The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-02
HOW TO GET EGGS IN WINTER.
The Progressive Farmer.

ing during the winter months, /
thought probably an outline of my
plan of feeding might be Of help to,
some Of your readers. Getting eggs in
winter depends upon feed and warm
quarters to sleep in, and not so much
on the breed as some have it. Any
good breed will do. Select good,
strong, we'll developed pullets that
were Matched not later than April
whatever number you wish to keep;
but do not keep over twenty-five in
one house.
A house ten by six feet is good
size for that many, built three sides
close and front facing the south. One
1x12 plank at bottom, three feet wire
netting next, and then two 1x12's at
the top make nice front for the
| house. Arrange the house inside so
you can have a scratching pen under
the perches. This is easily done, by
having q shelf just under the perches
to catch the dropping; it will also be
great convenience in cleaning out,
which must be done to insure success.
The floor should be filled In so 1t will
be dry even during rainy weather.
Keep the scratching pen Uttered about
one foot deep with straw or other lit
ter. leaves being excellent. Feed all |
the grain In the litter and cover 1t up. |
Avoid feeding too much corn, as there
Is danger Of getting the layers over
fat. especially where older stock are
kept, this showing one Of the advan-
tages Of keeping pullets which are not
apt to get over-fat. Also, not having
to go through the mott, they get in
good shape for laying in winter.
Wheat and oats are. fine for the lay
ing hens; and where one cannot get
wheat, one can always get wheat bran
and shorts which make splendid sub
stitute. equal parts bran and making
an excellent mash. Mix with little
water. not wet or doughy, but just
moist enough to crumble. This also
can be thrown on top Of the litter in
the scratching pen, and the birds will
always scratch for what they get in
the straw. Be careful not to feed more
mash than will be eaten up at once,
as it will be liable to sour.
This in the morning. with oats
buried in the litter, and good feed
Of corn at night, one, hour before
roosting tirie, will serve for the grain
ration; and the hens will get off the
roost in the morning and go to scratch
Ing for any grain that may not hav'
been found the day before. This grair
must be supplemented with anima
food of some sort and green feed. Fo
animal food, one pound Of fresh greer
cut bones per day for twenty hens i
best; but where bones cannot be oh
tanned, rabbits or lean meat Of an
sort will do. Milk also is very good
which can be mixed in the mash an
also be given as drink. For gree
feed, a patch of rye or wheat Il pre-
fer wheat) will make plenty of gree
feed can be supplied from the famil
garden, in the shape Of cOllards, beet
carrots, etc., which are hardy an
stand in the open during the who
winter if little earth is drawn up
them in the fall. The chill taken @
the drinking water in cold weather
also very beneficial
YES,
ot- Do not feed corn alone, and expe
,,,,n eggs in winter. You often hear pc
,,. pie say, my hens lay in winter al
% 1 feed nothing but corn" but If "
ono- look further you will find their he
have a nice grove with plenty of de-
+ha leaves to scratch in, where they G
,,rl find bugs and worms even in the wi
/. .. ter, also some green feed somewhe
,,,on around. Keep your hens scratchi
,o,o- for what they eat. Such are the ne
=. that lay in winter. not the ones II
sit at the gates or doOrsteps looki
" for the next feed of corn to be thro
loon out on the ground.
Try this kind Of feeding one s
son and see what results you will {
rop- Start early in the fall, by separat
this the pullets you are to keep for laye
cleo and feeding them plenty of muse
hibi- forming foods and not too much &C
shall and you will have plenty Of eggs
mbIy winter. 1 have thirty. pullets that W
o ell Matched the tenth day of last May
on If six Of them have already (by the
,hibi- die Of February Matched off seve
,dop- chicks. and eight more of them
ay be sitting now. Those pullets were
nori!- as above directed Do not forget