, 1922-09-27

OF Agriculture.)
The ~improvident man who sold his
heating stove in July because the cir
Gus a near and the winter far off
differs only in the degree of his short
s~ightedness from the poultry raiser
who waits until spring to select the
breeding stock that is to be used to
replenish his flock. This important
work of picking out the superior birds
must be done in the fall to get the
best results, says the United States
Department of Agriculture, for it is
then that the greatest contrast be-
tween the profitable birds and the poor
ones shows up. OF course the culling
out of the poor layers should go on
all through the summer and fall, but
at last the top-notchers should be
selected as foundation for the coming
flock, which ought to be better each
year.
Never Use Immature PuIlets.
One good rule 10 follow is to keep
the pullets out Of the breeding flock
until they are fully matured. An i'm
mature bird may be a good layer and
may be from the best stock, but still
it is undesirable. Eggs from pullets
not yet fully developed will not pro
duce as large or as strong chicks as
those from older hens or fully grown
pullets. There is no difficulty in know
ing when a bird is mature enough to
.he eggs laid will have reached the
,lze of the average produced by the
general run of hens in the flock.
Young pullets always lay a rather
small egg, sometimes very small at the
start. Those that mature early may
be picked out by keeping track of
the birds that start laying first in the
fall. These birds may be marked with
ieg bands, SO that they will not be-
come mixed during the winter with
those hat start their work later.
The iate molters are the birds that
stick to the job longer. and conse
Quentiy they make up another group
that should be used In forming the
breeding flock next spring. Leg bands
may be used to distinguish these prof
table birds, or, better. the early mol
ters may be marketed so that they
VIII no longer have an opportunity to
keep down the average egg production
Of the flock.
The general-purpose breeds, which
Include the Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Is
land Reds. and Wyandottes, as u rule
are not profitable after the second
year. 1t is therefore advisable to Gull
out all Of the older birds of this class.
OF these, the late molters are the
ones to select for breeders, just as in
the case of fowls of any other breed.
But the selection of birds on the
basis of age and time of melting is
not all the preparation that need be
made for raising the foundation for
the new flock. The health and thrift
of the fowls must be looked after
carefully during the winter. After
selecting the breeding birds the poul-
try house needs close attention. Keep
ing 1t in sanitary condition is one of
fort of the house, which is closely o
nected with the health of the birds.
Fowls are very sensitive to moisture
conditions, and these should be con-
trolled carefully by ventilation. When
moisture from the fowls gathers on
the ceiling and walls there is apt to
be trouble soon. In cold weather this
moisture may collect in the form of
frost, but the heat from the sun in
the middle of the day will melt the
frost, and the water, dripping down,
will make the litter wet. Hens are a
good deal like sheep in their sensitive
ness to wet feet, either in the house
or when outside, and they cannot be
kept In good health on damp litter.
A sick hen is a hard proposition to
deal with IL you expect to get out with
a profit on her. 1t is a lot cheaper to
depend on dry litter than on medicines
to cure colds and roup. Roup is the
sequel of colds, and when it gets into
A flock. al one poultryman puts it,
you are on the rocks.
Plenty of fresh air In the house Is a
well-recognized preventive of colds in
humans, and 1t is just as eficacious
In the case of poultry. The open front
house with cloth curtains is the most
practical means for the average fock
owner to keep the house thoroughly
aired. and the fowls will not suffer
rom the cold IL the building has been
properly planned also the egg produc-
lion will keep up. By going into the
house frequently in changing winter
weather 1t will be easy to judge of the
condition of the atmosphere and bring
I TO normal by adjustments of cur
aims and windows. Moisture can be
ont f,.nrp ~srcua,ulntinp by openinr nm