El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-01

With the advent of July comes the
most critical period in the lives Of
mature birds. the moulting season. 1t
is a time when they should receive the
most especial care. and yet as the sup
ply Of eggs falls off at this season, and
the profits become reduced, the inter-
est Of the owner wanes In his old
birds. and he criminally neglects them.
He pays for his neglect in the loss Of
birds and in their delay in the re-
sumption Of laying. hen can lay her
125 eggs the first six months of the
year. and all the time be red faced and
vigorous and under no more physical
strain apparent than the ordinary
cow in yielding her usual two gallons
OF milk per day. When the mou1t
strikes her, however it is different.
She ceases to lay, loses her energy,
her face and comb become pale and
she is plainly under a great physical
strain. which will terminate her exist
ence If something out of the ordinary
Is not done for her.
In the first place. remove all males
70 themselves. They are not needed
and very much interfere with the quiet
Of the hens so necessary at this time.
Ann abundance of shade must be pro-
vided and they should be encouraged
TO avail themselves Of it, for when
their bodies are bare-fr from the she'd
ding of feathers our hot suns and dry
winds blister their skins and greatly
enfeeble the birds. 1t will be found Of
great advantage to the flock If the
ground under the shade is kept moist
Another important point is feed. To
grow feathers a hen must be fed the,
necessary food Just exactly what this
food is has not been accurately deter
mined, but it is q fact that greater
r7n-1ef he ma id m than dur-
ing the laying season, for while lay
ing hen will resent a short supply OF
feed by giving a short supply of eggs.
a moulting hen viii resent it by dy-
ing. With unlimited range as you
find it in the rural districts Of the
east all Of the required extras are
picked UP in the rankings Of the
flock Fowls in confinement. how
ever must be provided with all these
necessaries. Corn at this time should
be fed sparingly and oats abundantly,
with wheat, wheat bran and other
grains occasionally. Animal food in
some form and green food should be
fed every day, and ground bone and
oyster shells constantly at hand, and
do not forget that all poultry must
have gravel To beat up rocks with a
Ratchet is pretty good scheme in
small way.
BY an observance Of these require
ments the loss Of birds VIII be re-
duced to a minimum and your flock
will by the first of November resume
laying, when the market price Of eggs
is always good Neglect them and
your flock is decimated. while those
that survive wait until the middle of
January to begin laying again, and
even then enter upon the next years
work with a constitution weakened
hr- oCf nd 20 he
gencies of the laying and breeding
processes.
There is economy in extravaganza /
Of care with a moulting flock.
Now that the breeding season is /
over, separate the male birds from 1
the female, and keep them separate ,
until the next breeding season. The /
hens will be better contentd and will |
lay NOR eggs. and the cocks will be /
purposes next season If kept to them |
selves until that time.
Do not forget that as chicks grow |
they will need more room Nothing is |
more disastrous to a flock OF growing /
chicks than overcrowding, and vet II |
is common fault with amateur breed |
ers to keep a bunch OF two months old |
chicks in the same quart~trs which !
were barely large enough for them
"He eoheh rum the men dt ohe
month old.
During the hot summer months, |
when constant war is waged against /
vermin by the poultryman, the impor- /
lance Of a busting place must not be /
overlooked With a proper place pro-
vided and q little insect powder, a lit
tie sulphur and very, very little !
powdered copperss added, fowls will do
much towards Riding themselves of /
such parasites as infest the body dur
ing the daY