Semi-weekly herald., 1909-04-22
the WISE FARMER KNOWS HIS
HEN.

~
The first question l asked myself
when l began with eight hens was:
How can quickly tell the good from
the poor layers? On the correct an.
swer TO this depends all success with
poultry. 1t is the Keystone OF profits.
was far too busy to attend to trap
nests; besides. the cost OF trap-nests
will eat up profits. So ! began to
watch the hens, each one laying In a
separate spot enabled me TO tell the
good layers from the poor. Then
studied the physical characteristics OF
each in order TO apply anything
might learn later when the flock was
larger and the weedingout process
began. Two things struck my notice;
first, the good layers had bright eyes,
q pert and more intelligent express
sion: second, the two bones each side
of the vent were wide apart in the
good hens, close together in the poor.
! have followed this up for years, al
ways killing the dull. sluggish acting
hens that have these two bones close
together. SO far the results have con
flrmed this theory; the postmortem
examination when dressing the hen
proved that l killed the right one.
and, further, now have flock of
thirty-six pullets average over dozen
eggs a day In December and January
My birds are "all purpose fowls.
These two bones are slightly forward
of and each side OF the vent, easily
felt just under the skin. Some hens.
good layers, have room between these
two bones for all four of mans fin
gers, others only one. Three is good
average. Whether this Is a safe guide
for pullets that have never laid or for
hens during the moult am not sure.
/; is all right at other times, that
am certain.
The next thing OF Importance is a
green bone mill. II is astonishing
what lot of excellent egg producing
food one OF these little six-dollar mills
will provide Soap bones. bony scraps
from the table. heads of chickens and
ducks. cats, dogs, horses. crows,
"fishy'' wild ducks, deacon" calves,
rats. etc. can all be made into bony,
meaty meal that not only makes the
hens lay eggs. but cuts the bills for
corn and wheat In half. 1t Is fine
exercise turning 1T. too; few minutes
invigorating work producing five or
six quarts of this feed
Thirdly. the best way TO save the In
valuable hen manure is by mixing 1t
with kainite. The kainite Itself costs
but ten or twelve dollars ton. has
about twelve per cent of potash. and
io. therefore, an excellent fertilizer.
Ii goes into a chemical union with the
ammonia of the manure. preventing its
heating" even when stored green and
gardens, hotbeds, etc. This method
is not only superior to the drying,
grinding process of curing hen man
ure. but 1t costs neither time nor la
is that kainite must not be put where
chickens or ducks can eat It, 1t will
kill them. Further kaInite must be
stored In dry place; 1t can be used
to freeze ice cream also
Fourthiy, the best green food for
hens In winter is the common chick
weed that grows of itself in vineyards.
on truck lands, etc, late In the fall.
II Is tha hast hacpuea a cnatc pothino
is quickly gathered with au iron rake
and wheelbarrow, and stored in bar
rels. etc, where it will freeze and stay
frozen; 1t will keep green and bright
all winter long. In fact, have kept
IL until spring and fed 1t to the chicks
In the brooder. II must be stored out
doors, on the north side of a building.
If 1t once thoroughly thaws 1t will
heat. ! do not suppose 1t is as good
as alfalfa or clover or cabbage, but
these cost money. Let me add that
the only way to make money on a
farm is 10 devise ways of getting along
without spending any As soon as
you begin to spend money you are lost
the interest on the capital eats up
all the profits.
The best and easiest obtained
scratching material is leaves. Bag
them up dry in November, and every
few days dump fresh bagful in the
hen-house.
Lastly, don't throw away the feet,
neck. wing tips, gizards. etc. of the
chickens you eat. Cut the toes off
the feet. then dip them in boiling
water and remove the skin. This ma
terial can then be used to make soup
or broth.
Further. always separate the cocker.
els from the pullets. The cockerels
VIII not only do better. but the pull.
let's won't lay until separated.
The farmer who has wheat, oats and