The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1918-01-12
HEALTHY BREEDING
STOCK AND HUSKY
CHICKS.
BY G. IL. Conkey.

out the evident truth that til,
parent BIRDS strength, health an,
vitality must be maintained in tn,
highest degree, 80 as to yield ;
high percentage of fertile egg
aud impart strong vitality to Til,
chicks that 10 hatch.
Your breeding birds must b.
Carefully seipc ed and only lhpt,
takeU TIA ~, wei shaped. strong
healthy, vigorous and Of tpoar
egg producing ability ihts,
birds must be housed separately
from tho general flock. 30 that you
can give them special care and
get them into the very best condi
ton.
During December and the early
part of January breeding birds
SHOULD be fed for condition only
that liz, they should receive enough
food to keep them strong and well
but not enough to supply them
with any great surplus. For this
reason don't expect winter eggs
from these birds.
Confne the males and females
separately until about two OF
three weeks before you are ready
to save tho eggs for Matching
This insures additional vitality in
your flock, producing the greatest
percentage of fertility in the eggs
that are to be used later for hatch
ing.
Feed the mated birds regularly
on a good laying Iation. Be sure
to furnish green food, grit ard
charcoal daily. See that the birds
always have clean water. In
about two weeks after mating You
should begin to get plenty of fer.
tile eggs. Here il where the care
given 10 the breeding birds will be
shown to have been worth while,
for these eggs are pretty sure to
possess strong vitality aud there.
fore should produce lot of
healthy, vigorous, worth while
chicks.
Never coniine males in coops
that are too small or that are poor
ly located Give the birds plenty
of room. 1T they are at all crowd !
ed, they will become fretful.
See thai all cracks 10 the house
are tightly closed so as to prevent
drafts, and that the house has
windows in the south or
side to afford the interi
or plenty of light aud sunshine.
A high degree of fertility and
vitality in the Matching eggs will
be quite impossible il tho breeding
birds do not get plenty of exercise.
Therefore, feed all grams in
deep layer Of clean litter 40 that
The binds will be compelled to
ciaich out each kernel. You
cannot get satisfactory results
from over fat stock aud the more
ixercise you give your breeding
birds the better Will be their con
iitiun.
Keep your stock free from lice
aud mltee, Dues ht bnd With a
good nc, pursue; postie hem
With dust oath; ana uectnlUnal !,
spray he inside walls of The nous
he nests and roosis with a strong
ice liquid.
1t will aso be well to treat
your birds for worms. Worms
are as harmful to vitality ae lice
and mites and perhaps more dan.
yerons, because their presence in
fowls Is usually hard to detect.
Now, with your breeding birds
u the pink Of condition, you are
ready to mate them, allowing ten
Dr. twelve hens to each male in the
LeghoTD class, about eight with
he medium size breeds, and not
more than six with the heavy
breeds. OoDfine each mated group
II this is impractica.
Die, twice the number OF hens that
would ordinarily be mated to one
male can be confined together and
wO males used, but on alternate
lays. Some poultry raisers pre-
Ter this latter method of mating as
he alternating Of males over.
comes to a great extent the pref
.rences shown IN practically every
flock. This plan also
gives each male chance to feed
I'D every other day and thereby
deep Ia much better condition, for
he best males are inclined to
stand back at feeding time aud al
ow the hens to eat first. Very
,ften through this chivalry they
10 not get all the food they re.