Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-02-03

eggs from the lack of animal food See
that they have beef scrap before them
at all times. To break them OF the
habit, first give them a good feed Of
raw meat. Put the nests in a dark
place where they cannot see the egg,
and make 1t a point to gather eggs
soon as laid. Separate the hens that
have the fault, as they will soon teach
Ii TO the others.
Dear Sir
am a subscriber and want to ask
you a few questions. and would be
very thankful If you would answer
them. l would like to know how
much grain feed is the right amount
to feed to two dozen hens. to start
with, and how can / tell laying hen
from a non-laying hen, and pick out
those which do not lay. and the best
way to tell fat hen. / would like to
have you let me know positively
whether 1 could make living on a
city lot 80 by 35 or by SO feet, or a
little larger, which have, but not pre-
pared just now with more than above
space. and the best way to begin with
the sort OF building. Now. / wish you
would tell me exactly whether or not
IL Is advisable for me to go into the
poultry business on small scale at
first in my position, as II is. If 1t is a
certainty that IT will pay then I want
to try. If you can, please tell me the
best way to dispose Of eggs or poultry.
read about two-story flats. Would
that be proper in my case? And tell
me the best laying stock and large
H.. j f.asly-
ing too many questions. Kindly In
form me and oblige.-Mrs. T.. s.
Feed just as much grain as they will
pick up clean, and in hurry.
If you can place three fingers be-
tween the pelvic bones just above the
vent they are pretty apt 10 be laying.
You can also tell by the comb.
When a hen is too fat she becomes
lazy and is the last one TO leave the
roost in the morning.
Some people claim you can get rich
on a city lot raising poultry. My ex
perience is that you can make good
profit out OF your birds, but IL takes a
large place to make a good living.
Start with a small flock and gradu
ally work up to a larger one. You
will then know your birds, and being
better able to detect any sickness in
your flock.
l prefer the open house, but flats
are successful.
The cheapest way TO start is by
starting with the best.
Have labels printed reading Guar
anteed Fresh Eggs" and you will have
no trouble in disposing Of them.
Dear Strive have a peculiar trou-
BILE with some young chicks and do
hope you can help us out.
They are five weeks old, and at first
there were twelve, but now only ten
are left.
We nave raised them in "fireiess
brooder," a box about two feet by
feet, with a nice hover in one corner,
and keep them in a room about SO TO
10 degrees warm. Also use a soap
stone some.
Their food consists of one feed a
day OF a crumbly mixture OF milk
cheese and powdered burned bone, and
a feed each of bran, rolled oats and
wheat.
Plenty of clean water TO drink. We
did feed them cracked corn also, and
the twelve gained pound week.
When three weeks old we saw some
signs OF leg weakness we supposed
but they really acted more like they
had heart trouble from being too fat
so we cut out the corn. They also
get apples to pick at, some few cooked
meat scraps from the table, and plenty
OF fine sand, with about two inches or
clover heads In the box TO scratch for
the wheat and oats They are lively
and eat heartily. Last week we MOTTO
ed the lower bill OF one growing longer
than the upper, and seeming a little
soft and hanging down some, so the
chick could only eat out OF my hand.
we saw that IL got plenty to eat but
IL Just got weaker and died. This week
another one is badly affected the same
way, while we can just notice on
few others that the lower bill is Just
even with the upper and will likely
grow still longer. IL you will kindly
tell us what 10 do we will appreciate
IL very much. Do you think II dis
ease that Is contagious. II you care
to curtail these statements for print
in your paper, do so, for 1t may help
some one else.
They were bothered a bit with head
lice, but by using little grease we got
rid OF them.
Will you also tell me where TO look
for the grey head louise" that chicks
have. on the old hens ] cannot find
lice on my sitting hens, yet the baby
chicks have the grey lice on their
heads.-Mrs. e. l.. N.
Your chicks were given too much
to eat, which caused leg weakness.
Just give only what they will eat clean.
The leg disease Is caused by too much |
heat-the soap stone is too much heat
for their feet-which cases the leg |
weakness.
do not think the disease is contagi-
Gus. Greasing the head with lard
will get rid OF the grey head lice.
Growls OF a Grizzlcd Crouch