The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-02-23
THE RAISING
OF POULTRY
Attention Is Necessary.
BY c. r. TITIoW.
Assistant In Agricultural Extension,
Ohio State University
BY c. r. TITLoW.


To make success at poultry cul.
ture. as much care and attention
must be devoted to the fowlS as to
any other live stock. The selection
OF a breed OF fowls should be care.
fully considered. If but little care
and attention are to be given
poultry 1t is possible that the COM
mon barnyard fowl will yield as
large returns as any standardized
fowls, for the old mongrels are ac-
customed to neglect and to unfavor-
able conditions and can better shift
for themselves. But one breed should
be kept on farm and that breed
should be well suited to the local
conditions and the purpose for which
they are kept 1t should also suit
the fancy OF the keeper.
Breeding Stock.
The hens in the breeding pen
should be yearlings and should bear
those characteristics that indicate
that their offspring will be high pro-
ducers OF eggs or meat, as may be
desired lf eggs are desired they
should have already proven them.
selves good layers. They should be
active, have bright eyes. long.
graceful neck and head and a long,
angular back and tail. II meat is
sought. then hens should be selected
with characteristics opposite to those
described.
The male should have a strong
constitution and vigor, but should
not be too large I'm comparison with
the size OF the hens. lie should
have a short. masculine head and
neck; a broad, deep breast bright
eyes. comb and wattles.
He should be selected from a
strain that has proven itself a high
producer of eggs, IL eggs are the
product sought in his offspring Be
cause he represents half OF the pen
he should be of the highest type that
can be obtained.
Experiments have proven that the
progeny of the first crossing of diff
ferent breeds is often satisfactory
and profitable, but further breeding
between crosses should never be
practiced.
Poultry Houses.
Poultry should be provided with in
expensive, comfortable and sanitary
houses. These should be built on
ground that has good natural or arti-
fcial drainage, for damp ground is
cold and unsanitary. The building
should face the south, so as to re-
ceive the greatest amount OF sunlight
and warmth for the winter months.
The foundation may be made or
cement and should be several inches
above and below the surface of the
level ground. This permits a small
bank OF cinders or gravel to be
placed around the house and causes
surface water to run off. The wall
beneath the ground prevents rats
and other animal enemies from dig
ging into the house.
The floor may be made OF dirt,
boards or cement. Much care is
necessary to keep the dirt floor in a
sanitary condition. A beard floor
often becomes a harbor for insect
pests. The cement floor can De
easily kept clean and sanitary and
will be reasonably warm II placed on
two feet OF cinders or gravel. The
floor OF the scratching shed should
be covered with several inches OF
litter. Straw, hay, or fine wood
ahaUinOC hn
lation without drafts is necessary.
A house with curtain fronts gives
excellent ventilation. These canvas
or burlap curtains may be on frames
80 that they can be swung to the
ceiling or removed during the sum
mer months. They should always be
dropped in front OF the roost during
cold nights Too much glass surface
lets out the warmth at night. Have
walls and ceiling as free as possible
OF holes, crevices and cracks. which
cause drafts and furnish harbors for
mites and lice.
Interior Arrangement.
All roosts should be about three
feet above the floor. About 10 inches
below the roosts should be a tight,
smooth platform to catch the drop
pings. Droppings should be removed
every few days.
Nests may be placed beneath the
roost platform or fastened to the end
walls or to the walls opposite the
roost. Great care should be taken to
keep the nests clean and free from
lice OF mites. The hay or straw
used as nesting material should fire.
quently be removed and replaced by
a clean supply.
Drinking fountains should be
placed on platforms several inches
from the floor to prevent the water
from becoming dirty. Diseased fowls
should never be allowed to drink
from the fountain where water Is
kept for the other fowls.
Feed troughs and hoppers made out
OF common boards or boxes may be
used for all feeds except whole