Willmar tribune., 1900-10-31
TIE HEN IN AUTUMN.
AT No Other Time OF the Year Does
Poultry Require More Care or
Thoughtful Con nsideratiOn.

Probably at mo- season of the year
do the hens require better care than
in the fall months. The long-contin-
ued labor through the spring and
summer months has run the vitality
of the egg producing hen very low.
It is not only necessary that they
have chance to recuperate, but ma
ture should be aided in replenishing
the feathery coats. In the first place,
Gull your flock and get rid of all un-
desirable stock. Select only the best,
all stunted, ;,lndersized pull
let's; sell these along with all hens
that have passed their second year.
See that your entire flock is COM
posed of healthy, vigorous birds. Bet
ter keep fewer hens than to have
portion of the flock composed of
scrawny. understood birds that lack
the snap and vitality so necessary to
a hen that will buy her own feed and
pay profit. ~, ~,"- w
A great many farmers make the sad
mistake of neglecting to provide the
poultry with proper rations at this
time of the year, simply because they
are not reaping rich harvest of eggs.
Now is the time to get the flock in
proper shape to reap a good harvest
of eggs when prices rule highest.
And it seems that there should be
good supply of various foods on the
farm at this time of the year. There
are screenings from the thresher,
small potatoes from the field, which,
cooked and mixed with wheat bran,
make an excellent feed, while oats,
sorghum tops, sunfower seed, millet
and Kaffir corn are splendid food for
the molting hens. Then as butcher
ing time approaches care should be
taken to save every scrap of the offals,
which should be cooked and fed to
the poultry. It is surprising how
much food may be saved just from
one beef. The head can be chopped
into small bits SO that the hens can
eat most all of it: the entrails can be
cleaned, cooked and chopped up so
that the hens can convert portion
of such rich food into cash, market
able product in the shape of a goodly
supply of eggs. The molting hens
should have small allowance of corn.
as they will be generally found light
in weight and the corn will add flesh.
They should have plenty of grit.
It is impossible to have a healthy
flock unless they have good digestion
and good digestion isSimpossible with
out plenty of grit. A small allow
ance of sulphur, given once or twice
a week will not only help to keep the
flock healthy, but will also furnish
one of the elements necessary for
feather production.
If the poultry have an unlimited
range it is not so necessary to sup
ply a meat ration, but if they are
supplied with meat food in some
form or other, it will greatly aid in
the molt. The poultry should have a
good supply of pure water, placed in
cool place and where it will be ac-
cessible to them at all times. Butter
milk and .kimmilk make an excellent
drink, while the cheese made from
clabber is not only a. wholesome, but
much relished food. Plenty of shade
should be provided, as the hot rays
of the sun are not relished by the
half-naked hens. A good, dry, dusty
place under the floor of some build.
ing is highly appreciated by them and
it is at places of this kind that most
of the dropping feathers will be
found. If no other shade is to be
had, make one by leaning some boards
against the cool side of a building
p. e. Higgins, in Ohio Farmer.