Evening star., 1916-08-13
FIELD, FARM AND FLOCK.
Pouymen Gardeners Stock Rases Orchard and
Cleaned Researches of Experts.
POULTRY YARD NOTES.

under the scales on the legs OF the fowls.
breeding there and ultimately bringing
about condition in which the fowls legs
are covered with knobs and bunches OF
loose, scurfy scales. If the legs OF young
chicks are creased with the lard and
kerosene mixture it will serve as pre-
ventive of the disease.
Liberal use of clean. air-slaked lime
in the poultry runs will do much to-
ward maintaining the health of the
fowls. Properly used the lime is of
great sanitary and prophylact1c Value'
and 1t undoubtedly destroys many
health of the chickens. Cape worms are
quickly killed in soih to which ar
slaked lime is judiciously applied.
Prolonged investigation of the early
molting of hens by the agricultural de-
partment of New South Wales bears
out the results of observation by
American poultrymen to the erect tnat
the various methods of forcing mems 10
mott early usually are followed oy
highly unsatisfactory results. 1t mas
been found that hens that molted early
are poor layers, and that often such
hens molt q second time, shedding most
of their feathers early in the winter,
after having molted in midsummer.
to start the incubator at this time OF
year, it is a good idea to hatch some
late chicks for Christmas fryers.t Ii
few hens have become broody. make
nests for them in cool, shaded places
and give them fifteen or sixteen eggs
each. 1t is good idea to make the
nest box to be used at this season IN
a barrel laid on its side. Place IN the
barrel several inches of moist earth
and make the nest on this. Locate the
nest where it will have ample shade
and shelter from summer rains, win
plenty of air and ventilation. Dust the
hen thoroughly with a good insect
powder before she is placed on the
eggs, and sift the powder into the nest
ing material. second light dustlns
with the insect powder after the men
dusting about two days before the eggs
are due to hatch, will keep vermin OFF
her and the chicks: Hens set now
should hatch early in september and
ing about Christmas.
Vermin on poultry are usually found
on the neck-and the head, in the case
of young chicks-body, under the wings
and around the vent, in the soft, fluffy
feathers, where the eggs of the insects
usually are deposited.
1t is not only possible, but desirable,
to select the high-producing hens by
means of external characterlstics ana
the general appearance and build OF tne
fowls According to results OF expert
ments at the Kansas State College OF
Agriculture, hens that mott late are
heavy egg layers. Late molting, ac-
cording to Prof. Lippincott. is the ac-
compartment of late laying. The mere
fact of late molting, however. does not
make high producers. However. mems
that moIt late begin to lay as early as
do the early .polters, because they mott
II nd
time from the business of egg laying.
'In the yellow skinned breeds" says
Prof. Lippincott. the color of ths-shank
is reliable indication in the fan at the
end of the first year. High producers
Law the color out Of their shanks, the
yellow pigment having been used up in
the yolks of the eggs. Thus, any hen
with pronouncedly yellow shanks after
a year of laying has been relatively
poor producer. Hens with soft and pill
able combs about October ! are gener-
ally better producers than those with
hard and dried-up combs. AS bird
molts the comb usually Shrinks and be-
comes hard. but fowls in good condi
ton have pIiable combs. With those
strains of white leghorns that have yell
low pigment in the ear lobes at the be-
ginning of the season. white ear lobes
will be found an indication that the
hen has been heavy layer Fowls
with yellow pigment in the lobes viii
lay the pigment out until the lobes are
practically milk white"
Especially during the hot weather
cleanse the drinking vessels and feed
troughs with scalding water as often
as possible Never allow them to be-
come foul or sour. and do not permit
filth to accumulate remain in them
Growing chicks should be allowed to
run or range on soft ground as much
Ja he .i1i ifl-
fined in small runs. spade up the soil
every few days. after~ard going over
it with a rake and raking in quantity
of wheat, rye or oats. Many times
when chicks are kept on hard floor
or on hard, baked ground. they viii
develop leg weakness. and chicks sell
dom recover from the effects of such
an Illness. If leg weakness develops in
the flock and becomes very pronounced
the chicks that suffer from it will
never be strong on their feet. Soft.
well spaded ground. free from stones
of any size, is ideal ground for grow
ing chicks. Bluegrass sod is also fine
for the chicks to run on.
simple remedy for gapes in fowls
and one that is said to be effective. is
ordinary sulphur-sometimes called
flowers of sulphur-mixed in the mash
feed The proportion is about a heap
ing teaspoonful to a pint of the mash
to be sloppy.
This quantity is sufficient for twelve to
fifteen chicks Feed the mixture three
mornings In succession. then omit the
sulphur for three mornings and then give
it again Repeat in this manner. sulphur
three mornings in succession and no sui
phur for the next three mornings. The
disease usually will disappear in ten days
A Wisconsin poultrywoman says she used
this remedy for gapes in young turkeys
and saved at least $500 by it's use. as she
where before she tried the sulphur cure
gapes usually carried off the larger part
of her turkeys.
When possible SOW the poultry yard
with oats, wheat. rye ,or some crop that
will come up quickly and give the fowls
in confinement the green stuff they must
have If they are to thrive and which they
never like SO well as when they get it
fresh, crisp and growing.
In recent years poultry experts have
come to the conclusion that hens require
about the same ration during the molting
period as at any other time. Formerly it
the molt by partly starving the hens for
week or ten days and then feeding them
heavily rich ration. Nowadays. how
ever, this is not done. as poultrymen have
found that the weakening effect of the
starvation period and the overtaxing of
the digestive organs by the heavy feeding
afterward causes n shock from which the
hens do not quickly recover. Feed and
water the hens the same during the mot
as at other times, say the mDdern au-
thorities. perhaps adding quantity of
sunflower seed or Oil meal to the usual