Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-03-21

Il IA. W 4. 6lcn8rQe0n, luetrucfOr In ANIMAL lnQue
try. Poultry Division, at Farmers Week.
If there is any one question which II
asked more than any other 1t Ia "Why
don't my hens lay?' and IL Is my inten
tion TO tell you some of the reasons Why
they don't.
In the first place, let rs consider the
breeding of the birds. There are many
varieties and breeds all of which have
good producing strains, and poor pro-
ducing strains. Now II these birds
have come from strain which hss
been bred moro for fancy purposes, fol
feathers, than for utility purposes, OF
the production Of eggs, it stands to rea.
son that all the attention WAS given 70
the fancy and none, or practically none,
to the other. Aud everyone knows that
to get good producing strain. We must
|'give considerable time and thought TO
the selection of breeders.
Now let Us consider the time OF batch
ing. If the birds were Matched out late,
say from tho last of June ON, unless
they had the very best of care, they
would not begin to lay before cold wealth
or set iu. You might have flock of
pullets which bad developed we'll and
which looked fine, but they probably
would not begin to lay in cold weather.
Pullets. to lay we'll during the winter,
should begin to lay by the early part of
November, anyway, in order to be we'll
under way before real cold weather be
gins.
Feeding is the next important factor
to be considered. Regardless of the
breeding of the parent stock, regardless
of the time of Matching, II. the stock
hasn't been we'll fed and cared for it can.
not lay. II the chicks have not been
supplied with sufficient green food, q
variety of foods, bone forming material,
good clean water In clean containers,
clean, hard grain, and plenty OF shade
then they will have been neglected
and the results will be noticed in the
egg production.
Housing Is another factor which
causes trouble. II the poultry house is
cold, or damp, or nssty, or dark, or
drafty, the hens cannot lay as they
should. II the hens are crowded, they
cannot have sufficient room for exercise.
The stronger birds will crowd the weak.
er ones from the food, eggs are liable to
be broken, IL the nests are crowded,
and the habit of egg eating contracted
which, when once established, Is hard to
break. They cannot get sufficient fresh
air, the air becomes foul, the spread of
disease is more rapid, and the general
health OF the fowl isaffected. 1t 10 felt
first in the egg production.
Since the foregoing are some of the
reasons why hens do not lay, perhaps II
would be we'll to point out some Of the
reasons why hens do lay.
First let as consider the breeding. II
a person has, by constant selection of
bis stock, obtained q strain of fowls
which are good producers, one ought to
get cockerel from that person TO- use
with his own stock. From his owp
stock, select those pullets and band
those which begin to lay in October, or
early in November, and then breed from
them. If You wish to breed from year.
ling hens breed only from those which
molt late, even though they lay but few
eggs the winter that you select them.
Select q cockerel which Is q good vigor-
ous, healthy bird, one that has never
been sick, one which crows loud and
often and fighter.
Feeding is next. From the very first
the chick wants to be kept growing
There must not be any period in the life
when it was stunted. The first feed
should be given at 36-48 hours old and
should be sour milk. Feed the chick
variety OF good sound grains, give 1t
plenty of range with some shade, plenty
of fresh water and dry, clean quarters
and it will grow we'll. Give it grit,
shell, ground bone and some meat
scraps.
The brooding of the chick, especially
when small, is q problem. For rs In
this climate, the open front house Of the
Aubry type is very good. The coal
burning brooder is probably the best
method yet devised for the brood
ing of the chick. 1t gives the heat to
the chicks on their backs, there is no
tendency to crowd toward the center,
there is q constant supply Of fresh air
under the hover, which is so essential,
and there are different grsduations Of
heat to which the chick can adapt him.
self. The house should be kept scrupu-
lously clean and free from lice, as clean
illness Ia essential to the production OF
eggs. -
The poultry should be housed early in
the fall, in September, so as to get them
used to their winter quarters, and also
to teach them to scratch for their food,
which exercise is benefit iu helping to
develop the eeg-laying organs. The
birds should be housed in quarters fac
ing the south, il possible, having no
drafts, and so ventilated that there shall
not be frost in the interior. They should
have at least four square feet floor space.
and six to eight inches roosting space
per bird. ~
In conclusion, would say that II the
is familiar with the cOndi-
lions which affect the egg production,
he will be able to answer for himself the
question "Why don't my hens layP"