Show e Neglect Th El E and and e gg gg Carelessness KEEPING THE FLOCK UP TO A HIGH LAYING POINT J Written Especially for The Salt Lake Telegram By BILLY BILL Y SEARS I flock think that be because be- be O IE owners ov In laying fair fairly SO S' SOME cruse cause their hens are aie 1 ly well that the they are ale II n IN no there arc me as healthy so O long IonS noticeable indications of or wear am and all t twell ii is tear tar It Is taken for granted that may be an in indication In- In well ell E Egg production rut on of health and again It ma may maj mean absolutely nothing or of the kindA kind and at th lh the be producing A flock ma may same sam time he nearing a state glato of physical phys phYs- ical ruin Extension work worl this week Has lias taken nib into several sc flock flocks where here the hens were on the very verge verge enc of ot such a breakdown n Four flocks were wele visited all y verj verl n similar In nature The Tho owners started start start- ed ell 1 backyard ard flocks Clocks by purchasing pullets pullets pullets pul pul- constitutional tI- tI con lets and hens hns possessing good vigor ISor For a while everything e went well and the e egg S' S b basket slet was vms Accordingly lr filled tilled day da after day da the own owners rs had little cause caulo for concern concern concern con con- cern but the fowls were slowly reaching a point where the e eggs s were getting smaller In size and ver very otter orten th the hens were ere taking what the owners own own- ers rs thought to he a natural rest res 1 A stud study of oC the conditions under which th these se fowls owls were being kept disclosed the fact that hey were about at nt the end of their lay ay some were already beginning to go light losing weight This condition Is very d deceptive do- do shields as ns the fowls' fowls plumage e their true condition from view vew GoIng GoIng GoIng Go- Go deficiency disease disease dis dis- Ing light lIht Is 15 really a ease and Is vcr very perplexing to a beginner be bo- ginner Inner It Is caused by furnishing the fowls a ration of poor quality or what hat JM Is known as a n. simple and monotonous diet Well ell bred birds have o a 1 remark remark- remarkable remarkable remarkable able ability to live Hc nad produce upon such uch a a. diet but only for a limited period and this at tho expense of their health The first consideration In caring for fowls Is to supplY the correct va variety variety va- va variety va- va and amount of ot constituents of food to furnish energy ener and to replace tissues worn orn out b by exercise The fowl must first bo ho kept In perfect physical 1 condition To accomplish this tho the attendant should have hao some somo knowledge of f food nutrition and be beable beable able to detect tho indications of ot an Inadequate ration otherwise he should follow to the tho letter some ad advanced advanced advanced ad- ad fanciers fancier's methods and occasional occasionally occasionally occa occa- have ha him look took your birds over o to see sec that everything is as it should be Failure allure to attend to this will cause considerable loss EXTERNAL PARASITES PARASITES- I IOno One Ono flock visited had made an egg e S' S 4 record o of which the owner was Justly justl I rt rI proud This owner was wa not satisfied 1 to simp simply bo be getting eggs he wanted to bo be sure he was going to continue I to get set them and that nothing should creep In to pre prevent t his desire he asked that his flock be examined One glance showed the fowls were not In condition to continue I. I much Jon longer er The trouble seemed to be other than het ration and a careful examination of the roosting I quarters disclosed the undeniable evidence evi evi- dence of mites salt and pepper deposit de- de de deposit e- e posit upon the roosts which Is the f excrement of the mites Here was a case where a very proud owner was LS about to become a a. avery avery very perplexed and discouraged ed own own- I err er It would have havo been only a n matter matter matter mat- mat ter of a short time before the hens I would have ha ceased to produce Mites are arc a very ery e expensive pest around a chicken house no one can afford to an allow ow them and no one nee need I allow them er E Every owner should examine ex- ex amine his chicken house particularly at this season and get ct busy with some exterminator and a brush orl or pump l A A constant watch should be l kept ept t to ascertain any evidence e of or mites as they the will do considerable damage o oIt if It allowed to thrive unchecked for a n. short hort time The female deposits from two to three dozen eggs and the complete complete complete com com- life liCe cycle from es egg to adult con covers rs a period of only seven days das I hence one can readily understand why thc they soon become such deterioration deterioration deterioration tion to the flock by sucking the blood Fight 1 emAn emAn em An emer emergency enc call can came to this de- de Mr Sears will answer all questions ques I th that t may be directed to him himin himin in in n regard to the chicken industry He will also If requested analyze I the food you are feeding your chickens and inform you as to its worth All questions and food samples samples sam soam ples pies about one one half half pound should be sent to Mr Scars in care of the editorial department of The Telegram Tele Tele- gram For prompt reply they thoy should be in this office not later I than thoan Wednesday noon of each week I I from Crom an owner who had el ono one ono h hens die from no apparent nt cause As he said They just rolled over r and dle died The da day they ther had been In perfect health The whole trouble dated hack back to Memorial 1 day when hen tho children had made