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Show the space back of it waroo enough to prevent any frostbites. If it is more convenient the males may be removed to a warmer place for the night flubbing flub-bing vaseline on the combs and wattles wat-tles of the males makes them more frost-resistant. BREEDS FOR BACKYARD FLOCKS. For the family that wishes to keep poultry for home cooumption rather than for the market, the so-called general-purpose breeds are better suited than what are known as the egg-laying breeds. Plymouth Rocks, Wyan- TREATING FROZEN COMBS OF FOWLS Rub Cold Vaseline on Frosted Parts Before They Have Chance to Thaw. COCKS AND HENS AFFECTED Thin Wattles of Males Are Most Susceptible, Sus-ceptible, Especially When They Are Wet as Bird Drinks Curtain Cur-tain Front Favored. The extreme cold weather this winter win-ter has caused unusual damage through frosted combs and wattles of fowls. In the large-eomb breeds both cocks and hens are affected. The females fe-males of the breeds, having medium-sized medium-sized combs, are not often seriously injured in-jured by frost, but when the mercury goes below zero the combs and wattles of the mules are often very budly nipped. Treat Befora Thawing. When first frozen the comb and wattles wat-tles retain their norrial color, except for a slight whiteness of the skin of the frozen parts. After the affected parts thaw out they turn dark In color, pad there Is more or less inflammation In them and the adjacent parts. Treatment Treat-ment is most beneliclnl if first applied before the frozen parts begin to thaw. At this stage the best treatment Is to rub with cold vaseline or lard, manipulating manipu-lating gently with the fingers to draw the frost gradually and restore circulation. circu-lation. When the frost is out anoint the parts with a mixture of 5 table-spoonfuls table-spoonfuls vaseline, 2 tablspoonfuls glycerine, 1 tablespoonful turpentine. Apply thla two or three times a day, keeping the bird In a cool (not cold) place. If the frostbite is not noticed until thawing has occurred, omit the fir.st rubbing. Use of Vaseline. The thin wattles of males are most susceptible, especially when they are wet as the bird drinks. In severe cold weather It is best not to give males access ac-cess to open drinking vessels except during the warmer hours of the day. The combs are usually frosted at night when the birds are ou the roosts. A curtain of burlap or of cotton cloth hung before the roost will often keep VTTTTTTTTTrPTTTTTTTTTTTTTT A FIRELESS BROODER t FOR MOTHERLESS CHICKS. f T ! It is satisfactory for the small J flock owner. It can be used out- f doors only in reasonably warm 4" weather ; in cold weather keep it J in a room which is at least part- a Iy eated. T You can make it yourself. As T X the construction is very simple, A J many people prefer to build rath- J er than buy them. The body J heat of the chickens is the J source of warmth. A box 18 J inches square and 8 inches deep J 4 makes a good hover of this type. J Adjustable quilts or covers are J used. The number and position of the quilts over the chickens S in this box are regulated accord- T ing to weather and the number X J of chicks. In very cold weather j i the quilts should sag so as to X rest on the backs of the newly j A hatched chicks, and there should 5 J be little or no empty space in x the hover. In warmer weather X or with older chickens the quilts $ or covers are raised or part of X them removed. From 12 to 40 X T chicks are usually placed in a tireless brooder, 25 being the av- !f. J erage number, while smtil lots 5 do better than larger ones under $ J this method. When first placed J ? in the tireless brooder, the . J chicks may have to be put undtr J J the hovers frequently until they $ learn where to get warm. jjj p w .Ti .I, .I .I, Ti iTi ill ,7, i- ----- Ti.TiA.- - " TTTTTTTTTTTtTtTttTTTtttTtT dottes, Rhode Island Reds and Orpingtons Orp-ingtons are all good varieties for the average person who does not Intend to go into the poultry business on a considerable con-siderable scale. These breeds are good layers and they also make good table poultry. Furthermore, they will hatch their own eggs and brood their own chickens, whereas the Leghorns and other breeds of tho egg-laying class do not sit, and the use of expensive'mcu-bntors expensive'mcu-bntors and brooders is necessary in order to perpetuate these flocks. HENHOUSE WARM BUT AIRY. Usually a poultry house can be kept well ventilated without making It uncomfortably un-comfortably cold for the hens except In the very coldest weather. Birds can stand quite low temperatures provided their combs do not frost. Where there Is much hard freezing weather, tho most effective way thnt has been found to keep the poultry house warm anil dry Is to place dry straw or buy to tho depth of a foot or more overhead on a floor of hoards laid as wide apart as may be nnd still hold the straw. Dry straw usually will absorb all moisture, and so, when It Is used the poultry keeper must judge by the air In the house how much ventilation Is needed. A breed that will not stand the temperature tem-perature when the ventilation Is regulated regu-lated In this way Is not suited to th climate. Heavy Layers Are Best. TTenvy layers produce more hatching hatch-ing eggs for sale or for hatching Into baby chicks and more eggs for market mar-ket purposes befom nnd after tli hatching nenson. - ---------- ---------"-------------- ----- J 70-HEN EGG FACTORY AS BACKYARD VENTURE. The Illustration above shows an Intensive backyard poultry 4 plant which is making a very Im- 4. portant food contribution to a 4. nation that needs more eggs and 4 J poultry Jlesh. Practically Ihe en- tire backyard is occupied by j houses and covered runs and J 4- about 70 hens are carried. Each 4 house Is 0 by 11 feet and Is dlvld- X t ed Into 2 pens with a covered a yard of the same size. There j nre ahcut 15 hens to a pen. The 4j ,j, houses are raised from the ground so that the hens can run under them and the soil in the "t runs Is renewed four times a " year. A (lock of 111 hens In one J j of these pens laid 2,10,'! eggs In i Jyenr. Outs are sprouted for X green ffed In the cellar of the T dwelling house of the owner. Chicks, too, nre raised In this basement. X J If yon are thinking of starting T a backward poultry business. J I wrlto to the XT. S. department of J f agriculture for n copy of Farm- L prs' Mullotln SSil, "Backyard J r Toullry Keeplnff." |