Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
Poultry Yard Notes.

labor and many extra troubles. Hens
that are not comfortably housed and
properly fed cease laying as soon as the
thermometer indicates temperatures be-
low freezing. and as soon as egg produc-
ton stops profits vanish. Prices for
eggs always take a sharp rise at such
times. and it behooves the poultryman
who is in the business to make money
to see that his hens are properly fed
and this means given properly balanced
rations and plenty of them-housed In
such a manner that they are not ex-
posed to drafts when on the roosts at
night, and that they get plenty of
warmed water instead of the icy. almost
CONCEALED fluid that too often fills the
watering vessels.
Many incubators have been put In
commission by this time. and poultry
men are preparing for the early Matched
chicks that are to be broilers for the
early spring trade. Too many poultry
men fall into the common error of think
ing that any old kind of egg. just so it
is supposed to be fertile. will do for
Matching the early chicks. The result
is that If they get 20 per cent hatch
they are lucky. and If they raise 30 per
cent of the chicks Matched they are
eggs are just as necessary for profit
able operations at this time of year as
at any other season. Such eggs are
laid only by hens that are strong vigor-
Gus. full of pep-in other words, in the
prime of laying and breeding condition.
with greater force. No male bird that
is not in tip-top condition is fit to be
mated with hens for the production of
Matching eggs for any purpose.
Proper feeding, proper watering.
ample room for exercise, plenty Of
green feed. fresh air day and night
these are the main requisites for get
ting the fowls into proper condition
for the production of Matching eggs,
or table eggs, either, for that matter.
Chicks Matched from eggs laid by
hens in poor condition can be nothing
but poor chicks, subject to all kinds
of infantile disorders and weaknesses,
of no use to themselves or the poul
tryman, and a constant menace to the
remainder of the flock.
In this connection some poultry wisdom
from one of the biggest breeders in nearby
Maryland will not come amiss. This
poultryman has made a success of the
business simply by learning all that was
to be learned from those best fitted
to impart the instruction. and then
applying what was learned in a
practical commonsense manner. prof
iting by mistakes, because a mis-
take discovered has never been re-
peated. Here is what this poultryman
has to say in regard to proper methods
of Matching, brooding. feeding and rails
ing poultry. from the incubator to ma
turity:
THE most serious problem which con-
fronts the poultry keeper is the growing
of chicks. This is the problem that tests
the ability. Today is the time the poul-
tryman should be laying plans for the
seasons campaign. for on the result of
success in growing the chicks depends the
seasons profit.
1T depends on making conditions right
for the chicks. With the colony house
we have a choice of the hot hover and
cold house, the warmed house and fire.
less hover. or the coal heated or kerosene
hover. All of these methods are good. for
the principle is the same with each. Keep
the chicks comfortable. The experience
on this farm has been satisfactory with
the portable round hover, with lamp at
tached. which sits on the floor and can
be easily moved from place to place. ac-
accommodating 100 chicks each.
The brooder under the hover should be
cleaned daily, for one cannot be too par
t1cular in the matter of cleanliness. Care
should be exercised In filling the lamp
and trimming the wick daily. 1t is best
to attend to this part of the work about
pm.
1t is a well known fact that chicks
grow and thrive better if not fed until
| forty-eight to seventy-two hours from
hatch. because chick at hatch is not
complete internally and is not ready
to take in or assimilate food until two
| or three days after Matched. therefore
| any food given before that time clogs
creases mortality.
The above facts were quickly taken
advantage of by far-seeing poultry
men. who realize that baby chicks. if
properly packed, could be shipped long
| distances without harm. This farm
has placed an order with a day-old
| chick concern in Massachusetts for
500 day-old White Leghorn chicks to be
| delivered in early April Before their
| arrival their quarters will be in readi-
be in operation, working at a tempera
| ture of from 95 to 100 degrees
The pullets of this purchase will be
used for egg production and kept sepa
rate from the layers that have been de-
| veloped on this farm. The cockerels
| of this purchase. when reaching the
weight of one and one-half pounds, will
| be sold as broilers
The incubator will be set in March
and April.
1T is no trouble to hatch chicks; the
| trouble comes in raising them With
| modern methods of artificial incuba-
| ton chicks can be got out at any time
| and in unlimited numbers
There are a great many different
ways to handle and feed chicks, but one
wants to know that which proves most
successful, whereby they can raise a.
majority of chicks Matched
Chicks should not be taken from the
incubator until they are well dried and
the machine is through Matching. After
removing the chicks to the brooder
your skill and measure of success as a
| poultryman will be tested: this is a
vital period, requiring much care and
attention and the application of a con-
F, siderable amount of common sense
The newly Matched chick has no
sense of location, for he wanders, peep
| ing and crying, to the farthest, coolest
corner of the pen. 1t requires some
patience to herd these stragglers back
| under hover until they learn where to
get warmth.
1.-The first day fence about six inches
| from the hover should be put UP and
| the chicks should be watched to see
| space too long and get chilled. Watch
carefully After they have learned to
go for warmth there will be no fur
Their trouble.
after two or three days the space is
increased around the brooder until
every chick has learned to go instantly
to the hover when cold. If this part
| of the business is thoroughly watched
| losses will be small
| placed in the brooder they receive no
| feed whatever. This method of first
| feed applies to chicks Matched on the
place: those that are shipped in are fed
as soon as placed in the brooder. as
| they have been Matched from forty
eight to seventy-two hours; they are
given chick size grit and as much oat
l aTI y - IL.