The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-11-14

ture. But II you are not fortunate
enough to have an incubator and must
trust your choice eggs to the mercies of
tickle hen, after she has manifested a
desire to sit by clucking and being ruff
fled In temper as we'll as feathers, 1t Is
time to find out II she means business.
III so she must stop her foolishness and
get to work. To find out for certainty,
place few china eggs in nest and at
night quietly move the hen to the china
eggs, and If she sits contentedly twenty
four hours she may be trusted with the
eggs selected for her. This find good
precaution, particularly if the eggs are
high priced.
If by some chance she deserts her eggs
during incubation and the eggs become
cold, do not destroy them; try to find an
other hen ready to sit and give her the
deserted eggs. In preparing the nest l
find the shade and seclusion of an orange
tree the most desira BILE. Sprinkle it
with carbolic powder, also the hen. and
repeat a couple of times while she is sit
ting. After the chicks commence hatch
ing do not disturb them for twenty-four
hours; then remove them with their
mother to their coop. At the same time
apply a little melted lard TO their heads
and threats. This will prevent head
ticks from annoying them. Three-quar-
tiers Of all the chicks that die before they
are two months old are killed by vermin
The first feed should be hardboiled egg
chopped finely: after that scalded meat
alternating with rolled oats, and the
evening feed cracked corn or wheat
Give just what they will eat up clean.
Do not make sloppy mash; rather have
it dry and crumbly. You are apt to
drown digestion by feeding three quar-
tiers water to one quarter meal. Let the
natural solvents, the gastric juices, have
a chance. by all means.
The most critical period for chicks is
between the time they drop their downy
coats and put on their full dress of feath-
ers. At this time they must have the
very best of care, or they will drop off
with very little warning. The extremes
of dampness and heat are very severe on
them in this transitory state, especially
so on the Asiatics, which do not feather
out a. quickly as the Leghorn or smaller
breeds. So, if their skins become parch-
ed or burned, little glycerine rubbed
into the skin will greatly relieve the
chicks.
After the hen has left her chicks. or
there are broods of various sizes, the
larger ones are apt to domineer over the
smaller al feeding time. A separate run
therefore is Of great service, but If you
haven't it, very simple ARRANGEMENT
can be made for keeping them separate
while eating. the expense of which is on
ly bundle of lath. In a convenient cor
ner of the yard let row of lath be driv-
en- into the ground at such distance
apart that only the smallest chicken can
pass between. Another row is driven
about two feet further back and an inch
further apart. so that the medium-sized
may pass in, but not the large ones.
putting the food for them outside the
lath. This plan not only prevents quar-
reling but enables the attendant to favor
the young without their being robbed by
the larger ones. 1t must not be forgot
ten that it is highly important to keep
before the fowls supply of fresh, clean
water in which put few nails. Keep
before the fowls air Stacked lime and
oyster shells, which will furnish egg
shell material; also feed literally char
coal, for no one thing is more conducive
to health. Break rather fine and let the
fowls have free access to it.
Poultry also like a change of diet al
most If not quite as we'll as man. I'D
they will thrive much better If attention
is given to them in this respect. Wheat
rice, beans. cracked corn. scalded corn
meal. cooked vegetables and raw onions
chopped fine and green food comes in
for a share of the routine; also an occa-
siofal feed of scalded bran, with gen.
erous. sprinkling of cayenne pepper
added. The efficacy of the latter we test
ed when fertilizing the orchard with
tankage The fowls scratched it up
more quickly than one could cover, but
to our delight they repaid us doubly In
eggs. In conclusion, batten UP all the
cracks in the poultry house. Whitewash
frequently. Do not have the roosts too
high. Do not overfeed or underfeed.