The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-01-09
FARM. GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Points on Poultry G<ccpinr.

Points on Poultry Keeping.
Fowls are never properly fed unless
they are fed regularly. They look for
ward to meal time, as any one may see
who notes their actions, and are restless
and discontented If they do not receive
their expected %rations, just as their at
tendant would be if similarly treated.
The laying of soft shelled eggs some
times result from overlooking and some
times from q 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 in
cifectual as not giving enough, for a
hen that is fat will seldom ever lay we'll.
Mashed potatoes mixed with scalded
corn meal, or buckwheat -four fed hot,
is excellent. They should have fresh
meat if possible twice a day in some
form; either lard scraps, offal from the
butchers, or wild game, such as rabbits,
squirrels, etc. The more of this kind of
food given, the greater number of eggs
will be secured, beside 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 dropped
into the water is highly recommended
by some.
The hen house will require a supply of
boxes nailed around the side walls CON
tanning straw and nests. and in each an
artificial egg to prevent loss by freezing.
Many think that when hens are confined
in a room a nest egg is not required, but
any person seeing the discomfort of Il
fowl when ready TO make her deposit.
wandering from place to place in search
of an egg to SIT upon, will be convinced
of the Importance of supplying it.
The Farmers Reriep expresses the opin-
ion that the most profitable egg produ-
GERS are carly Matched spring chickens,
which begin to lay in the fall, and if
furnished with warm quarters and proper
iood, will produce eggs quite freely
through the entire winter. But it is not
wise to reduce the flock in the fail
wholly to spring pullcts, since lens a
year or two old make more reliable set
ters and mothers, and a sufficient number
should be kept for this purpose.
Green food is fully as essential for
poultry in winter as in summer, says the
Ame"icaB A~gricultuvjSt. Their c%ontine-
mcnt 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
market. Hens, like COWS, should be pro-
duccrs as well as consumers during the
cold months of winter. Farmers. as well
as f~anciers, should have a supply of green
food safely stored away for the winter
use of the poultry. Fowls are not very
particular as to the kind, they readily eat
celery, tops of onions, t%urnips, etc. let
tute, cabbage, and apples also are rel
ishcd. If such supplies have to be pur-
chased, it is cheaper to buy one or two
hundred heads of cabbages of second
quality, which can be had at a low figure
in autumn or early in the season. These
should be delivered with their roots, and
buried up to the head in sand in the eel
lar. Hang a head in some convenient
place in the house where the fowls can
pick at it.