The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1914-04-10

where the chickens eat it at will, and they
sumo large quantity during the course of day.
This furnishes material which is needed in egg pro-
duction Also the farmer can make use of some
sage, which will furnish a succulent feed and
the birds to increase in their egg laying during
the winter. AT the station it is practice to sprout
oats in boxes. These oats are placed in the cellar,
which is usually at temperature of IS degrees F.,
and we find they sprout very nicely without add
tional heat Some of these green oats are thrown
to each pen of birds at noon every day.
Because of the improper methods of feeding and
the poorly constructed houses, it is not customary
IN Kentucky to get very many eggs during the winter
but if poutryman will adopt the suggestions made
above, we believe he will be surprised at the increase
in egg production during the winter months
boxfu of dust which has been mixed with lice
powder should be placed where the birds will dust
themselves in the winter well as in the summer.
Clean water should be furnished in a sanitary foun
tain and the roosts should be painted with carboc
dip every two weeks to prevent lice from crawling
on the birds when they roosting, and in the
spring and fall the house should be whitewashed
inside and out
Properly constructed chicken houses will cost no
more than those improperly built, and in many
the old houses be rearranged so that they will
serve the purpose.
Now that the Matching season is approaching the
following remarks in regard to the rearing of young
chicks may be timely.
The Rearing of Young Chickens-The death rate
among young chicks in this state is unnecessarily
high A large percentage of this loss is due to poor
management.
The vitality of the young chickens depends upon
the vigor of the flock. The strongest chickens are
Matched from eggs that produced in the spring
when the flock is on range. When the birds
med in he uint II is
rence that the fertility and vigor is very low.
In comparison with the ncubators and brooders
the hen very satisfactorily hatch the eggs and
care for the young chickens. The nests used for
broody hens should be made out of some fine mate
rial such as hay, because coarse straw allows the
heat from the body of the hen to escape while the
hay maintains a more even temperature.
Nests that have been made the ground will
keep in moist condition, and it is probable
that the young chicks when Matched will be some
what thrifty than if the nests had been placed
in a box in position off the ground. The reason
for this is that the nest that is in contact with the
ground is kept moist and in maintains the moist
in the eggs. During the Matching the moisture
inside the egg decreases in quantity.
When the chickens Matched they should be
kept in the incubator for twelve hours Then they
should be removed and placed under warm brooder
At this period they should be supplied sprnkling
of fine chick grit and some lukewarm water. The
grit will prepare the digestive canal for its work
The next day finely cracked chick feed should be
fed At this period the best poultrymen often feed
rolled oats which has been freed from their hulls
The best kind of rolled oats to use are those that
have been prepared for human food. However at
this station, splendid results have been secured
from feeding such young birds nothing but
chick feed. At the end of ten days finely powdered
grow feed is placed within reach of the chicks