Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-11-07
Summer Conditions in Winter.

summer Conditions in Winter
If you would have hens lay at sea-
sons of the year when eggs are
scarce and bringing a good price,
the thing to do is to provide condi-
tions which will be conducive to egg
production. Laying hens depend
less upon seasons of the year than
they do upon the weather, and this
being the case, all poultry keepers
should provide comfortable quarters
for the hens at all seasons Of the
year. Why is it that the hens that
are IN healthy and laying condl
tlon, stop laying as soon as the first
cold snap comes? 1t is a matter
that is worthy OF the attention OF all
poultrymen, and is serious thing
when eggs are selling for twenty
cents per dozen. There is q cause
for this. 1t Is not because of lack
of food. 1t Is not due to disease.
The cause is lack Of warmth. while
the heat of the body comes from
the food, yet the cold may be so in
tense that digestion is not sufficient
ly rapid TO create the heat necessary
to protect the bird against the cold.
All the cold wind that touches the
body, or air that is inhaled is warm
ed by the bird, and that wal NTH
may be lost SO rapidly as to cause
the hen to suffer from the cold. Egg
production ceases because natures
first effort will be to protect the
bird before 1t is permitted TO do ex-
ira work in production. The remedy
for this is simply to guard against
loss OF animal heat. L his may be
done by keeping out the cold winds,
by providing sheltered and sunny
places for the hens by feeding warm
food and giving warm water, and
by giving the hens Gheir grain food
in such way as to induce exercise
and keep them busy from early
morning until night. If you wish
your hens to lay in winter as they
do in summer, they must have sum-
mer conditions. a great many people
compel their fowls to roost in an
old ''lean TO she'd" with a leaking
roof and cracks all around the sides
three inches wide, under the i'm
preston that it is healthier for the
fowls and that it Will keep down
lice. There never was greater mis-
take! Such house ~ as that causes
the birds to take cold, which results
in Group; and is an excellent harbor
for vermin. It is impossible to keep
such house clean, and filth is the
forerunner of nearly all the diseases
to which fowls are subject. If you
allow your fowls to roost in such q
shed as that you are guilty of one
of the meanest and most contemp-
tible acts that the human and civil
ized race is capable of, that of
cruelty to dumb animals!
HOUSE FOR ONE FLOCK
A house 10 # long, # wide, 7 #
high in front and 81 # high at the
back is large enough to accommo-
date Is hens comfortably. ] he roof
should be covered with tarred roof
ing paper, and the cracks all around
the side should be battened with
inch stuff to prevent draughts. On
the south side should be placed two
sash with four s x 10 lights each,
These should be hinged so that they
may be opened in the day time te
purify the house. Place droppings
boards # wide across the back o.
the house about # above the sills
This arrangement allows you ts
place the nest boxes under the
droppings boards, and enables tht
hens to enjoy the rest of the fool
space as scratching room, which
should be covered about 10 inchel
deep with straw or leaves in which al