The morning news., 1891-10-12

l..
Don,t fail to send in something, and send
as early as possible.
The Southern Poultry Yard.
No. 2.
Below the34th parallel of latitude poultry
need comparatively little protection in the
winter time. Some of our winters are Sc
vera enough to warrant the housing of
noultry perhaps six to eight weeks during
December and January, but at least two
winters out of three there is no need for
warmer roostlng places than is afforded by
our cedar or wild olive trees. The regular
poultryman, however, will find it to his in
terest to provide good shelter for his fowls
during the winter. More eggs will be OBJ
tained when the fowls are sufficiently pro-
| ected from the cold rains. In q properly
| managed poultry yard in q southern cline
is the eggs that are laid during the win
ter that bring the most money, and where
good breed of fowls are kept the egg har-
vest should begin in October. Hens that
have been properly fed during the moult-
ing season--August-Septe begin
to lay in October and keep it up for six
months almost uuinterruptedly.
1t is a mere question OF good breed, good
bod and water aud good protection from
be weather whether hens will lay or not in
he winter. About Christmas tune eggs are
worth two to three times what they i'll
/ bring in the spring and summer. and it is
The wise poultryman that VII produce all
| tbs eggs possible from October to January.
/ The majority of farmers and household
Ts are not willing to undergo the expense
Of properly constructed poultry house,
/ and choose to let their poultry roost in the
trees whether evergreen or not, and take
what eggs they will give under such treac-
nent. If the winters are warm-such as
l%9-90 proved to be-With proper food they
vlllay about as many eggs as they would If
ksptin house, but in severe winters this is
not the case. For $40 or SIS very fair
poultry house adapted to the protection of
o9hens or more can be constructed any
where in the south. 1t is some advantage to
have the house front the south and use .
few window sash to admit light and accu-
mulate fair amount of heat during the
period OF sunlight
At any rate the house should be thor
oughly closed on the north, east and west
sides. Hens properly protected from the
northwest and east winds will be sufficiently
.pro ected to enable them to convert a fair
proportion of their food into eggs steadily
curing the winter. Or course the common
stock Of the country cannot be expected to
do this, but good lay ing breeds like the
leghor,is, Minorcas, Black Spanish. Games
ana Plymouth Rocks can easily he induced
TO furnish an egg day during the winter
months.
The winter poultry house should be SO
constructed as TO render it easily kept per-
fectli clean. No wate-' should be allowed
To run into it from the outside. An earthen
floor is the best, and this should be kept COW
cred with good layer Of pine straw.
Wheat or oat straw can be used, but pine
straw is better and. ia she south, is usually
the most econ 1mical From time to time
Ii should be removed and replaced with
clean straw. Absolute cleanliness should
he aimed at Pure water must be furnished
theowls in iron vessels. and so placed that
hMlnct esoiled by droppingS. In freezing
weather it will be necessary to carry the
fowls water that has been heated. A warm
feed Of scme kind should be given twice a
day during such weather-early in the
morning ard late in the afternoon.
wheat bran mash with turnips or potatoes
oolled with it is a good egg producer, but
lot ordinary weather the wheat and cat
mixture with some boiled turnips or pota-
Toes Is all that will be necessary. A few
ears Of corn that have been baked until all
N' ~uaiIeu ID very USlDlul auulJlOu 10
the reproducing food. AS previously re-
marked, a box of bone meal should be kept
~ diy place for the fowls to pick, as they
may teel the need of it. In one corner OF
Ihe house gocd-sized shallow box of dry
9shes should be provided for the hens to
aust themselves in. Mix a quarter or half
pound OF sulphur with the ashes. This
proves an almost perfect protection from
nlltes. 10 make the protection from insects
nd hi
soe OIL the house thoroughly, and sprinkle
tne roosts occasionally with kerosene, and
nke"lse occasionally dust the pine straw
WIN lime. Every precaution that is reason
aole should be taken to prevent the pres
sace OF lice or mites Hens will not lay we'll
infested with mites or lice.
ABOUT quarter of the dry food furs
uSneo should consist of parched wheat or
Arched corn will answer mixed with the
'ther grain.
long, light trough, made by mailing two
sncn plank together, should be provided
,or ieedlng purposes. This can be any
ength from tea to twenty feet long. At
eedlng time lay this down on the floor and
IIead the food along the whole length of it.
aver the food has been consumed stand the
sOuEn up either inside or outside the house
"Ihat 1t will not get soiled II preferred
'eral short troughs may be used instead
lone long one.
lae bran Inashes and turnips can be
pead along in this trough as well as any
gnn food
never put the food on dirty floor for the
~A to eat from.
he not have the roosts one above the other,
s arrange all on the same plane. not
G GI lour or five feet from the floor and
"aVe to fifteen inches apart
/ Onion (-fsA fv.4
~. T., Anedonda, Fla, asks for infor-