The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-23
The Hen as an Asset OF
the Suburban Home
By Nj. ROBERTS cONoVER.


In her relation to the average sub
urban home, the hen must be consld-
cred merely in the capacity of an
e~gg-producer. For breeding purposes
a larger extent of ground is necessary
than can be spared from a small plot.
A flock of six or eight hens will,
with little extra food, subsist upon
the kitchen waste Of a small family
of four people who endeavor to live
within the ordinary bounds Of con
ony, and for this consumption of
otherwise waste material will yield
satisfactory returns in eggs.
This kitchen waste usually consists
of fruit and vegetable parings, bones
(Which must be crushed), occasional
scraps of meat, odds and ends of
cereal or stale bread, crushed egg
shell, etc., and this diet is sufficient
ly varied to keep the fowls in healthy
laying condition. This fare may be
occasionally augmented by grain or
meat scraps from the butchers, such
duulIluuS uCluS uoCu ~ eieAS 49,
qualities of the regular diet.
For successful results with poul-
try in limited space, the breed is an
important question. Leghorns and
Monorcas are excellent layers of fine
large eggs, and are among the best
for the suburban dweller who wants
regular contributions to his table.
TIL cockerel may be dispensed with,
as it is better to buy young pullets
in condition to lay, when the first set
becomes too old for the best produc-
ton, rather than to breed chickens in
small quarters.
A convenient coop for housing six
or eight of these hens is six feet long.
four feet wide and four and one-half
feet high. This gives room for nests
and for a feeding place in stormy
weather. Such a house. if made with
a peaked roof, should have its long
est slant toward the south, with a
window set in to admit sunlight.
, Tarred paper makes a warm, durable
covering LOT IuS IOOl.
The perches are round poles,
about two inches in diameter, ar
ranged ladder-fashion toward the
back of the coop, the lowest being
two feet from the floor. These are
held in place by cleats at the ends
so that they may be removed fire.
quently and washed with kerosene,
whitawash or some other insecticide.
/ TX containing dry sand in which
is one tablespoonful of -four of sui
phur, for the dust bath, and boxes
of shell and grit should be convent
ent for the hens.
arranged at the rear below the roosts
and protected by a drop-board. The
eggs are gathered by raising the
hinged sections. A few tobacco
leaves among the straw in the nests
will prevent lice.
But a vital consideration is room
for exercise upon ground which Is
kept sanitary, for unhealthy condi-
llOuS Will uSCiSGSC luC OouSSi'SAS
of a flock OF fowls just as it impairs
their health. With poultry wire five
and one-half feet high, construct
three parallel runs fifteen feet long
and four feet wide, n directly in
front of the coop, the other two ex-
tending beyond either side. Sow one
with clover, another with oats and
the third with rye. When n crop
has attained a height of three or
four inches, the hens are turned into
the pen and allowed to use it for two
or three weeks. At the end of that
time another pen is assigned them
and the first resown. At the end of
three more weeks the second pen is
unfit for further use and the fowls
are passed on to the third, the second
being resown. In the meantime the
first pen is again fresh with tender
verdure for the reception of the flock
when the third pen has become a
barren waste. This method allows a
thorough publication of the soil i'll
natures own way, and prevents dis
ease. A little chickweed sown with
the oats or clover is relished by the
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