The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-22
WINTER EGGS MEAN
PROFIT IN POULTRY
Good Results Depend Largely
on Housing, Feeding
and Stock.
FORCING rs UNDESIRABLE
ny JAMES r. HOPKINS.

Especially does the beginner IN poultry
keeping struggle with 1t with discourage
ing results for the first and sometimes
the second year. This year, above all,
due TO the high price OF poultry feeds
and equipment, the subject of winter eggs
IL important That the price OF fresh
hen fruit will be high enough to over
balance the cost OF production there Is
no doubt But the poultry keeper must
have a flock that will produce from at
least 80 to 30 per cent. egg yield during
the winter months to insure a profit above
the feed bill
Late spring and summer laying will
not do this with the lower price of eggs
and with feeds at winter prices. From
present indications the price OF all poul-
try feeds will not be much lower. II any.
In fact. for n number OF years the price
OF poultry feeds and equipment cas- In
all other lines) has gradually advanced
With this increased price the egg and
poultry market In these seasons has adj
vanced. consequently the outlook for
poultry was never better for those who
can produce.
But. as the result Of the higher cost OF
living. poultry management which in
years past yielded a profit will not do so
now
No longer can one expect hens that are
three and four years old or pullets that
/ were Matched In July or August. to yield
big egg crop In winter months and give
profit.
More Is now required TO obtain winter
eggs than the mere fact that one has a
good up 20 date poufry building or uses
the best o. feeds and ratlons mixed ac-
cording to the advice OF the bes, poultry
experts Buildings and feeds are essen
tials in winter egg production, but they
never yet made the immature pullet lay
or compelled she three or four year old
hen TO shell out enough eggs TO more
than pay her board bill
These are some of the rocks that the
beginner strikes The breeder OF some
years knows ahis and winters only fowls
mat he knows will be producers. Fowls
that attain maturity before the cold
weather sets In and have been properly
grown from the shell 10 maturity--with-
out undue forcing-can be depended upon
To lay during the winter; hens that are
not over two years old and have m5ulted
we'll will IN majority OF cases COM
mence to lay during December, and once
started will Yield fair supply Of hen
fruit.
The main objection to hens is that they
do not all mou.i at the same time, and
the percentage that moult late Is greater
than OF those who shed the old feathers
by November and December The best
egg yield. therefore. Is always obtained
from the properly grown puil-t ANA
Matched at the right fIme according to
the breed
Many beginners relying on poultry
writers. figure thae in 1--WE months the
! Leghorn pullet will lay its first egg, or
| Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes or Rhode
Island Reds will lay in six months. Moth
| ing could be more misleading, because the
! time tina; a flock will come into laying
/ depends on many things. First, II not
/ properly grown, each check postpones ma
! turty Just tnat long and no feeds or care
| can make the pulIets lay until they have
reached their maturity Maturity can oe
forced TO a certain degree, bu; in almost
every case at the expense OF the FOWL
usefulness In the long run.
II Is here that many beginners make
the mistake OF thinking that the very
| late Matched pullets Will prove winter
/ layers II Is not always possible to grow
/ them without some slight setback, nor can
/ the beginner hope 10 rear them as well as
| the experienced poultry raiser. Hence
| the beginners fowls do not come into lay
/ ing condition as soon as expected, ana
| perhaps the breed or the breeder from
whom the stock of eggs was purch lscd
| is blamed, when ;he blame should Justly
rest on the shoulders OF the one who raised
| them. Properly grown from a good lay
| ing strain, Leghorns should begin laying
81 from five to six months from the shell
| Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds. at from
| five and half to SIX and half, rlym-
| outh Rocks about the same. and some
| strains Of Orpingtons Will also do the
| same but The general rule Is the heavier
| the breed the longer II takes to laying
maturity.
]. ne fowls ara of the laying age they
| -hoa.d first Of all be properly housed
| h.. - ~
! re first essentials to good cgg proiuc-
ton, for It gives the poultry fiock health,
t'I without perfect health egg produc-
| Ton cannot he expected.
The style Of hous, makes little differ
nee except that II must give plenty o.;
fr, sh air without draughts added 90 this
must come the arrangement that plenty
Il sun must br admitted during W.nt rs
| -.ortts' DAYS sunlight and fresh air are
| so great factors IN getting winter 'grS
The deal poultry house should be If
me shed root tyne with sine hish side
'lciug south or nearly so and tn" low
, de facing north The front OF the house
should bee built up solid for two and a
| .tif feet from the sll To the window
| '.tm,s The windows should be from
twelve tn sixteen inches apart ana shoul
.. covered with muslin, excepting a
PAGES Of eighteen 20 twenty feet there
should be glas. covered windows to pro
vide light when the muslin covered
frames are down. The frames should eX
send to the plate rail allowing as niue
| air circulation as possible
To keep the fowls exercising part OF
The day. deep litter. In which the morn
"r and night feeds Of grains should be
scattered, should be- proy'l"d
Hoppers should be provided In which
he dry mash is placed This dry mash
- before the fowls al ali t!mas ana is
he real egg maker oyster shell, char
coal and grit are placed N separate hop
pers, and an even supply Of green fecd g.
before the fowls each day, This may
NE sprouted oats. heets or cabbage
sproutcd oats possibly leading the list
although good results have been obtairei
hy feeding cabbage alternating with bcets
II Is essential that this green food h,
used for best results. Last but not
least is clean. fresh water, and IL Is i'm
plrjlnt that il b" fresh ana clean. II
goes without saying that the poultry
quarters must hr kept clean. Many poor
d ogg Yields are caused ny lice, and this les
+ generally the last thing sought for h,
he average poultry keeper in trying e
: locate the source Of trouble.
Crowding poultry IL another cause To-
late egg development For the h,avie
breeds, four square feet OF floor space f.
not too much, and for the lighter breeds
such as Leghorns. from two and "A half I,
j 1. nNH.. al. a