The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-01-13
Chicken Wisdom, Culled from "Farm
and Garden"
WINTER PREPARATION OF THE
POULTRY-HOUSES.

The warmer the poultry-houses the
better, if eggs are desired. 1t costs
! but very little to make the houses
warm, and there is no excuse for
frozen combs and wattles, if the poul-
tryman is careful. Wall paper is ex-
cellent, and so is tarred paper. If COM
mon brown paper is pasted on the
wall, it will keep out the cold admir-
ably. Make paste of flour, adding
an ounce of glue to each quart of paste,
first soaking the glue in hot water.
Then add tea-spoonful of carbolic
acid to each gallon of paste. Use
plenty of paste, and lay course of
paper straight up and down on the
walls. Lay another course over this,
running the paper crosswise, and lap
ping each layer over the first. Com
mon newspapers may be used if the
paste is used literally An ordinary.
cheap whitewash brush is all the i'm
plement required Should there be
fear of lice, the carbolic acid will serve
as preventive and as precaution. A
| profuse busting of Persian insect
powder over the damp paper, as it is
applied to the walls, will render the
poultry-house decidedly unhealthy for
all kinds of insects. 1t is necessary to
have close roof to prevent dampness,
and the under side of the roof may also
be pasted if necessary.
MATING FOR THE BEST RESULTS.
The early pullets-those Matched in
March or April-will make the winter
layers, and they should be mated with
two-year-old cocks. Eggs from ducks,
where the male and female are both
less than one year old, seldom hatch.
Hence, always use two-year-old drakel
Old hens should be mated with cocker
els, but the cockerels should be at least
nine months old. Old gobblers are
better than young ones, and both the
male and female geese should be at
least two years old. In crossing the
breeds, always mate cocks of the smaller
breed with hens of the larger. For in
stance, it is better to cross a Leghorn
rooster with Brahma hens than a
Brahma rooster with Leghorn hens, as
the progeny will be more compact As
rule, the large sires impart legginess
to the chicks when mated to small
dams. In crossing ducks the young
will grow to larger size than when
the parents are of the same breed. For
a good laying strain cross the Ayles-
bury with the Pekin. For the market,
white Muscovy crossed on the Pekin
produces alvery large bird, and one that
will sell as soon as it reaches the market.
SELECT FOR vIGoR.
Select those that come up to the
standard in points, if you can, but do
not discard a good specimen of robust
constitution for a slight defect. Be
liberal in allowing few fowls to have
drawbacks, if such imperfections are
such as to cause no injury to the Off
spring, but above all select for vigor
and strength. 1t is not always the
largest fowl that is the most vigorous.
but the one with full, bright eyes,
heavy bone, compact body and quick
movement. In plumage see that the
color of the hens harmonizes with the
color of the cock. If the hens are too
dark allow the cock to be somewhat
lighter, and if the hens are very heavy
in the body use a medium-size cock.
Too much weight is not desirable in
fowls, although many boast of weight
in preference to other qualities. The
chief object, no matter which breed is
used, should be vigor and activity. An
overgrown, excessively fat fowl is a
nuisance, and should not be tolerated.
MAKING A RoosT.
The supposition that sassafras OF
cedar poles make the best roosts. OF
will keep lice away, is a mistake
There is no better roost than one made
of three by four scantling, the edges be-
ing rounded off slightly, to prevent cut
ting of the feet, with the narrow side up
Such roost is strong, solid, and vii
hold any weight that may be placed
upon it. Nor should the roosts be
placed one above the other, or inclined
so that they will be higher at the real
/ than at the front, as the fowls will al
crowd to the higher roosts, nature
prompting them to get upon the high
est places possible, for protection. A
roost should be detachable, so as to b,
, taken outside and cleaned, kerosen,
being freely used They should all b,
upon a level with each other, and low
as the large breeds, such as Brahma,
and Cochins, cannot reach high roosts
Y and will sit in the nest-boXes all nipht
: in preference to being injured in at
tempting to reach them. The roost,
should also be so arranged as to PERM
of easy access in removing the drop
l pings.
4 SHIPPING POULTRY TO MARKET.
D This month the market will be vel
G supplied with poultry, as the surplu
| fowls will be disposed of in order t.
provide room for those kept over dur
ing winter. If they are shipped alive
Q care must be taken not to crowd them
!, and cups for water should be placed a