The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-09-12

POULTRY JoTTlNcs.


Fowls that for any cause are out of
condition are more apt TO fall victims
to h o~nslaughts OF vermin. The feeblc-
ness OF their constitution renders them
impotent to resist the added drain on
their systems.
h moulting period is more or less
of a severe strain on the vitality OF
the fowls. The older hens and those
already depleted from heavy laying are
quite apt to fall by the wayside before
completing their new coat Of plumage.
IL you intend to sell Off a number of
hens to make DON for young stock
better do IL now when laying ceases and
before the moult has a chance to run
them down in iesh Carrying these
hens through the IIoult Ia simply a
waste Of feed and time besides the pos
sibility Of loosing a number.
Don't under any condition allow the
chicks or older fowls to crowd too close
ly at night. Fowls hat are compelled
to spend nine or ten hours out Of TWEEN
ty-four in such hot ~unsanitary quarters
as many do cannot thrive and do as
well as those which have more comfort.
Some of the older chicks will now
need a place supplied with poles for
oSoNc VI ySu VII AlaNG ~
their flying into the trees. All young
stock reach the stage where they want
to fly up and IL poles are provided
where you want them they will use
them. It is much easier to thus pre-
vent their learning to go to the trees
than to get them out OF the trees In
Remember to watch out for old de-
cayed c~arcasses and bones during these
hot days as they are a fruitful cause Of
Timber neck. Many a fine promising
bird has met his death from eating this
spoiled flesh. A fowl nee having suf-
fered the disease is unfit for a breeder.
Burn or bury all such matter that you
find. ..
Do you know that a great deal of the
so-called chicken cholera is caused by
the fowls drinking from ~stagnant rain
water that has accumulated In old YES
sells or low places about the range? 1t
pays to go owe the rarJge n over
turn all such ~receptacles and fill up all
sinkholes for the good Of the family
as well as fowls. 1871
/. The falling out OF the old feathers
and the growing of a new coat is to
fowls what the shedding Of hair is to
other animals, and IL nature has her
way II is accomplished without any
serious disturbance to the system. But
u domesticated hen has been so bred
and changed from her original nature
as to more or less pervert the usual
coure OF nature. The old jungle fowl
Matched during the natural Matching
season came into moulting season just
when the season vas most favorable
and fooc OF the right 1 was most
abundant. In the present domestic
state we hatch out chicks when we
like and the fowls are for the most part
dependent % US to supply their
food In just the proper amount for the
growing of the new feathers and of
the, right Qualitysto do this, and at the
same time preserve their vitality for
future usefulness,
Don't try to doctor the victim OF leg
weakness up and try to keep him Owe
as breeding stock. such birds may
recover and be used for the table, but
will never do to breed from. A good,
vigorous breeder is one that has never
known a sick day. One that never re-
ceived a set back from the egg to the
breeding pen.
Musty or moldy grain will cause a
disease resembling typhoid. Some peo-
pie make a practice OF throwing all
such to their chickens thinking that
mold does not hurt them.
Sunfiower seed fed in small quanti-
ties Is said to materially aid in pro-
| ducing the new coat Of feathers. 1T
is rich in oil and should be fed
.sparingly.
II you md a fowl dead and do not
know the cause, It Is always best to
make a. post mortem examination. II
may be the means Of enabling
you to detect the nature of q disease
just beginning to show UP in your
flock. BY knowing In time valuable
stock may be aved.
It is claimed that a duck cannot
thrive unless able to get the entire
head under water every, day. The nos
'trils become clogged with food and
unless they are able to cleanse them
ever Jay the duck soon ~suffocates.
Whether this Is true or not it is plain
the duck. likes to poke around in the
drinking vessel. He does better IL al
lowed to do so and obviously the wa
ter should be changed often enough
to keep 1t pure and fresh. Swimming
water Is not a necessity, though they
do enjoy 1t immensely. Ducks seem
to have done exceedingly well in
most cases this year. Many who have
had bad luck with their chicken crol
have done verv nicely with ducks.
Oats is undoubtedly the summer
food par excellence, for hens. 1t Is
bulky and rather coarse, however, and
plenty OF range must go along with
IT.
Wheat or bran fed with oats makes
q good combination. Corn should be
eliminated for August entirely, and the
latter days Of July. It is heating and
fattening, w things we most wish tc
fight in the hot weeks. Wheat is ex-
pensive but 1t goes much farther ac-
cording to bulk than corn. Bran will
do about as well and can be obtain
ed much cheaper.
Fowls will vast quantities
of o Or clabber milk In summer
They relish II greatly. The milk ID
good for the making OF bone, muscle
and feathers, as well as having a cool
ing effect on the blood. Try IL ano
see II the fowls do not make more
money out OF milk than II 1t were saved
for feeding the pigs.
--- III. ..