Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-07
POu1tYy Notes.

Hens are in effect mere egg mediums, and -
keep these mediums in good running order, we
must keep up the thrift and health OF the Or
gans. The first thing to produce this Is clean
Illness OF quarters, comfortable lodging places
and nutritious food. Fowls are filthy birds as
far as their appetiteS are concerned and will
consume uncleanly food, and drink from dirty
Sfagnant water: but they are cleanly about their
bodies and nice TO 4 fine point. The better we
keep our hens, the richer and larger are the
eggs. As far as this matter is concerned there
Is quite as much In the keeping as In the breed
ing, but the good keep with good producing
breeds is more profitable than the Indifferent
observer is aware OF. II the feed does not pro-
duce eggs, then 1t makes fat. If it is consumed
and the birds be thrifty and right, it will show
its effects promptly! II eggs are desired, and
our fowls make only flesh, II Will not do to be
disheartened. Some breeds run more to flesh
than Others, while some birds, of even egg-pro
ducing varieties, make only flesh. There is
great difference. Some birds will never be fit
for anything but the pot. and as soon as they
are in condition for this, send them there
Others Still are admirably adapted to LAYING
Hens should make a toerable amount OF flesh
before commencing to lay, and be kept in good
condition, otherwise we cannot depend on
them.
PulletS must be raised each year to keep I'D
the stock. The aim should be to increase the
good qualities of our laying stock each year. In
order to excel in the one point at stake which
Weare striving for. 1t cannot be reached at
once. By diligent study and observation we
must seek to unite desirable qualities, and join
to them fancy points, but not at the expense Of
utility. II we lose that our profits win disap-
pear. Select such birds as show the largest
share OF requisite points, and reserve them for
breeding purposes alone: but always such as
have good reproducing record. Size should
always be sought in order that the chicks may
he large. strong, and uniform. The cock should
be smaller in body and more leggy His form
should be SO trim and his build so close as to
appear all legs. tail, and neck Neither should
he be awkward OF ungainly. put trim straight,
and Snugly built, with round, plump breast.
carried well forward.
o1af
bone for breeder; but where the bird is healthy
ana fat this malfOrmation is undiscovered. as
the flesh when full and plump fills i'm evenly
across, and the defect is covered, 1t is caused
usually by r0oStlng too young, while the bones
ana carriages are tender and pliable. 1t is no
defect if not very extensive. / have seen the
bone SO badly removed from place as to intrude
upon the mteSt1neS and cramp some OF the
working organs. In. such a case send the bird
to the pot: This deformity occurs as often in
pGlletS as in cockerels. PulletS are more plump
in the breast and il does not show.
Artificial fncubatorS as far as the writer's
knowledge extend, have not yet proved en-
thely successful: In the first place there is an
expense attached to them that seems large in
comparison to the natural hatcher. The hen
mother can lay, sit, and raise her brood of
chicks, and we have the hen left. She can be
fatted and her body sold. The price of the ar
titicial incubator is too large. no doubt chicks
can be Matched and raised without the aid of
tie hen, but they will sadly miss the cluck so
natural to their early instincts. An Old hen
IL W litlFCil 1ltSt Eggs W al
charm. Can man invent a machine that will
compete with her? The idea that Il hen turns
her eggs daily is mere nonsense. She does TO
such thing. Neither are her eggs kept at the
same temperature all the time: and yet they
hatch well. When eggs do not hatch. it is sell
dom the fault OF the hen. Some eggs become
What is termed ''rotten," while Others do ,,,n
simply because there Is no germ In the first.
Eggs that are not fortified will not become
cloudy. The White and yelk remain unmiXed.
II there was germ to make a chick and the
egg had become chilled. the form would still be
there, unless it be in the very earliest stage.
which seldom occurs. Within ten days after
incubation the eggs are dark or tilled, if fcrti-
lHed.-tC. B.. an Country Gentleman.