Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-01
POULTRY CULTURE IN THE SUBURBS

l time, ana SCRATCH IdtiOu VI O4uoi
parts of corn, wheat and oats fed in
litter 4 or inches deep twice daily
Regulate this feed so that the birds
eat about one-half mash and one-half
scratch grain, which will mean feed
ing about 1 quart of mixed grains
daily to IL Plymouth Rock hens, or to
IA Leghorns. In order to utilize the
waste table products to the best ad-
vantage a moist mash may be used
in place of the dry mash, feeding once
daily If it contains much meat, table
scraps may be substituted for beef
scraps; if not merely add it to the
mash given above.
The selection of stock is matter OF
considerable Importance, as great
deal of ones success or failure with
poultry depends upon the individual
speciments used to breed from. Care
should be taken to select the early
maturing, fast-growing pullets. Hens
will not. as a rule, lay until they are
wellmatured, consequently it can be
readily seen that the slowgrowing
breeds will not begin to lay as soon
as the former. A good index to
hens ability to pay a profit over the
be continually on the move. 1t is ad-
visable to keep but one breed of pure
bred fowls, as the products from a
flock of the same variety is more uni
form than that from a flock of mixed
breeds or mongrel stock.
1t takes a healthy, well-fed flock to
produce eggs. Fowls must not be al
lowed to become too fat, as but few
eggs will be laid by them in such con-
dition. To prevent their getting over
fat, it is best to make them work for
most of their feed by scratching in
the litter, of which there should be
about 4 inches on the floor. This lit
ter can be of straw, leaves or chaff,
and should always be kept dry.
A good feed for egg production is
one composed of corn, wheat and oats,
equal parts by measure. 1t is advisable
to use homegrown grains whenever
possible. In sections where corn and
oats do not thrive, other grains can
be used to good advantage; for ex-
ample, mixture of equal parts by
measure of kaffir corn, oats, and bar
ley will produce good results. Scat
ter small handful of this mixture
for every three hens in the litter
morning and noon, and give them all
they will eat of it in V-shaped
trough at night. In the winter time
some green feed should be fed at
noon; cabbage or mangel-wurzels.
either chopped or whole, are good.
Every few days look in the litter care
fully and see if the fowls are eatin e
all the grain being given them; If not,
reduce the quantity. Fowls that have
to work for what feed they get sell
dom become overfat. Grit and oyster
shells in a hopper should always be
kept before them. The grit is used to
grind their feed, and the oyster shell
furnishes the lime for the eggshells.
Be sure to keep water before them at
all times. Birds that are laying drink
much more water than those that are
not laying> The water should be kept
out of the direct rays of the sun.
The period of time il takes to hatch
eggs of the domestic hen is 81 DAYS.
There are two methods of incubation
and brooding, namely, natural and ar
tific1al. In natural incubation and
Drooding the hen is allowed to sit on
a nest of eggs and brood or mother the
young chicks when Matched.