Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-11-28
A BIRD in THE HAND
Especial Information Service
Move Hens From Range to
Winter Quarters for Best Results

Pullet love of home and content
ment with simple surroundings, no
matter how humble, make it advis-
able to transfer the prospective layers
from the range to the winter quarters
early enough in the fall that they will
be thoroughly accustomed to their
new quarters before they begin to
lay. Many practical poultrymen neg
lect this precaution and maintain
their birds under range conditions
almost up to the beginning of cold
weather with the consequence that
egg laying is retarded and often jeO-
pardized.
Timeliness--and timeliness means
to do to-day the jobs OF to-day-is
highly essential in the fall moving OF
the flock. The owner of exhibition
fowls would never neglect to feed and
condition his birds for the exhibition
circuit. 1t is just as essential that
the reproducing squads be properly
Quartered for the winter season as
possible consistent with the most pro-
gressive poultry management. This
means to accustom the pulletE to their
cold-weather home before they begin
to lay.
When pullets are moved to the win
ter quarters at the right time they
soon become reconciled to their new
surroundings and begin to lay with
out any interruption. On the other
hand. if they are kept out on the
range until they attain maturity,
when they finally are moved to the
coldweather houses their laying abili-
| ty is so seriously checked that the
birds do not produce any eggs for
several weeks and in some instances
do not lay again for some months.
Where the mature hens are to be
confined closely all winter it is essen
tial to provide 3 to 4 square feet of
floor space for each bird, while fowls
having free access to range all winter
in a mild climate in addition to COM
Portable quarters need only about ! n
to 8 square feet of floor space apiece.
1t is important to have all the roosts
in the winter house on the same level.
Otherwise the birds will crowd to the
highest positions to the extent that
the weaker ones may be seriously in
jured, as the stronger birds are sure
to gain possession Of the desirable
perches.
1t is also essential, just before the
pullets are quartered in their new
location, to clean out and disinfect
buildings thoroughly and to provide
plenty of clean, dry litter. The house
should be scrutinized carefully as to
need for repairs. Be sure that the
sides, ends and roof are weather
proof, and the building is open suffici'
emily in front that it will not sweat
from inadequate ventilation.
AS rule, the same ration that
makes growth also produces plenty
of eggs, so that it is not necessary
to make much change in the pullet
dietary at the approach of cold wealth
err. 1t Is worthy of special mention
that the United States Department of
Agriculture, at the Government ex-
pertinent farm, Beltsville. Md. kept
a number of hens for a period of ever
three years on ration which con-
tanned no wheat, or wheat products
and got good production. The Fed
eral specialists have maintained the
production in their fiOcks by the prop
er and scientific use Of corn and oats
in the ration, feeding two parts OF
cracked corn to one part Of oats night
and morning, while they used three
parts of corn meal and one part Of
beef scraps as the scratch mixture
kept before the hens at all times.
Last year 80 hens fed in this manner
made an average yield of IA eggs,
while the same individual hens yield
ed over 200 eggs during the twelve
months.
When the fall rains are on in full.
every poultryman should be sure to
protect the exposed end of his poultry
house so that the rain can not beat