The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1921-02-03
HOW MANY eggs
DO YOUR HENS LAY
COSTS NO MORE TO FEED $50
EGG BIRD THAN ONE
LAYING 40 EGGS
Alderwood Manor Expert Sug-
gests Winter Treatment to Pro-
duce More Hen Fruit. Time
Now to Order Chicks.
By F. c. McClane, Supt. Alderwooo
Manor demonstration Farm.

By F, C. McClane, Supt Alderwood
Manor Demonstration Farm.
Cool weather brings many problems
to the poultry man. Frost freezes
kale plants, one of the best sources OF
winter green food. Great care should
be taken not to feed frozen plants un-
til they have been thawed.
Water pals and fountains in the
poultry houses should be watched for
ice. Tepid water should be used when
filing the vessels and care should be
taken to see that the water is kept
free from ice at all times.
Watch the Straw
| have often been asked as to how
long the straw litter should be allowed
to remain on the floor of the poultry
house. 1t is impossible to make
hard and fast rule on this, but the
weather has much to do with the
keeping qualities of the straw. One
should use common sense.
Watch the straw carefully and note
its condition. When it becomes damp
change Immediately, or if you find il
in such condition that the birds can
not work it comfortably. Keeping the
birds busy scratching during the en-
tire day is a secret of the poultryman's
success.
If you have been lowering the can
vas curtains on your chicken houses
as far as they will go you have been
making a mistake. Even on the
stormiest nights those curtains should
never be lower than from six to eight
inches from the bottom of the screen.
No draft can then reach the birds and
the fresh air so necessary, has free
access to the room. Always in FAR
weather raise the curtains to full
height during the daytime.
An improvement has been worked
out in the ventilation scheme of the
poultry units at Alderwood Manor and
for some months the experiment has
been made with good success.
Oats Not Green Food
Feed sprouted oats. Watch your
oats and do not feed them as sprout-
ed oats. until you see. on the end Of.
the kernel, opposite the end upon
which the root is forming, small
tender shoot about a quarter of an
inch long. These should be given to
the birds at the rate of 10 quarts to
every 100 birds.
Do not confuse the feeding of sprout-
ed oats with feeding greens. Sprout-
ed oats are fed for their food value
and green's are fed for another reason.
If you have no kale plants, alfalfa
blossoms make an excellent substi-
tute. In summer you should dry the
blossoms and place them in sacks
ready for winter feeding.
Look After Chicken Runs
Chicken runs should be prepared at
this time of the year for next spring
and summer Pillow the runs and seed
them to oats.
Watch the dropping boards careful
ly. Always clean them every day.
Some dry dirt should be collected in
the fall and kept to throw light coat
over the boards after the morning
cleaning.
Follow one system of feeding. You
cannot expect results with irregular
feeding n omatter how much food you
give Stick to the plan you have
adopted and follow it carefully and
Systematically.
Nave You Bought Your Baby Chicks?
The days for booking orders for
baby chicks for spring are here. Each
days delay in placing your order may
mean a month later chicks When or
dering chicks remember that stock
counts, the price is a secondary con-
sideration. Buy the chicks that come
from trapnested flocks whose pen rec
ords are the highest.
Remember that the pullet grows
into the laying hen and it is just as
easy and pays better to feed a hen
that lays $50 eggs a year as it is to
feed one laying lao eggs.