Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-08
STRANGE QUARTERS
ANNOYING TO POULTRY
shifting F1ocks Is Generally Fatal
;. to High Egg Pro-
duction.
HOW TO CORRECT DAs1PNEss
glove Pullets Into Laying House Be-
fore They Reach Full Maturity in
Order to Avoid Serious Delay In
Producing Egg Yield.
ny H. ARMSTRONG RopERrs.

n ,ttinui2us to charge them with any fac
w? Tor constructive thinking
Nevertheless. fowls form opinions
AZ least, they receive Impressions. They
are are confirmed creatures Of habit. Fall
ure 10 appreciate this characteristic
raisers.
house or moving locks from one
house to another Is fatal to egg pro-
suction. especially In the fall and win
Ter. when egg production is more or
less artificial at best. Nothing dis
turbs flock OF hens. particularly pull
iets- more than changing their living
accommodations. even though the change
may bring about a more desirable en-
vironmcnt
Chickens are inconvcnienced and en-
viii fooiishly fuss and agi,ate them en-
selves when placed in an unfamiliar
a auatid IN or among strange equipment
selves egg production is temporarily
suspended
For proof OF this, take pen OF
fowls tina. are laying nicely. remove
them to another coop. then note the
railing or in their egg yield. Two
Or or three s,,, weeks are REQUIRED to bring
Conditions are unfavorable, the Yield
may continue low for months.
VALUABLE LESSONS
DRAWN FROM THIS FACT
There Is valuable lesson TO be
drawn from this fact. Radical changes
N the interior OF poultry house
snouid De accomplished between the
disposal OF an old flock and the ad-
vent Of new mock. or when the flock
10 In the mott, at which time the egg
yield Ia low anyway. These oppor-
Sunltics exist now and for the next
few weeks.
Also the bullets which arc on. free
range, housed in small coopS perhaps
should be transferred to their perr inl
nent winter quarters at least three
weeks before they are expected 10
this advice canno, be over-estim ated
range birds are scmiwild; they arc
accustomed to unlimited freedom, and
some at first. They are pecvish, ILL.,
humored and fretful food interests
t them Little, li,,le. and they take fright at
he broken 20 their new mode Of living.
and this "break!ng-in" process should
be accomplished prior to laying and
prior 20 extremely cold weather
Many. pouitrymen have found IT,
, n,ecessity With housing accommoda-
Every new device. every change In the
ration viii be reflected in the egg bas-
a ass,,:, There are no profound secrets in
weather. unless the word secret" is
another term for common sense. Hens
must be entreated to lay by very pre-
else. regular and what really are arti-
fetal conditions.
Most breeders dispose of their old
birds enter the molt. Therefore when
this old stock is cleaned out-overhaul
pullets. Clean and disinfect thorough
ly' re3lenish litter and nesting mate
rial; make any necessary improve
ments; get the roosting compartments.
nest boxes. feeding and watering APP
paratus arranged in the most practical
manner and where they will be perma-
ncnt-
Be especially careful to go over the
roofs Of the houses. leaky roof is
Of the house damp: It converts the lit
ter into muck heap; II is RESPONSE
bic for soiled eggs; It contributes to-
ward contaminated food. which may
Beware the leak in the poultry house
as you would avoid It in your own
dwelling.
GOOD PLAN TO sTANDARDIZE
YOUR POULTRY HOUSE
Beginners are likely to experiment.
a good plan is to standardize their
build them alike-so that il ii becomes
necessary TO change the birds, such
movements in long continuous houses
Briefly. the pens arc kept the same size.
and they are fitted exactly alike with
roosts, nests and other fixtures. Thus.
il hen Is accustomed to going to
particular corner for her nest. she will
find rest there--and there is peace in
her soul-and she lays her egs. con-
tentcdly.
Avoid over-crowding houses as you
would avoid giving impure food be-
cause one is az bad as the other. In
the former case you give the birds i'm
pure air to breathe.
One OF the chief causes Of failure
with poultry Is over-crowding, which
Is another way OF expressing woeful
lack Of ventilation. Chickens have no
all impurities and moisture that would
be given off by this medium must be
got rid Of through the lungs. Air once
breathed by flock OF chickens and ex-
hailed from the lungs has increased its
content of carbon dioxide, which is a
poisonous gas. at the expense of nitro
~ vii III
being renewed, naturally the carbon
dioxide steadily increases. until the
lungs are fed dead dead, poisonous air, when
When flock OF fowls is crowded into
small coop or pen the roosting quar-
tiers become charged with atmosphere
that is completely devitalized and lad
ened with moisture-Saturated; result
colds, lack Of stamina, ill-health. non
enlarge their buildings except for the
prohibitiyely high prices on the neces-
considered. if you cannot provide adj
ditional housing accommodations for
hundred fowls into quarters design
ed for fifty and invite q heavy loss,
IT would be better to dispose of the
good demand. and get your money out
Of them. In all probability. you will
obtain just as many eggs from half
as from twice as many birds maintain
ed under poor conditions. And the
profits will be greater because you
have only half as many to feed
Dampness In the poultry house may
be due to other causes besides over
crowding. 1t may be due to a con-
crete floor. which was laid without
proper Undertakings, or the house
may be located In a hollow into which
surface water drains. only to be ali
,sorbed by the cement floor; or the
for a circulation of fresh air which
would cause an accumulation Of mois-
ture In the litter and thus give the
appearance of dampness coming
through the floor.
If the house is located in a poorly
drained spot, correct this by DRAINING
the location With a few lines Of agri-
cultural tile pipe. This practice is
called undertakings.
All buildings should have we'll
drained sites, natural or otherwise. II
bed of oiisdets or other porous material
to act as q, Foundation and frost proof
base, which is very poor construc-
tfOU. HO0d n1nn VI