Evening star., 1915-03-07
Stamp Out Disease.
Poultry Yard Notes.

Relatively low fertility is to be ex-
pected in Matching eggs at this season
of the year; therefore poultrymen
should not be discouraged If consid-
cradle number of the eggs in the In
cubators test out clear. AS the spring
advances and more growing green
food, as well as worms. bugs, etc. are
available. the fertility will increase.
Remember that winter laying and win
ter Matching are artificial conditions,
brought about by purely artificial
methods of breeding and rearing. With
hens. as with any other birds, late
spring is the natural season for repro
duction, and only at that season are
the eggs as strongly fertile as natural
conditions demand. Lack of fertility
may be overcome in large measure by
feeding ample quantities of green
stuff-sprouted oats, cabbages, etc
and animal matter. such as fresh cut
green bone. The full measure of fer
tility, however. will not be reached un-
til warm spring weather sets In.
Poultrymen will find it good plan to
set a number of hens when the 1ncu-
bator Is started. Then. when infertile
eggs are tested out from those in the
machine, they may be replaced with
tested fertile eggs from under the
hens. Eggs placed under hens should
be tested the same as those in the ma
chimes and the infertile ones removed.
Such testing should be done on the
seventh or eighth day of incubation.
Frequently enough fertile eggs Will be
taken from the hens and placed in the
incubator to, enable one to place the
remaining fertile eggs from half a
dozen nests under three or four hens.
thus making it possible to reset the
remaining hens and keep them right on
the job.
at least two thorough dustings with a
reliable insect powder before putting
them on the eggs. AS soon as tne
hens display signs of broodiness dust
powder In to the roots of the feathers
and fluff. Two or three days later re-
peat the process. Dust under the
wings. on the back. in the abdominal
fluff. around the roots OF the tan
feathers, on the head and neck-in
short. apply the insect powder to every
inch of the hens. body. Be certain the
box or other receptacle In which the
nest is made is absolutely free from
vermin of any kind; this may be mace
certain by giving the nest box thor
ough spraying or painting with
good coal tar insecticide in proper solu
ton. Make the nest itself of plenty
of clean straw, in which has been sift-
ed a llDeral quantity ol lHScSl poWu uci
While the hen is setting give her an
other treatment with the powder. and
the day before the chicks are due to
hatch give her still another, rather
lightly this time In this way the
chicks will be kept free from the ver-
min that otherwise would be likely to
decimate the brood within a month.
AS soon as the soil in the poultry
yard or runs is in condition to be
spaded or plowed, turn it over and
harrow in oats or rye. Keep the poul-
try OF the sowed ground for week
or ten days, to give the grain a chance
to germinate and send up sprouts;
then, when the growth is an inch or
SO high, let the hens have the run of
it for half an hour every other day.
Poultry relish growing green stuff
more than any other form of green
feed and derive more benefit from it
than from cabbages or any of the sup
! piled green feed used during the win
ter.
Young chicks should never be placed
on ground where other fowls have run
Provide a place for the youngsters,