Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-12-21

Keeping Heus.
Nearly every family uses eggs and most
armers keep few hens. The surplus
ygs are sold, and when the hens are
Igntly managed, they make quite An ad'
'itiop to the farmers income, it large
lock is kept Blu usually here is little ret'
profit, the hens only paving TO- the gram
hey eat. Rightly managed flock OF hens
,ugnt to bring profit of dollar each
shove the cost Of keeping. Many could
n Ike more than this from their hens, bui
he average is about what have stated.
Il is Tar better in keeping any kind Of
.tock to so manage it as to get good
profit, to STUDY the hest methods, and usr
pue's brain as we'll as muscles II a farm |
-r is going to keep hens, he may far be- |
Ter have large we'll KEEP flock and get
!ood profit, then to keep Il lew, Ill m tna1ed
fowls and realize little or nothing from
hem Some may think hen farming small
business. but there are egg farm, Which
Jet their owners from five 10 ten thoussn
iollars YEARLY, aud there are few farmers
tere in Vermont who could not N Ike from
ifty to seventv.6ve dollars and more elco
year from hens. 1t is especially tor sue
hat the following hints, collected from
various sources, are given.
THE HEN HOUSE.
In summer hens need as roasting place
thing more than an open Shed VIII
roosls so arranged that the hens are secure
from skunks and other noe urntl providers.
It may be- loosely bo trded on Two or thre'
,ldes ~ shelter from the prevailing winds
,ut there must be plenty OF air. IhinA
what warm cove ing hens have and you
will see it is downright cruelty to shu
them up in close quarters on hot >umm"'
lights. In wluter they must be sheltered
rom cold and storm and in planning -
en- house 1t IS well to Keep five things IN
ulnd, which are essential points in such ii
lructure. These are, drNness, warm
light, ventilation. convenience lie nous
may be made of boards, logs, stone, con
re,e, earth, so 5, straw &C.: 1t may or
liked or movable. high or low, long OF
SQUARE, simple " elaborate. but it should
,omUne these i've points. If the soil
not naturally drained 1t should be- Al ii
rlally. and wet must be kept out, A warn
Guiding is lar more economical in wntei
han cold one. we'll sheltered fowls r
fuurjnt less tOcd The building may b.
- made that it can be thrown open H.
summer and b. cool enough for a roostiug
place. This may be less expensive thtn 3;
s,ed. Ventilation may be secured by open
rugs below and above, 50 guarded thu
currents of cold air cannot strike the hem
Light is essential to the health OF ~
animals. The glass should be on the sun
nv side lfthe windows are prrp-ndlclar
,riinlry sash may be used, but If they ar
sIAntiny The glass is best put in "Sreen
house fashion, the lower edge Of eacI
pane overlapping the next below.
The nest boxes should be somewha
hidden and darkened as hens like re
red places in which to lay and the eggs
tr" not 81 Ilkel. to b. eaten by hens. \
all KEY half ful If straw makes a gop'
nest Twenty five hens sh,ul1 have 81,
nests in the laying season and a large
or smaller numb-r in like proper Ion
| +, Ell boxes for soft food should be pr V d
d and these wIlh the dlsn containing tn
gatpr should be paced where the hen
aunot scratch dirt into them. Ghe-
| nxes are best made long, narrow an
| n sha low and slated 50 that the hen
nnor yet INTO hem with their feet,
Inc huor is best made of dry cart
.sp+ul 4Ily under tne rDo,ts In win ar
,houd b. four or hve inches deep. Moth
~ con ribu rs so much To cleanliness a
his. and cleanliness must be Sc ur. Il
filthy lousy. sinking hen house is a
hom na'ion that should be- tolerated b
no farmer Dry earth and white W
with perhaps a little carbolic acd Al
usually all that is needed TO ensure cIea
luarters. the slze should b. SUCH rs t
ave three or four square feet OF t1Ic
= ON to each hen A separate aptrtmel
/ SHOULD be- provided for hatchng, and Il
, .xIra warm one for winter chickens.
By DO mean, keep the hens huddled
hou all of the time even in winyr
they will get diseased. eat one another
fathers and not thrive. Give hem
/, chance to go ont. especially on 'unl
days. A shed open to the south is the be
out uoor accommodation In pace If this
ward enclosed, except on the south sh
Il by q light bpard fence or a hedge of eve
D green trees NAV be used, from which t
!, show should be scraped.