The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-04-08
PonltrY Nofes-N0. G.

Bear in mind constantly that thes
advices, as to feeding and breeding, d,
not give one-purpOse methods, bu
general-purpOse methods. | can give
you a dietary for laying hens that vii
produce more eggs, at a sacrifice, how
ever, Of vigori the Matching season
would show the mistake. So, a diff
ferent system Of feeding young chick:
might be given, that would cause fas
ter growth, but the loss Of life would
be greater, and chicks thus forced
would make poor breeders. / want t.
give you methods that are successful in
raising chicks on free range, chicks
that are healthy, grow fast, and make
good breeders, chicks that are satisfac-
tory for all purposes to the farm-wife
and village matron. These methods
are the most profitable l know Of; by
this, mean that there is a greater diff
ference between cost Of feeding and
value Of product. Just here let me in.
sIst that when the chicks are two days
old, all weaklings and deformed ones
be mercifully decapitated, these no.
only cannot be used as breeders, but
will not pay in growth for half the food
they consume; it is objectionable ex-
travagance to keep such eye-sores on
the place.
Feed the chicks a prepared chick
food for two or three weeks, making
them scratch for every grain Of 1t. Az
ter this time, feed, in the morning
cracked corn, hulled oats, or small
wheat, giving as much variety as pos
sible. In the middle Of the day, give
a little meat Of some kind, as table
scraps, crushed raw bone, or beef scraps
At sun set, give as much Of the mash
advised for laying hens, as they will
eat, in other words, As their crops will
hold. Scatter this on a plank. In Or
der to prevent interference from the
adult fowls, it is best to make a feeding
pen especially for them. This can be
quickly and cheaply done with 3 inch
mesh, ) foot wire netting. Make it six
or eight feet square. When the chicks
are large enough TO eat whole grain,
feed them as you do the adult fowls,
allowing. however, considerable corn.
Corn will fatten laying hen, and stop
the good work, but an active, half.
grown chick, at large, can only benefit
by it. Next month hope to take up
the lice and gapes problem; as warm
weather is almost here, and hundreds
Of chicks are coming into the world,
it Is necessary to give a few suggestions
for immediate needs. Make a small
fire on the dirt floor Of your hen house,
and pile on tobacco stalks or waste to-
bacco, or else set fire to pound Of sui
phur, and close the house tightly. Re
peat this in a week, burn the old
straw in the nest boxes, and apply,
to the whole interior, hot,
thick white wash, to which carboic
acid has been added. With the stump
Of an old broom, paint kerosene oil on
the roOsts and in crevices. Put to-
bacco or insect powder in the nest
boxes, dust sitting hens at least twice;
dust well the nearly-hatched chicks
and the hen at the same time, and re-
peat in two weeks. This is work, but it
pays. To avoid gapes as best you can,
put the hen and chicks in a Slated
front coop, keeping the hen confined,
and allowing the chicks freedom to
range on ground not previously run
over much by fowls. Move the coop
and do not let the chicks
out in the morning until the dew Is
gone. H. G. w.