Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-11-02
WINTER FOWLS LACK FERTILITY

That the lack in fertility in early
spring and winter is due to some
cause is self-evident. In nature warm
weather is the chosen time for repro
duction, and with the bright days OF
May and June the inhabitants Of the
feathered world build their nests and
bring forth their young. The domes.
ticated fowl has descended from the
jungle, and there is seeming posi-
bility that inherent predisposition as
serts itself in our fowls of today, thus
making the warmer months the nat.
ural time of high fertility. There can
hardly be any way to bring about a
change by which the same fertility
may be had In winter as in summer,
other than to make for the fowls the
same conditions that the warmer
months afford. To overcome the diff
ference in temperature between sum
mer and winter the poultry house
should face south to southeast, with
an open front, that the warm sun
shine may stream in. With an abun-
dance of clean litter on the floor to
induce all the exercise possible, and
roosting closet in the rear, so a cur.
tain may be dropped at night, one
should be able to get high fertility
SO far as the outside temperature is
concerned. II
Throughout the late spring and
summer months nature provides va
rious seeds, bugs, worms and an
abundance of green food; in other
words, everything that is required to
nourish the parent birds, that their
offspring may be of the same vigorous
constituents. Among the wild birds
imbreeding has no terrors, as it is a
case of the survival of the fittest. No
doubt the robin is the same active
bird today that came down the ages
from the time of Noah. It stands to
reason, then, to get high fertility of
eggs in early spring and winter that
will produce chicks. with strong Wig
orous constituents, that as nearly as
possible the same food elements
should enter into the winter ratiops
as the fowls would get out on the
range through the summer.
It is well to study the flocks as to
its requirements. For extreme wealth
er, water with the chill taken off
should be provided. Scatter various
grains in the hitter, such as
oats, wheat, kafir corn, millet and
sunf1ower seed, to induce exercise
and furnish a variety. Just as the
human family eats corn meal mush
in the winter time to keep up ..odily
heat, SO the fowls should be fed warm
mash the middle of the forenoon, one
OF the component parts being corn
meal, and whole corn at night. To
take the place of bugs that nature
provides during the summer secure
a supply of green cut bones from time
to, time and provide high grade of
commercial beef scraps. Green food
is an absolute necessity for winter
fertility-sprouted oats, mangolds
and cabbage are the easiest obtaina-
BILE and handled and as good as any,
and forkful of clover supplied oc-
casionally will add variety. Make
the winter conditions as nearly as
possible like nature furnishes through
the warmer months of the year, and
instead of high fertility being a myth
it will be certainty.
Provided a breeder has suitable ar.
rangerhents, and he should have if in
the poultry business for living, late
winter and early spring Matched
chickens are quite source of profit
and a start is made and and
pound chicks may be had before
many are thinking about getting
started There are more chicks hatch
ed in May and June than any other
months in the year. How often is
heard complaint that so and so didn't
get his chicks out until late on &C.
count Of the wet spring? There is
more than one advantage in early
Matching. Many breeders are some
times compelled to hatch their own
birds late on account of being swamp
ed with egg orders during the height
of the Matching season. Why would
it not be better to get their own
Matching done in January and Febru-
airy, previous to the opening Of the
egg season, rather than after, in June
and July? The profit to be derived
from early-hatched youngsters is
quite an item. II thoroughbred stock
is raised there is always good de-
mand for early-matured cockerels and
pullets for fall exhibition. The early
Matched specimens get fully matured
and make the vigorous breeders for
the year following. Early-hatched
cockerels reach 2 to IL pounds
weight when the price is around Is to
80 cents per pound, and the surplus
ones and culls will bring a sum.
The equipment to be in position to
take care of early-hatched chicks
must be ample and carefully planned,
for the chicks need far more care
in winter than later, when warm
weather comes. II not fixed to rear
early chicks or willing or able to get
in shape, better let January and Feb
ruary Matching alone, and let others
do it. Improved incubators, of which
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