| Show Extra Ext a Care for Fowls While hile t I Unprofitable Season Season deason Cf Should OI IJ Be Ended Soon Hereditary cr dUary Weakness Apt t to tot o 1 t Crop Out Making Makin This Excellent Exi Ex- Ex i Time to Weed Out Out Ou Outi t i Flock Desirables i t Keeping NEGLECT MEANS LOSS LOSSIN IN EGG PRODUCTION Shade Necessary as Much f 1 FI Freedom as Possible From La L laying iii and Careful Feeding Feed Feed- ing tog ing With Plucking Helps 1 V BY PRANK FRANK HECK Practical al Poultry Man Ian anti and Editor Successful Poultry Journal ti Cof 1 1353 1915 by ln u Co j lh The The- trying rl period of or an liD tople oo fur tor v dA The he n author thor It from n ft tanile l bj- bj 1 begin begin- b lo- lo t ncr nera r rind at ni the time be he f c til bi hi story with Ul aug- ee etI n northy north the consideration of 01 of the ibe most mont experienced In poultry i 1 Crested Created While hUt Ducks ore bonD by b- 31 Ir r. r In iii bin bl's Ina drawing lit lisp alvo give t h nn on Inn In- In n historical sketch of or the breed In to 10 of their TIlE period for fowls Is TIC THE more or less exhausting and Is a a. severe tax on vitality This Is 11 us- us es true If Ir the rhe birds are years ears ot or H o O or older There arc are of ot Jn- Jn n- n c cases hut but as a a. general ral rule the o statements may be depended upon In man many cases CISCH fowls owls 3 and 4 years old ohl will KO Jo through h the period In perfect health and vigor and be bo read ready fur for ur another season of or laying J and nOlI din bun without having ln re re- re gutted an any cr very unusual c care re or attention atten atten- tion In oth other r cases eases the tile first moult moult- In lug period 1 will li c the tho bird In such Buch c Condition that It will be of or little value in the future Much depends upon tho the constitutional vigor of ot the tho fowl gained through Inheritance or 01 resultIng result result- lug Ing from proper develOpment Ile from the time Ume the chick Is hatched Ull It reaches maturity w Her Hereditary weakness Is js very apt to how show Itself In various arlous forms during during- the th m for period 1 and then Is IN s the Urn time tine the poultry m man n to rid his flock of such uch specimens ns as clearl clearly show that the they arc are not fit tit to produce offspring a n few fow ow chickens In a u back yard rurel or a aarm I farm arm full It is folt folly to willfully fu II r neglect neglect neg neg- J- J lect the fowls fowl to such extent that they will be lit unfitted 1 for tOT the breeding pens pen I next season eason or will reach the tho winter months In such physical condition that hut there will be practically no egg pro pro pro- at Just the time when It Is most desirable un and 1 most valuable I ISY SY TO HI C. I von FOR There Is nothing difficult about properly properly- caring for tho the fowls and there thero is I no complicated 5 system o of management necessary gar The rhe following bit of advice ad should be specially con con- Let Jt the render reader r get et ct It fixed In fn his mind that these simple duties constitute the gl gist t of or the tho entire mattel mat mat- ter tel Give the tho fowls a re rest t from the the breeding pen Jen Do not force torce them for egg production Rid Kid the poultry house and aId yards ards completely of or all vermin and filth Keep tho ho premises scrupulously h clean clen Avoid Avol overcrowding and anti all aU other conditions which tend to Irritate th tim the owls fowls See c that t there Is s a constant supply of fresh cool water for tor them to drink Shield them from extreme heat Shade hade or some Rom kind 1 of ot protection from tho the sun is absolutely necessary The Thc c above suggestions cover the matter matter mat mat- ter thoroughly in a general way war The main object to h be he accomplished Is lu tu set get et the fowls owls through h tho ho moult in in ht a L perfectly healthy condition and as early as aR possible In ha the fall nH so that they will bf bl rea ready 1 for or laying by 11 at nl l leest t December 1 It Is seldom advisable ad ad- advisable to att attempt to unduly force nature na na- ture in hastening the moult but some- some It may bo done without Injury The light ht an and 1 heavy feeding method Is Isa Isa a successful one if Ie Judiciously em cm- m- m I The ulan plan is hi to check e egg production production pro pro- by giving the fowls Cowl not morn more than half hair the regular quantity of food too 1 and anti to fc feed d hUlk bulky foodstuffs such as cut clover CIO alfalfa and all nil kinds of ot green food The Cho night ht meal should consist of oC whole grain r and In about half halt the usual amount FLOCKS S OP OI YAnn If Ie tho the breeder has more than one yard ard for his fowls It will wilt help matters to change chanse the flocks giving them pens to which the they are not accustomed This also aids in checking egg production After Atter the fowls Cowls have been dieted In this way for tor two or three weeks wt there should be a complete change e In the bill of fare tare The They should bo be given I ven a 0 great variety arlet of or food tood and the tho amount