THE POULTRY RUN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 551, 19 March 1913, Page 7

THE POULTRY RUN.

WATER FOR CHICKS. Supplying the chicks with fresh Water is one of the easiest and yet one of the most important things in the poultry business. It takes ao little time and trouble that it is, perhaps, neglected oftener than any ither duty. From seventy to eighty per cent, of an egg is water. Therefore, ' the laying hen must absolutely have plenty of water if she is expected to lay. This is a necessity in winter as well as in summer, for chickens drink very much water in even cold weather if the right kind is given them, and If they get the water they will not pick so much at snow during snowy weather. The essential thing always is that the water be pure and fresh. Where ducks and geese are kept with the chickens this is a hard thing to do, for the ducks are continually mudding the water, and chickens dislike to drink such water. The only thing to do in such a case is to change the water very frequently or pen the ducks separately, whore they cannot get at the chickens' water, so the water will be drinkable for the chickens. They need, absolutely pure water, and all efforts should be directed to that point. LICE AND SITTING HENS. Chicks hatched, in an incubator are free from lice—one of the great advantages of artificial hatching over the natural method with the hen. Chicks that are lousy do not thrive; when they become badly infested with these pests they are very likely to die. Lice are probably responsible for more deaths among newly-hatched chicks than any other mortality. It is never wise to use a hen for hatching without subjecting her t6 a thorough treatment to get rid of any lice that she may have upon her body, no matter how careful we may be with our fowls or how firmly we may believe them to be entirely free from vermin. A clean nest to begin with, well sprayed with a good licekiller; before the hen is set upon the eggs she should be well dusted with a good insect powder. If she has lice upon her the powder will kill them, but it will not affect the eggs of lice —the nits—and these

may be expected to hatch out a new crop of lice in the course of five or six clays; so it is necessary to repeat the dusting- about this time. Now, if a third dusting is used three or four days before thehatching; time, to catch possible stragglers that might have escaped the previous application, we may look forward with confidence to a hatch that will be as free from vermin as if chicks had been hatched in an incubator. But few sitting hens ever get that amount of attention. THE OLD HENS. What to do with the old hens is a question which confronts every breeder sooner or later- They cannot be sold as layers and few will be disposed to give very much for them so old. To those who have large families, it will pay well to use as many of them as possible in their own homes. There is a fool'ish, prejudice against eating old hens, as if they were something bad, whereas they are more*delicious eating than chickens. But a fowl of two and a half years of age in good condition and well cooked, is like a turkey, tender, fleshy, and juicy. The only fault about old fowls 'is that if they are fed with over-fattening food, like corn meal, they are inclined to put on too much yellow fat. This, however, can nearly all be taken away, and by long boiling the remainder will melt away in the water. The proper way to treat them is—first, after being killed they should hang for a time before being drawn, then they should be boiled slowly for about three hours, but the water should only be simmering. A more palatable way is to boil them half the time and roast them the other half. This takes away all the greasy fat, and makes a really delicious dishPEN POINTS. A half-dozen Bamtam hens and a well-bred rooster will protect the , poultry yard from cats, dogs, and even rats, almost as well as a dog. They are brave, and will permit nothing dangerous to approach their premises. Fir and other poles used for perches, should always have the bark taken off; as this is a favorite* lurking place for insect pests. Charcoal is a valuable food for hens. It has a cleansing influence on the system. Tf placed where the birds can get it, they will eat I it in large quantities. ! Never sell the best pullets from the flock any more than you would sell your best sows and ewes. Only by keeping the best for breeding purposes can you hope to build up your Hock. The trap-nest is a bit of trouble to be sure, but it tells- a story, and enables the careful breeder to keep straight on his egg supplyAll egg-shells from the house may be utilised, provided they are broken up and mixed with the food Fat. clipped oafs form one of the bs?.t evening feeds- for all save the yauug-cot chicks. It is essential that good samples be bought, however. 7