The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1922-09-08

Laws against vagrancy have been
long on the statutes OF this country
The man who won't work. who does
not return society something for the
privilege Of enjoying the alleged de-
lights of modern civilization. has to
60 to jail, and work on the roads
or in a stone quarry for his food and
bed. Man may have gained his idea
for this law from the Industrious
honey bees. They have little use tor
drones.
But a hen may so cackling around
for months or years. and never lay
an egg, and the owner be none the
wiser unless he keeps up TO modern
ideas OF poultry management and
culls his flock occasionally. While
culling should be continuous through
out the year in any well-eondUcreG
plant, the best time 70 emphasize
operation. perhaps, is during August
and September. according 20 the
teachings OF experts o. the depart
ment OF agriculture. THAT is 70 say,
If you intend to make Just one cul-
ling in the year then August or Sep
tember should be your date.
IL Is easier tAcu ~ kAAoAC - SIS>S
estimate of the relative value OF a
hen as an egg producer and to weed
out the poor producers. Hens which
show indications Of laying or are lay
ing and have not molted usually are
the ones that have been the better
layers during the entire season, and
the hen that lays best during her
first year usually will lay we'll dur
ing the second and third years. She
is the hen to keep. It is not advis-
able, though, to keep hens of the
heavier breeds, such as Plymouth
Rocks. Rhode Island Reds and Brah-
mas, beyond their second year, or OF
the smaller breeds, such as Leghorns
and Anconas, beyond their third year,
as they seldom prove profitable.
In addition to culling the entire
flock in August and September, you
should always watch for hens that
are sick or very thin in flesh, or that
show signs of weakness or low vital
ity. When discovered Gull them at
once. It will pay.
Keep Only Healthy Hens
Culling properly means using sew
eral tests, all fairly accurate if in
telligently and carefully appied. For
this reason it is wise to send for de-
partment circular 81, which may be
had upon application to the division
of publications, department of agri-
culture, or enlist the help and ad-
vice of experienced persons near by.
Briefly, the hens to Gull are those
that are sick. weak, inactive, lacking
in vigor, poor eaters, with shrunken,
hard, dull, or whitish colored combs !;
with thick, stiff pelvic bones that are
close together; small spread or dis
tance between rear end of the keel
and pelvic bones; full, firm, or hard
abdomen; and those that have mott
ed or started to mott in August or
September. In breeds having yellow
legs and skin the discarded hens
should also show yellow or medium
yellow legs, yellow beaks, and yell
ow skin around the vent.
The hens to be kept should be
healthy, vigorous, active. good eaters,
with plump. bright-red combs; large.
moist vents; thin, pliable pelvic bones
spread we'll apart; a wide spread
between the pelvic bones and rear
end OF keel; large, soft, pliable alb
domen; and neither molted nor mott
ing in August or September. In the
breeds with yellow legs and skin the
hens you keep should show pale or