Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-31
FARM MATTERS
Eggs in Winter.

q VI NNlLlUois
With those who manage poultry for
profit much depends on the person in
control, as we'll as the fowls, if a fair
supply of eggs is to be obtained. 1t Is
not alone sufficient to provide a liber-
al supply of food, but it must also be
Of a character to more thoroughly &C.
complish the object desired. Corn is
tie staple article of diet, and
we'll in one respect, which is to keep
the owl warm; but corn is lacking In
many elements that enter into the
composition of an egg. AS the eggs
are really manufactured by the hen,
she serving as a factory In that re.
spect, 1t becomes apparent that in or
der to produce eggs she must receive
reproducing material. We have In
the egg the shell Carbonate of lime },
and in the yolk and slbumen (whitt)
everything that serves to create bone,
meat. feathers and fat. The food
that is to be given, therefore, should
contain lime, nitrogen, phosphoric
acid and carbon, substances which ex-
list In variable quantity In different
foods. The lime Is easily supplied In
excsss by placing ground or pounded
oyster shells within reach, and corn
easily sustains the system with carbon,
of which 1t contains a large proper.
ton. Meat of some kind is best for
furnishing nitrogen, but in winter 1t
Is a diffcult matter to procure 1t in
some localities, and a partial substi-
tute may be had for it In linseed
meal, which contains nitrogen in sufi-
Client quantity for the purpose The
phosphates are found in ground bone,
wheat, and nearly all grains.
When In confinement there Is a
necessity for adding to the comfort of
fowls by providing warn but we'll ven.
tilated quarters. These should be
roomy, aud the fowls must not be
crowded, as more eggs are usually pro-
cured from a small number, in proper
ton, than from larger, and the roosts
should all be on thu same level, and
low. Oyster shells not only furnish
carbonate of lime but assist In grind
ing the food in the gizzard. No mat
ter how sharp or hard any substance
may be that is swallowed by the fowl,
the gizzard completely demollshes it
and grinds it into an impalpable pow
der, from whence 1t is passed into the
intestines, where the digestive organs
extract all that a be appropriated for
the nourishment of the body and eggs
In winter it must be borne in mind
that animal heat Is to be kept up as
the first Importance to egg production,
and any deficiency Ct food will quickly
be made manifest in that respect, but
less food will be required when the
quarters are warm and dry. Tonics
are sometimes helpful, and a little cop.
peras occasionally in the drinking
water Is very invigorating.
But sometimes, with the best of
feeding and care the hens will not lay.
That Is because some breeds, such as
the Brahmas, Cochins and Plymouth
Rocks fatten very readily, and when a
hen Is too fat she will not lay. The
Plymouth Rocks, especially, are ia.
nous for being the best and poorest
layers, for they keep fat on very little,
and, unless they can be made 10 work
for a living, are dilstory In the mat.
ter of laying, To do this 1t Is best to
give the morning meal very early,
which may be of mixed soft food, and
as 1t will quickly digest, along In the
evening they begin to get hungry. II