The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-16
Managing Poultry in Winter.

Philadelphia Record.
This is the season when eggs are high but if
the hens ara rightly managed greater profits
may be realized now than at any other time.
The oftrepeated question is: why do the
hens refuse to lay after the weather becomes
coldp This inquiry we propose to attempt to
answer, and numerous reasons may be
be given. In the first place a warm and COM
Portable poultry house in, winter is absolutely
indispensable to laying, not that it must be
heated with q stove, but that there should be no
cracks or crevices in the walls, while the floor
must be kept dry and clean 1t should also
have plenty Of light. and the rays of heat from
the sun should penetrate to every portion.
While the hens are very partial to retired,
dark hen-house at night they will not remain
inside when it is light Hence it may be noticed
that an open shed is Gifted preferred to warm,
close dark poultry house
The feed should be given early, and the first
meal may consist of a mixture OF bran, ground
oats and corn in equal proportions. scalded and
fed warm, but the hens should not be allowed a
full meal of the soft food. A few swallows are
sufficient, and the remainder of the meal should
consist of whole grain--wneat or OatS-for which
they should be made to scratch, by scattering
in fnely-cut hay, chat, sawdust, or any kind OF
material that will serve for the purpose. The
object in compelling them to scratch for theie
food is to give them exercise, and prevent them
from becoming fat, as overfed hens will not
lay. The best egg food is that of heterogeneous
character such as milk, meat, ETC., of which
they should always receive supply. An excellent
substitute for meat is fresh blood from the saugh
ter-houses 1t should be cooked, and thickened
with bran and cornmeal so as to enable the at
tendant to erumble it to pieces for the fowls A
cabbage chopped fine 10 excellent as variety, as
is also clover hay cut in pieces half an inch in
length The clover may be scalded and added to the
soft food if preferred. Hens should never be fed
as much as they will eat during the day. unless
they are compelled to scratch; but at night, just
before going on the roost, they may be allowed
all the corn they will eat No fixed allowance
for hen can be estimated, as they should re-
ceive only as much as they will clcanly eat.
Among their requirements are ground bone,
which may be procured from seedsmen, pounded
oyster shells, graveland pure fresh water. Two
feelings day are sufficient. except in very cold
weather. 1t is difficult matter to prevent the
water from freezing at this season, and the plan
has been adopted of watering the hens three
times day, with water not very cold, adding a
teaspconful of tincture OF iron to each quart OF
water Cleanliness is enjoined, and the houses
should be whitewashed occasionally. Hens will
not remain in filthy house unless forced to do
SO, and the droppings. will compensate for the
labor of their removal, With clean quarters
regularity of feeding. a variety of food, and
warmth, there will be a plentiful supply Of
eggs, but the hens must be kept at work, while
the dust bath should also be provided.
Something depends upon the breed, A COM
mon flock is easily Improved by the use of pure
bred cocks, and the cross adds vigor. Mongrel
hens may be.used, but the cock must be we'll
bred. Large combs are objectionable. as they
freeze, and the bramahs are preferred by some
for the reason that they are well feathered and
have small combs. The Leghorns are the best
layers, but have large combs and wattles A
cross between Leghorn cock and Brahma hen
is excellent, and may be made more advantage
Gus by crossing again with the Brahma, so as
to secure hens three-foprths Brahma and one
fourth Leghorn The Plymouth Rocks are the
most shapely and attractive market chicks, and
the hens are good layers, The Langshans lay
earlier than the other large breeds, while the
Wyandottes are compact, have small combs, and
produce fine market chicks. No breed possesses
all the desirable points, but judicious crossing
will greatly assist in improvement