The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-11-03
Bring the PuIIets in From the Range
Before They Begin to Lay, for Nov.
ing Them Retards Ego Production
Two to Four Weeks.

Before They Begin to Lay, for Nov.
ing Them Retards Egg Production
Two to Four Weeks.
II it has a cement or wooden floor,
remove all litter and dirt and put in
4 or 5 inches of fresh straw or litter.
Remove the roosts> and scrape the
dropping boards, wetting them down If
necessary to loosen refuse which has
caked and dried on. Sweep the walls
and ceiling with a broom, and clean out
all old nesting material. The house is
now ready to be dist nfected. Mix up
a batch Of whitewash or other disin-
fectant. Put peck or more Of fresh
burned lime In a tub or barrel and
pour on it enough water to start slak-
Ing. Stir occasionally and add more
water to prevent burning. Keep the
vessel covered with an old sack to re-
tain the heat. After the lime is thor.
oughly slakeda dilute it to the proper
consistency and strain it if it is to be
applied with spray pump. Add
quart Of crude carbolic acid to each
bucketful of wash. Other effective
disinfectants are lime-sulphur mixture
used for spraying fruit trees, coal-tar
preparations, or the approved cattle
dips.
With whitewash brush or spray
pump apply thoroughly to the inside of
the house-walIs, ceiling, floor, drop
ping boards, and nests, as well as the
roosts, which should be placed out of
doors in the sun for few days. Al
low the house to dry out before put
ting in fresh litter. Rye straw makes
excellent litter, because it is tough and
does not break up easily, but wheat
or oats straw, cornstalks, dry leaves,
or coarse hay are all disable.
Make Houses Free From Drafts.
Be sure that the house is tight on
three sides and that there Is no chance
for a draft to strike the hens. II hens
roost or are placed in a draft during
the fall and winter, colds are sure
to develop, which may result in roup
and other troubles. From one-third to
one-half Of the south side, or front,
Of the poultry house may be made Of
curtains and windows, but should be
under control, so that the openings
may be closed gradually as the wealth.
er becomes cold. Have muslin cur
tains in the front Of the house or leave
window partly open, even on the
coolest nights, to allow some ventila..
ton in the house. Fowls will stand
considerable exposure to cold air pro.
vided 1t IS dry, and ventilation will
keep the air In the house dry.
Before the pullets are mixed with
the Older fowls be sure that the hens
are banded or that the web of the foot
is punched in some way, so that YOU
can distinguish between the pullets and
the hens. This plan permits the older
stock to be culled out whenever de.
sirable, and the young hens to be kent
for further laying. For egg produc.
ton do not keep hens over two years
but some Of the best hens may be kent
for breeders until three or four years
old.
The pullets that mature early in the
fall and that mott late the next wear
are usually the best layers and should
be saved for breeding stock. Gull the
chickens carefully which are brought
into the laying house, and fatten and
market all which are small, poorly
developed, or in poor condition. These
small, poorly-developed chickens are
apt to catch cold If put in with the
other poultry and develop diseases
which quickly spread through the
flock.
Clean the dropping boards at least
once q week, and spray the roosts