The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-03-01
ELLENsBURc. K1rT1rAs COUNTY, WASH, MAR. I, 1906

should be allotted to each hen. The
building should be high enough to en-
able the attendant to avoid humping
his head against the ceiling.
The best house for fifty to sixty fowls
is 20 by IA feet; front elevation 1-2
feet, back elevation IL feet, with
double pitch roof of unequal span. The
roof, if it is shingled, should have not
less than one-third pitch. If roofing
paper is used, one-quarter pitch will
answer. In. the front, or south, wall
there should be placed two windows
about one foot from the top and three
feet from the ends; Sxl0 inones is a
good-size pane to use in a twelve-light
sash, making the sash about 3 feet 9
inches high, and feet inches wide.
A door 2 feet inches by feet may
be made in one of the end walls, and
also small door in the front wall, for
allow the fowls to pass ia and out
of the building.
The roost platform should be placed
in the rear of the house, extending the
whole length. The platform should
be about 3 feet wide and feet from
the floor, and the perches be placed
about s or 10 inches above the platform.
the nests should be placed against the
end OF the house opposite the door or
under the roost platform, and should
be darkened. Several small boxes for
shell, grit, beef scraps, etc., should be
placed against the wall about 16 inches
above the floor. If cement or wood
floors are used, dust bath should be
provided for the fowls.
In order to obtain eggs, it is nee
essary to have healthy, vigorous stock,
properly fed. In order to do their
best, hens should be fed grain food,
animal food, and green food. They
should be fed enough to keep them in
good condition, but not overfat, and
they should be induced to take plenty
of exercise. No set rules can be given
for feeding, as conditions vary, and
there are ditfererent methods Of feed
ing different breeds.
A good system to follow for winter
feeding is mash once day and grain
scattered in the litter twice day.
The mash may be fed dry or slightly
moistened. When fed dry, it is usually
put into a trough or hopper hung
against the wall and the fowls allowed
access to it at all times.
The mash fed at the Maine Expert.
ment Station is as follows, in the pro-
portions indicated:
200 pounds wheat bran.
100 pounds corn meal.
100 pounds wheat mddlings.
100 pounds linseed meal.
100 pounds gluten meal.
100 pounds been scrap.
Another mash may be mixed as fol-
lows, in the proportions Indicated:
100 pounds corn meal.
100 pounds ground oats
100 pounds wheat bran.
Young chickens should be fed little
at time and often. If they are given
ground food alone, there is great dan
ger of overlooking. Very good results
may be obtained by the feeding entire
ly of cracked grains from the time the
chickens are Matched until they reach
maturity. There are on the market
many prepared chick feeds, consisting
of different mixtures of cracked grains,
which are very suitable. After the
chickens are five or six weeks old, the
prepared chick feed may be dropped
and the chickens fed on cracked
corn, cracked wheat, hulled oats, etc.
If the chickens can not get grass,
some kind of green feed should be
provided. Lettuce and cabbage are
very good for this purpose. Some
kind of meat should be provided, such
as green cut bone or meat scraps.
Finely cracked grit should be kept in
box where the chickens can help them
selves at all times. Water should be
provided from the start, and
should be placed in such dish that
the chickens can not get into it and
get wet.