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x_ w'v..^'^::/-.*? y '-*^.^^C''.;;s-v,'' ^^-^^:/--^^-K^y ^-^-wiumwwmEmauuwwnamuwimmtmimjii >ihwa*MMwMwmimuiummaaaawwuui iWHtHHUintaHMtMMmuuuwnmitflnmii

HARPER'S HANDBOOKSEdited by W.C.OKane

POULTRYA.WMCHARDSON

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MEMORIAL POULTRY LIBRARY"fHS GJjf OJ

E, 30TSF0ED^yvMvvwvm'vvm'vVYYV^vW^/wT

ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARYNew York State ColiegesOF

Agriculture and Home EconomicsAT

Cornell University

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cornel. OnWersltyUbrary

SF 487.R52

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Cornell UniversityLibrary

The original of tliis book is intine Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions inthe United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003114927

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POULTRY

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Harper's HandbooksEdited ByW. C. O'Kane

Professor of Economic Entomology at New HampshireCollege of AgriculturePOULTKTBy A. W. Richardson, Professor of Poultry

Husbandry, New Hampshire College of Agri-culture

Home ConveniencesBy F. W. Ives, Professor of Agricultural En-gineering, Ohio State University

Soils and Feetilizehs (In Preparation)By Dr. Sidney B. Haskell, of the MassachusettsExperiment Station

Vegetable Growing (In Preparation)By R. L. Watts, Director of the ExperimentStation, State College, Pennsylvania

Harper & Brothers, PvblishersEstablished 1817

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HARPER'S HANDBOOKSEdited by W. C. O'Kane

POULTRYBY

A. W. RICHARDSONProfessor of Poultry HusbandryNew Hampshire College of Agriculture

11 II Li \

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERSNEW YORK AND LONDON MCMXXII

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PoultryCopyright, 1922, by Harper & BrothersPrinted in the United States of America

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CONTENTSCHAP. PAGEI. Selection of Stock 3n. Incubation 14III. Brooding 28IV. Summer Feeding 44V. Housing 53VI. Feeding Pullets 69Vn. Selection of Breeding Stock ... 84VIII. Culling '. 96IX. Management 106X. Marketing 124XI. Diseases 137

For General Index see colored pages following page 39^. 72.

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ILLUSTRATIONSa typical commehciaii laying house .One type op modekn colony houseFhont and end view of brooder houseFraming of brooder house ....Front elevation of laying houseDetail construction of laying houseConstruction of nests and broody

coopConstruction of feed hopper . . .The hen at left is laying well. The

hen at right has molted and hasstopped laying " 96

Testing "span" between rear end ofkeel and pelvic bones, a spreadOF four fingers indicates a goodproducer. This is called "span-ning" " 96

Testing spread between pelvic bones.A LAYING hen will SHOW A SPAN OP

Ftqi,

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ILLUSTRATIONSTHBEE FIN6EBS AND THE BONES WILLBE FLEXIBLE AND THIN. If THICKTHEY INDICATE A POOR PRODUCER . Pacing t. 96

At left, full abdomen indicates LAYINaCONDITION. At RIGHT, CONTRACTED,HARD ABDOMEN INDICATES THAT THEHEN IS NOT LAYING " 102

At LEFT, WIDE SPREAD BETWEEN KEELAND PELVIC BONES AND BETWEENPELVIC BONES THEMSELVES INDICATESLAYING CONDITION. At RIGHT, NAR-row spread indicates nonlaying.The lower crosses mark pelvicbones and the upper marks end ofKEEL. Notice also moist, largeVENT at left, and SMALL, DRY VENTAT RIGHT " 102

Poultry diseases " 138

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POULTRY

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4 POULTRYThese factors are seven in number, and areas follows: (1) Vigor, (2) Egg-laying Ability,(3) Size, (4) Climatic Conditions, (5) Free-dom from Diseases, (6) Kind of Market, and(7) Type of Business.

1. Vigor. Egg production, fertility andhatchability all depend upon the health andvigor of the parent stock. It is plainly evi-dent, therefore, that the birds should bestrong and vigorous. They should comefrom stock that grows evenly, feathers well,grows rapidly, reaches maturity and beginsto lay at five to five and one-half months.This is true whether the birds selected beReds, Rocks, Wyandottes, or Leghorns.

If possible, the buyer should visit theplant from which he intends to purchaseeggs or birds. He should make his visit atthe time that the chickens are being grown.He should see the conditions under whichthe birds are housed because this will have agreat bearing upon the vitality and health ofthe stock. He should know the conditionsunder which the chickens are grownwhether they are grown in small runs or onunrestricted range. This is because there is

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SELECTION OF STOCK 5a great diflference in the chickens that aregrown under the two conditions, the unre-stricted-range chickens being superior inevery way to chickens grown in confinement.Especially is this true after four or five suc-cessive generations grown on unrestrictedrange.

