Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-12-20
KEEPING COMMON FOWLS

KEEPING COMMON FOWLS
Why They Deserve - Much Care ana A.
tention - Pure Breeds.
There is q large majority on the
side of the common fowl. although she
has never had any one to sing her
praises. Her popularity does not con-
sist in possessing merit, but because,
like the Chinese. she outnumbers all
others in progeny, and forces her
self where other breeds can not as yet
60. In fact. it is cheaper to begin with
q common flock. and all that may b
said or written against them will be
Of no avail so long as every thing
depends on the cost It is safe to say,
however, that the pure breeds are fast
making inroads into the ranks OF the
common f1ocks, until at the present
time q common flock Is often well
bred. We doubt if there is flock Of
twenty fowls anywhere that does not
contain the blood of some of the best
breeds. and the excellence of certain
focks is due to the good blood in them.
for which. however, due credit is not
given. But common flock deserves as
much care and attention as any other.
1t is an old maxim that ''he who will not
properly care for a common flock will
not manage better one. p" and the ex-
preston is true. A common flock
can be procured with but little ex-
pense, and. using it as foundation.
the beginner can grade up to higher
degree OF excellence every season by
the use of pure-bred males for cross
ing. The value of the common focks
is greater than that of the pure breed
in this country, and We can add addi-
tional value by improving them.
Crowding will save space In the
poultry-house. but at the expense of
not receiving eggs. A hen should have
ample room in the hen-house in severe
weather; she should have plenty OF
room on the roost. an empty nest
should always be available, and she
should have space on the floor for ex-
ercise. If the hens are crowded they
will begin to struggle for their exist
ence; some will get more food than
others, and vices will be learned that
in the end will prove fatal to success.
Crowding induces disease also. and
lessons the receipts but adds to the
cost.
What is the best material to be used
on the floors as litter for hens to
scratch in is often asked. At this sea-
son litter is not easily prOcurable. ex-
cepting dry dirt and straw. but later
on the cheapest and best material is
leaves. They should be raked up and
stored a:way for winter use, and kept
dry and clean. The next most avail
able material is straw. but it requires
q little labor to prepare it, as it should
be passed through straw-cutter.
Dried grass and musty hay can be
used. but the hens will sometimes eat
it, which may cause them to be CROP
bound. Crushed and cut cornstalks
may be used also, but should be mixed
with dirt. Dirt itself is excellent. and
a plentiful supply of it should be stored
for the purpose
The feeding of cabbages to poultry
may be done in two ways; one is to tie
the cabbage to stick and permit the
hens to pick at the head whenever
they SO desire, which is an easy and
excellent mode. The other is - chop
the cabbage fine, which. however. is
more or less laborious. All vegetable
tops or roots should be chopped, as the
hens can not eat them conveniently
when they are thrown entire over the
fence. They will not care for such
food unless it is fresh and succulent.
If it is allowed to wither it is often re-
fused. To use it more profitably chop
it very fine and feed only the quantity
required at the time.-Germantoa0n
TeLe0rdDh