The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-01-24

Much has been written about the hen
ia her relation TO the price Of eggs I'M
winter and many poultry raisers have
been 80 far successful as 10 make the
winter hen pay q larger profit than
the summer hen. But the general rule
lis otherwise, due, perhaps, to a misun-
derstaBding Of the best methods of
feeding and housing or to a lack of
proper quarters for the housing Of the
birds. II is our purpose in this article
TO show how results may be secured I'M
winter as well as ia Summer, and in
order TO get at the subject properly,
II might be well 70 lay down few
fundamental principles, the following
Of which il Indispensable TO the secur-
/ ing of results in the henhouse.
4 First, hens must be kept warm at
night; second, the quarters must be
perfectly dry; third, the henhonse must
be free from ycrmn; and fourth, the
hen must be kept busy If these four
things are looked TO, the egg basket
viii always be full, granted the stock
Is well selected and the food ration Is
right. As TO the selection of stock,
II makes very little difference as to
breed among the recognized staple
breeds, but constant system Of culling
and selecting is necessary in order to
get rid Of the hen that doesn't pay.
An idea Of the enormous amount Of
work done by the hen can be gained
from Che fact that Ia producing 200
eggs year she is accounting for q
marketable product that ii from three
To five times her own WEIGHT. All this
comes at the expense Of her own vital
ity and the interior mechanism is Of
such delieacy that sudden shock that
nterferes in any way with her com
fort viii stop the machinery and the
egg factory will 90 out of business.
This fact has been clearly demonstrated
/ by experiment. Two flocks Of hens,
selected as cquully as possible and hav-
ing equal laying records, were placed
in separate quarters, the one being full
Of cracks and open to the winds aud
storms Of winter and the other com
fortably housed in Waterproof and
wind.proof shelter. Within three days
the first flock began TO fall off in egg
production and after two weeks not a
single hen was laying. Instances are
: on record whore the results were even
(, more immediate than this. In the other
case no change was noticed in the EGG
production and the hens were active
aud industrious, while the first flock
Ia s.k 4
ing the day, eating very little.
Ia order to keep the factory going
it must be supplied with plenty Of ami
NAL heat. For, In tho absence of com
7 fort, the fat Of the body is called upor
> 70 furnish the fuel needed by the lay
ing organs This creates demand
I upon the hen that she cannot stand
aud when the surplus fat is exhausted
! the LAYING organs cease to work. Tn,
!, oyerfat hen becomes lazy and sluggish
! hut the underfat hen has not sufficient
fuel supply for egg production
This does not mean that fresh All
must be- excluded from the roostin.
quarters but that the place must b.
free from drafts, Many poultry raiser
i have the hest success with open from
i houses, curtain OF cheesecloth hein,
dropped before the opening at night t
exclude the draft. This allows the FIRE,
T, circulation Of air, without the banefu
!, effects OF damp or frost laden currents
!, Other houses are SO built that the opei
4 portion is used only for scratching
|, pen during the day, q separate apart
! mont being provided for roosting an,
being completely enclosed, This ar
rangement finds favor among man,
lpoultrymen because il enables them L
!. keep the hens unoccupied for SOM
= time after sunrise, before they ar
i turned into the scratching quarters. |
IS claimed for this arrangement tina
! the heus have a better appetite an
! work harder for their breakfast
II Too much heat is Just as bad for tn
4 laying hen as too little II must b.
A. remembered that the budding togeth
! er 81 large number Of hens creates
% vast amount Of animal heat Too clos
II quarters may produce suffoeation, th
a farmer finding some Of his flock dea
under the roost in the morning. Thi
can be easily avoided by providing ven
tilation fresh air being an essential t
h the health of the hen.
n There is a division Of opinion anon
O. poultry men as 70 the virtue Of I'll
d ground floor for the flock. Il seem
" the only test for this question shoul
le BE- whether Or NOS ii can hc kept Dir,
n In moist climate, the drainage ahou
"a the coop must be looked 10 II the dir
"a