Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-03-06
Our Purpose.


special department devoted entirely
to the interests Of the poultry-keeper
IS an educational one; and when we
say 'poultry-keeper" we not only
mean the one who has flock Of
high-priccd birds Of a particular va
riety, but every man and woman who
keeps a flock Of hens, whether they
be ordinary barnyard chickens or
thorOughDredS, and whether they be
kept for pleasure or profit. 1t will be
our purpose to serve every one Of
YOU by giving such information as
our own experience has taught us
will be useful in the successful rails
ing OF any kind Of poultry in this To-
cality. And we not only intend to
tell you OF our successful expert
enccs. but also Of failures and the
conditions contributing to or causing
these failures, in order that you may
know what not to do, as well as
what to do.
Personally, OF course, we favor
thoroughbred poultry as against
ilOCkS in which several breeds are
mixed, and we raise only thorough
breds OF the varieties which we keep,
and we expect to take up this fea-
ture in some later issue, giving our
reasons; and it Is our hope and aim
to create such interest in thorough
bred poultry that at some time in
the near future we can organize a
p" ,ltry association in Oconee county.
There Is no reason why we cannot do
this and have poultry show each
year, as some of our sister counties
do at the present time.
k1,,, 1I,, x.,k
the support and cooperation of all
lovers Of poultry, and any sugges-
tions along this line which any Of
you wish to make will be gladly re-
ceived and given consideration by
the editors Of this department.
From time to time we will take up
the various phases of poultry keep
ing, such as housing, feeding for
eggs and for egg fertility; incuba-
ton, both artificial Gncubators) and
natural (the hem, and the advant-
ages and disadvantages of each; the
care Of young chicks, and everything
Of that kind which we think will be
OF interest and benefit to the read
ers OF this department, dealing with
each subject at the time we think
the information will be most useful.
Our Introductory article vii! be on
tho
General Care of Poultry-Fccding
and Housing.
With most Of us our hens are just
now beginning to lay plentifully, and
in order to keep them laying certain
rules must be observed in the care
and feeding Of the flock, as whether
YOU do or do not get eggs m 1uanti-
ties sufficient to pay for the keep Of
the flock depends entirely upon the
treatment which they receive. I'm
derfed hens will not lay we'll, and
neither will they lay when too fat.
The whole secret Of success or fail
ure in the keeping Of poultry for
eggs depends upon the feed and shell
ter provided for them, and not upon
the number OF cock birds kept on
the place, as Is supposed by some.
Taking it for granted that your flock
is well housed, your hens will go on
laying indefinitely. if yarded by
themselves, provided proper food is
given them, but the eggs will not be
fertile.
Now, as to what constitutes egg
making food:
We know, from our own past cX-
pcrience and from observation, that
feed the poultry on table scraps, corn
or oats, which is all right as far as
it goes, but there is great danger Of
providing too much fat-making ma
teral where this is done, and not
enough muscle and egg-making ma
teral. Where whole, unmiXed
grains are fed the tendency IS to feed
too much corn in comparison to the
wheat and oats used, and our eXpe-
rience ha~ been that it is more salts
factory, and cheaper in the long run,
when Results are counted, to buy
some good chicken feed which con-
tains The variety Of grain which IS
essential to the good health of your
hens and a full egg basket. Where
this is done we would suggest that
the prepared laying food which con-
sists Of cracked corn and several va
rieties Of small grain, be fed In the
morning, scattering it I'm some kind
Of scratching material, Eve use oak
leaves from the woods, changing
every ten days or two weeks.) and
feed them what corn they can clean
up in five minutes, just before they
so to roOst at night.
However, where it Is necessary to
use corn and other whole grains cX~
clusivcly, we advise that wheat or
oats. or both where possible, in
scratching material, for the morning
feed, and give them plenty Of 1t, as
they will not overfeed where they
have to work for what they get; then
feed the corn at night as suggested
above. The harder you make them
work for their feed the better off
they are, and the more eggs they
will produce. Excess fat Is fatal
where eggs arc desired.
In addition to grain variety ii Is
necessary. at this season, to provide
meat and green stuff, and charcoal
ana lime should be before them all
the time. They will only eat what