The sea coast echo., 1897-05-15
POULTRY TALK.

In hatching and caring for chickens
one cannot follow any set OF rules
laid down by another, even il they
are successful poultry raisers, writes
Mary 3. Stetson. At any rate that is
my experience. SO much depends
upon the breed OF chickens, the
weather and various other circum-
Stances.
OF course, there are general rules
for cleanliness, feeding, ETC., and it is
well for the amateur to study tho OK.
perience OF others; but it seems to be
natural law that one must learn many
things by experience.
use only eggs from my choicest
fowls for Matching. lain to hatch oil
can care for in good shape, and no
more.
We Gull out the poorest fowls to use
on the table; the next grade are sold
to farmers about home who do not
expect to keep the breed pure, hence
are not particular as to the exact NUM-
Der OF points on the comb oil, the
color OF ear lobes and legs, so they
are good breeders. The highest scor-
ing ones we ship to fanciers and those
who wish to keep them pure.
have two rooms especially for the
breeding fowls, although they serve
other purposes at different seasons Of
the year. They are fitted up with
nests and roosts. There is an OPEN
ing from each into good-sized yard
of wire netting. The houses of which
these rooms are n part are some little
distance from each other.
1t is better not to keep too many
fowls in one building. even il it is
large. Smaller houses and moro Of
them is my theory.
j In February / select my finest pull
lets and hensand place in these rooms.
Each yard is headed by cook; bet-
tor il not related to the hens.
The number OF hens to one male
depends much upon the breed. With
mine --the Leghorn-I can mate about
fourteen hens to ono male, but with
heavier breeds six or eight would per-
haps be better.
1t is good plan to mate old hens
with cockerels, and pullets with an
older male.
never use male bird after IL is
two years old, although it might do
well il. active aud we'll.
As to time of mating, poultry rais-
ers differ. Some say ten days, others
twenty, before the eggs are wanted
for Matching. / prefer to separate
them quite early in the season, then I
can give them extra attention, and
they need it in order to have the eggs
fertile. They get all the meat scraps,
egg shells, etc.. which / can provide
for them. 1 give them warm mashes
daily and a variety in grains -wheat,
barley and oats being given the pref.
erence.
Once week I stir in tablespoon.
full Of sulphur to large kettle Of
mash--this being vegetables boiled
until tender and thickencd with ground
feed (oats and corn or barley and corn
which is kept for our mitch cows 1t
is said that sulphur helps to make the
eggs fertile. 1t is we'll not to use it
too freely, however, as it might make
the fowls tender and liable to take cold,
They are well supplied with fresh
water, skim milk, charcoal aud grit in
the shape OF ponnded-up crockery.
AS soon MS there are green things
growing" they have their share. / pull
up tender grass, strip lcayes of the
willow trees and rob the lettuce and
kale beds.
The eggs are gathered every day,
and il several hons lay in one
nest It is well to gather them twice
day, for If an egg becomes cool and
then is warmed up again it is not apt
to hatch SO we'll.
Keep the eggsiu a cool place, turn
every day, and do not use them for
Matching after they have been kept
long-the fresher the better. Farm,
Field aud Fircside.