Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-06
SHOULD HENS Be CONFINED?

If you want winter eggs, the fowls
should not be allowed outside when
there is snow son the ground. And
cold rain is even more harmful than
snow. A cold wind is also sufficient
cause for keeping the fowls confined.
Some poultry enthusiasts contend
that from the time the first snow
falls, the poultry should not be al
lowed outdoors at all until after the
last snow of spring. think that this
is giving the birds too much of a
good thing. In most sections of the
country there are days, even during
the midwinter season, when the hens
should be allowed free range.
I use dropping boards and the
nests are arranged just under the
edge of the boards, thus giving the
whole floor space of the 16x100-foot
henhouse for scratching. AS / keep
between four and five hundred laying
hens, this gives them plenty of room
and during the last severe winter
we had, 1 kept my fowls confined
for over two months.
I found that the hens did fairly
we'll under this treatment, but the
confinement had begun to tell on the
egg production before the weather
again permitted them to be out. On
an average I think our hens are out
about half the time during cold
weather.
A deep, scratching litter is needed
at all times, but it is especially es-
sential when the birds are confined.
The floor of our poultry house is
concrete and we keep an eight-inch
litter of straw on it. All the whole
grain is fed in this litter; oats in the
morning and corn in the evening.
It should be remembered that night
comes on a little earlier on cloudy
days than in fine weather. Conse-
uuently, the evening grain should
be given a little earlier. so that the
birds will have time to eat their
fill before going to roost. The dry
mash should be fed in self-feeding
hoppers just as at other seasons OF
the year. -,
II your house Is not equipped with
droppings boards, it will pay you to
install them. All that is necessary
is to place the roosts across the back
of the house, on a level with each
other, and then build the platform
of droppings boards under them. In
this way the droppings will not. go
into the litter. This saves the ire
quent changing VI Llie hetoA'
OF course. the fowls need green
feed during the winter months, ana
perhaps a. little extra while they are
confined. If you have used fore
thought you will have a plentiful
supply of beets or mangels stored
away in the winter cellar for the
fowls. But lacking this, some other
sort of green food must be fed.
have found an oats sprouter to be
one hundred per cent. successful.
but If you are feeding any sort OF
sprouted grain use care that 1t is
not Ieven the least bit nodded.
Such feed is likely to cause serious
loss in flock. If you find it imprac-
ticaI to sprout grain and have no
other green feed, ground alfalia
leaves may be fed in the dry mash.
We have had fine success by feeding
ground alfalfa leaves steamed. 10
do this, pour boiling water on the
bucket of alfalfa, cover tightly and
allow to steam for half an hour
before feeding. 1t may be fed In
trouehs or a clean space on con-
crete floor will be SATISFACTORILY. |
Y. 2.
Howard L. Hurd of Montvllle. re-
ceived a letter from Robinson ana
Estey of Massachusetts. who pur-
chased a heifer calf. and two cows
at the sale in Springfield, Mass, last |
fall of Mr.. Hurd's fine registered !
Holstein cattle, saying the calf is
growing fine and should make quite !
COW, and that, both cows are doing |
we'll In December, both gave over
1000 lbs. Of milk each.