Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-30
PROFIT FROM TWELVE
HENS IN A BACK YARD
One of the Best Paying Side Lines,
Dollar for Dollar,
Now Open.
Gold to Gather and Thrills Thrown
in if You Follow This
Light.
BY G. r. SMITH.

u L ". oIu
This is the first thought: Where
shall | keep the BIRDS 1t is the first
necessity. But large space and large
houses are not at all essential for
best results with twelve hens in a back
yard.
Have your house as large as possible.
Twelve feet square will furnish space
sufficient for from fifteen to twenty
birds, according to the size of the
breed. Eighteen Rhode Island Reds or
White Leghorns should do well in a
house of this size. one year l kept a
dozen reds in house only six by
eight feet. ! bought the hens from a
farmer at - cents apiece. In the eight
months. from the list of January to
the LIST of September. those twelve hens
laid a total of $50 eggs.
Get as much sunlight into the hem
house as possible. Arrange the win
dows so that the rays from Old Sol will
each day hit every square inch OF moor
space if possible. And remember, the
birds must have fresh air. the open
front house is the down -to-date house.
This means open windows during the
quiet days of winter. even at the freez-
ing point. and cloth screens for the
windows all days except the most Sc
we're
Aim for convenience in every part OF
the henhouse. Whether you have "A
smooth board floor, a floor of concrete
just plain dirt, make the roof high
enough to enable man six feet high
to stand upright under it without dam
aging either his head or the rafters.
As to the Birds Themselves.
You may take your choice of breeds.
One man likes a big. slow, sociable
sort of fowl; he can find what he
wants among the hundred or more
breeds and varieties Another man ad-
mires a small, quick. why bird; he can
please himself from many different
classes Many prefer a general pur-
pose breed, and they, too, can be album
da ntly accommodated.
study every breed and all breeds.
and then think what YOU want. Visit
poultry shows. study illustrated poul-
try books, When you have decided
definitely what you want. what your
ideal is. then go after il. BE willing
to put few dollars into the purchase
of the fowls you really fancy. IL you
buy a 5O-cent bird YOU will have a So
cent enthusiasm. You will get out of
your fowls in satisfaction what you
put into them in study and zeal and
cash.
Z
Almost everything depends on the
care of the flock. The best hens in the
world will not lay in winter without
wise attention to feed and comfort and
exercise. The house must be kept per-
fectly dry, have no wetness under foot
or dampness overhead. Good ventilation
will care for this largely. Plenty of
nice. clean litter of straw or other
similar substance from six to eight
inches deep on the floor is an absolute
necessity. Into this litter various kinds
of grain should be scattered every day
The hens will dig every kernel of II
out Examine the litter frequently to
see whether it has been overloaded
with grain.
In thus earning their wheat by the
sweat of their shanks the birds will
keep in the bloom of health, and songs
and eggs will soon be forthcoming,
provided. of course, other things are
looked after as carefully. Pure water
must be kept constantly before them
in one of the best patent drinking
fountains you can purchase at the sup
ply store. A warm mash of bran and
middlings is an excellent thing with
which to start the little flock out in
the morning, but do not give them so
much that they will have no desire to
dig in the litter for grain. In winter
they will spend about fourteen hours
on the roost. An adjustable curtain
should be arranged during the severest
weather to conserve the heat of their
bodies and protect them from the dead
ly frosts.
Get your system running rightly, and
fifteen minutes a day should be album
dant time to take care of the little
flock. But get the right feeling to-
ward the hens and you will want TO
spend more time than you can anoru 10
in caring for and caressing your little
faithful feathered pets.
Eggs for the Getting.
/ talked with my neighbor. a bank
president. He's a business man clear
through. 1 said to him, now many