Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-14
OVERHAUL BUILDINGS
!. FOR WORK OF WINTER
Poorly Housed Poultry Must Con-
) sumo Too Much Food TO
Keep Warm.
sLEAKY ROOFS ARE EXPENSIVE
Cold. Wet Quarters and Mucky.
= Filthy Litter Will Bring No Re-
turns In Way OF Eggs-Hints for
Chicken Husbandmen.
BY ROBERT ARMSTRONG.
Expert rouitryman and writer.


=. October may seem to he unim
=, pertant month in the poultryman's cal
-. endar, but in reality 1t is period o
= vital consideration. il is the tcrminu:
Is OF a-year's work 10 speak. and thu
- beginning of another season. II i:
y the time when last years pullct:
3, graduate into the yearlinE class. WhcI
= their averages are summed. and those
- with poor laying records are culled fol
- market. This wedding process is th'
- beginning Of selection of next sea
= sons breeders. October is the month
5, in which to clean and overhaul tho
y buildings and make preparations fol
> the winters work.
= Autumn is the season that tests the
Y, real ability of the poultryman, his
. patience, and sometimes his pocket
- book as we'll. With most OF the year
~ linEs out on a strike. by reason OF
(. the mott. and the pulle;s not as yet
- laying 10 their full capacity, eEG re-
y ceipts are often no higher than the
:. feed bills. Experienced breeders un-
s derstand that these circumstances are
= bound to prevail at this season. be-
: cause il is hetvixt and between the
:. going and coming OF the old and new
focks.
The novice who started chickens in
!. the spring and is approaching his first
: winter, is very apt to feel a bit dis
: eouraEed or perplexcd. Put such feel
y inE aside. Cheer up! IL the young
stock was properly Matched and brood
= ed, fed sufficiently on wcil-balanced
; ration, and given clean. comfortable
: living quarters. though they may seem
: 10 be but marking time they VIII
= soon strike UP a lively gait and be
:, laying before you know it. Thanks
. giving Day should And them shell
= ing" a ), per cent yield at least. and
; by Christmas they will be standing In
lire FIR nest.
= Always bear in mind. however mat
:. winter eggs are moro or less an arti-
= fetal production. consequently 1o"ls
:. require more or less artiacial care.
By artificial care l mean that the faV-
. orable conditions OF the spring "hich
:. is the normal period for egg produc-
:. ton. should be initiated as closely as
~ possible.
= Overlooking the Buildings.
:" Fowls with any degree OF stamina
.. will shift for themselves under almost
( .nv circumstances. Unless snow is on
5 the ground they are capable of foraEinG
for enough food TO keep them going.
!. But they are not capable OF caring Tor
themselves and at the same time pro-
IL ducing a profit for their owner i" DC
profitable they must be cared for by
~, others, especially during the fall and
~ winter months.
rs The hen must have the raw materials
from which to manufacture eggs. and
: she must have sheltered quarters in
= which to make them. Poorly housed
= poultry must necessarily consume Il
E great deal OF food in order TO keep
- then, warm from the inside. 1t is more
-. economical to warm them from the out
Z. side. by giving them dry. well-vcnti-
= lated. houses. free from drafts, and
: capable OF being flooded with sunshine.
; The above para graph is not petty
= advice 1t is the very essence OF sue
= cess with chickens, Time and again II
- has been proven that great deal more
-. food is required TO maintain the body
- temperature under damp, drafty and
& uncom :ortable conditions than in a
:. dry warm, suitable building. In the
2, latter case the greater part OF the
:. fowls nourishrent is available for
- making fat, flesh and cEgs. No class
4, of live'-sttaH responds to good hous-
=. ing more readily than poultry.
=. All poultry buildings should be over
z hauled before cold weather sets in
The best time for this work is during
- the period OF cullins the old stock for
= market and starting the new pullets
=, in the laying houses. Once the pullcts
Is. have commenced to lay, II is most I'M
+. wise 10 disturb them move them
= elsewhere To do so is likely to check
- their laying, which may not be re-
- sumed .oT month or more. The fol
=, lowing is good rule 10 establish
- Never NOV" layers unless il is abso.
= lutely necessary.
:. B~wnre the Le.ky Roof.
e. BY all means look after the roofs o
the buildings. Nothing is more
troublesome than a leaky roof II
= means cold, vet living quarters for
y the fowls: nucky. filthy litter. and
scwill soon convert the otherwise idea
.-h"use into death trap.
- If there arc any shingles off or am
,s,'unsound or torn spots in the paten,
-, roofing. repair them before they Grov
worse and cause the framing anc
s sheathing lumber TO warp nd dctcr,o.
rate Whore patent roofing is used
which is the most common form a
roofing for poultry buildings. the nails
securing the seams ana laps frequent.
-. ~ work out Of the lumber ruarts,