gradually gradually grad grad- a 1 Increased 1 till at the end of or a a. week wecK when all they can cnn possibly eat ent should bo be placed bet before ore them theta A mash composed of or ground round grains Including a 3 liberal amount of or bran should 1 be he given once a Q da day Oil meal or linseed meal should be added in liberal quantities quan quan- titles but not enough to cause looseness looseness loose loose- ness of the bowels Sunflower seed If It casH easily easily- obtainable ma may also be he used to advantage The effect of this continued continued contin contin- hen heavy feeding will b be to cause e the tile theold theold old plumage to drop rapidly and the new feathers will come In In uniformly and quickie Another method metho 1 of forcing the moult IB is to pick the feathers as the they ripen This ThiH requires a great deal of time If there thele are arc mUI many fowls fowl to be bo handled The Thc feathers may be picked without Injury InJury In- In jur Jury to the tie fowls If It tho the feathers cat are dead The saving In tl time c Is s the dif lif- ference between the ripening of the feathers and the tho time when nature has dried and shrunken the quilt quill so so that tho feather fells falls f lIs out In testing this method pick up a a. bird and pluck a few tew feathers from the breast If It the they pull easU easily and are aro shrunken and dry al at the end nd of tho quill the they ma may be picked without hurting the bird but if the tho ends are ale very cry moist or if there thoro Is Js s a trace of or blood in the opening in tho skin such feathers should not be plucked A little practice will enable a person to judge from the general ap- ap I 1 If J f y M r M c i 2 I I I I s A I s I f f 1 r CRESTED WHITE DUCKS This Is an odd and interesting variety It is approximately of the samo same shape as the Pekin thick and averages about one pound less in weight Its plumage is pure white and the legs and bill are orange yellow The distinguishing feature of this variety is a large crest of feathers set firmly on the top of the head Crested ducks are not bred very extensively Their breeding and rearing is restricted chiefly for exhibition only Although good layers and splendid growers the relatively higher p price rice of breeding stock forbids their use on commercial duck farms where other varieties may be purchased at less cost which will possess reasonable stamina stam stam- ina vigor and health The prudent breeder however will Ill not fall to give ghe his fowls a n little extra attention Ho lIe will find It advantageous to do 10 this even though he Is only onh slightly Interested in them and rc regardless of or whether he has hns only of the skin and the feather If It the plumage may be plucked ed or not noL I If It there is no inclination upon the part of ot the bree breeder to adopt an any unusual unusual unusual un un- un- un usual method of ot forcing the moult he may mav r facilitate It In a n natural Va way by giving the fowls the general care previously previously pre pre- outlined If It a n hen persists In sitting she should 1 be bo allowed to hatch hatcha a brood of chicks even though tho they thoy must be e disposed 1 of ot as broilers brothers She wl will moult much sooner if It handled handle 1 In that way I no DO NOT FonCE G G MOUI I Another point which the amateur should bear beal In n mind Is that I the fowls cannot be expected 1 to produce produce pro pro- duce man many eggs during the period and there thero should be bc no attempt to got got a n heavy heaT egg egr yield b by teet feeding condiments and laying egg-laying rations The Tho food tood should 1 consist of or ordinary ordinary grain mixtures with liberal v quant quantities ties of or orreen green reen food and as much meat and oily foods tood as the fowls will stand Some of or orthe the fowls in nearly e cr every every- flock will lay la fairly well welt and anel moult at nt the same time but this condition Is not especially do- do because It usually moans means less cg eggs s during the winter There should 1 be a complete rest reNt dUlIn during dur dur- during In ing the thc period 1 and every effort ef effort et- et fort tort ma made to get the birds Into full hilt feather teather and In lu perfect health and vigor before cold weather comet comes If we are arc bree breeding poultry solely for or egg production tion It is advisable to dispose of oC all fowls which arc are persistently late In ip each season There are arc man many cases where fowls owl will go 0 well Into the winter before tull fully completing the moult and such birds are arc not profitable as layers It IL seems too that some such specimens stamp this nn undesirable characteristic upon ulon th their lr pro progeny eny and that no amount of or Rood good care and management mana management man man- a will overcome it The rhe season on Is naturally naturally- an unproductive one nn and 1 from every viewpoint Including financial al profit ItIs itis it itis is desira desirable le that this tills IH period be as short abort as possible and that it be confined confined confined con con- fined to the tho summer months |
