Show POULTRY MADE profitable ON ALL FARMS long home narrow yard which restrict range and yard cultivation II 11 L KEMP STEIl the secret of success in raising poultry Is to provide conditions as nearly natural as possible such con the farmer is in position to provide with unlimited range at bis disposal there is no need for him to crowd his poultry into small yards limited range encumbered with large numbers of division fences makes it impossible to give the poultry yards proper cultivation this causes them to become filth and unsanitary a condition which Is responsible for most poultry diseases the success of poultry enterprises Is usually measured by the extent ot range provided tor the purpose corn mercial plants which depend upon small yards are usually short lived better sanitary conditions would yield the farmer more satisfactory results the most common mistake in cocat ing the farm poultry house Is that of placing it so close to other farm build ings that hens overrun the latter the usual plan of locating the poultry house between the barns and the dwelling bouse Is especially disagreeable since it encourages the bens to not only overrun the barns but the back porch of th ehouse as well this habit Is encouraged by throwing the crumbs table scraps etc out from r the kitchen door under such condl alons poultry keeping Is not only unpleasant but impractical and the read r Is urged to consider these points in selecting a satisfactory site A low spot Is unsuitable for a poul try house because surface water Is apt to accumulate and damp air al ways settles in such a place land which is naturally wet either because of the nature of the soil or because of springy conditions should be properly drained muddy quarters cause fowls to consume large amounts of filth this in addition to the dampness of such a location results in un healthful hocks there Is also the probability of the eggs becoming dirty resulting in an inferior product even if thoroughly cleaned A windbreak should be provided which will not only afford protection from disagreeable winds but furnish an abundance at shade if possible the poultry house should u WINTER EXERCISE FOR HENS y thick hedge around poultry house makes excellent windbreak sheltered booke afforded outside A windbreak of some sort makes a poultry house warmer on the inside and gives the fowls a sheltered place lor outdoor exercise says a writer in successful farming the owner of a thicken house built under the shelter ot a number of evergreen trees says drinking water hardly ever freezes inside and I 1 noticed at the time I 1 waa visiting this place in the winter that the snow lodged on the trees and the ground underneath was bare and everywhere around the ground was severed with snow hens like to get outside the chicken house for a little while when the weather will permit but they don t like to wade in snow hens ro in trees when a snowstorm comes will atay in the trees until they get hungry rather than fly down in the snow to set something to eat A thick hedge around the poultry bouse and yard makes a good wind break we have found a tall board fence on the north and west of the house and yards quite a good deal of protection to the hens in winter be aides giving a sheltered location tor the early chicks the little fellows get close to this board fence on a raw day and dont feel the wind much that would otherwise soon chill the life out of them we made this fence out of old boards often the henhouse or brooder house can be located where other buildings will break the force of the wind it seems to me this subject Is not given the attention it deserves in locating bouses or yards in a cold climate ad vantage should be taken of everything that will give protection and afford fowls old and young sheltered nooks outside it will save in the cost of food alone in winter tor sheltered fowls need less food than those exposed have supply of insecticide every one interested in poultry should have a good insecticide on band tor abe prompt of lice dry picking beet fowls that are dry picked present a much better appearance than those taftt are scalded be located upon a south or east elpa this is not so important however at convenience to other farm buildings the location of a poultry house in an orchard Is ideal it the trees do not shade the runs so that they remain damp the trees furnish necessary summer shade poultry raising has resolved itsell into two 8 stems the intensive tern involving houses of considerable size or many houses and a large amount of stock upon a small area and the extensive or colony bouse system in which small houses are scattered over large areas the former has advantages in that the aabol resulting from the care of the flock es pec lally burng the winter Is reduced to a minimum in general the ex pense of blousing Is less than where fowls are kept in small flocks it has the disadvantage of increasing the amount of yard care on account ol 01 the limited yard space the intensive system with many small houses as usually practiced in city lots involved an enormous amount of detail work unpleasant in bad weather and too expensive as a system to be practical except where more favorable condl alons are impossible the extensive or colony house tern necessitates more labor in the care of the flocks during stormy weather when the birds are confined it has the advantage however of un limited yard space and yard fencing can be quite largely eliminated often the poultry can be permitted the range of fields after the crops are started without appreciable injury to the crop utilizing to good advantage the droppings which would otherwise go to waste in some localities worthless land has been brought to a high state of fertility by this practice the most healthful and economical method of raising the young chickens Is the portable house system the houses are moved about the farm in such places as orchards farm lanes cornfields wheat and barley fields after the grain has been removed the shade green food bugs worms grasshoppers etc are much more conducive to a rapid healthful growth than are the conditions usually found around the dooryard CAUSE OF EGG EATING HABIT hens that learn trick communicate it to others many different cures are advocated egg eating Is caused by lack of nests overcrowding want of anity to exercise or lack of litter to exercise in and nests that are loca ted low down in the light where the chickens are tempted to scratch in the nest boxes thus rolling out the egge once the trick Is learned no eggs are sate and the birds that first learn this bad habit communicate it to others to prevent give plenty of room in the hen house and have a suitable place for the chickens to scratch in put the nests in a seclude ed corner as dark as Is practicable and furnish enough of them give the chickens plenty of green food different cures are advocated some say that a quantity of china eggs scattered over the chicken house floor will discourage the practice others that a bushel or less of egg shells fed liberally will satisfy the hens craving for lime and break up the habit others that old plaster and plenty of grit is a help occasionally someone will claim that eggs doctored docto reo with red pepper puts a stop to it the best cure Is prevention backyard poultry backyard poultry raising is no longer an experiment its success has been demonstrated time and again in fact it is carried on in many and under various conditions and its popularity has just fairly started ducks ready for market properly ted ducks should be ready for market when ten weeks old and will weigh twice as much as chickens of the same age and pay a better profit small fetock la best on the farm especially it costs more to keep a flock that cannot secure a large proportion of its food while the smaller flock will require less time and attention hen important qualifications in a ben are that she shall be a good feeder bright clear eyed quick in action clean and not scary |