sonic Ice cream and had thrown the tho water from Crom th the freezer out into tho hack yard ard This water contained considerable rock salt w used erl in the process of freezing the tho cream ln A few fe fedas feda's days das later one ono of or the children opened the tho chicken house door and the tho chickens soon Roon discovered and ate ale the salt and as a consequence tho the owner lost Jost ono one el ono hens well worth 2 each This lamentable inci inci- incident incident dent could have havo been een pre prevented As the warm weather is upon U us It Is very err likely that there will be many children get out the old freezer frezer and arid make a little of tho the homemade va va- riet The They should be instructed to empty empl the sal sal- water where It will be Impossible for the chickens to get set It iL WAITING FOR HARD LUCK Some flock owners aro arc a good deal Ilko liko the captain of or a ship tl trying ln to sail gall an uncharted sea They wait walt until they arc are on the rocks and then send out the S. S O. O S. S I am satisfied In my m own mind that there are a large aro number of oC flocks Inthis In Inthis Inthis this vicinity which would be bo greatly benefited h by a visit of oC some somo advanced ad fancier and yet et their owners seem to tobe toh tot h be t p waiting until tho the crash comes be before before be- be e- e fore worrying about It This department department depart depart- ment will continue the tho extension work but I would suggest est that owners who are arc not absolutely sure of oC their methods methods methods meth meth- uso use this service before their hens show signs gl ns of oC really renIl needing n eding attention A READER WANTS TO KNOW P P. P. P R. R Ogden Tho Infertility of your our eggs must havo hao been due to tho the mule male bird When hen a mal male i J Is out of condition overfed condition overfed or underfed or underfed or when mated to too many hens hens It it is difficult to secure good eggs The fact that eggs ebbs from this same pen hatched well at the first of the tho season and now you are arc unable una e to o secure a fertile egg eg is pretty good proof that tho the trouble i Is with the male Somo Some males are very cr gallant and never ne eat while whIlo tho the hens are eating eat eat- ing inS in n this wa way they become under under- fed If It on the other hand tho male Is greedy greed he ho Is apt to become overfed overfed over over- fed K It L L. 1 1 I. Leg LeS' weakness In ducks can be caused h by excessive feeding of ot whole grains or some ome undue un ue excitement excitement excitement excite excite- ment or sleeping In damp amp quarters at night Tho The weakest thing about a n duck ducks Is s Its legs less 2 I know of no book devoted to the diseases of ducks R P. II I II-I I do o not believe belle there Is any an method of or testing e eggs gs for fertility be before before before be be- be fore the they have havo been Incubated from four to seven seen days ays There are many theories afloat on this subject and I recall some Instrument advertised ad claiming to pick out the fertile eS' eS eggs 8 but Iha e never ne known lenon of an any successful suc- suc ce method i t J. J McC McC-Ilens McC liens liens very elJ often orten do things which there thero is apparently tino no reason for I 1 have never ne heard of hens bens with such depraved depra tastes that the they would woul eat their droppings If It you jou are In n tho the habit of covering co the dropping boards with sifted ashes the hens ma may have ha perverted per their appetites b by picking and scratching scratching- In these I am ant In Inclined inclined inclined in- in to believe belle the ration fed Is de deficient deficient de- de e- e and cau causes cause's e a craving ing which seeking to has as unused caused the hens f to form the habit I know of no way wa to break this habit une unless s you are able to first learn lear tho the ca cause se and iy hy re removing removing removing re- re moving same you OU will remove remo the effect er- er ef S S. E E. B By B.-By By la laying ln ninety five dozen ozen eggs since the first o of the year ear your nineteen hens made a er very good rec ree- record or ord considering ord-considering considering that this I Is only your our second season with chickens As time limo passes you will b by ob observation tf and study stU gain g a better knowledge e of the care r required and by br applying this knowledge you will perhaps be able to mako make hens pro produce uce better beller ItIs It Is I Ino Is no doubt In them Your ration z of mostly wheat and bran mash Is rather a restricted diet let and no nn doubt douht by chan changing ins the ra ra- ra lion tion you will greatly Increase the es egg production The hens will neE need d more than such a ration to maintain their bodily health and I would suggest IU that you ou supply an adequate ration They may ma no now he be laying lain at the expense expense ex ex- pense e of their constitutional I vigor or 2 2 means mean just what the name implies Th The nests are so constructed constructed constructed con con- that when a hen enters to tolay tolay tolay lay she Is trapped and can only bo be liberated lib lib- orated by hy ho he attendant This Is Ji done to determine a A. hens hen's record to the Jaite last Jait e egg or where the breeder desires to pedigree his flock I I II JI W W. 1 I The standard weight of the th White While Leghorn Is Js Cock tf 5 lbs Ibs Cockerel 4 4 I 14 lbs Ibs lIen lion 4 4 1 lbs Ills Pullet 3 S Ibs lbs 2 Tho standard weight of or the tho Barred PI Plymouth mouth Rock Is Cock I. I rJ 9 Ph S lbs Ibs Cockerel 8 8 lbs Ibs lien 74 7 JI lbs Ibs Pullet 6 6 C Ibs lbs 3 Positive enamel white while In car lobes Is a dl disqualification |