Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-01-28
WEEKLY CHRONICLE.
Winter Egg Production.

To btain breed OF fowls that are per-
petual lay rs is the object that many aim
at. This is an impossibility, for nature will
exhaust itself and must have period of
rest In orr er that we may havea per-
petual production of fresh eggs the bust
ness NJ ust be arranged beforehand. There
is a difference in breeds; SONG laying bet
ter than others 1T any lime of the year, and
others, again, viii g!vetheir eggs IN winter.
There is little difficulty in obtaining eggs
in summer but the winter eggs must be
worked for, and the fowls managed be-
forehand. Hens that have laid we'll during
the summer can not be depended on for
late fall or early winter, even if well fed,
but will generally commence in January
and keep up throughout February and
March, Civ ng good supply Of eggs if not
too old. But is better not to allow such
birds to go out into the winter. They are
generally fat, after having finished the
annual moult, and should be killed for the
table. Alter the second annual m0ult hens
are apt to become egg bound, especially
if we'll fed and fat. The excess of fat that
accumulates about the lower intestines and
ovarIes weakens these organs ana renders
them incapable of performing their Offices
Hence the fowl suffers and becomes profta-
less When left too loug the bird becomes
feverish and the flesh is unfit for food The
better way is to avoid this trouble, since
there is no cure, by not allowing the birds
to go into the second winter. Trouble of
this kind seldom occurs with pullets or
young hens.
To obtain supply of winter eggs we
must have the chicks out in March or
April. Leghorns and some of the smaller
breeds will do in May or the1ss of June,
but the Brahmas and Cochins must come
off early, that they may have the iull sea-
son for growth, The Asiaties are generally
good lay ers in winter, ard need less arti-
fetal heat, as nature has not furnished them
with any ornamental appendsges .whi b
suffer by exposure to frost For them it is
not necessary to spend large sums in warm
buildings. What they dispense with in
this respect they demand in feed, which
must be given regularly. The feed must be
kept up and varied with animal and vege
table diet. The supply of water must new
er fail. We must feed and feed long time
before the eggs will come. Any breed of
hens will consume an enormous quantity
of feed before commencing to lay, but after
having once begun they will not require
or even take so much grain. When laying,
their great craving is for vegeta BILE and
animal substances and crushed clam or
oyster shells $500 - -
Fowls thai are regularly trained have
certain portions of the day for their diff r
ent feeds. ID birds require their shells at
night. as Well as their greens, and their
ShniAi iiI etiO anu always IfSSH
water. When one has the time aud con-
venience, and enjoys the p ting Of fowls,
making warm steWs on q very cold day
is an admirable plan, and the birds relish
them marvelously. Take beef or pork
scraps and put them into an old kettle,
having them previously Cho ped fine, and
fill 1t half full of water. While steWing
throw in dozen chopped onions, two
dozen cayenne peppers, and the days coffee
ard tea grounds. Thicker the mixture
with corn meal and serve it around among
the hens hot. They relish it amazingly
when once taught to eat it and will look for
The "a ion daily atthe certain time. On
cold winter days give this feed betwsen2
and O'Clock in the afternoon and the
chicks get their crops warmed up for com>
ing cold at night. If scraps are net handy
boil unpeeled potatoes and serve in the
same manner, adding little grease or cold
gravies left oversfrom yesterdays dinner.
The combed varieties require warmer
quarters and summer exposures than the
Asiatics, and are good winter layers sitter
December, and early January. They will
lay in the fall if ed ly hatched, but the
change Of fall to winter and the getting
into winter quarters affects them, and they
seldom commence again before the days
begin to Iengthen, at which time Brahmas
will cease egg production and become
broody. Where one has the conven-
fence it is well to keep both kinds, in
order to insure supply of eggs 1t is use
less to expect many eggs from old fowls of
any variety. Have the bui dings ready
early and the fowls Of the right age and in
condition to insure success The business
Of our domestic hen Is 10 produce eggs, and
"" must feed her for ito. B. in.Country
Gentleman.