Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-04-12
POULTRY POINTERS.

and blesses men!
POULTRY POINTERS.
II you expect to get eggs in the win
ter. you will have to furnish your
hens with water that is not frozen. 1t
is q good plan to renew the chickens
water from deep well every day.
To cure hens of the egg-eating
habit, a good PLAN is to put several
glass eggs In each nest. Then gather
the fresh eggs laid often, The hens
will soon get tired pecking at the
glass and will forget the habit.
Chopped alfalfa hay or alfalfa meal
will solve the green food problem in
winter as nearly as 1t can be solved.
Buttermilk may be mixed with the
table scraps and meal with good re-
suits.
On sunny days let the fowls run out,
but at night see that they have a
clean and comfortable roosting place.
Kerosene Is one of the cheapest
and most effective insect extermina-
tors known. 1t kills every mite 1t
touches. In using kerosene in nest
1t does not come in contact with eggs
intended for Matching. Oil OF any
kind on The she'll will kill the egg
embryo.
Bear in mind that there is more in
the individual hen than in the breed.
This has been fully proved by the
trap-nest. Beginners frequently blame
the breed for failure when the fault
Is really with themselves or with the
individual fowl, Because eggs are
high and the hens are not laying are
not sufficient reasons for changing
breed. The hens by nature may be
nonproductive, or they may not have
been properly fed and cared for.
II the incubator is to be used for
Matching, aim to have the first brood
out in February, or by the first weeks
in March at furthest, so that the
chicks may be forced for early broil-
ers and catch the highest market.
Later broods may be kept for laying
stock and for the home table.
AS chicks In the brooder grow, they
become more active and require more
room. Give them more room as they
grow, and make high, woven wire
sides to the run, so that they will not
get out. Keep the run and brooder
cat-proof and rat-proof, as neglect here
may result in much loss. Use sani-
tary feeding and drinking vessels,
Feed picked up from the floor con
tains filth and disease germs. These
cause bowel troubles.
One chick Matched in February or
March is worth two Matched in May
or June. It gets the early start.
Spring is natures time for reproduc-
ton, hence all hens lay we'll at this
season, but for continued heavy egg
laying, heavy feeding and good care
must be given Keep the hens In good
health and flesh all the time, and the
yearly egg record will be increased.
The brooder should be washed out
and disinfected and the lamp started
several hours before the young birds
are placed in it. Start the brooder
at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and
gradually decrease the heat as the
chicks grow.
Skim milk mixed with ground corn
Is a good feed for finishing chicks for
broilers. Before marketing young or
old poultry, confine the birds closely
on heavy feed for week to ten days.
After this time of forced feeding in
confinement they will not make profit
able gains.
Chicks badly chilled seldom recover.
Watch them during their early days
till they learn to seek the hover when
they need the warmth. AS soon as
they learn the comfort Of the hover,
no assistance will be required.
AS brooder chicks grow older and
increase in size, enlarge the run and
make the sides 80 high that they can
not get out. Much Of their health
and growth will depend upon the
amount of exercise they can take
Make run and brooder absolutely cat.
proof and rat-proof. Here is one
source OF much poultry loss.
Giving poultry, young and DID,
plenty Of room, plenty Of fresh ali
and plenty Of sunshine are the secrets
of health. Cleanliness in all things
pertaining to them must be added.
Range for turkeys is what they
must have for vigor and life. If they
hang around the yards every day, OF
II they are confined too closely, you
will soon have none Of these noble
birds.
An indication of unsanitary coops
and houses may be noted by the foul
odors coming from them. The rem
edy is obvious.
If there is no gravel or sand in the
soil naturally about the poultry runs
furnish grit in abundance in some
way. Where fine gravel bank Is
near, 1t will pay to take the team and
wagon and haul full load for the
chickens and other poultry to scratch
over and eat. 1t is surprising how
soon they will reduce ton Of this
grinding material. If they like 1t. II
must be good for them.
Hard coal cinders pounded up make
good grit for chickens. Lime for egg
shells Il economically supplied with
crushed Oyster shells. Purchase g
10O-pound bag at a time.
with It and put two cherries on TOP
Of each: serve on small glass or china
plates with round, lace paper dolly
under the cake. This Is exceedingly