The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1916-03-18
POULTRY TALKS
Continued from last issue)
By O. l.. TINDALL.

ne pens SnOulQ nave Uc0Il IIlduG up NC
fore this for breeding. The males ought
to be kept separate from the hens from
the close of the Matching season until
the next season. Hens lay better; the
eggs are not fertile, and will therefore
keep far better. AS soon as the hatch
ing season is over, all the ROSTERS should
go to the block for meat, or if wanted
for another season, be kept in separate
house.
About two weeks before you begin set
ting eggs, the roosters should be put in
with the hens; the eggs, it is said, will
become fertile within three days after;
a longer time, however, is preferable.
Select your best hens for breeding
Don't set eggs from inferior hens, and
be sure the male bird is of the very BEST
Half of your next flock depends upon the
male, and more, so far as egg production
is concerned. Find out your best layers,
either by trap nesting, or by observation,
and use only their eggs for setting.
Like produces like" Improve your
stock year by year. Gull out all the
drones. They eat as much as a good
worker, and will soon spoil your bust
ness.
Hens are considered better than pull
let's for breeding. They give stronger
chicks generally, although early Matched
chickens, that have been laying a few
months, are all right for breeding.
A male bird, after the first breeding
season, is called a cock by the poultry
men, and a cockerel the first season. The
female is called a pullet the first season,
and after that a hen. The best results
are generally obtained by mating cock
bird with pullets, and cockerel with
hens, one male to Is females. Some say
more will do all right, especially with
the smaller breeds, like the Leghorns.
Less hens, rather than more, are prefer
able.
Much depends upon the care and feed
you give the flock. They must be kept
in prime condition, if you expect strong
and healthy chickens: that means, they
must have good, clean quarters, and
plenty of room and exercise. Keep them
clean. A chicken can stand a good deal
of cold, but not draft nor damp. Three
square feet to the hen is considered fair
space. More is better, and less will an
swer, if other conditions are right. 1t
has been found that hens will lay as
many eggs when quite closely confined
as when they have a large range, but
will not be as strong or healthy.
Much depends on the feed. You can
easily spoil good layer by improper
feeding. They should have well bal
anced feed. Some kinds of feed make
yolks, and others make the white Of an
egg, while other things make up the
shell. Experiments show that flock of
hens that have no mineral in their ra-
tions, will lay far less eggs than. those
that have plenty. Corn is a good feed
to make fat, and goes into the yolk pro-
duction, but when fed alone, will not give
good returns, so far as eggs are con-
cerned. 1t makes too much fat, and that
spoils the egg yield; it is also injurious
to the young hatch. Wheat is the best
all round feed. Oats are good for eggs.
There is some danger in feeding oats
whole, on account of the sharp hulls that
may stick in the throat.
By careful experiment it is found that
a proper mixture of these grains is the
best. The hen is like yourself, she
wants and needs variety. Corn should
be fed more in the cold weather than
when it is warm, for it produces heat
more than the other grains. These
grains should be fed in a good deep lit
ter of straw, so as to make the chickens
work for their living, and it gives them
strength and health. A mash is also
essential, made up of bran, shorts, corn
meal, or oatmeal, and a good portion of
animal food-beef scraps, or a substi-
tute Milk takes the place of meat to
some extent, and is excellent feed and
drink. Water is cheap, but it is most
essential, and should always be before
them, clean and fresh, and slightly warm
in winter.
During the winter season, when the
hens are confined to the house, some
green food must be provided, in the way