The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-16
FARM TALKS FOR OCTOBER.
THE POULTRY YARD, sYP. Il. JACOBS.
A Practical and Interesting Paper on an
Important Matter TO FRrmers-Some
Good Recipes and n Budget of
Timely Farm Notes


with the farm and agriculture generally
by eminent gentlemen thoroughly we'll
qualified 10 furnish it. We have already
published contribution from the pen OF
Mr.. Eli Mench, and in this issue will be
! found the second article Of the series from
Mr.. =. II. Jacobs OF IIammonton. n. j.,
entitled "The Poultry Yard.
HAMMoNToN, n. j., Oct. 10. - Copy
righted. THE use OF ground meat, dried
ground fish and ground bone IA poultry
foods has given excellent results TO those
who cannot obtain meat in more conven-
lent form, but such foods are not substi-
tutes for meat. The hard dry bone, that
has had every particle OF gelatin and meat
extracted, serves only as grit, as but little
OF it is appropriated for purposes OF ami
NAL economy, but the fresh bones from
the butcher are excellent.
During the process OF preparing meat
and bones. before grinding, it is necessary,
at times, TO use superheated steam, which
entails loss of much of the heterogeneous
matter. When the commercial products
are used it should be done sparingly. as
overlooking OF the dried substance causes
| bowel disease. Otherwise the dried foods
will be found beneficial when meat and
fresh bones are scarce, but they answer
the purpose best when mixed with the
| regular ration of grain. The difficulty with
those who use the ground foods is that
they do not feed it judiciously. \ surfeit
is allowed at one time and the food may
then be withheld fora time. There should
be regularity, and the food given mostly
TO laying hens and growing chicks. Bones
make the best grinding material that can
be supplied to fowls, as they are sharp
and hard.
1t is detrimental 10 feed sweet pota-
toes to laying hens, as they are rich in
carbonaceous elements and deficient in
other respects. Consequently, If sweet
potatoes are fed to hens the hens become
very fat, and cease TO lay. For young
chicks, or for stock intended to be sent TO
market, there is no food known that will
fatten them so quickly. II is too expensive
to use sweet potatoes for poultry, but the
very small ones, which are unstable,
may be cooked for market poultry with
advantage
All hens that begin to moult now will
be overtaken by winter. Ii requires
about three months for hen to renew her
feathers, and from this period on the hens
will have hard time. The best mode of
getting rid of moulting now is to sell every
hen that begins to moult. It's impossible
for hens 10 pay i'll winter unless they
have finished the mOulting process IN
time to begin laying before cold weather.
and it is useless waste of time and food TO
attempt 10 assist them to moult by giving
special foods, as such hens can not endure
the cold.
When making a cross il is much better
TO use breeds for the purpose that they
bear resemblance to "a certain extent to
each other. A cross OF a single comb breed
with a rose comb breed does not result
as favorably rs the crossing of two breeds
that have single combs or two with rose
combs 1t is well known that the single
comb brown leghorn will, II mated with
a Partridge cochin, produce better Off
spring than il mated with the Brahma.
The cochin has single comb and the
Brahma a pea comb. The plumage OF the
brown leghorn and Partridge cochin is
also somewhat similar and in all kinds of
crosses the rule that breeds should be
mated that are similar in many respects
holds good az giving the best results.
Now that the winter will soon be here
the prices OF eggs may be high because
scarcity will exist. IL is not natural Tor
birds to lay in winter. but our domesti-
Gated fowls have been made, by judicious
selection, and adaptation TO conditions
and circumstances, to lay in winter, but
domestication will not influence the fowls
except only under certain conditions.
The first essential in the winter season is
warmth. Warm quarters which protect
from winds, and nutritious food, will en-
able our domestic hens 10 lay in the win
ter but any departure from these condi-
tons will result in failure.
One OF the most popular OF condition
powders on the market contains but little
of value to the hens except shells, but it
has received encouragement especially
for winter use. The real value of the pow
der was that it served to supply sharp
grinding material TO the hens, thereby
assisting to prepare the food for the giz-
Yard, and, of course, promoting digestion.
The proprietor OF the condition powder
was a benefactor TO the hens, as he did
for them that which their owners did not
consider eCessarY-pr0ylde grit. The
hens will always give better results when
supplied with sharp, gritty material, and
il is economical to supply 1t, as there will
be less waste of food and a greater pro-
portion of gain from its use than if no
grinding material is provided.
Causes are overlooked that never make
themselves known. In winter one of the
principal causes Of failure of eggs to
hatch is the freezing OF the combs OF the
males. This is equivalent to a hand or
foot of human being being frosted. The
bird is in great pain, the comb slowly
sloughs off, and until it is perfectly healed
the bird is inactive. Another cause ofthe
failure OF eggs to hatch is the overlooking
OF hens when in close continent, espec-
tally If the food is composed mostly of
grain. This can be remedied by keeping
the hens in exercise and deminish the
amount of food.
But for its dark legs the Langshan.
would reach leading position AS a mar
ket bird. 1t is large in size, abounds in
breast meat, its flesh is juicy and tender,
and the skin is thin, while the bones are
fine. But those who are not prejudiced
against breeds possessing dark legs give
the Langshans the preference, as they are
superior table fowls and excellent layers.
1t may be more troublesome to kill and
dress the poultry, but it pays to do so.
The dressed birds bring higher price in
market, can be shipped more conveniently
and at less expense, and sell more readily
on arrival in market. Live birds seldom
reach their destination without loss. AS
there is often a difference of cents a
pound between live and dressed poultry
the value of a carcass may be increased
from 80 10 40 cents, while the feathers are
also an item OF profit.
If you keep ducks cook turnips for them