Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-06-08
Let Out the Hens"
Country Gentleman

We heartily lndorse your Onondaga cor
respondents suggestions in regard TO
letting out the hens, providing we have
already taken measures to secure the
vegetable garden and the small fruits
from their attacks by inclosing them
with hen-roof fence; otherwise, if we
have eggs we shall have no small fruits,
neither certain kinds of garden vege-
tables. The loss in grain that a flock of
fowls will pick up after sowing, or even
pull down when 1t begins to ripen, is small
in comparison to the loss of our straw
berries, raspberries, currants, tomatoes
and cabbage. While keeping fowls in
captivity may be paying business to
the poultry man who has all the facilities
for the business, We have our doubts
about the profit the farmer receives where
only small flock is kept, with none of
the above named convepiepces,
1t Is still an unsolved problem to many,
whether our egg production has been in
creased by the importation of foreign
breeds of fowls. While some, and we
might say many, have their good points,
do they produce more eggs in q season
than the old-time varieties? Are they as
hardy and as able to take care of them
selves as was the common fowl? The old
time hen found no difficulty il scratching
for herself and her brood of chicks. No
coddllng was necessary, no egg-produc-
ing nostrums called for, and no elements
for eggs required, except those that ma
ture furnished with a bountiful hand.
Neither were hen parks necessary to keep
them from destroying fruits, vegetables
or rlpening grain. Who ever heard of
their eating eggs, or picking the feathers
off of each other, or being sick with
chicken cholera, roup, or the many other
diseases that atfiict the fowls of the pres
Mt day?
They were a hardy, self-reliant species
of fowl who could find their own perches,
either on the highest beam in the barn or
on the topmost branch of an apple tree.
They were also almost perpetual layers;
fresh eggs were plentiful in every farm
house during the winter months, and
what fun it was for Tom, Dick and Harry
to gather them! No nook or corner in
the old rambling barn was left unexpIor-
ed by them. nest here, and there, soon
filled cap to its utmost capacity.
What have we in their place? Instead
of the self-supporting fowl whom instinct
taught to secure her own food, we now
have a pampered stock who almost en-
Ilrely depend upon tnelr owners Tor 1000,
drink and lodging. Unlike the old time
fowl, they make no exploring expeditions
in the field in quest of insects, but much
prefer hanging around the house, lest by
chance they miss one of their daily
rations. IF one protests against their
close proximity to the kitchen door, they
will absent themselves long enough to
whet their appetites at the currant bush
es, for further onslaught in the vege-
table garden. Whole rows of young peas
have been known to disappear in an hour,
and the seed beds made to look as if a
garden rake had been drawn over their
length and breadth in the same length Of
time; and if through courtesy they should
not eat all the young cabhages at one
meal, let none fiatter themselves that they
will still have few heads left for their
table, for they are only reserving it for a
relish, and will eat it from day to day as
long as a leaf remains. As the problem
now stands, shall we confine the fowls
and have very few eggs or let them run at
large and have no garden or small fruits !?