The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-02-06
Hens CAN BE MADE
TO LAY DURING
The WINTER

solve
1t has been proved by hundreds Of
poultrymen, engaged in the industry
in large and small way, that careful
attention to the needs of the flock will
increase the egg yield in cold weather
Proper housing, cleanliness, pure
water, selection OF foods known to
have an effect upon laying, can all
be employed as agencies in bringing
about an increased egg production.
The following article tells how to &C
complish this end
The problem of obtaining winter
eggs has been and still is deep mys-
terry to many, especially those still
young in poultry experience. And
yet the problem is being solved all
over the country, from the cold north
to the warm south, by those who have
been in the business for a number of
years. 1t is impossible for the be-
ginner to expect the same measure of
success that the poultry raiser OF
years OF experience obtains, but any
one, even though a beginner, can 1b-
tain fair egg yield if the main eS-
sentials are complied with.
The first essential is a good, rell-
ventilated poultry building. This will
not be expensive but must be abso-
lutely tight on the north, east and
west sides; not even pinhole should
show through. The front, that is, the
south, can be boarded from the floor
to the height of two or two and one
half feet; the rest can be open, with
curtains on frames to be lowered
Ionly when very hard rain or snow
oecurs) or when the temperature
drops to 10 degrees above zero. The
lowered curtain frames will keep the
heat generated by the body of the
fowls within the house
Without health-giving house the
best results in egg production are inn
possible, in fact poultry-house con-
struction plays a far more important
part than many poultry raisers rea-
lie, and should really be considered
the first essential toward success. The
proper depth of the house should be
from IL to 20 feet; il IL feet wide the
height of the house should be .6H
feet, allowing the low winter sun to
penetrate to the rear sill; if IA feet
wide, ~ feet high; if 20 feet wide,
feet high. Muslin is handy to have
on the poultry raiser's premises; the
writer divides the long l00-foot houses
with muslin partitions every twenty
feet, breaking up the draughts in a
long house during the late fall, win
ter and early spring, taking them
down in April, thus obtaining better
air drainage during the warmer
weather.
Select Matching Period.
The second essential is to have your
fowls Matched at the proper season of
the year so they will arrive at the lay
ing period in winter. Again, the be-
ginner cannot always hope to secure
the steady growth during the season
that the experienced poultry raiser can
obtain. Some accomplish this, but the
majority do not, so it is we'll to take
into consideration a few checks or
setbacks that the growing chicks will
receive and allow month more for
complete maturity Some expert
enced breeders can obtain a winter
egg yield from fowls Matched the last
OF May and during June, but very
few beginners accomplish this feat.
So the safe plan is to hatch in April
or the first part of May, and if prop
erly grown these pullets will begin to
lay in October; November and Decem-
Der.
a Feed is the third essential. 1t
should be rememberer that not only
must the fowls body be maintained
in good condition, but enough feed
must be provided to produce eggs;
under-feeding will perhaps keep up
W = ALL
supply of eggs. Again, at the time
shortest, leaving long nights in which
the fowls must protect themselves
from cold weather by their own body
heat. If the fowls are not well fed
the energy expended to maintain
warmth is not sufficient to maintain
egg production. More corn should
be fed during cold weather than at
any other time and should be fed in
less quantities when the weather be-
comes warmer.
Corn has been rightly called the
king of feeds" and on this account
has been much abused because too
much corn has been fed American
hens in the past, and perhaps not
enough at the right time, during cold
weather. Corn is composed largely
of carbohydrates and acts as fuel for
the body by the combustion OF which
heat and energy are maintained. Car
bohydrates form the largest part Of
all seeds, but corn is highest Of them
all; therefore it is good winter grain
for poultry. AS q heater, containing
only per cent. of ash or mineral
matter and but 9 per cent Of protein,
corn, alone,- is a poor egg producer.
Consequently II must be fed with other
grains higher in ash, and protein.
such as wheat, oats and barley.
Constituency Of Different Foods.
Wheat contains g per cent. ash
and 10 per cent. protein; oats, 3 pee
cent. of ash and 9 per cent. of pro-
tein; barley contains per cent. of
ash and 81 per cent OF protein. 1t
will be noticed all are strong in the
two essentials among the grains, ash
or mineral matter. The residue Of
the feed-stuff, after it has been burn