Show PT shortening THE HENS VACATION the thought his has often occur occurred reI 0 me that civilization has compelled leaboth both man and fowl to do a great many things that nature never in ended to do civilization and evo ution combined have also changed nany many 0 of their natural bodily functions yet with incomprehensible they still retain orans and habits for or which the need las long since disappeared A mans ip for or instance is his 1 ar of 0 some long forgotten physical unction while the fowls habit ot of nolting is her reminder of the time ahen a vital need existed for or the periodical removal ot of her feathers A hen in the wild state frequent y had to depend on her wings for light from birds and beasts of prey ser ier feathers moreover were her protection from the elements n the wild life she led they were 11 in need ot of repair and eneval at the end of a strenuous eason in brush and briar it was to 0 e expected therefore that wise lother nature would provide some agular automatic method to supply he needed renewal at the proper irne ime now the wild hen had bad only to ly enough eggs to hatch out a small rood when the chicks were old e ough to shift for themselves she ms as as iree free from duties or cespon abilities of any kind as a modern lapper is tree free hosiery in the ummer guminer time she was then at li erty to renew her coat and she take the rest ot of the year for he job now civilization has chang d all that whereas the wild hen night lay a dozen eggs or less and tart hatching at once the civilia d defendant is expected to lay ten imes than many and gets no chance 0 exercise mother instinct instead er eggs are hatched by a machine rid nd her chicks foster mothered by capon or brooder although man now provides sheler and protection from wild beasts he hen takes no chances she con janues to molt this would be of no reat real consequence were it po not that gg eg laying and boulting moul ting do not ot oen go together A hen ben oan can neither I 1 at and digest enough tood food nor sup ply enough energy to produce both new feathers and a regular supply ot of eggs consequently cong the longer a hen takes tor for the molt the less time she has for laying and the less profitable it will be to td teed feed and care for her the big problem in connection with the molt therefore Is to make it as short as possible careful breeding offers one solution good layers will not stop laying until late august early september or later and are tar through ough in about six fix weeks eggs tor for hatching should always be from such hens liens that molt early and take two or three months for it should be watched carefully the chances are that toffy ibey do not lay jay enough to pay tor for their feed and keep but would be more profitable it if marketed tor for the table ry ey constantly culling out the loafers and breeding only from the best layers a flock will eventually be built up which will require only a very short vacation period tor for the molt with a corresponding increase in time devoted J to laying very careful handling and feeding Is desirable at all times however to keep the vacation at a minimum and the production period at a maximum avoid anything that hinders laying like sudden changes of feed it may bring on the unproductive molt sooner than need be on the other hand correct feeding and a little extra care may accelerate feather growing so the hen can complete her new winter costume and get back to profitable production in a very little while during the molt fowls should have the very best of care they should have hare ample shade an abundance of green food and plenty of fresh water they should be protected from dampness drafts and ex kosure ot of any kind very late molt ers era should be espe especially bially protected against cold it possible put molt ing birds to themselves they are timid and self conscious when bare and the other hens will make life miserable for them the less hens are disturbed at this time the easier it Is for them to convert food into feathers feat liers proper feeding Is of paramount importance feathers are derived from the same material as eggs being about 80 per cent protein it it Is 18 wrong therefore to take away the he mashes as many p people eople do when hens hena are molting bolting mol ting the mashes contain the protein concentrates while grains contain very little to rob molting bolting hens hena of 0 their proteins is simply to prolong the molting bolting period until enough proteins are asaf milted gilted to supply the feathers needed I 1 the regular scratch grains may te do fed including oats wheat and corn but not too much corn as it la Is too heating feed also some sunflower seed and linseed meal in the mash also a little more meat scraps or auf bone than to Is usually fed and give plenty of 0 milk if 1 possible ble A good mineral tonic ionic Is also invaluable remember the molting bolting hen is really very much out of condition tut but that careful handling and bec special liet het will help to speed up the trying period then as she begins to get back to normal gradually work back to the regular feeding practice of the laying period avoid sud aud den changes as they will only delay full completion of the molt careful adherence to these methods Is sure to speed up the molt with a commensurate acs ate increase in egg ees production just when prices are beginning to soar upward |