The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13


 T guess you are about right, said Mir. Black, but I do like everything around my place to be well built
 "So do l." retorted Mir. Smith, but until l have a larger income l fear 1 can't have everything l want. When l built that shack over there for my chick ens," he continued, 'I didn't have any guide to go by. but the other day picked up a department of agriculture farmers bulletin that tells all about backyard poultry keeping, and it gives instructions about making just such house as I made. l see they recommend inexpensive houseing for backyard flocks.
 Average hens eggs will weigh about a pound and half to the dozen, or two ounces apiece. The weight of single dozen of eggs in a carton properly packed and wrapped for mailing will run from two to three pounds, depending on the nature of the particular container, the size of the eggs and the packing and wrapping used. If the container be very light one and the eggs small, the parcel may fall within the two-pound limit and the postage, therefore, Wlthlh the first and second zones, or 150-miie i limit, would be 6 cents. Most parcels containing a dozen eggs will exceed two pounds, but will not reach three; there
  i cents within the first and second zones. parcel containing two dozen eggs will ada perhaps cents to the postage, though sometimes only cent, depending on the nature of the container and the packing and wrapping.
 l It should be observed that the larger the parcel (within the size and weight lmits) the cheaper is the postage, as s,le l first pound of every package costs b | cents within the first and second zones, while each additional pound up to nlty | costs but 1 cent; so that While one 1 pound parcel would cost cents postage. ! a two-pound parcel would cost only 1 cents, or 3 cents a pound. A twenty pound parcel would cost 24 cents or ,-o cents per pound and a ffty-pound parcel
 would cost 54 cents, or but 1925 cents per pound
 | When hens become broody, they should
 be "broken up as quickly as posslpie' l for the sooner this is done the sooner ; they will resume laying. To break hen of broodiness she should be confined to
 A small coop raised off the ground. pref l erably with slat bottom. Give her ulenty of water to drink; she may be fed or not, as desired. Not much difter- ence will be found in the time requlred
 to break her of broodiness, whether she
 is fed or made to fast. Usually from
 
 her, but some hens require ten os twelve days.
 The broody hen will be recognized by her inclination to stay on the nest al night the ruffling of her feathers and her picking at any one who approachas her, and by the clucking noise she makes The fact that her broodiness has been broken up can be recognized by the disappearance of these symptoms. 
 Last year was an unusually bad year for fleas about houses. The time is again I at hand when, though the voice of the flea may not be heard in the land, his
 tickling will be felt in the flesh-unless the simple preventive is applied. Fleas usually get into the chicken house from the basement or some place where dogs ! or other animals have slept. Make 2
 thorough clean up. Then sprinkle tho
 floor well with sale and wet it down not wet enough to cause it to run Ii
 may ba necessary to repeat this treat
 ment two or three times at intervals of
 about three days.