Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1905-12-15
Agricultural.
PROFITS OF POULTRY.

The droppings from the poultry Cd the
farms of this country that annually are
practically wasted would, if properly
cared Tor, mean a saving in fertilizer
bills of hundreds of thousands of dol
lars in the aggregate l think, however,
very few make any account of it. On
the average farm, if the hens are fortu-
nate enough to have their houses cleaned
at all, the droppings are thrown into an
old barrel left open to the weather. the
ammonia escapes and the result is sog-
gy, sticky mass, of very little account in
the spring.
By arranging roost boards two feet
from the floor, SO the hens can scratch
underneath. then placing roost poles six
or eight inches above these, it is a very
easy matter to save the droppings in
good condition. A good sprinkliDg of
hand plaster should be thrown over the
roost platform, and if not convenient to
hoe Of the droppings once week, keep
throwing on more plaster every two or
three days. This will set ammonia,
keep the hen house sweet and keep the
droppings dry and in good mechanical
condition. When you remove the drop
pings put them in dry place, and if
too moist add more plaster and work
them over, and you have q strong fer
tilizer.
While you are getting ready to save
the droppings, why not roll up your
sleeves and put the whole hen house in
order, and resolve that the hens shall
pay their feed bills this winter, besides
giving you some fresh eggs to use
With little extra care they will do
this. Batten up the cracks and board
up the holes. Hens cannot lay when
they are trying to warm up "all out
doors" with the warmth Of their bodies.
Get couple of old window sashes, gil
them with glass and fit them into the
south side of the house. Hinge them
at the bottom, so that they can be open
ed in at the top in mild weather to give
air. Make box four feet by eighteen
inches, six inches deep and set where
the sun will strike it, and fll it with
road dust or ashes. for q dust bath.
Now clean the house thoroughly. Take
few tea kettles Of boiling water and
pour into nest boxes and every crack
you can find, and lice and mites are
COOKED" Open up the house and dry
it out, and you are ready to put your
stock in. Get a bag of oyster shells
(broken), and keep small box of them
before the hens all the time. They
cost very little and furnish grit and ma
terial for the egg shells. Mix them a
warm mash once day, preferable morn
ing or noon, composed of two parts
cornmeal. four parts coarse bran, two
parts middlings or feed -four and one
part meat food of some kind. Meat
scraps are good if kept dry. If you
have small cabbages, turnips or cattle
beets split one and eive two or three
times week. In addition to the mash,
feed them quite literally of cracked corn,
wheat, oats or barley. Give them q
variety. Its costs no more and the eggs
will come much quicker. Keep dish
Of good, clean water before them ell the
time.
To read about the care of fowls in de-
tail makes it seem quite lot Of work
but when once you get started and give
your poultry the same care you do your
other stock there is nothing on the farm
that will pay as we'll for the money in
vested.
Now is the tine to sort out and sell
the old stock that has passed its useful
ness 1t is safe rule to dispose OF all
Matched previous to 1904 Next spring
set some hens early in April and gel
pullets old enough Cor early winter
layers.
This is no "book poultry keeping"
! AN doing as we'll as have said can
be done, and all can do as we'll if they
will. Keep six inches of straw or chat
on the hen house floor and throw grain
into it. The hens love to dig il out
and need the exercise it gives them -
j. D. Ryther, in New York Tribune
Farmer.