The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-10
.LEGHORNS BEST
CHICKENS TO LAY
Bulletins On Poultry Are
Being Sent Out BY H. L.
Smith.

asement OF poultry for the purpose of
producing eggs and chickens for table
use are being sent out today by H. L.
Smith, County Agricultural Agent.
The bulletins are of especial interest
to the members OF the Boys Poultry
clubs of the county. A copy OF the
bulletin followsx
For egg production the Leghorns
are easily the favorite. especially the
single comb white variety.
They lay large. white eggs and
plenty OF them. These eggs always
command the highest market price.
The young chicks are easy to hatch
and easy to rear They lay BEST dur
ing the spring and m If well
cared for they will lay quite we'll dur.
ing the winter.
For both eggs and meat the Rhode
Island Reds AID Barred Plymouth
Rocks are common. and probab-
ly are the best suited for the medium
size farm flock.
They lay well III winter. Their
eggs are brown in color, and, for q
local market, bring as much az white
eggs. They are better sitters and
mothers than are the ~LeShorrs.
Select eggs all OF the same size
and color. If Leghorn egg be sure
that they are chalk white and not tint
ed In color. All eggs must be uni
form In shape. This shape Is known
as oval or egg shape. Use eggs thai
weigh two ounces. A tr:fie larger
will do no harm. Thirteen are enough
to put under the ordinary hen.
"Leshorns should be hatched in
April or May. The larger breeds
should be Matched a month earlier.
Chicks hatched at this time are
stronger and will lay during the win
ter when eggs are high in price.
Late Matched chicks r Improbable.
II your hens do not want to sit at this
time. search the neighborhood until
you can lind some that you can buy
or borrow. Do not wait.
B sure to get a good motherly
hen. Rhode Island Reds, Barred
Plymouth Rocks and even mongrel
hens are the best. Select some quiet
and secluded place where nothing will
bother the hen Find or make q box
about one foot deep and fifteen or
eighteen inches square. Place 1t on
the ground IL possible. II not, get a
large cut of sod and put it upside
down in the bottom OF your box. This
will supply moisture to keep the shell
membrane from getting tough, which
would prevent the chick from getting
out OF h shell. Over this put about
WV iASAAVo vi IA Stto". t4lS
nest saucer-shaped, SO that the hen
can keep the eggs under her body.
Pack the straw down well. II the
nest Is too fat, tho eggs may roll out
from undo the hen n get chilled.
II the nest Is too concave they may
pile up IN top of one another and
get broken. Let the lei sit on dunn
my or China eggs for a day or two
in her new quarters before giving her
kt@ A--r vITt@~ 49, l~- I. - 10
moyed from the place wher she has
chosen to 1t, move her at night.
Lice are the little chicks greatest
enemy. They will be waiting for the
soft downy chicks as soon as they
come out OF the shell. You must act
now. Get some good louise powder
when you set your hen. Give her q
good thorough busting at once. h
will kill the lice, but there are many
louise eggs, or nits as we call them,
that will hatch before your chicks
come out of the shell. Consequently
you must repeat the operation about
ten days later. Then on the sixteenth
day give another busting to make
doubly sure.
Keep clean water and plenty Of
faed-corn is best-where the hen can
help herself when she is hungry. 1t
is well to have a box filled with dirt
and aBheS so she can ~alloW IN IL.
Put a t~easpoonful of insect powder in
to this dust box and 1t will help her
to get rid OF the lice. 1t is best to
arrange things 80 she can come OF
the nest at will. See that she goes
back each time for a day or two. and
you can generally trust her for the
future. /
"The chicks should begin to pip the
shell time after the nineteenth
day. The chicks should all be hatch
ed by the twenty-irst day. Whom
they begin to hatch do not disturb
them except when it may be neces-
sary to remove empty egg shells to
make DON for the Matching chicks.
To do this do not lift the hen of the
nest, for Matching chicks are easily
chilled and never make strong, Wig
orous fowls. Do not feed your little
chicks until they are twenty-four
hours old"