The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-07-14
.WOMANRS
COLUMN.
POULTRY AS
A PLEASURE

NhSh bSSdl w TdlSS puullTy ~
gave each OF my children few chick
ems " says a woman In East Tennes-
see, who has much success with this
work, in the hearing OF New York
Tribune contributor. Il wished TO
give them an opportunity to earn
little money and teach them habits
of industry and thrift; but as there
Mere Ave children, making with my.
self six owners of poultry at one place.
this led to unthought OF compiled.
tons. 1t was easy enough to keep the
hens separated. for the children all
knew their own, and lad each one
HameG as Blackie, White, Topknot,
Spec. etc, But taught the children
1t home that spring and every time
a hen cackled they all thought 1t must
be one of theirs. and two or three, or
all OF them must be excused from les
sons go and see whose hen It was,
II vain Imade the rule that they must
walt until after school hours TO hunt
the eggs, or, that only one could go
ut time. Th, ir minds were more on
hens and eggs than on books and les.
sons. There was one hen which II
was very desirable to own. as she laid
an extraordinarily large egg, almost
equal to goose egg. To the children
this hen was almost as important as
the goose that laid the golden egg,
Reing rather large and aged she was
called Granny.
There was such continual swap
ping among the children, selling Oft
and buying up that II WAS relief
when some sGid out to the rest and
10 me, but the work afforded them
money for many extra pleasures or
excursions, and gave them some
knowledge OF the poultry business.
One of the daughters. now married.
is putting her knowledge into prac.
tice, and raised about 200 chickens
last year. The others, being in school.
have retired from the poultry bust.
ness, except at the table.
1--WE began with scrub stock, al
though pretty good layers, but grad.
ually added few pure bred fowls OF
,lifrerent strains.
Plymouth ROCKS are good for both
layers and settlers. and grow rapidly
for young flyers: but do not thinl;
:hey are as desirable as layers as Leg,
horns, and money N chickens is prin'
cipaiiS derived from their eggs
| y usually keep from 90 to 100 hens
through the winter. In December and
January they do not lay much, espe'
,iaily II me Weather Is very cold, but
IN February and March they begin,
ana py easter we are gathering three
or four dozen eggs a day. In cold
weather iced them on hot bran mash
miSed with scraps from the table, add
ing little salt as for bread and a
tourth oil teaspoonful OF black pep
per. OFTEN had also few chopped
potatoes and occasionally a chopped
onion, which IL said to be good for
them IL they are slow to begin lay
ing ! add some poultry food. About 4
| M. scatter corn In dry leaves and
hay or grass and let them scratch
Tor IT. ind 1t good idea to scatter
corn OF wheat screenings after they
nave gone to roost, then 1t Is ready
'or them to scratch in early the next
morning when 1t is cold and bad to
go to fed them early.
~ have very convenient henhouse
S<14xl5. capable Of accommodating
from lob to 15o fowls. In the upper
part ,he plates are extended for
jroosts. The refuse falls from the
slanting roosts to the outside and