Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-21

Egg laying in late fall and early win
ter is not in accordance with natural law.
Fowls are domesticated wild birds. The
natural period for aging is during spring
and early summer Therefore. 10 get eggs
from pulets in winter, II is necessary to
give growing chickens specia! care and
attention.
The first essential to success is to keep
the young birds growing steadily. The
pullets should be separated from the cock
erels when about three months old. When
four months of age, the pulletc should Re
growing into promising layers At this
age they should be given every oppor-
tunity to mature naturally. But it is a
mistake to force pullets too rapidly. Such
a practice may produce few more eggs
at the start, but it will usually result m
disappointment. The pullets may moult.
In that case egg production in winter will
cease. Or the pulets will not reach nor
NAL size when they begin to lay; in that
case the eggs will probably be small in
size. BY no means force pullets by over
feeding with such high animal protein
feeds as ground bone, meat scraps. fish
scraps, or skim milk. They need small
amounts of animal protein for proper
growth and normal egg production bat
overfeedng is fatal to success.
To be properly fitted for laying a pullet
should be in full flesh with a small amount
of surplus fat The latter is required 10
maintain the normal body heat as cold
weather comes on. Body heat is con-
stantly being radiated, and the supply
must be kept up by means of fat To
produce proper amount of fat growing
pullets must be fed balanced ration
How to do this successfully is one of the
problems OF poultry raising.
ADVANTAGES OF PENNING Pull
LET'S
! 1T is good practice to pen pullets by
themselves when being fitted for winter
egg laying. The pens should be prepared
as early in the fall as possible, They
should be properly cleaned and thorough
/ ly disinfected. If possible each pen
should have a good size yard and have
roosting quarters, scratching pen, dust
bath and nesting places These should ali
be under cover. we'll lighted, and dry ana
well ventilated. Cleanliness and room
mess tend to keep growing pullets healthy
and vigorous, and both are essential t.
SuCteSslul eeS pTbuuCllpl
Another advantage of penning pullc:e
by themselves is to provide for normal
( development. 1t is not always easy -
do this successfully. All poultry feeds
contain different combinations of water.
protein, starches. fats and mineral salt
These elements are required by chickens
for their growth. 1t is very important
however, to provide feeds in sufficier,
quantity and variety to allow for Organic
wastes and normal development. To tbs
end, ii is good plan to provide certain
feeds in hoppers that growing pullets may
help in balancing their own rations.
GUARDING AGAINST ILLNFyas
But feeding and housing are not ths
only precautions necessary for httial
pullets to lay successfully. 1t is not wise
to let pullets run at large in wet grass }:
weeds during the fall months. If the
under feathers about the abdomen ge,
wet, the pullets soon have "A hedragg ed
appearance, If the abdomen get wet aua
is chilled by the raw fall winds, howe
trouble or some other local alment is
likely to arise. While sickness of tins
nature is not apt to prove fatal. il affects
the vigor Of the pullets. Their health is
and this will delay or proven, their lay
ing, This condition should certainly be
avoided if one is striving FOR profitable
winter egg production.
If pullets are kept off the wet grass ana
long weeds, they keep themselves neal
clean and healthy. Under these condi-
tons pullets are fitted for either egg pro-
duction or exhibition purposes. If the
they need no artificial preparation for ex-
hibtion by washing and Touring. But
whatever the object, the rules for the
care and management of pullets here out.
lined will he found very helpful. To give
their feathers "A smooth and glossy ap-
pearance. n little oil meal should he fel
occa sionally.
During the fall and winter. egg produc.
ton depends largely upon successful
methods of feeding. II pullets are pen,
ned by themselves, where they can main
tain their activity by being fed plenty OF
nourishing food, the problem of winter
egg production is more than half solved
An outline Of good feeding practice is d.
follows:
| AS fail comes on and the pullets are
inclined to stay in their quarters, throw q
small quantity of scratch feed in Their
pens the first thing in the morning. Thu
keeps them active. Such pen SHOULD
be supplied with about four or six inches
of litter. Equal parts Of straw. hay ano
leaves make n good scratching material
The pen should be dry and well lighted
The object is to give the pullets a chance
to act as nature dictates. 1t is rs natura
for them to scratch as It is to eat. and .or
successful egg production the poultrymar
cannot initiate natural conditions to.
| closely.
Every grain the pullets get should be thu
result of their activity, which is posshl,
If the grain is thrown into deep litter
This keeps them occupied no matter what
the weather may be. If active pullets are
thus made to work for their grain, Their,
will he little danger of over-feedinS
Moreover, II such rations are not properly
balanced. the bullets can eat more COZ