The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09

The Wyandottes and Rhode Island Reds have been making good records lately as big layers at the various egg laying competitions. and seem to do better laying in severe winter wealth 1 CT, when eggs sell for the highest prices. This is not always true, since
 much depends on the breeding and sturdiness of the stock So whatever | you buy try to have 1t from farm
 reared flocks that have had free range | through the growing period. When a l hen is once fully matured you can, if
 necessary, keep her constantly within
 four walls and still get big egg 1 yield. But she must be reared under free range conditions good care, plenty | of food, in order to stand the close con
 finement Of the laying year. If you raise your own chicks, limit the num- Der to those that can be given all out
 of doors through the spring and sum nier months.
 Square House Satisfactory | The best house or pen is square one. If you build new, let it be a
 house that is square Twenty by 20 feet l is on the safe side for size though l know houses of this size that are hold ling 100 paying hens. A house 12x12 | feet would shelter 5J Leghorn bullets,
 though I should consider it rather close quarters for that number in shut-in l weather. f1Itetn Dy ID icti "Voio bN ample for most flocks of 30 outlets | Many farm, many village home has an unused woodshed, corner in | the barn, or some outbuilding that car be utilized for the flock. Such place may be warmer in winter Tor
 the hens than any house you can buy CT build Such a location should be made use of if at hand. There may be d
 dry barn cellor, open to the sunshine l and air. that can be fixed for the flock | It may call for the parting off or corner for roasting, while the whole cellar can be used for scratching. A little search will find place, lit tie money will build what IS required | to house the poultry.
 l Then there is the portable or knock
 down type of house which may be pur- chased complete and erected by inserting ] a few bolts or screws These are not unduly expensive and they are most con- venient especially for those who are not handy with tools.
 | Poultrykeepers living on rented property appreciate the advantages of portable houses. since these may readily be taken down and moved if for any reason a change of residence is made
 The layers will need whole grain and a dry mash. Hopper feeding saves much | time, feeds to better advantage, and Is
 the only plan for the busy housewife Hens with food before them do not over eat, are sure to have enough, and have been found to pay best along egg lines. Good mashes and scratch feeds can De bought ready mixed or one can adopt some simple mixtures and prepare them at home. The poultry departments of the
 state agricultural colleges have worked
 out good formulas and these can be had
 for the asking.
 An efficient but simple scratch feed of grain can be made of equal parts by
 measure of corn, wheat and oats. A dry mash that has worked out well in winter, Tn cold sections can be made of three measures of bran, one of middlings one cornmeai, one ground oats. one fish or beef scrap
 I would use grade of beef or fish scrap that had at least 15 per cent bone in 1t. Dried beet pulp nearly solves the problem of green food in the shut-in months of the year. Add one measure of this beet pulp to the dry mash, but see that the water dish does not get empty at any time. If the table waste of the kitchen Is at all liberal in vegetable waste you will find that one measure of dried beet pulp to 10 of the other ingre- dients in ample The dry mash is fed in some wide open hopper that does not waste; the scratch feed can be given in automatic feeders or thrown into the deep little of hay, straw or leaves.
 Study Your Flock
 The flock of layers needs some watch ing. No feed formula is perfect and whatever you adopt may be subject to change. It will be necessary to know something of the weight and condition of the layers. If getting heavy with fat, Iyou should give less broken bread and crackers from the kitchen or reduce the proportion of corn and corn meal. If the bullets lack weight, are not lay ling as they should, especially in zero days, the quantity of corn may be rrofitably increased. The feeds I have given are average ones. fitting into
 the feeding of most flocks, but must
 De modified to meet just the conditions