The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-01-13
Winter Laying Hens.

Winter Laying Hens.
Away back yonder in 1885 the
writer started a brother. who was
farmer. in the chicken business. That
is. We induced him at that time, to
pay more attention to his poultry, and
to supplant. gradually. his common
run OF chickens with a pure-bred
stock. He is now q very successful
poultry and fruit grower, coupled
with some truck farming. He lived
In Missouri at the time we write Of
and he still lives there-and in start
ing him. We sent him eggs for hatch
ing. He raised that year. from eggs
set early In the season. a fine bunch
OF Brown Leghorn and Partridge
Cochin pullets. which he yarded up
and housed snugly when the cold
weather set In.
That was a long time ago., and yet.
our brother never tires Of telling Of
his experience with those pullets dur
ing the cold winter Of ls86-06. He
had sort OF hide she'd that used
to be for housing his late pigs. He
put large sash Of hot-house style Of
glass In 1t. and enclosed it all about.
The rest Of the hen house was Of
logs. and closely chinked. It was
warm In there at night and the shed
served as q feed and scratch place
on the colder days. He fed those
chickens mash of morning, which
was mostly Of oats, with good wheat
bran stirred in after the oats had been
boiled. He put all the tables craps
In the mixture, too. and he would Of
ten shoot or trap q rabbit and stew
1t up for the pullets in the same pot.
WE'LL, those pullets laid, and they
laid. and he shipped eggs to st. Louis
As cents dozen for them. There were
some rs or 80 fowls in the bunch
there being a few old common hens
which he was coaching for early sit
ters. and he has often declared that
those pullets fed his family, fed them
| selves, and fed two milk cows that
winter with the eggs they laid.
Now, the whole secret Of this Is.
that the pullets were about the right
age for good laying at the very out
set OF the cold season-that they
were housed just about right. and fed
for laying. 1t will take nost any
kind Of pullet that Is matured at
this season, and give her good place
In which to roost, and a dry place
In which to scratch and feed during
the colder days of the winter, and
at the same time give her a warm
breakfast largely composed of boiled
oats. with some vegetable and meat
| scraps in 1t. she just can't help lay
ing, and she will keep 1t up as long
as she is SO cared for. This has been
our experience for years. and it has
helped the brother Of which we make
| mention, to establish very success
ful poultry business. or course we
can keep our chickens in the winter
at small expense. and little trouble
by barely giving them enough to
keep them living and healthy, but
this Is not the way to make them
pay. We have on some occasions fol-
lowed this latter plan. but 1t does not
pay for all that they eat under such
circumstances goes entirely for main
tenance with no income whatever.
II we would get the greater profit
from our hens and pullets In an or
dinary. or market sense. we should
get right after them now. and get all
the winter laid eggs possible from
them, under the very best Of care and
feeding.-H. B. Greer In Southern
| Cultivator.