The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-30
Poultry Points,

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In warm weather the vermin will
multiply rapidly AMI increase their &C
tivlty. Extra precaution should be
taken to couDteract them The roosts
should be washed with kerosene oil;the
nest material should be thrown out aad
burned, fresh hay or straw placed in
tho boxes aud a hcaping teaspOonfu' OF
sulphur sprinkIed in each nesti the du t
baths should be replcnished and tea
spoonful of sulphur added to the dust;
the sittcrs should be thoroughly cleansed
Of body lice by Dalmation powder silt
ed through their feathers.
If an egg gets broken il nest where
O hen is sittia 2, examine the eggs care
fully and wash with tcpid water any
that arc daubed; sometimes no more
than two or three eggs will be foule /,
but they must be washed or they will
not hatch.
Keep the little chicks growing. Fed
little at a time and feed often il the
keynote to early laying PuIIets.
Sec that the hens have fresh grass. 1t
is almost always necessary to keep them
shut within their yards for some weeks
now to keep them out OF the garden or
the moving. 1t will take but a few
seconds to pull liberal handful of
fresh grass and toss to each pen; try 1t
once and watch tho birds devour it;
you will be convinced that they enjoy
it as much as feed of wheat. When
the hens run at largo they eat great
quantities of grass probabIy half OF all
the matter consumed by them), and it
is great hardship for them to be shut
away from it.
Spade up a part of each yard and
sow few handouts of oats ia the fresh
ground; the hens will scratch up part
of it, but some will sprout and grow,
giving biddy a bite of green. If prac-
ticable shut the hens away from one
yard for a couple OF weeks; sow oats in
1t, and when they are three or four
inches high let the hens in again. Not
only does this give them fresh, green
food but it freshens the ground itself.
This last Is an important matter, as the
earth in tho yards is contaminated by
the droppiags and in two or three years
becomes poisoned SO that it will Kill the
fowls contine upon it. This poison Gus
matter can be worked out by growing a
crop upon it or by spading 1t over and
sowing grain. If the hens can b. moved
to other quarters for a seas on splendid
crop of squashes can be raised in tho
hen yard. Squashes are rank feeders
and greatly enjoy rich ground to run
on. have been told that Mr.. Hawkins
planted squashes il al acre or so Of hen
yards last year, and got such tremen-
dous yield that he debated whether it
wouldn't pay to build spur track from
the railroad over to his yards to Tighten
the labor of shipping them to markell
Don't keep the cocks after you have
got all the setting c 5gs you want. A
fricasse makes good hearty dinner,
and you've one less bird to feed when
you have eaten him.
1t is sometimes q great bother to
break up broody hen that you don't
want to set. keep one pen vacant at
this season on purpose to confuo
broody hens in; of course the nest boxes
arc removed It is a comparatively
easy matter to break up a broody hen
if it is taken in season. II they have
been left on the nest one or two nights
and be come confirmed in their desire to
set it is difficult to break them, but If
taken to the prison pen at once a couple
or days confinement will usually cure
them.-lNew England Farmer.