Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-09-11
NOTING OF FOWLS.
Information Anent This Somewhat
Mysterious Process.

mysterious EE0ceSSs
In respect to Time, Noting may be
characterized as early or late. The
younger fowls, as a rule, begin and
complete the molt early. With them
the season runs from July to Septem-
ber The older fowls begin melting
later and often do not complete the
process until cold weather has set In.
With them the melting season extends
from August or September to Novem-
Der or December. Age, therefore, is
usually reckoned as an element in
melting, and the principle is laid down
that the older the fowl is the later
will it be in undergoing the process of
melting. While this statement of the
principle embodies an observed set of
facts, yet it does not state, 1t seems
to me, the real cause of the difference
in time of melting fowls. The real
cause / believe to be a difference in
vigor. AS a fowl grows older it loses
his power of recuperation after effort;
so a fowl loses its power of early molt-
ing, and each year sees the process
deferred to later period. Anything
which will tend to keep up the vigor
of the fowl will also tend to secure for
it an early mott.
Melting, again. may be characterized
as gradual or sudden. Some fowls
will begin to drop few feathers and
at once replace them and will keep up
this process until the whole plumage
has been renewed. They are at all
times completely clothed, although the
clothing during the process is an in
termixture of new and old feathers
of bright and faded colors, producing
a patchy and irregular effect upon the
eye of the beholder. Other fowls will
drop nearly the whole of their plum
age In a few days and for weeks will
''scud under bare poles" look poor.
forlorn and deserted until the new
plumage has had time to grow and
cover their nakedness. The first form
of molting seems to be better for the
fowls, rendering them less liable to
take cold, especially If the mott takes
place in the fall while the second form
has the advantage of having all of the
plumage of the same age and there
fore of uniform brightness and fresh
ness. For exhibition purposes the sec
ond is the better form of mott Why
some fowls should mott gradually and
others suddenly is not known. 1t is
due to some popularity of the consti-
tuition, but what the popularity is and
how it is caused are mysteries.
The old writers used to think molting
a sort of disease, and "molting fever
became common term. We have out
things, but that view of the case indi-
Gated good care should be given to the
melting fowl. That fact can never be
outgrown. Melting fowls should al
ways have the best of care, not because
they are sick, but because the growth
of a new covering makes extraordinary
demands upon their systems, and they
should be aided to meet these demands,
and because of the scantiness of their
clothing they should be protected from
cold winds and rains by comfortable
shelter. AT this time they are liable to
contract colds and other diseases, and
such things should be guarded against,
and because of the strain upon their
system in growing new plumage they
should be literally fed upon food adapt
ed to promote feather growth. Feath
ers are largely composed of nitrogen,
with trace of sulphur, and their COM
position indicates what should be the
character OF the food at this period.
In a state of nature the mott takes
place when birds can obtain liberal
supply of insect life. Bugs and worms
are then abundant, and they furnish
the heterogeneous elements necessary for
feather growing. In state of domesti-
cation the fowls are dependent upon
man for their food supply, and he
ought to furnish the best available sub
stitutes for insect life. These are to be
found in articles of food rich in nitro
gen. Wheat bran, beef scraps, lean
beef, ground bones, oats and wheat,
clover and some other foods are rich In
nitrogen, while corn is deficient in this
element, yet as heat and force are con-
vertible terms. and force is needed at
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niShed to some extent.
For feeding melting fowls the follow
ing formula will be found useful: For
the morning meal give two pints by
bulk of finely ground wheat bran, one
part Of cornmeal, one part of beef
scraps or ground green bone, and to
each quart of the mixture one heaping
teaspoonful of sulphur; mix thoroughly
with boiling water and allow the mix
ture to stand until it is cooled down to
a warmth that enables it to beshandled
without burning.
Foods should be fed warm, but
should never be fed hot. For the even
ing meal give equal partsiof wheat and
oats. At midday feed all the green
clover the fowls will eat. To the,drink-
ing water add small quantity of sui
plate of iron, just enough to slightly
discolor the water and give it a 'brack-
ish taste.-H. s. Babcock lin American
Poultry Journal.