The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-03
FARM AND GARDEN TALK
Poultry in Winter.

Kansas Correspondence Indiana Farmer.
Have everything arranged in the way
OF housing and yards so that you can
promptly take care of your poultry dur
ing the first storm of the winter More
harm can be done the fowls during the
first storm if not protected than you can
repair in a month or more thereafter.
The farmer knows well that the rule ap-
plies well to all farm stock. and just as
we'll to the poultry.
Good housing Tor poultry in winter does
not require heating stoves, pipes, etc. but
Just good tight houses, and let the size
of the house conform TO the size of
the flock 1t is astonishing the tempera-
ture a flock of healthy chickens can keep
up in good. tight house. There is but
little danger of combs freezing during
the daytime in the scratching pen if it
is tight, with plenty OF glass in the south
side. The greatest danger of combs freez-
ing is at night, when the roOsting quar-
ters are too large for the flock. This
should always be taken into considera-
ton in building poultry houses. No poul-
try house is complete except that ii is
in two apartments-One for rOOsting and
the larger one for the scratching room.
The rOOsting quarters may be no larger
than TO accommodate the fowls when sit
ting on the roosts. 1t is the day house
fowl q chance to scratch.
Watering poultry in winter is a diff
icult problem, and there is no plan that
is successful that does not require fire.
quent attention. Earthen vessels are the
best and the most easy to keep pure and
clean. There is danger OF their freezing
and breaking. but only If neglected. Usu-
ally the water viii not freeze in tight
building where the flock is large enough
to keep an even temperature. Renew the
water if necessary, and empty every YES
a
water in the morning during the coolest
weather. Water should not be left in the
drinking fountains over night for the chick
ems to drink i'm the morning.
Fowls should not have any free range
during the winter, but should be kept
strictly yarded up, and only let out in
the yards during fine days. Keep them
in on cold mornings until the day brings
a mild Observation-Disclosures in the
middle of the forenoon, and frequently
not until noon. 1t does not make chick
ems hardy TO expose them TO cold wealth
er. but they must have plenty of pure
air, which they usually get without ven
! tilatOrs or openings in the coolest of
weather. Fowls are not well prepared
! to run out in the snow and storms as
/ other stock for they have only bare feet.
/ which should never come in contact with
| snow and frozen ground. They should be
| provided with Clean dry straw
Never use sloping roosts, and thus have
| one roost above another. Place them all
! on "a level and within two feet OF the
/ breed of fowls Some of the heaviest
! broOds refuse 10 rOost up at all, and
! these should have straw 10 sit on, and
must be changed frequently. The Coch-
| ms and Brahmas are not inclined to roost
! very high, and often prefer to sit on the
! floor They may be induced to roost up
| by placing the rOosts six inches from
! the floor and it is much better to thus
get them 10 do so, as they will keep much
| cleaner. Do not use small, light poles
| that will spring down with the weight
| of the fowls on them. Two by four scant-
| ling are none too heavy for roosts.
| Learn to feed your fowls wisely. So
many people make mistakes in feeding.
/ They either do not feed enough, or they
! feed too much. You know when YOU
have enough TO eat yourself, and the
! fowls acts just about you do when
! they have enough, and then is the time
| to stop throwing feed to them. Overfee6-
/ ing is bad and brings on disease and stops
| the egg flow. Feeding three times a day
cannot be practiced by any one but an
| expert, and keep up good results, so that
l il is best not attempted Feed twice a
day is a good rule to follow, and never
any more than the fowls will eat up
| clean.