The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-20
good any respond good
By MRS. JOHN o.. MOSES

AS it is better to have cold, dry poultry house than a warm, damp one, some means of ventilation should be ing has proved very successful meth cd ventilation.
 Earth floors in poultry houses arc excellent, provided they are kept clean. Except in very dry climates, however they are apt to be damp Where an earth floor is used it should be three or four inches above the level of the ground outside.
 In interesting the boy in poultry raising he should be taught the ad- vantage of pure bred flock, be en- couraged to build his own poultry house and do for himself as much of the other work connected with the project as possible. It may be fine object lessoa in the community. The start even with poor equipment and a scrub flock is better than no effort at all. The lessons learned in obtaining improvements will prove valuable.
 The laying hen must have besides grain and meal a supply of animal food and green food. This is necessary for winter egg production If there is surplus of skim milk on the farm it is an economical form of animal food for poultry.
 Home made drinking fountains for poultry may be as useful as more ex- pensive ones. It is essential to pro- vide clean water and to steriliZe the utensils frequently as precaution against diseases.
 Winter layers cannot be expected to produce many eggs when the prices are high, if they are not housed in comfortable quarters. If an old house is to be used, drain the floor, replace earth and litter with fresh material, procure sufficient light and ventila- tion, clean out all rubbish and disin- feet roosts, nests and other equip ment. Whitewash the inside walls Of the house. repair leaks in the roof and make other necessary improvements.
 Hens Pay for Favors
 Occasional examination of the crop of the laying hens will indicate to the poultry keeper whether or not his feeding methods are right. The birds should be handled now and then, when they are on the perch, and IT they are either too fleshy or too poor their rations should be modified. Fowls should have empty crops in the morning, and the crops should never be quite full until it is time to go to roost at night.
 For the first feed. grain scattered in the Inter early Tn the morning IS pre- ferred, the sooner the better after the birds leave the roosts. This in- duces them to exercise, which is espe- cially important on cold winter morii- ings. In the middle of the day a warm moistened mash should be given, about what they will eat within 15 or 20 minutes, and at night, about an hour before they go to roost. liberal feed of grain should be scattered in the litter
 It is impossible to state any exact quantity of feed that should be given to each fowl per day, as the appetites of the birds vary according to the conditions under which they are kept, the season of the year. and the kind of fowl some being much greater eaters than others. The general rule is to keep the birds slightly hungry during the day. not giving all they will eat until just before roasting time.
 Grit, Lime and Charcoal
 Too many poultry raisers neglect the feeding of grit, lime, and charcoal during winter. These substances are important aids to health and egg pro-