Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-12-29
Agrienltnral department.
POINTS ON POULTRY
KEEPING


less thy are fed regularly. They look
forward to meal-time, as any one
may see who rfotes their actions and
are restless and discontinued if they
do not receive their expected rations,
| just as their attendant would be if
similarly treated. The laying of soft
shelled eggs sometimes results from
overlooking and sometimes from a
deficiency Of shell-forming material.
The necessary lime may be supplied
in several ways. Bone meal or ground
oyster shells can generally be had,
and in their absence keep a supply
of old mortar where the hens may
help themselves. The Tribune and
Farmer says that overlooking will
be as Intellectual as not giving
enough, for hen that is fat will sell
dom ever lay well. Mashed potatoes
mixed with scalded corn meal, OF
buckwheat flour fed hot, is excel
lent, They should have fresh meat
if possible twice day in some form
either lard scraps, offal from the
butchers, or wild game such as rab-
bits, squirrels, etc. The more of this
kind of food given, the greater num-
Der of eggs will be secured, besides
hens will never eat their eggs when
furnished with all the fresh meat
they want. Meats that have been
cooked and highly seasoned should
not be given.
Pure water furnished daily is also
very important, for they will not do
well without it. A lump of lime drop
ped into the water is highly rec
commended by some.
The hen house will require a sup
ply of boxes nailed around the side
walls containing straw for nests, and
in each an artificial egg to prevent
loss by freezing. Many think that
when hens are confined in room
nest egg is not required, but any per-
son seeing the discomfort of fowl
when ready to make her deposit wan
dering from place to place in search
of an egg to sit upon, will be con-
WINGED of the Importance of supply
ing it.
The Farmers ReUieav expresses
the opinion that the most profitable
egg producers are early Matched
spring chickens, which begin to lay
in the fall, and if furnished with
warm quarters and proper food, will
produce eggs quite freely through
| the entire winter. But it is not wise
to reduce the flock in the fall wholly
to spring pullets, since hens year
or two old make more reliable settlers
and mothers, and sufficient number
should be kept for this purpose.
Green food is fully as essential for
poultry in winter as in summer, says
the american AgricuHwist. Their
confinement to dry food during the
continuance of cold weather goes
far to account for the scarcity of eggs
at that season of the year. Fresh
winter eggs are always in demand
and bring a good price in every mar
ket. Hens, like COWS, should be pro-
ducers as we'll as consumers during
the cold months of winter. Farmers,
as we'll as fanciers, should have a
supply of green food safely stored
away for winter use of the poultry.
Fowls are not very particular as to
the kind they readily eat celery, tops
of onions, turnips, etc. ;lettuce, cab
bage, and apples also are relished. If
such supplies have to be purchased,
it is cheaper to buy one or two hum
dred heads of cabbages of second
quality, which can be had at a low
figure in autumn or early in the sea-
son. These should be delivered with
their roots, and buried up to the
head in sand in the cellar. Hang a
head in some convenient place in the
house where the fowls can pick at it..