rule, though, Of course, there will
be exceptions, but not many.
EXERCISE AND FOOD FOR LAYERS.
Make your layers take exercise,
not as much as the breeders, but still
enough TO ward off disease. One
half the feed for my layers is ground.
The natural mill of fowls gizzard
iscapable of grinding all sorts of grain;
but, though it is involuntary, it is at
100 great an expense of muscular
force. All the ground feed is cook
ed. l should cook all. only the part |
raw is preferred by the fowls and
they need it to keep them busy. The
cooked food is placed i'll a trough,
with Stats over the top, to prevent
the fowls from scratching it out and
dirtying it. The unground, raw
Grain is so placed that the hens must
Scratch in order to get it, This is ac-
complished by barying it slightly in
the ground in the Summer, and in
-. In I