Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-07-12
gricultural Lore :

flock when some one tells him t
with dry feed and close pen me
wear round and no green food wna.-
ever he is getting an enormous egg
yield? It suggests one Of two or three
things-namely, that there is lot OF
lying about egg production and the
hen business generally, or that no
two fiocks can be fed alike unless the
same care is given them and the same
conditions are supplied, or that a
change of diet from the extreme not
mash" to the other extreme OF dry
bran is beneficial, and vice versa, OF
that what succeeds at one time Will
come far from succeeding at another
time, or that one must try one plan
and another and another until ne fnds
one that suits his flock. There is
danger of being sidetracked if we
listen to every story told about get
ting eggs in winter and follow all the
advice that is given to US.
There are few things that may be
called basic principles in keeping
hens, to which if one will adhere he
will get eggs in paying quantities. In
the first place one must have a good
strain. Whatever breed is chosen
Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, Leghorns
or whatever it is, the laying strain
must be obtained in order to get re-
suits. There are Barred Rocks that
grow big and lay many eggs. It is
this strain of laying hens that must
be secured. In the next place late
Matched pullets will not lay eggs be-
fore January. To get early eggs, in
November and December, the pullsts
must be Matched in March or early
in April. Proper feed and care win,
if the two essentials named are secur-
ed, produce satisfactory results.
AS to feed, it is disconcerting to at
tempt to follow every idea suggested
in a community of poultry-raisers
where there will be almost as many
methods as there are men. One
poultry paper says ''the dry mash has
come to stay" which is probably
true. 1t is easier and simpler and in
some respects safer to feed dry than
wet food. But whether one adheres
to the hot mash or the dry mash hens
need bran and corn-meal, middlings or
shorts, with plenty of grit and oyster
shells and water. For whole grain
they need corn and oats and wheat
and buckwheat and barley or what
ever grain the farm produces These
grains must be fed in proper proper
tons to obtain results; and any go
farm paper will give these. Too
much corn will produce fat; too little
will keep the stock poor This general
idea will govern any one in feeding.
Some sort of meat scrap or ground
bone is generally useful and cabba;Ap
or beets once in a while. SO
As to care, one essential is cleanii-
ness. Keep the pans clean, and the
roosting place dustel with sifted
coal ashes, and to fight the lice, spray.
with kerosene or some of the mixtures
made for the purpose. The pens
should be dry and light and airy, with
out drafts, and warm enough in cold
weather, so that the combs will not
freeze. At least as warm as that. In
severe weather hens will do fully az
well to be kept in their houses. Ex-
posture to cold north winds will stop
the laying. In the next place one
should study the needs of his own
flock. What will do for his neignbor's
flock may not do for his. exeept nv
adapting it, which one must do for
himself what will be most beneficial in
food and care of his wn flock. and
while he may listen to every tale with
| advantage ne will be wise to make
changes slowly.