The Iola register., 1888-05-18
FARMERS COLUMN.

FARMERS COLUMN.
ENTERED FOR THE NORTON PRIZE.
Editor Register:
Mr.. Norton says write about poultry
houses, mating, Matching, rearing,
marketing ETC., now to ask woman
to tell about all these things and bring
it within the space of one newspaper
article, leads me to believe that he is
not acquainted with many women or
that he thought we knew 80 little that
we could tell IL in short space. How
ever, methinks I know something
about chicken raising and am going to
try for that Houdan Rooster.
As to breed the Plymouth Rocks are
almost everything that hen should
be, If chickens are the object. They will
set just as long as you want them to,
and Just when you want them to if
rightly handled /; are the best of moth
ers and are easily kept. and will lay as
many eggs as any other breed unless
it may be some of the non-setters. AZ
to Matching, first be sure that the eggs
are good, then have a building just for
this business, prepare good roomy
nests, give them a sprinkle of lime
then enough fine hay to make it cozy
and warm; place one egg in each nest
then at night take the setting hens
from the nests house and place gently
in their new nest, shut the door to the
building and don't let them out for
three weeks. If they mean business
they will settle down quietly with
their one egg in a day or two, then
give them eleven eggs to the hen if the
weather is cold, later on thirteen is the
right number. Always set two hens
at a time and if ten or more are set
at once it makes it interesting
about Matching time. Keep q record
Of the date in y book and the last four
or five days sprinkle the nest and eggs
good with warm water everyday
washing any that may become soiled.
Follow these directions with good,
gentle hens and I can warrant you
from ten to thirteen chicks to the hen.
When the chickens are about "a hours
old give from 20 to 80 to hen and
place in a barrel turned down on its
side with little hay for their bedding
and lath door or frame to stand up in
front; give them a dish Of water and
after feeding the old hen all the corn
she wants feed the young chicks hard
boiled eggs and bread crumbs chopped
fine for the first three or four feeds,
then begin the corn meal dough, but
add well beaten egg to it till they are
q week old. They can be let out the
third day in the afternoon and the first
night you will have to remind the old
hen where she is to sleep. This barrel
coop is the cheapest and best arrange
ment know of. Buy salt and sugar
barrels for ten cents each use them one
summer for chicken coops then pile
them away somewhere in a dry place
and use them for kindlIng in the win
ter. The lath frames are always good
il taken care of and left in the air and
keep out skunks, rats etc. OF course
the barrels should be cleaned often,
busted with lime and new bedding fur
nished. Be sure no lime comes next
to the chickens feet because it will
make them sore, but lime rightly used
will keep away lice and disease.
To feed grain to young chicks with
out the old hens getting the larger
share has been a problem with me, but
it can be done by making a rack the
sides fence boards and the top Of lath,
place it near the water trough with a
brick under each corner, scatter wheat
oats and corn under this and when the
hens come tn drink the chickens run
under the rack and eat the grain while
Madam Hen can only look on like
many another parent, outwitted by the
youngsters. When the weather comes
warm and the chicks are month or 6
weeks old 60 to the barrels at night
and get each old hen and put her in
the hen house. This makes more room
and is cooler for the chickens, and the
old hen would 60 to laying again. To
talk about buildings and market for
chickens will be q waste of time for in
this part of the country the former are
scarce and the latter uncertain, but it
may interest some to know that with
no buildings and no market worth
speaking of my books show $4,000
cash for eggs and chickens since Jan.
"a, enough for pin money, and I make
no account Of what we used in the
family 80 I calculate the feed is paid
for in that way.
April 30, 'Ss. Mrs. I. G. SPENCER.
Geneva.
DESTROY TIE cHuCH BUGS.
Kansas Farmer.
Our special reports chow that this
detestable destroyer is present in large
numbers in some parts of the State.
mn