The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-02-14
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Most persons who keep fowls derive
very little benefit from them during the
winter. They gain little if anything in
weight, and the losses are often large.
Many br are Injured by the severe
C Id. They are liable to have their
combs or feet frozen, or to become dis
eased or get out of condition. As
fowls are generally selected and man
aged, very few eggs, are obtained during
the winter season. As fowls are not
generalIy a source OF rrofit d ring the
winter their owners are very liable to
neglect them This neglect is the chief
cause of their being Improbable, and of
the bad condition of the birds in tho
Iring. All the gallinaceous fowls
are tropical semi tropical
been kept in cold climates they retain
their love of a tolerably warm atmos-
phere. They also retain their desire for
green food and for q partial meat diet
during all seasons of the year. Domesti-
ated fowls raised in The North re notas
well supplied with feathers as those that
run wild in countries aving quite warm
climates. On this account they should
be well housed during the winter. They
su er in winter not only from the cod
but from the wet j They-can endure a
tolerably cold atmosphere provided they
have suitable food and are kept dry If
their feathers become wet and the water
turns to ice they will suffer on account
of it. The roof of q poultry-heuse
should be tight and the building should
be well pplied with glass windows on
the south and east sides. If it is well
ventilated and kept scrupulously clean
it may be artiicially heated to good
advantage. ~ f.-a5
Next to shelter and warmth the sup
ply o food should claim attention. n
most parts OF the West this consists al
most entirely Of raw corn. This is good
for a partial food, but it should not be
relied On exc usively for keeping fowls
during the winter. Generally il should
not be fed oftener than once day, and
he best time to give II to fowls is at
night. Other grains should be fed dur
ing the day, and it is desirable to so
feed them as to aaord variety. ats
can given o e day, rye the next, and
hen wheat screenings or bu, kwheat.
The seed of sun overs, broom-corn
and sugar-cane are all desirable. 1t is
bet TO give yo ng fowls some cooked
meal in the orm o dough Coarse lat
may be mixed with the dough TO excel
lent advantage. Fowls of all ages re-
quire some meat, or n substitute for it.
Where wild rabbits are plenty, as they
are in many localities, there is little
trouble in supplying fowls with meat
during the winter. There 5 always
considerable waste meat about larm-
house that can be given TO fowls. The
Trim uings of out meats, hearts and
vers can be obtained fr m butchers.
Vegetables of some kind should be given
to fowls every daI during the CT ntinu-
an OF cold weather. The trimmings
and rusty leaves of celery are exec ent
Cabbages are also very good. These
can be fed without preparation. Beets,-
carrots. parships pumpk ms and
they Should be cooked before hey are
given to fowls fhef may be mixed
with meal to which coarse fat s added.
Fowls are very fond of hash. and show
greater preference for it Ihan n ost fire.
quenters of city boarding houses do. 1t
can be made of scraps of lean and fat
meat. potatoes. escnlent. roo,s. and
avored with mustard see 5. chopped
on ous. or peppers. As morning
meal there is no hing superior to hash
made in this way. It should be served
warm on clean boards or in ;ow, dishes.
Many persons who kee fowls, arc
very negligent about supplying y them
with wa er. They think it is not neces
ary to give. them q supply oftener than
once q day. 6enerally IN the morning
hey bring in alpailful sof water and
pour it in pan or other shallow vessel,
and pay no more attention to tho water
supply till the next day. The water
may Tree Q in the course of a few hours,
Ifihe weather is severely cold, and the
owls have noshing to drink for twenty
our hours. If the water is not frozen,
the chances are that it will be wasted
or become dirty 70 drink. To be o.
the greatest value to animals and birds
water must be pure and fresh. Hens
that are laying eggs, or are expected to
ay eggs, require a large amount OF
water r. Especially isthis the case when
hey have little 10 eat but dry food
| 3 rds that are producing eggs, like
cows that are producing milk. require o
ar re amount of water for water is the
largest ingred emit o eggs and milk. II
| Is generally more proiita le to feed milk
| to fowls than to pigs. SIX mmed m TX
or sour mi k can be fed TO them to great
| advantage. If the weather is sever ely
cold it is b .tter toconvert the skinned
milk into curl. 1t forms a very good
| substitute for meat. ulveri ed shells,
1 ones, or limestone should he provided
for forming egg-shells. Sand or fine
gravel should also, be proviled.s Whsr
TIE weather is fair the birds should u
| al owed TO ~xercf @ in the open air.
| They should also be encouraged to eN
erci-e in the poultry house. The en-
| ,ouragement may be n lorded by p t
ting in bundles of sunthrashed9 grain
stalks of nckwheat, keads Of, sunHewi
ers, and 'cabbas sest eads. and ALLOWING
them to. pi out wha they want to eat
triot atteut on must be given to kill ne
vermin on fowls aud to Keeping the n
sects away. This matter VII Require
repeated attention during the wintei
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