The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-24

A maximum production of poultry,
 eggs. ducks, geese and turkeys is the ob-
 ject of the United States department ot
 agriculture's campaign to stimulate the
 output This involves the preparation
 for market of a maximum amount of
 desirable, salable stock as well as the re-
 tention in the producing flocks of the
 best fowls which a particularly quail
 fled as layers and breeders. Quantity
 or volume of market products is, of
 course, desired, but in no respect should
 quality be sacrificed in order to increase
 the business bulk of eggs, meat, breed-
 CTS or exhibition fowl.
 During the autumn the matter of cull-
 ing the flock again is of first importance.
 Especially during times like the present,
 when all feeding stuffs are extremely
 high in price, it is essential that un-
 profitable fowls be culled from the wage
 earning flock The federal poultry spe-
 ctalists urge that all unprofitable birds
 not qualified as layers or breeders should
 be culled from the flock by October. Ex- perienced poultrymen whose flocks re-
 turn the maximum net profits maintain
 that close culling is the most profitable
 and timely occupation in which they can engage during the early fall.
 Every producer desires a steady stream of fall and winter eggs. Strict attention to the calendar and the poultry pro- gramme, and the proper relation between the various seasons and the activities 1T the hennery and yards help get many eggs. This means to perform each sea sonal activity at exactly the right time
 The hatch must be early; the chicks mus' be pushed to rapid development and ma turity, while culling must be practieec continuously and conscientiously.
 HOUSING HELPS PRODUCTION Early in the fall, in sections where eli matic conditions require such action, al the early and mature bullets should be housed in comfortable, weil-ventilated quarters previously made sanitary. Nat urally in southern locations where the autumn usually is fairly warm, early housing may not be necessary, but care should be exercised to have the birds un- der proper shelter when the weather oe- gins to get cold. Sanitation should be practiced not alone in the housing ol the poultry, but also in their feeding, wa tering and general management. It pays to have a good dust bath available al all times for the hens and bullets.
 Simplicity of ration and absolute clean- liness in the care and preparation of the daily menu are essential. All feedstuffs supplied to the flock should be sweet sound and wholly free from taint, mouio | or nustiness. For laying fowls th' United States department of agriculture advises the use of mixture Of finely 1 ground oats in conjunction With mt l bone meal this combination being val ! uabie supplement to any commercial mash which is now on the market.
 1 YearIing hens should be retained 1T l the flock to serve as breeding stock fol l the following season. Early, well-ma' tured bullets are satisfactory if they are not forced too much for egg production | during the winter.
 Attention to detail and care in con- stantly watching the little things whicf | appear trivial are important. A slcRlS chick or adult allowed to run with ths | flock, dead chick or fowl not buried ol l burned promptly, sour feed in the houses or yards, lice and mites as well as drafts and dampness should be guarded agalns and combated as insidious enemies. WEIGHT OF WINTER LAYERS Make use of the scales fin selectint winter layers if record has not beer 1 kept of the bullets that were hatchee early. Well developed, early matched l bullets make the best layers. Observa' tions on the growth of chickens at tht government poultry farm at BeltsVllle l Md, showed that the average bullet upor reaching maturity weighed as follows Average Age at whicf Rreed and variety weight at weight maturity was made White Plymouth
 pool e07 pounds 2S week. White yvandotte k 1T pounds 26 week. pboda Ierd Red 44S hounds 26 week, white Tepborn 214 pounds 26 week. | Pullets of these breeds, and those O. I corresponding types and weight tha reach the weights given in the table O are very near them early in September will begin laying in october if conditions are favorable. Applying the weight ta