Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-22
HANDLING NEXT
YEARS. LAYERS
Make Your Selection of PuIIets
as Soon as Possible and
Watch Them.

We begin to make our selections of pull
let's for next winters layers just as early
as possible First, the cockerels and pull
let's are separated as soon as the sexes
can be distinguished; then the cuning of
pullets begins when they are ABOUT Six
weeks old OF course it is Impossible to
determine a that age the pullets that
+, eventually will be kept but we can Gull
out all that are understood, lack vigor or
show any signs of weakness In this way
the flock intended for layers is kept at a
high standard from the start, while the
less vigorous chicks, being kept separate,
will make better progress than they would
If kept with the stronger ones and can
be more quickly brought to market size.
At the first cuing the pullets are re-
moved from the breeders to colony houses
in hocks of Is to 100 TO each house.
The houses are of various sizes, being for
the most part constructed of waste lum-
her Of odd lengths, and while they are
necessarily roughly constructed they are
as convenient and comfortable as more
extensive structures. Most of them are
about four by six feet, four feet high in
front and two and a haf feet at the rear,
tight boarded on three sides, and upper
half of front covered with wire netting.
There is a door in the center of front and
q small sliding door at the end for the
chickens to go in and out. Roots are Gov
cred with tar paper over thin boards.
When the chicks are first placed in the
colony house hovers are provided, but as
soon as the pulets begin roosting on top
of the hovers perches are provided. 4
drop curtain over the open front gives
protection at night
In developing the pulets the feed prob
lem is important We want the pullets
10 make a steady hut not necessarily
rapid growth il is best not to attempt
to hasten maturity and have the pullets
LAYING at an abnormally early age 1t
can he done but only at the expense Of
the pullets constitution We do not want
our bullets to begin laying until they have
attained practically their full growth.
Thus. we aim to have our April Matched
Leghorns laying the first of October not
earlier. This allows ample time for thei.
DEVELOPMENT without resortng to forcing
methods Their feed while on the range
is substantially the same as used In the
LAYING houses The morning grain feed
il equal PARTS Of wheat and cracked corn
fed in deep litter. In the afternoon the
grain used is oats, corn and little
wheat In the hoppers before the pullets
81 all times is a mixture of bran and dried
beef scraps Grit. shell and fresh water
are always at hand Being on range, the
chickens get all of the green food they
require as well as a large amount of an
imal matter in the form of insects and
worms MIX is fed whenever we have IT
to spare and is one of the best foods for
promoting growth
After the pulets reach the age of two
months there should be little trouble from
disease of any kind if ordinary precau-
tons are observed, but we must be eter-
nally vigiant to keen lice in check. Be
fore transferring the young chickens &c
the colony houses we examine them and
if any lice are found the chicks are
creased on head. throat and rump with a
mixture of lard and kerosene. BY clean
ifg the houses daily, whitewashlng them
frequently and painting the perches with
lice paint. we have little trouble with the
nest, but to keep them in check we must
keep everlastngly at it twelve months in
the year a few weeks neglect will give
the lice such start that ii will require
long and persistent effort to control them