The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-26
The Southern Poultry Yard
NJ


No. 4.
Where tine raising of chickens is the chief
object the first consideration is the obtain
ing Of fertile eggs To this end a sufficient
number of cooks should be kept. One cock
10 six or seven hens is not too many. A suf-
fcient number of hens that are good settlers
must be kept Our common dung hill"
fowls are usually good settlers. The Ply
mouth Rocks and Brahmas and games are
certainly good for the purpose. The nesting
arrangements should be made as perfect as
it is possible to have them. Some poultry
rasers are, of course, b9tter located or Sit
uated for the purpose, and can have many
different places for the locating of nests.
and an advantage will be found in this
usually. Where there is a wide range and
plenty Of shrubbery near the poultry yard
the hens will find numerous nesting places
where they are not likely to be doubled on
or interfered with by other hens. There is
one serious objection, however, TO this pro-
miscuous nesting. The nests are liable to be
broken up by depredators OF one kind or
Rnother--iu may be dogs, it may be rats, it
NAV be- the sons and daughters of Ham. In
some localities and under certain crcum-
Stances this plan does very we'll; but, as a
general rule, it is better TO have nesting
house-or two or three-ln proportion to the
number CT fowls kept The common plan
is TO have single house without any divis-
ion for a seperate nesting place, but having
the roostIng poles in one end and the nests
arranged at the other end. A better plan,
however, is TO have the house divided into
Two apartments with door entering each
from the outside. The opening between the
two apartments need then be just large
enough for the hens TO 20 in and out of one
apartment TO the other. OF course a door
large enough to allow the keeper TO pass
from one TO the other can be made if de-
sired.
In the nesting apartment the nests should
be arranged on all four sides, facing to the
center One row OF nests will usually be
ample to provide seperate nests for all the
hens that should be kept in the house. If
not it will better to put another row Of the
same on top of the others rather than put
ing any in the center. 1t will not confuse
the hens SO much 10 finding their respective
nests. Each rest should beprovidei with O
porcelain nest egg. To make it easier for
the hens to locate exactly their own nests a
COED desire is TO tack small strips of colored
cloth to each nest, letting them hang down
in front of the nest Begin at one corner
with strip Of white. then black, red and so
Oh until the principal colors are exhausted
then repeat until ali the nests are thus
marked. II is decided advantage for each
hen TO have a seperate nest where it is ex-
pected to set them. else they may go In or
some other nest and as a consequence allow
their clutch to spoil. We have had this to
occur frequently until we devised plan 20
enable the hens TO distinguish their own
nests easily.
As stated the center of the nesting apart
ment should be unencumbered with nests 50
as to render it easy to keep the house clean.
At stated intervals the floor should be
cleaned and busted freely with lime. In the
absence OF lime dry ashes can be used. IL
practicable whitewaSh inside OF the two
apartments in the spring at least.
The nest boxes should be just large enough
% set the hen comfortably. In the bottom
OF each nest place three or four iuches of
ciean soil, pressing it in firmly and leaving
IL 10 the shape of basin. Sprinkle over it
teacuprul OF lime and put in a little straw
ana place the nest egg upon it. To insure
protection against mites always on setting
men sprinkle teaspoonful of sulphur over
the nest. If their are any indications of
mites or lice this should be repeated about
week before the time for the hen TO hatch.
II there Is anything in poultry keeping that
Sennoylng and offensive it is the preva-
renee or vermln on the fowls and about the
mouse. Nothing should be left undone to-
Saro preventing their existence, Il does
not require much labor TO do this il the es
sential precautions are taken at the proper
TIME. An ounce of precaution here is worth
apound Of cure
=, II IS part of good management where
sl9 matching out of chickens is the princI-
pa feature to have a number Of hens go to
ao'uhg the same day. Quite a number of
sss may not hatch. In which case it will
% practicable to give 10 two hens all the
es'cKens that may be Matched out by four
u; I'VE hens, and those from which the
StlIckens are taken can be put back 10 lay
issl 10 The course Of couple OF weeks. Even
:, every egg Is hatched (l2 or Is 20 the hem
~ always practicable and advisable TO give
Two hens the chickens Matched ont by
hen the weather gets warm I'm
tp'A Or May one hen can take care Of all
ehlckens Matched by two--it then being
~ question % proper feeding. and nous
No., The broods at night. where they will
On ,,'s, exposed 20 proving animRls-talne
fninl' by carrying out this plan 90 the
ter- extent possible IL is quite practicable
TO- large number o. chickens from
NJ " .Ssuty-tiVe lens and four cocks
w.. on experiences Of twenty years. at the
tiAft u which We learned that corn
a. dough- should he almost entirely
II -s1isd With, We have lost very lev
h,-eels from disease, Small grain should
~. idei a. asfo0d foF The young chickens
~ ne very start For The afst tso ~
NJ ~ ~ either the seed n German mil
Ahseah sheat sag3h b. the only