Evening star., 1916-09-10

strong condiments which have no food
value and which invariably set up dis
ease conditions If their use Is con-
tinued. Fowls that are in good health
require anything aside from their
proper grain, mash. meat and green
rations to maintain bodily warmth.
Sick fowls. that are forced to roost in
keeping. House the fowls in dry, warm
quarters that are free from drafts;
feed them such rations as are described
in the government and experiment sta
tisan t,on bulletins. n;,sa keep their quarters
fresh water and they iwn do. we'll
Allow them to roost in trees, on
fences, in drafty. leaky sheds or in
foul, uncleaned coops: compel them
to get their food wherever they can,
and to drink dirty, stagnant water and
all the cayenne pepper and Jamaica
ginger in the world will not do them
any good.
A correspondent wants to know how
to cure her hens Of broodiness and
make them get back to the business
of laying eggs. Notwithstanding the
fact that the hens are not yet through
number of them manifest desire to
sit. The hens. the correspondent says.
are In good condition, being really a
little too fat. The first thing to do, in
such a case, is to reduce the quantity
Of corn given the hens. Corn is high
" fattening and should be fed spar
ingly, especially during the summer
and fall Then take the lid Of an old
drygoods box, make bottom for the
box of half-inch Stats nailed an inch
with the solid lid of the box for a
top-and confine the broody hens in the
box or crate. II you have a piece of
heavy wire netting the bottom of the
L.
slat Sides and solid top. The open
bottom of the crate allows air to get
UP beneath the hens and keeps them
cool. Usually only a few days in such
contrivance is needed to cure hens
of broodiness. If they are taken from
desire to sit they may be broken more
quickly. If not put in the crate at once
they may continue broody for week
OF course. the hens are to be fed and
watered as usual.
Nests. perches. roost supports and
crevices in the poultry houses are hid
ing places for red mites and other poul-
try vermin that remain in concealment
during the day and attack the fowls
on the roosts at night. Liberal appli-
cations Of kerosene and crude cArbolic
acid-ten parts of the former to one
part of the latter-to the roost supports
and to all cracks and crevices in the
walls, with a light application to the
roosts themselves. will exterminate
these nocturnal pests. Applications of
the mixture to the interior Of the nest
boxes and two or three moth balls In
the nesting material will drive the. in
sects from these lurking places. Boxes
containing dry soil and fine sand for
dust baths will help the hons to keep
themselves free from insect pests, es-
pecially II very little crude carbolic
acid is mixed with the busting material
IT should not be necessary to remind
poultrymen Of the necessity for abso-
Lutte cleanliness around the houses. but
the fact remains that a great many men
who consider themselves successful
poultry raisers allow the henhouses to
go uncleaned for two or three weeks
at time even In hot weather. That
this practice results in an enfeebled
evident to require proof. During the
winter the practice is not so bad, as
the floors of the laying houses are then
covered with deep litter and tho drop
pings are not so Objectionable. But dur
ing the summer. when the houses are
not prepared as in winter. when the
litter on the floors is not deep and when
the temperature causes Objectionable
matter to give Off frightful odor
daily cleaning OF the houses is abso-
poultry for profit. why not follow the
methods advocated by men who are de.
voting their lives to finding out how
| best it may be done?
II has been found that dry sawdus,
an inch deep on the dropping boards
makes an ideal absorbent II does not
hurt the feet Of the hens. it absorbs
quickly and remains relatively dry, and
~ mixes well with manures and com.
posts for fertilizing. When sawdus,
can be had in quantities for the haul.
ing experts at several of the expert.
ment stations assert no better material
can be found for the purpose.