Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-03

ours frighten the rest of the flock to
such an extent that the birds do not
recover for many days. Any sudden
fright or excitement will show in the
egg production at once, in the case of
laying hens, and in wildness, timidity
and checked growth and development
of young chicks. II the dog happens to
,, belong to you, tie him up and teach
him to let the chickens alone, or else
get rid of him. If it is stray cur try
load of No. shot on him. II you don't
feel like killing him. Dogs that have
been peppered with small shot when in
place where they know they had
no business to be usually keep far
Regularity of feeding means a great
deal in the poultry business. Poultry
men who feed spasmodically, when they
happen to think of it, are likely to in
jure the fowls either by overlooking or
! by not feeding enough. Have certain
hours for feeding. and then feed at
those hours. or as close to the nxed
fowls will not know II you overstep
| the time, because a flock of hens know
az we'll az you do when feeding time
\ ID at hand.
| In handling table eggs be especially
! careful to keep them in a place where
| they will not be exposed to bad or
musty odors or bad air. A damp eel
lar or any musty place will ruin them
in short time. as eggs quickly absorb
| odors either from the air or from
anything having q strong odor. such
as onions. kerosene. gasoline. etc
Most fiocks are in the mott at this
time. As the egg production drops
practically to the zero point during the
Noting season many poultrymen
neglect the hens to greater or less
degree. This is bad practice and
often results in heavy losses or serious
injury to the fowls. Noting is a
natural condition. when the fowls shed
the old feathers and replace them with
a new coat. Other things being equal,
mott at about the same time. The
process of shedding the old feathers
and growing the new ones usually be-
gins early In August--sometimes as
from seventy-fve to one hundred days.
That ts to say. that time elapses from
the falling of the first feathers to the
completion of the new coat. When a
FOWL Is In good health the growth of
new feathers is rapid: as fast as the
[ old ones fall out the new ones can be
seen coming. In such cases the ragged
or almost nude appearance Indicative
Hens that are very fat will shed their
feathers quickly. but seem TO lack
power to replace them. On the other
hand. a thin, poor fowl will have a
great deal OF difficulty even in she'd
ding the old coat. to say nothing Of
growing new one. A happy medium
is best; that Is. have the fowls in good
nesh. neither too fat nor too poor, and
in vigorous condition. Some years ago
the Cornell University experiment sta
ton conducted a series OF experiments
in forced melting as compared with the
natural mott. Among the results Of the
e1per.ments were these: When tho
mott begins the oldest feathers are shed
nrSt. he of$ he
Hens have individual traits AZ to sea-
, son OF Noting, but seldom as to rota-
ton OF molt. The molt Is more quickly
completed In young hens than in old
ones Hens paolting very late complete
the process In much less time than
those molting early
The forced molt' in one year had no
| material influence on the time and COM
year: furthermore, the hens, partly
starved to force the mott, produced fewer
eggs after the mott was completed than
did those having natural mott, and, of
course. made much smaller proft. The
general conclusion drawn from the re-
suits of the experiments was that 1t is
not profitable to force the mott by
starvation methods, and that apparently
~ ID Socd practice to encourage hens.
py good care and feeding, to lay during
late summer and early fall rather than
10 resort to unusual means to stop lay
ing. In order to induce an early mott,
Win the nope OF increasing egg produce
ton during the winter.
It's all right to swat the rooster" IL
ne ls just an ordinary bird; but 1t isn't
necessary to dispose of him II he has
proven himself to be first-class breed
er, in which case II would be foolish to
market him or dispose OF him other
wise But at all times, except during
the breeding season. he should be kept
| separate from the hens.
The new oats crop Is now being mar
keted. and II you have plenty Of this
|. grain no better feed is required for the
fowls. II the oats are grown on the
place. feed straw and all and let the
chickens dig out the grain for them
selves: they win enjoy IL all the more.
or you may feed the. threshed oats.
which will be found to be better for the
fowls IL soaked over night. as then the
husks are softened, SO that they are NOT
| likely to hurt the crops of the fowls.