Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-06-26
INSTITUTE PAPERS.
CARE OF POULTRY,

The trumpet notes of the poultry edi-
tor are now receiving attention all over
our land, and even the prairie winds have
not prevented their being heard ON the
frontier. Most of the weekly newspapers
are furnished with a poultry department,
and it is not only thoroughly read, but in
most cases its truths and untruths are
applied as far as possible. With the
commodities OF trade within purchasable
distance variety Of experiments are
possible, but deprived of such surround
ings, the care of chickens needs consider
able ingenious thought.
The comfortable house, which is ever
advised, has, in the past, been difficult
problem for the new settler, except as he
chose to dig in the earth or build of sod.
Both Of these kinds of houses are OBJ
jectionable in some particulars. The
first because it does not afford sufficient
light and is liable to receive the surface
water at rainy seasons; and the second
for its crumbling nature, its tendency to
retain the germs of disease, and, in most
cases, lack of proper ventilation. A
frame house can now be built with
little expense, and number of small
ones large enough to contain from twen-
ty-five to thirty chickens each are, in my
opinion, preferable to long building
partitioned into several rooms. 1t would
be slightly more expensive, but as our
ground space is abundant, the benefits
derived from preventing the spread of
contagious diseases would overbalance
the necessary outlay of money. A lining
OF tar paper upon one thickness of boards
is insufficient for warmth when our
winter winds come roaring from the
north, and a double thickness OF boards,
lined with tar Or building paper, would
alone protect the chickens combs from
the frost.
For heavy birds, as the Plymouth
Rock, Brahma, ETC., low, parallel rOosts
are preferable, especially where the coop
is small. Such perches do not induce
crowding, and are easy of both ascent
and descent. High roosts should be
used only where there is an abundance
of space into which the chickens can
fearlessly fly to reach the groun |.
Plymouth Rocks and White and Brown
Leghorns are the favorite breeds in this
country. The Leghorns are here, as
elsewhere, almost perpetual layers, but
are improbable for market purposes be-
cause of their small size. A heavy bird
and layer Of large eggs, is the record
of the Plymouth Rocks, and. to gain the
good points of both of these breeds, some
of our people are raising. a cross OF Ply
mouth Rock and White Leghorn.
Generally, these birds are quite free
from disease, though cholera and roup
severely depleted some flocks last sum-
mer. Feeding was thought to have
caused much of the trouble, however, as
an extensive variety was always, and
even a change many times, an impossi-
bility, SO that the fowls subsisted largely
on rye, which, either as grain or meal,
has, with me, proved hurtful. Wheat
keeps poultry in good health, and boiled,
mixed with corn chop and well peppered,
forms the morning meal for my flock.
Cabbages, onions and potatoes or apple
skins ECONOMY dictates the skins only
prove a desirable addition, and little
chicks will soon learn to- expect them
Parched wheat or corn fill their crops for
the night, and, in winter, warm water
their drink two or three times, daily.
Chickens can be doctored on the gen.
eral principle that what will cure HUI
man being will them, only the medicine
must be given in much smaller doses.
For lice, roup and cholera, [ know of
nothing better than bisulphurette of car
bon. 1t is volatile, and by hanging
small, uncorked bottle of it under the
roosts at night the chickens inhale it, and
disease germs and lice are alike de-
stroyed. Of course the coop must be
closed, but not to the entire exclusion of
ventilation.
Two broods of chickens each were
Matched by both my Plymouth Rock and
hn of
very heavy birds, making the more careful
settlers. Any and all of them, however,
refused to cover more than twelve eggs,
pushing the balance out of the nest or
breaking them. As soon as the chickens
mother to warm place and covered with
walk. After the first twenty-four hours
they were fed for a few days on bread
and milk or bread and water. Later
their diet was changed to scalded corn
meal, slightly peppered, and then to corn
chop, wheat, millet and sorghum seed.
A substitute for mother was provided
in tie form of a brooder, consisting of a
Gdless, thin box inverted, across the
open under side of which was stretched a
piece of comfortable, and around the
edges was tackled strip of cloth about
four inches wide, which was cut into
every four inches, and hung down like
small curtains, when the box was raised
up on blocks or legs just high enough to
permit the chickens to stand up straight
under it. This brooder was placed in
the center of a small coop, with wire
screen front, at night and removed in the
morning. If placed on one side of the
coop, the chicks will crowd into the cor
ner and smother each other. After the
first few nights the chicks will seek their
bedroom without assistance. For winter
broods, warm floor should be provided
in addition to the brooder, as the growth
of chicken depends largely, if not al
together, on the warmth OF its feet. Any
one using an incubator which has venti-
lators to its heater could utilize the
same to warm floor for the brooder
room. The wire-front little coop is very
convenient to place upon the grass where
the chicks can be isolated, and, by slip
ping under a platform, to remove them
indoors at night.
To care for brpods in this manner is
considerable trouble, but saves larger
per cent. of those Matched than when al
lowed to RIM with the mother hem and