The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-17

Some poultry keepers, seemingly with out much particular effort get winter eggs while others work hard but more or less in vain. The former knowingly or unknowingly provide essentials nec- essary for winter egg production while in the case of the latter some impor- tant factor is neglected. Eight essentials are necessary in securing winter eggs. They are: q) suitable stock; CD com fortable quarters; (3) kind treatment; (D regular attention; t5) abundant water; (6) wholesome food @ liberal rations; G9 congenial exercise. Due considera- ton to each of these essentials will bring success, but if the results in eggs are poor-far below the moderate standard of five dozen eggs per hen in the first six months of laying-that fact is proof that the requirements have not all been fully met
 SUITABLE STOCK
 Pullets that have been seasonably matched. well grown. we'll matured and vigorous. are good winter layers. Good laying birds usually mott so late in the fall that the molting shortens produc- tion in the early part of their second winter. Hence bullets are the poultry keepers reliance for eggs at the season of high prices; and if the bullets fail in any of the specifications mentioned for good laying stock, the poultry-keeper
 is handicapped at the start.
 A roomy, clean. well ventilated and
 well-lighted poultry house should be the aim of poultry-keepers who are striving for winter eggs. Provision should he made for light and ventilation so that during severe weather the house can be made snug. The house fixtures should be so placed as to economize the floor space.
 Modern practice in the ventilation of poultry houses is to ventilate by means of open windows and doors, in and near the front of the house, giving all the fresh air possible without exposing the birds to temperatures at which they plainly suffer from cold. The common rule for ventilation in extreme cold weather is to give ventilation enough to prevent the deposit of frost or moisture on inside walls. Where so dry a con 6ition of the air in the houses is main tained the birds are not much affected by low temperatures and by changes or temperature; they do not contract colds so easily and they lay more steadily.
 KIND TREATMENT The poultry keeper should not only be easy in all his movements about the care of the poultry, but should take care 1 that no one and nothing else disturbs or annoys the birds. Hens that are ner- yous and easily frightened should not 1 be kept where they are regularly or ire 1 quently disturbed, for they will not lay well under such conditions If nervous ness and excitablity is a breed charac- terstic, and the annoyances which oc. cur or exist cannot be removed the only remedy is to dispose of the stock and keep a breed of more phlegmatlc tenn perament.
 l Irregularity in attending poultry IS the | most common cause of unsatisfactory egg yields. Regular attention does not
 necessarily mean attention at frequent I regular intervals. The times of attend l ance may be far apart and infrequent, i as daily. or under some circumstances,
 a1 even longer intervals, between glV' 1 ing supplies of feed and water The es' l sential thing is that the hens Wanta shall always be properly provided for Ill l due season.
 ABUNDANT WATER
 Keeping the poultry supplied with wa l ter in freezing weather is one of the i most troublesome tasks of poultry keep l ing,
 Many poultry keepers defer giving Wa | ter until late in the morning during | cold weather Whether the water is liouid or frozen Gce or snow) is imma' ] terial provided the chickens can get it. 1 Snnulying them with dry or slightly 1 moistened grain when they lack water causes indigestion and is generally m 1 furious to the birds and wasteful of the l feed given them
 1 Shortage and high price of good poul- l try feed has led to tendency to at 1 tempt to economize by using low priced
 bv-products and very inferior grades of
 the common grains Almost nYarabiy