The Yale expositor., 1906-10-12
THE MoULTING SEASON.
II Is a. Time Of Severe Drain and
Testing Upon the Fowls.

At no time during the year are
fowls under so heavy a drain upon
their vigor as during the moulting sea-
son. At this period, IL there is any
weakness among individuals of the
flock, it is pretty sure To manifest it.
self. Unless the fowls receive proper
food and attention, poor after results
may follow in lack of egs production,
or weakness in the chicks from that
stock the following year. Fowls are
also more susceptible to the attacks
of lice and mites during this time.
During the moult. egg production
falls OFF, or practically ceases for
awhile. Owing to the decrease in egg
production, there is sometimes ten
dency toward diminished interest in
the poultry on the farm, and they are
left pretty much to themselves, and
attention be bestowed to better ad-
vantage than during the moulting sea-
son.
Fowls on free range are able to do
with less attention than those in
yards, because of the variety of food
they pick up, in the worms and in
sects, says Orange Judd Farmer.
Still, they would do much better for
their owner, If he gave them more
attention. 1t is well to remember
which hens moult early, and dispose
of the late moulting birds when the
time comes to kill or sell.
l find that by keeping the fowls In
fairly warm house and feeding well
with the right kind of food at about
moulting time, that they will moult
easily and at the right season. Fowls
that roost on trees or in sheds exposed
TO the winds, are apt to moult much
later. ] believe forcing an extra early
moult has grave disadvantages. The
production of an entirely new coat of
feathers requires the consumption of
a great deal of the right kind of food.
or this food, l consider sunfiower
seeds and beef scraps or insects,
worms, etc, highly important Sun
flowers are easily grown, and their
seed can be used to great advantage
during the moult. The oil in the seed
is considered good. not only for the
growth of feathers, but also To put
upon these a fine gloss without giving
the creamy tinge, in white varieties OF
fowls, which corn is apt to cause at
times. Fowls in yards should have
plenty of meat, either in the form of
scraps or meal during this period;
those on free range do not need so
much.
During the moulting season, heavy
feeding can be given with little danger
of any of the fowls becoming too fat,
and will have a tendency to make
them moult freely, easily and quickly.
l do not mean by this TO keep the
fowls yarded and feed heavily with
corn as the principal food, for this
also will tend to make them moult
late. but by giving them variety of
grain, oats being especially good In
this respect, and the foods mentioned
above best results are obtained.
The main things to bea- in mind
are to have the fowls in a comfort
able, warm house, to feed well, to let
them get insects, etc, or supply this
animal food with meat in some form,
to feed sunflower seed or else small
quantities of oil meal, to use oats
with the other grains, and carefully
to watch the fowls during the time,
and notice which moult early or late,
and help those that moult hard by
penning them by themselves and Civ.
ing them special attention.