Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-11-25
WINTER CARE OF FOWLS.

The winter profits to be derived from
flock of fowls largely-very largely
depends upon their housing and
keeping It is unreasonable to expect
hers kept in a cold, damp. filthy house
to produce eggs. and they simply will
not do it. It is much easier to fix the
house up now than it will be after
the weather gets cold, in fact, the
chances are ten to one that if the
repairs are not made before cold
weather set in they will not be made
at all and the result will be lot OF
roupy, sniveling, profitless hens and
disappointed owner, says the Amer
lean Cultivator. The little cracks in
the poultry house are what play havoc
with the flock, especially if they are
where they will allow little currents
of air to reach the fowls when on the
roosts. Fresh air is beneficial when
properly supplied, but where it is
filtered through cracks or knot holes
it will cause death and disaster.
It is very easy matter to make the
poultry house warm and comfortable,
even though it be an old building. All
that is necessary is to cover it with
some good roofing paper-both roof and
side walls apply coat of tar, with
a little fine gravel on the roof, and II
the job is properly done you will have
a house that will be absolutely wind
and waterproof. If the roosts are
on the north side of the room, it isn't
bad idea to cover the interior at the
back of the roosts with building paper,
first giving the walls coat of tar to
prevent lice from breeding under the
paper. If new buildings are to be
erected, it should be attended to at
once, so that they may become thor
oughly dried out before closing up for
the winter. If the poultry house. is
damp at the beginning of winter 1t
will remain so until spring, unless the
ventilation is exceptionally good.
Even when building new houses we
would advise that they be covered
with roofing paper and coated with
tar. The object of tight house is
not only TO keep the cold from coming
in, but to conserve the animal heat
constantly emanating from the bodies
of the fowls.
A good but somewhat dangerous
way of determining whether there are
any drafts around the roosts is to light
match and hold it in the hand. II it
burns evenly and steadily you can be
certain that there are no drafts, but
if it fickers or the blaze is unsteady,
going to one side or the other, there is
draft, and its source should be dis
covered and corrected. We would not
advise this test. however, where
there is much litter or other inf1am.
mable material in the house. The
poultry house should be kept clear
at all times, but it is especially
important it be given a thorough
cleansing and disinfecting before clos
ing up for the winter. The whole
interior should be whitewashed
adding about one-half pint Of crude
oarbolic acid to each gallon Of wash
Care should be taken that the lime i.
forced in every crack and crevice
All old litter and nesting materia
should be removed and burned, ant
new supplies the roosts and dropping
boards should be painted with som,
good liquid lice-killer and in fact ;
general cleaning up is necessary if tn,
fowls are going to be comfortable an,
profitable.
Even after the houses are put il
5 good shape there are numerous othe
: matters that must be looked afte
e before one is fully prepared for tn
e winter. Arrangements must b
: made for supply of green feed with
!. out which the fowls will not do thei