The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
Profitable to Supply It, foi
They Can Be Produced
at Low Cost. =
MUST SEPARATE SEXES
~ REESE v. HICKS,
Former President Of American
Poultry Association and now
general mn nsger Rsncocas Poui-
try Farms, Browns Mills. n. >.

N'' hthN' ''b"''f ie ~
month of April one OF their heaviest
storing months. There are several rea-
sons for this. but the main one IL that
|, April is the time OF the average lowest
price for good eggs that will do for
packing and holding over several months.
Really good fresh summer eggs are ha ri
to find except on the farms and ranches
run by poultrymen. A large proportion
OF the eggs produced under average farm
conditions after May | are often sub
ject to heat that has started the germ
TO developing. This developing germ
dies in a few days. and the egg spoils
and Is UNIT for food.
Owing to the scarcity OF really fresh
eggs In warm summer weather, the mar
ket price In the larger cities usually
shows n steady upward tendency from
some time In May or June on through
the summer and fall months. even until
after the holidays.
As a matter of fact really good fresh
Eggs can be produced cheaper in the
summer than at any other time of the
year. but II requires more care and sys-
TEN than just to allow the hens to at
tend to II themselves.
They cannot be permitted to lay any
where they please. nor can the poultry
raiser gather eggs irregularly or coca.
s%ionally and then market them at the
week end, dirty, stale and possibly spoil.
no ''''N "N'' '' i'Nb w
warm weather.
The first important step is 10 separate
all males from the hens So the eggs will
be sterile. A warmth OF ninety degrees
for a few hours will not start the sterile
eggs incubating. II the males are OF
choice enough quality TO be held over
for breeding another year. they should
he confined in n yard by themselves. even
II IL Is necessary to pull the main flight
feathers out OF one winR ON each male.
But unless they have special value for
future breeders. IL pays TO send them to
market rather than to feed them a whole
year before they will be needed again for
breeding purposes. The average male
eats too much In the eight or ten months
he must be carried as a useless drone.
II is better TO buy new males under
these circumstances. thus adding new
and improved blood yearly.
Tho hens lay just as well. IL not bet
ter. without the attention OF the males.
and the eggs will keep fresher and bet
ter. The sooner the males are disposed
OF. either by selling them or putting
them in the rot. the better for the lay
ing powers OF the hen as well as the
keeping qualities OF the eggs. The ear
Tier they are sold the better. because
chickens for market get cheaper every
week In tho summer in a constantly
descending scale instead OF increasing In
P''No 10 sSiN S6ko uouhiAs ~
Another feature too often overlooked
Is the prompt gathering at least twice a
day, and. II at all possible. marketing
the same day as gathered. II Il Is not
convenient on account OF the small num-
her gathered. the eggs may be taken up
once a day and marketed every other
day, but while they are being held for
the market they must be kept In a cool
place-never In the kitchen or a warm
room. A cellar makes the best place II
not damp or loudly.
As tho warm weather OF hummer APP
proaches some special care must be
given the laying hens II tho maximum
egg yield 10 10 DO expected during the
extremely hot weather.
Tho feed should be gradually changed
so as TO have less fattening properties.
because the hen does not need the fatty
material to keep up her bodily heat
when she 10 not resisting cold. This
means feeding less corn and cornmeal
In the summer than In tho winter and
spring. Vegetables and green feed
should be increased, as these tend to
cool of tho Hood and Increase the
amount of water In the system OF the
hens. Since vegetables such as beets.
cabbage. &C. abound In the summer.
they should be fed literally. Grasses.
such as clover, alfalfa and even blue
grass lawn clippings. are a good green
ieou ioF HoHb, espeCiuiy IN mo udys IN
summer. Green feed 10 tho cheapest
feed the poultry raiser can use. and
should be freely used at this important
time Of the year. II tho proper variety
!s given. and II It Is properly prepared.
a laying hen will eat from 90 to 30 per
cent. OF her rations OF suoculent green
feed.
be different In the summer from those
practised in the winter. An abundance
OF exercise Ia necessary In the winter.
but II 10 not 80 important In tho sum
mer. There should be enough to keep
the hens from becoming o~verfat. but
usually with range n open weather OF
summer, there Is not much danger OF
o~verfat. especially II tho corn, cornmeal
and similar foods are held down to not
over one-third Of the entire summer feed.
In the summer II 10 not so necessary to
feed In deep litter to make the hens dig
unless the yards are very small.
II possible hens should rave more
range In summer and have plenty Of
shade. The shade should not be over
there will be trouble In a damp. rainy
season. There Is such a thing as too
much shade even In the summer time,
but the fault In more often the other
way. Where no natural shade can be
had such as q grove or orchard. sun
shades must De MADE by stretching cloth
about four feet of tho ground or else
by building low frame sheds, with all
four sides open for the air TO pass
through. thus enabling hens to protect
themselves and at the same time have
the advantage OF any passing breeze. II
IL impossible to get n good yield OF sum
mer Eggs II the hens must stay in the
coops during the heat OF the day 20 pro-
tect themselves from the bla zing rays OF
the summer sun.
During the hot summer hens naturally
drink more water and this should be
supplied at least twice daily. fresh. pure
and cool, The warm weather also de-
velops disease germs more rapidly and
this means that extra care must be given
the drinking as well as feadinz vessels.
Not only hould they be cleaf.od daily.
but II Is well TO wash them two or three
times a week In a good disinfectant.
Lice and mites are two difficulties at-
ever. II the hens are given caro- these
drawbacks are not nearly as seriou as
many people allow them to become. II
IL another case OF a stitch In time saving
many times nine, II these pests are
allowed TO gain a foothold It will re-
quire very hard work to eradicate them
so they will not affect the summer egg
yield, Mites are more serious than lice
because they breed much faster. Mites
live on tho hens only at night, going
on onto the roosts and walls Of tho
buildings during the day, The lice stay
on tho hens all the time. To kill mites,
tho roosts. most boxes, dropping boards,