The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-10-08
The Poultry Yard.
The Fall Care of Poultry.
. II. JACOBS, IN RURAL NEW-YoRKE Err.

At this season of the year, when
prices are usually low, many are prone
to look upon the dark side Of poultry
keeping, but as such depression is
caused by desire to reduce stock, a
point is reached late in the year at
which shipments become less frequent,
and prices for poultry and eggs rise
until the hens begin to lay abundantly
in the Spring.
Before reducing stock, select all the
hens that have moulted or show signs
OF moulting, as they will complete the
process and begin to lay before cold
weather comes on. Though the rule
may not be infalible, yet the hen or
pulet that begins to lay on the APP
proach of winter will generally make a
good winter layer, while the one that
does not commence before cold weather
usually postpons operations uni
spring. The hens intended for market,
therefore, should be those that have
not moulted, as moulting requires about
three months.
Another points that moulting hen
is usually tat. This is because she stores
in her system the fat of the food, while
the mineral and heterogeneous elements
90 to the formation of feathers Hence,
a hen may be very much debilitated by
the shedding of new feathers, and yet
be very fat. The best food tor moult-
ing hen is oatmeal, with meat and milk.
whenever such can be procured. Feed
very little corn, as she should not be
made very fat.
AS the fall begins to pass over and
winter approaches, by careful manage.
ment the hens may be made to lay all
winter, aud the beginning of the winter
preparation should be made in the fall.
In some sections the season is not very
severe until January, and advantage
shoull be taken of the warmer weather.
Lice must still be kept down, and the
poultry house must be made as comfor-
table as possible. To get the hens in
good laying condition those That are
very fat should be separated from the
others, and be fed upon oats. as the
only food compelling them to hunt and
scratch for the grain in cut straw,
leaves, or some kind of litter, as the
consequent exertion will reduce them
in flesh and keep them in health. As
soon as the hens begin to lay they may
be fed we'll on plenty of food, provided
there is variety, as the production of
eggs will enable them to appropriate it
to that purpose. Whenever hen ceas-
es to lay, if even for few days, she be.
gins to fatten, and this must be guarded
against, as a fat female, whether quad
ruped or birds, is not very prolific.
If soft food is given, itshould consist
Of ground oats three parts, shorts one
part, and bran two parts, and if the
hens are laying we'll there should be
added one part of corn meal and one of
ground meat. Bone meal, ground shells,
and pure water should always be where
the fowls can have access to them, and
the soft food should be seasoned with
salt, scalded, and fed warm. No food
will be necessary then until night, when
oats and wheat should be given, unless
in cold weather, when corn may also be
allowed.
Chicks Matched late in the summer
or during the fall, must be sold when
ever cold weather sets in, as they seldom
grow after frost. They will remain
nearly of the same size all through the
winter, but will grow rapidly on the
approach of spring. Such chicks usu-
ally make short-legged, compact-look-
ing fowls, while those Matched in the
spring are taller. 1t pays to give the
late chicks the whole Of the warm
weather in which to grow and attain all
the size possible, but if kept till the
end of the year they should be sold
about the middle of January, as prices
then begin to rise. Good warm quar-
tiers have some influence on the growth
Of chicks and the productiveness of the
hens, and as but little can be done in
winter, this is the proper time to build