Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-28
PREPARE POULTRY FOR WINTER; TRY OPEN FRONT HOUSE

Now Is the time for the poultry
raiser whether his activities be con-
fined to a suburban lot or expended
in the management of a large plant.
to prepare for the winter. It really Is
the "last call" As a rule, there are
many DAYS when outdoor work is not
only practicable but pleasant.
In preparing for winter there s more
, to do than simply patching and mend
ing the poultry house. True, there are
many little jobs that need attention
but now is the time to consider the
whole question of housing the hocks
properly and OF providing a good,
we'll balanced ration, in addition to
doing the little things.
Perhaps a few hints regarding prep
aration for the winter, based on the
practical experience of ono who has
been raising poultry, with success, ON
a suburban lot for some years, may
not be amiss.
First. let's consider the little things.
II is most important that the two
"D's"-drafts and damp-be not over
looked in your preparations for the
winter. Be sure that there is no pos
sible chance for either.
See to the roofing. The covering OF
the poultry house has most eXasper-
ating way of developing leak at the
most inconvenient time for fixing II.
Put In q good big stock OF busting
material and keep it in a dry place.
If YOU can get plenty of fine, powdery
road dust, you arc fortunate. Your
reward will come in the absolute Tree
dom from insect pests that your flock
win enjoy as the result Of a dust bath.
Make the latter always available. The
hens know when to use it.
@ r, ,afprp annpnippr he winter
season" that your poultry house has
had a. thorough cleaning. with lice
and mites. especially. the objects of
attack. \ coat of whitewash is eX-
cellent.
Be sure that there is plenty Of
roosting room and that there are
enough nest boxes to 90 round,
though you will learn that the per
verseness of some hens makes them
want all TO occupy the same nest at
the same time.
II you don't want to buy hay or
straw for a litter for your chickens to
scratch in, collect all the dry fallen
leaves you can get hold Of They make
splendid scratching litter, and IT.
serves a better purpose than making
a bonfire
Now. as to the question of housing.
] unhesitatingly declare for what is
known as the open front" or cold
house system. It is simply the
fresh air. movement adapted to
poultry-Beeping.
Ny belief that this is the best
type of poultry house is based on my
own experience, My flock has never
been large, twenty-five laying hens
having been wintered once. and the
number has been very much smaller
during other periods. With the OPEN
front house my poultry has been freer
from disease than in the long ago,
when I eoddled my chickens, and they
have laid quite as many eggs and eat
en- no more food.
Although l keep White Plymouth
Rocks. which have plenty OF comb |
and wattles, / have had very little
trouble from frozen combs OF Wat- |
ties. The cocks and hens seem to |
have become harder every year and |
to be happy and eontented no matter |
what the temperature. They go out |
on the snow ON fair winter days and |
do not seem to be affected by IL. The |
open-air house does for them what |
the sleeping porch does for the hu- |
man kind-gives them health. Since |
adopting the open-frOnt house there |
has been no fussing with roup or |
other ills of which we hear so much |
in poultry circles. l am inclined TO
think that if poultry raisers, and ann
ateurs in particular. did less coddling
they would have healthier flocks.
My open-front house came about |
somewhat by accident. The carpen- |
ter who put up the poultry house on |
the place ! occupy had the old-fash- |
toned idea. OF making an almost air
tight house, $50 as to keep the chick
ems warm in winter" On one side OF
the house he placed q long sash. out
OF an old house, which he carefully
filed with glass. It was a very fine
specimen Of GLACIERS art until a foot
ball went through the sash. The glass
the ball didn't smash the boys who
we're playing with it did, in their eff
forts to get the ball. 1t was a busy