Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-03-15
Hens Will Lay in the Winter

The time was. and not so long ago
either. when farmers wives depended
pn packing away enough eggs in the
fall to supply their winters tables, new
ar thinking OF depending Oh the hens
furnishing enough eggs for cooking pur-
poses in cold weather.
Nowadays we nave learned different.
We have grown to demand more, even.
than this OF our flocks. We expect them
no only to supply our table. but also to
d a neat little sum to our bank ac-
count from the sale of fresh winter eggs
on the market.
Plenty of farmers focks are doing
this. Is yours:
If not. whose fault IS It: Do you sit
aroun n complain that 1t is Just
your luck to have your hens wear them
selves out in unlner when eggs are 10
cents a dozen. then lay around Idle
when other people are selling eggs at
80 cents? Do you charge the whole ac-
count to the breed. the natural contrari-
ness of hen nature. or to your own ig-
norancc or carelessness Of correct meth
DDS OF breeding and feeding for eggs?
1t Is true. II we are going to get eggs In
abundance this winter We should have
begun with the pullets last spring. or
even earlier. when we chose u breed
Ing stock last winter. The pullets for
this winters layers should have been
fed for that purpose from the time they
were forty-eight hours old. 1t is too
late to think of that now, SO far az this
winters eggs are concerned. 1t might
be we'll right now to make q note in
regard to next years layers, however.
But as to this winters laying stock:
good care and tudicious feeding can yet
go a long way toward assisting in fill
Ing our 81 baskets.
To get eggs we must feed s,,ch foodo
az are rich In the properties that go to
make up an egg. Just as the dairy
man feeds for milk those COWS intended
for that purpose. with milk producing
food. so must we feed for eggs. and
not for meat II eggs are what we are
after.
There are as many different ways
and times of feeding as there are diff
ferent successful feeders. The thing
Tor each one to do Is to choose some one
method and stick to it. Don try to
experiment with every theory Won hear
advocated or you will fail.
We like to feed whole grain in the lit
ter In the morning so fowls come off the
roost and go right to work getting their
own breakfast and at the same time
working up an appetite for it. We put
the grain in the litter at 4 O'Clock the
day before no they can eat as long as
they feel like scratching for 1t at night,
and there will be enough left for break
fast. NO fowl 10 going to Over-eat at
night II she has to scratch it out her
self. at the same time they will not go
to roost till they are satisfied IL 1t is
there for them to get. They go to roost
with the warm blood aglow in their
veins from exercise and sufficient en-
erEy to digest their food and at the
same time keep their bodies warm. II
the weather is too severely cold we
warm corn and oats quite warm at
night and don't leave quite SO much
In the litter. then warm u little more
early In the morning and scatter for
them. otherwise we do not feed any
thing in the morning but drink.
When weather is at all cold we warm
all Thinking water. giving only a little
at a time and reflling the vessels often.
At noon we give bran and clover lea yes
mixed with milk quite dry in troughs.
We also have clover and alfalfa handy,
where they a get 1t at all times.
Glover. alfalfa and skim milk are great
81 food and should be furnished in
abundance. We give meat scraps and
pounded IN about twice a week. The
mash we do not iced hot. simply warm.
and have 1t just az dry as can posi-
bly, be eaten by the fowls: indeed. we
often do not wet 1t at all. but put 1t
where fowls can get 1T just when they
like. At nrst they didn't care for 1t in
freely IL drink is handy.
But hens however well and wisely
ed: cannot lay eggs IL they are
obliged to use up all their energies
keeping warm at night. They must
have warm. snug quarters II they are
to give best results. 1t ia unnecessary
and free from vermin. Water should
be kept by them continually az a
large part OF the composition OF an
' 8 Is water. In winter too close atten-