The Portland daily press., 1882-08-01

have free range with the mother hen take
to the roost good deal earlier in life than
those brought up by hens confined TO coops?
The hen that is allowed liberty soon returns
to her old roosting place and the chicks go
too, but the chicks that have been accus-
toned to coops will return to them at night
for weeks and even months after the moth
er hen has left them. Now we think it
good plan to teach the chickens to roost just
as soon as the mother hen weans them, un-
ess she weans them before they are month
old, as some of my Plymouth Rock hens
have done, but I don't believe in allowing
the old hen tofoam all over creation in Or
der that she may teach her young to go to
bed properly. Coop the mother hen and
when they decide that it is high time TO com
mence laying again, let them go, and teach
the chickens how to roost yourself. No,you
need not go out and perch on the fence to
show the future biddies how to retire. Col
onize the chicks, 4. e., put two or three
broods that are nearly of the same ase in
large coop provided with roosting perches,
and as soon as the chicks have wings big
enough to fly with they will go to roost just
because it is the mature of the critters
These coops should be made large enough to
afford roosting place for twenty-five or
thirty chickens until two thirds grown;
should have good roof and no floor. The
that the chicks can sit upon them, and
enough should be putup to accommodate all
the chicks without crowding. Don't put the
perches too near the wall-if you do you will
be very apt to have some crooked tailed
chickens. Provide sufficient means for ven
tilation; pure air is just as necessary for
fowls as for human beings. These coops
should not be huddled together like a shan
ty village, but scattered all overthe lots, and
-cs Al. a. he
scraped and new earth thrown in. Moving
these coops is not a difficult job. We have
seen some so light that two men could move
them easily, and others built on runners SO
that horse could be hitched on and the
houses moved in short order. The French
have fashion of building poultry houses on
wheels and taking their fowls intothe grain
fields after harvest. Much grain is thus
turned to good account that would other
wise be wasted. This French fashion is
good one and it would pay to initiate it here.
Have you ever been through field in late
summer when the grasshoppers were thick
that they were cloud at every step? And
didn't you wish you could turn your fowls
into that field? We have. Only think, if
we had some of these movable houses what
a saving there would be in the chicken feed.
Well, you may think about that while we
talk about
SHADE FOR FOWLS.
Where fowls have free range of course
they can find shade somewhere, but when
confined to yards that are destitute of bush
es you must provide some shelter from the
scolching rays of the mid summer sun. Of
course they can 60 into the house, but don't
like to; they want some shady place out of .
doors where they can loaf and wallow in the
dust, and talk over affairs. The proper
thing for shade in poultry yard is cur
rant bush. There is nothing better than
big currant bush except a whole row of them
When hen can wallow in the dust under
the currant bushes, reach up and pick the
green currants, or the ripe ones, she is just
as happy as she ever expects to be in this
world. So we advise you to set out currant
bushes this fall or next spring, but while you
are waiting for the bushes, put up cheap,
open shed of almost any old refuse lumber
that you may happen to have on hand.
About the quickest way to grow shade in
poultry yards is to grow a lot of artichokes;
if you put them in thick enough the stalks
and leaves will when grown furnish dense
shade.
FOOD.
When hot weather sets in it is good plan
to quit feeding corn and feed oats or wheat
screenings. Where the fowls have full lib
erty and insect forage is abundant, moder-
ate feed in the morning Of wheat bran dough
is sufficient to keep them IN good laying
trim. This bill of fare might be varied by
an occasional feed of whole or of ground
oats. Fowls that are confined in yards must
in addition to ether food have daily rations
of green food. tits good plan to open the
doors an hour or so before sunset and let
The fowls have a pick at the fresh grass out
side their yard, and perhaps catch belated
bug or two.
Fowls that are not lucky enough to have
pan of milk set before them cannot well get
along without supply OF pure fresh water.
Happy is the poultry raiser who, like the writ
er, has cool, sparkling stream , OF water ss1er
running right through the yard, but those
who are not so favored can, with little ex-
ira trouble, keep their fowls well supplied
with pure cool water. Get QUE of Wheelocks
drop faucets, a cask that will hold several
gallons. put the two together, I'LL the cask
with cold water; wet some old blankets and
wrap around it; set on block or bench in
the shade put something under the faucet
to catch the water as it drops and the thing
is done. These faucets can be adJusted SO
as to give the fowls just what they need, ,and
the eyaporations from the wet blankets will
keen the water inside the casks cool.
LICE.
inst as soon as warm weather comes these
pests multiply and increase with astonishing
rapidity. They respect not beauty, age or
preyious condition. Unless you use the
ounce of prevention in time, your beautiful
s1O-a trio Brahmas will get just as lousy as
the poorest little scrub chicken on the farm.
Once more we repeat, that if you will wash
the roosts with petroleum once week dur
ing hot weather, whitewash the outside once
,,rovide dust for the chickens, big and little,
r. waIlow in. your fowls will not suffer from
yermin. Farmer.