The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-04
9uaerspa gntsIligeufes.
Farm Poultry.

The farm poultry, which, during the
summer and thus far in the season
have had little, care. because with
their free range they have been able
to scratch for themselves, must now
have some attention if they are to pay
for their keeping during the winter.
Eggs and good plump fowls for the
table generally bring higher price in
the market in the winter than at any
other time of the year. The wise
farmer takes advantage Of this better
market by being prepared for it.
Before winter fully sets in hens Of
more than year old pass through
theirseason Of moulting in preparation
for the coming cold. When this is
complete, which is generally before
the close of November: the laying
season should commence, and if your
hens are as.well cared for as your COWS
or your horses; they will soon furnish,
you with abundance Of eggs. But
proper care requires that they should
have besides free range to scratch
for themselves, a hen-house, where
they may find shelter from the cold
rains and SHOWS of3the winter, and a
protected and warm roost for the night.
Hens are like animals, the first re-
suits Of their labor must 60 to their
individual needs. If they get just
enough Of food to keep themselves
alive and warm, none Of it will go to
fattening, or to the production of eggs.
A hen must be kept as warm and
warmer than horse if it is to have q
vigorous life and perform its functions
as an agg- g-producer. Fowls must be
kept clean, dry and warm, as well as
have proper range and good food, if
they are to be profitable.
With these conditions, they can be
made more profitable in the winter,
than. in the spring and early summer.
The last years hens will give the
first eggs but soon the pullets will
furnish their quota, and the farmer s
wife will be astonished and delighted
at the dozens of eggs she will have
ready for the market in mid-winter.
A Canadian farmer, at the "Poultry
Association Of Ontario says; 'sIf
fowls have half the care you bestoW
on: your COW or your horse they will
pay q much larger profit than either
the COW or the horse. In fact, a little
hen getting reasonable amount Of
care, is the best paying scritter' on the
farm.
Before winter comes the cockerels
4 Of the summer brood should nearly all
have been prepared for the market or
eaten at home. As sooniasithe laying
season commences in the fall aud
early winter, the males should beskept
from she hens in small separate pens.
On this subject, we quote, from re-
port Of the New York Experimental
Station, which gives results Of ex-
periments on this subject. 1t states
that in two pens z and 8, where the
test was made with an equal number
of pullets of the same kind in each
ssThe pullets in pen 2 without the
male bird, laid about % per cent. more
eggs than the pullets in pen 8, where
the male bird was present" It states
further that the cost Of food in pen Z
per fowl. was little greater than that
in pen 8, but the cost of the eggs was
80 per cent. less in pen Z than in 8,
where the male bird was present.
This experiment which agrees with
Others which have been made needs
no comments. Itteaches its own les
son. It is then stated that eff the
farmer desires fertile eggs and vigorous
chickens from them, he will keep the
male birds separate during the winter
and mate them with his selected
breeding stock at the proper season."
In regard to feed, most farmers
know that hens will fatten on the
grains raised on the farm, wheat, oats
and corn, if these are fed regularly
either by mixture, or with frequent
change. These are improved by
grinding and g little meat added a
couple Of times week. But it may
be vel. to hear what aNova Scotia
expert has to say about feeding laying
hens. he says, "There is nothing
equal to the exclusive use Of meat and
bone with very little of anything else,
and. adds, 81 have forty laying hens
and if i wanted twenty-five or thirty
eggaa day, for week or more to fill
an order I give them all the meat they
will eat at 4 o'clock, and next morning
a pan Of bones, broken or ground, all
they will eat, and the eggs come just
as wanted.
ssWhen market is dull and eggs
plenty / feed them once a day at 4
p. m. and mix the meat and bone with
four grains, ground wheat, oats, bar
ley and peas" This can be tested if
any farmer wishes.
Shivering and hungry hens lay no
eggs.