Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-23
Factors Affecting the Health O
Chickens

This Is the season of the wear
when the flock needs special consid-
GRAFTON and attention. The months
OF August and September are as a
rule hot and very often dry. Hens,
Ike the rest of society, feel the hot
weather and there is a disposition on
that account for them to let down
IN egg production. This, of course,
Is a misfortune to the owner Of the
mock, as it can only result in the
minlmization of his profits. How
snail this tendency to shy egg pro-
duction be overcome? First, by MAX
ing the hens as comfortable as pos
s1ble. The more nearly this is &C
compliShed the better the response
they will make. To the end indicated
IL Is imperative that plenty of shade
De provided. The shade should also
be dense enough to protect the chick
ems from the direct rays of the sun
See that there is an abundance of
water. Strange to say, water is sup
posed to be one of the most common
and most easily obtained articles in
poultry yards are inadequately sup
piled with plenty of water Chickens
undoubtedly suffer from this cause
Tar more than the average owner ap-
preciated. The water should also be
fresh, By that we mean clean. It
should be cool. When in this condi-
tion it benefits the chickens most
completely and also adds a greater
degree of palata bility than when it
Is cloudy or dirty. Fresh water
yards and lots at least twice a day,
and 1t should be kept in sanitary con-
tainers. These containers should, of
course, be kept in the shade so as
to prevent the water from becoming
too hot.
In many instances natural shade
may not be available. In that event
artificial shade can be easily provid
ed. The chickens will find the shade
and repose in it during the extreme
heat of the day. Arrange the shade
so that there will be as free a cir
culation of air as possible. In 9TH
er words, do not build structure out
from the house which keeps the di-
rect rays of the sun off and also eff
fectively shuts off most of the breeze
unless the wind happens to be blow
ing from a certain direction. Four
posts sunk in the ground ana COW
cred with Stats and quick-growing
vines will make an effective shade.
Such a shade can be provided at the
cost OF a few cents. The question
always is, does the owner Of the
flock believe the expenditure of the
Is anxious for his chickens to make
a good showing and to return him
profits then the effort involved in
providing shade becomes a relative
~ small and unimportant matter.
In the summer time chickens are
likely to be attracted by mites. lice
and chiggers or sand flies. These
are very pernicious and Objectionable
classes of insects. They can all be
controlled If proper effort is put
forth. If one has ever had the mis-
fortune to suffer from a heavy in
festation of chiggers or sand flies
one can imagine what the hen COW
cred with them must feel like and
how little return she can be expect
ed to make under such conditions in
the way of egg laying. What is the
use of keeping poultry if it is not
productive? What is the use of
keeping it on half-production basis?
Why not make it as valuable an as
set to the home and farm as it can
and should be made? Most Of us
probably are Indifferent to the depre-
dations OF mites, lice and chiggers
because we have not thought of them
as exerting very important infiu-
ence on the productiveness of the
hen. Let US wake up to the impor-
lance of this matter and recognize.
that sanitation in and about the