Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-01-05

There is probably 10 oI4ariH.are-t On
the isEm 70 generally neglected as that
Of poultry. It i a common paras
mo farmers that chickens can
scratch FOR a living" and thi. comprise.
about all the care they receive. sum
mel or winter, rain or sunshine, cold or
warm, in all kinds Of weather they are
lett 10 take care sf Themselves. gaining
a precarious living, r~00sting On trees.
fences, the hangers Or racks in the stable,
they are merely suffered as a nuisance,
rather than cared tor a. they should be.
In our cold winter months. for want Of
proper shelter, combs ard waffle. are
frozen, and feet are often lost from the
effects Of the extreme cold. II We were
10 accuse our farmer friends Of cruelty,
they would open their eye. in innocent
surprise. Blu. is it not d0wurightcruel
ty 10 allow your fowls to 20 through Onr
long cold winters without proper care or
shelter2 How much do the poor bird.
suffer before they lose combs, wattles and
feet? The trouble is not that any are
intentionally guilty Of cruelty. But the
old L" scratch for Themselves" adage ha,
been 10 long and persistentIy taught that
men believe in it and act accordingly.
The care of the fowls il a thing never
thought Of, and the idea of providing
comfortable quarters for them is unheard
Of, Then we hear the complaint, we
get DO eggs" "Here are one hundred
hens eating more than they are worth,
and we do not get egg5 enough to keep
us going at the house" This may be all
true, but think for a moment Of the care
you have given them. They are simply
paying you in your coin, and ever
then are no doubt doing better by far
than you have done by them.
Perhaps fowls in the iarm-yard suffer
more for want of pure water in winter
than from any other cause. In the sum
mer they usually get plenty and do well
enough, but in our cold climate, when
springs and brooks are frozen solid, when
tanks anC swill pals are no longer avail
able, then their daily allowance IL
entirely cut off, and often for weeks. and
even months, they do not get a drop Of
water. They eat snow when it is to be
had, and they could do nothing worse,
for this has the singular quality of max
ing them poor, and they should never be
allowed to eat it. If they are supplied
with water, they will not eat snow. Thi.
treatment, with very little variation and
a few exceptions, is the rule among
farmers. The result is that millions of
fowls die annually of that scourge of
poultry-the cholera. Years ago the
cholera was dreaded az a most fearful
plague among the human family. Towns
and cities were devastated BY its rayares .
but of late years, by cleaning iut the
~cesspools of filth in the cities, and by
the proper measures, it has lost its
terroTs.
Here lies the great remedy for chicken.
holera-cleanliness and proper care.
This will do more to rid the country Of
this plague than all the patent nostrums
in existence. With q very little outlay
of money and time you can build good,
comfortable house for your fowls. Let
it face the south, with windows to give
light and warmth when the sun shines.
Spend an hour each day in feeding,
watering and caring for your fowls.
Remove all the droppings every day or
TWO, preserving them carefully in a
heap; your American snano will repay
you for all the care and feed you give
your fowls. Keep your house clean and
well ventilated and you will have a
plentiful supply Of eggs in winter as well
~ IN summer, and the time that you