The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-02-21
POULTRY RAISING.
An Essay Read at the Recent Meet
ing Of the Farmers Institute at
Somerset.
BY A. J. sESlBowER.
BY A. J. sEalBowER.

American Hen, OF whatever variety o
family she may be, as she is found il
almost every home ia Somerset county
For egg production we would prefer th'
Leghorn family; for market exclusive
ly, we believe the Plymouth Rock is a
the head Of the list on account of hard
iness, rapid growth, large size, yellow
skin, etc. The Hamburgs are beauti
full, and we are likely to fall in Low,
with them; perhaps they are as good
layers as the Lsghorns, but they are
less hardy, and are, on that account,
harder to raise. The Leghorns surpass
all others as foragers, and would moi
suit Peter Tumbledown on that ac
count, as his fences are in bad shape,
and they would succeed in narrowing
his garden and devOuring the worms,
bugs, and Peters garden seed. We be-
lieve one Plymouth Rock will consume
as much feed as two IeghOrns; and
eggs from the LeghOrn variety. For
table use the LeghOrn has finer-graineG
and sweeter meat than the Plymouth
Rock. But, we don't want to argue; we
want to defend our little friends, as we
have already said, regardless of name.
We have a few thoughts on little
chicks, and we remark that an ounce
of prevention Is worth a ton of cure.
l have lived on farm for about four
teen years, and we have never been
troubled with gaps or any other disease
among our little chicks.
LITTLE CHICKS.
All food for little chicks in the form
of grain or meat should be cooked.
They can be raised on cracked corn
alone, but, at four weeks old they will
not be any larger than they should he
at two weeks, and at maturity they will
be from one to several pounds under
weigh /. And why? Because raw corn,
particularly, IS in no way constituted
to supply the wants of a growing chick.
Would you think of feeding your week
old calves or colts corn? The chicks
first meal should be dry oat flakes or
rolled oats, and the first two days moth
ing else save plenty of fresh water,
sweet milk, and-quiet. Then bread
aud milk; then bread sOpped in meat
broth; then millet seed and cooked
meat; then cooked small grains of all
sorts, followed by dry grain-all they
will eat-kept in a clean vessel of some
kind. Do not place the coop at this
season Of the year (Summer) in the hot
sun. Shade is better; and keep them
at q distance from any other coop or
fowls. Let the old hens out every day
it does not rain after the dew is con-
sumed by the heat of the sun. Lock
for lice morning, noon and night.
MAKING HENS LAY.
No flock of hens can lay ia the poul-
try-house is cold, as it requires too
Iuuch food to create warmth for their
bodies, they will be unable to produce
eggs simply because the cold takes from
them the elements that should be de-
voted to egg production. Warm shell
ter, therefore, saves food, and it is much
cheaper to make the poultry house
warm than to purchase warmth in the
shape of grain. Neither can hens pro-
duce eggs unless their food contains the
elements Of which the egg is composed.
AS the egg is more than nine tenths
water, the importance Of supplying the
hens with all the water they require
can not be too strongly urged. Water
not only enters int the composition of
an egg as the leading substance, but it
fdlfills other purposes. 1t is essential
to the bird as a solvent to the food when
hard grains are fed. To the gizzard,
that grinds the grain to powder, the
water is thus necessary to assist the di-
gestion and to convert the food into
blood. 1t is generally supposed that
birds are not partial To clean water, and
will drink from filthy pools, but the
fact is, the hen is rather fastidiOus, and
will always prefer pure water and clean
food when she can get them. Well
cured clover hay, cut into half inch
lengths, mixed with equal parts of
good wheat-bran, wet with boiling wa
ter, covered to keep the steam in, aud
left standing over night, makes the
very best egg producing food. Bran
contains a much larger proportion Of
lime than any other cheap food that is
derived from grain; and, rs the shells
of eggs are composed of lime, it is es-
sential that food rich in lime be pro-
yided. 1t may be urged that the use Of
oyster-shelIs will provide lime, but it
will be found that it is the lime in the
fool that Is the most servieeable, be-
cause it is in form that can be better
digested and assimilated than carbon
ate of lims. Clover is also rich in lime;
and when a mash of cut clover and
bran is given, the fowls will need no
oyster-shells as a source from which 10
provide lime for the shells of eggs.
Where stock is fed clover there is al
ways supply of broken clover-heads
an leaves; use these with the cut clo-
ver-hay. For small flock of poultry
the clover may be cut by simply taking
it up ia large handfuls and clipping it
off with pair of shears, but for large
flock it will require a cutting-machine
to furnish the supply. On account Of
the laxative tendencies of the bran the
clover-mash should be fed only every
other morning.
CUT STRAW OR cHAFF ON THE FLOOR.
Ths importance of using cut straw or
chaff on the poultry-iioOr during cold
weather serves to keep the house warm.
Use literally, covering the floor to the
depth of two or three inches, and, when
feeding whole grain Of any kind, scat
ter the grain in the straw or chaff The
hens will be induced to scratch, which
will be beneficial to them, promote the
appetite, and induce laying. or course,
this litter on the fioor of the house or
shed will become very foul by constant
use, and it should be frequently renew
ed. The poultry-house should be kept
sorupulously clean, and free from YER
min. The droppings are valuable, aud
should be taken care of. The straw in
the nests should be changed frequently,
and Lee'g Lice Killer used freely.