The Mineral argus., 1883-11-22
FIELD n FARM.
Care of Poultry in Winter.


Fresh laid eggs in winter, says A. B.
Thompson Of Mercer. Pa, are generally,
IN country towns, from 20 to 80 cents a
dozen, and in large towns and cities
from 30 to 20 cents. In summer they
usually are from 10 to 20 cents. The
important question, then, for those who
keep poultry for the eggs is, how TO
produce them in the season at which
they will bring the highest price. To
DO this requires care and skill. 1t is
not enough to simply throw the fowls a
sufficient amount of corn or rather grain
10 keep them from starving, let them
roost on the trees, under the barn oil
shed, or whatever place they find, as is
the practice of money. Nor is 10 much
better TO have a low garrett ove the hog
pen, Or some other out-building, with a
few poles across for perches, and a
small hole for the fowls to 90 in and cut,
aud so dirty and filthy that tbsy will
only go there to roost when compelled
to for want OF a better place. IL is no
wonder that fowls thus treated do not
lay in winter.
My object in writing this article is
not to give the poultry fancier any new
ideas, but to give the farmers and those
that keep O few hens to produce eggs
for their W teble and to buy grocer
les with a few practical directions about
the care of poultry in winter, in rdert to
secure the best result s; and we believe
If these directions we're followed w
would seldom hear the remark that
"hens don't lay"
In order to pro !uce eggs in winter the
hens should have a comfortable house.
This can easily be built by any farmer
reasonably handy with tools, and at a
very small outlay. II should be built in
a place where it will be as much as pos
slble protected from the north and west
winds. 1t should be large enough to nc
commodate tho number of fowls de-
signed to be kept. For twenty TO TWEEN
ty-fve hens a house 8 x 10, 5 feet high
back and s feet front will do. The front
should always face the so nth, and be
well supplied with windows. You
cannot get too much sunlight in winter
into a poultry house. A cheap and sub
stantial house may be built of inch
boards, battened and Tired with tarred
paper. The perches should be placed at
the back, with platform to catch the
droppiDgs. The droppings should be
removed frequently. The ground al
ways makes the hest floor for the hen
house, but should always be kept dry.
IL not too cold fowls should be permit
ted TO run out a part of the day.
Feeding fowls is always a very impor-
tant matter. They should be fed regu-
larly, but not too much. We have found
the following successful: Have q kettle
in which all the scraps of bread, meat,
potatoes, potato and apple skins, &C.,
from the kitchen are thrown. Put this
on the stove in the morning as soon as
the fire is built, and when it has boiled
a few minutes take two pints Of chop,
ma lie Of corn, oats, n barley or rye,
and m part wheat bran, and mix into
it. Be careful to have the mash thus
made as thick a you can stir il. When
this is cold so as not to burn you when
YOU put your hand into It, give il TO
your fowls, Do not give them more of
this than they will eat up clean in five
minutes. At noon give them a light
feed Of oats, 5uckwheat, or wheat
screenings. Have your house we'll litter
ed with straw, or, what is still better,
the litter from the barn floor and h y
loft; scatter the grain Over this. II will
keep the hens in exercise all afternoon.
and prevent their learning bad habits.
In the evening give a light feed
of whole corn. 1t is a very good plan
to give laying hens meat and
N~eReGdDltS, buCu dS CdbDdRcs pOAdAOcss
and onions, onca or twice a week. They
should always be supplied with pure,
fresh water, in vessels that are kept
clean. There is no animal that will
drink more, or that water seems to be
mere IN .lispensable TO than the fowls. If
the weather is tco cold for the hens to
stay out of the house, or il the ground
is covered with snow, they should be
furnished with lime in some shape. A
box kept filed with old plaster and
placed where they can have access to 1t
is very good. They should also be pro-
vided with a dust bath. A box two feet
square and one foot high, kept half or
two-thirds full of roaI dust, is about the
pest thing, but il the du { has not been
saved during the summer, fine coal ashes
will do.
There is a very great difference in the
lay ng qualities of the different varieties
u fowls in winter. The larger varieties
usually excel as winter layers, and the
smaller as summer But take the mixed
breeds. as usually kept by farmers, and
care for them as aOove directed, and
the result will be an abundance of eggs
In winter.-Poultry Journal Record.
PinK Eye in Cattle.
The disease known as pink-eye, or in