2. Egg-laying Ability. The birds shouldhave in their make-up the power of high eggproduction. High egg production is in-herited. It is passed down from the parentstock to the next generation. Therefore,we should know the parentage of the birdsor eggs we wish to purchase.If possible, the stock should be purchasedfrom some grower who has shown a willing-ness to enter his birds for successive years inegg-laying contests. The reason is that mostof the men who are doing this are growerswho are giving special attention to trap-nesting and pedigreeing of their birds, inorder to build up a stock that will lay heavily.Even though the grower may never havebeen a winner at a contest, yet his stockusually is away above the average in eggproduction.

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6 POULTRYWhen we consider that the average produc-

tion of eggs on the general farm in the easternUnited States is approximately seventy-fiveeggs per hen per year, and then discover thatmany of the successful chicken men in thatsame area are getting an average of one hun-dred and forty eggs per hen per year, andare doing this with flocks of ten hundred,twelve hundred and fifteen hundred hens, wecan see that there must be a great deal in theselection of the stock. A grower can affordto pay a higher price for foundation stockcoming from strong, vigorous, thrifty birdswhich have been bred to produce eggs.Under prevailing prices a flock laying elevendozen eggs per hen per year will yield areturn of fifty to sixty cents more per henthan a flock which is laying ten dozen eggsper hen per year. Yet it will take prac-tically no more feed to produce the elevbndozen eggs from the one flock than it will toproduce ten dozen eggs from the other flock,and it certainly takes no more time to takecare of the birds nor any more money in-vested in the equipment.One other advantage that the practical

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SELECTION OP STOCK 7poultryman may derive from the purchaseof high-producing stock is thisthat if he,himself, is able to reproduce that stock andget hens that will lay large numbers of eggs,he is in a position to sell eggs for hatchingand stock for breeding to other men goinginto the chicken business or to his neighborswho have been less fortunate in the selectionof their stock.

3. Size. One might expect that sizewould more or less correspond to vigor, butthis is not necessarily true. A man mayhave so bred and so fed his stock that whileit possesses vigor and vitality, the birdswill average too small. We should avoid theselection of any foundation stock which isundersize when it reaches maturity, accord-ing to the best standards of the breed orvariety chosen. A practical poultrymanfinds that there is comparatively little differ-ence in the actual cost of feeding a pulletwhich weighs four and three-quarter poundsat maturity as compared with another pulletwhich weighs five or five and one-quarterpounds at maturity. But there is a big diflfep-ence in the yearly income from several hun-

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8 POULTRYdred hens between birds which will averagelarge and those which run small.4. Climatic Conditions. The geograph-ical location or climatic conditions of theplace where the man intends to go intobusiness must be considered in selecting thefoundation stock. The smaller birds, suchas Leghorns, Anconas, and Andalusians, areclosely feathered and originated in a com-paratively warm climate. These breeds willnot stand up and lay uniformly through thewinter in the northern parts of oiu* countrywhere the winters are long and severe. Thistype of bird is a good producer of eggs in aclimate where the winters are more open, as,for example, in the southern part of NewEngland, New York, New Jersey, and otherplaces throughout the country which haveapproximately the same climate. The Reds,Rocks, and Wyandottes are a looser-featheredtype of fowl, are larger, can withstand thecold and are better adapted to the colderclimate. Their egg production is not materi-ally affected by the cold weather. It takesprolonged cold, such as ten or fifteen degreesbelow zero or lower, to materially affect the

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SELECTION OF STOCK 9production of this type of hen, if they arekept in condition and in the proper type ofhouses. Any man who is contemplatinggoing into the chicken business should choosesuch breeds as Reds, Rocks, or Wyandottesfor the colder climates; and such as Leg-horns, Andalusians, or Anconas for locationswhere the winters are not severe.5. Freedom from Diseases. It is be-lieved by competent poultrymen to-day thatthere are very few diseases of fowls which areactually inherited. Nevertheless, there areseveral diseases which affect the value offowls as foundation stock.The one particular disease which everypoultryman should avoid, and which caneasily be avoided, is white diarrhea. Fromthe scientist's point of view this (^isease can-not be inherited, technically speaking, yetfrom the practical poultryman's standpoint, itamounts to the same thing because the germsof the disease are carried by the yolk of theegg, and when the egg is incubated the yolkpasses into the digestive system of the youngchick, thus infecting it with the disease.There has been perfected a test by which

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10 POULTRYthe fowls that are carriers of this disease canbe detected and eliminated from any breed-ing flock. The test is practical and accurate,and the man who intends to buy foundationstock with which to start in the chicken busi-ness should buy only stock which has beentested for several generations for white diar-rhea and which has been found free upon eachtest or which at least has been found free fortwo consecutive generations. Thei buyershould lay particular stress upon this factorbecause there probably is no disease whichcarries off so many young chickens as whitediarrhea. There is no known cure for it.Once established in a man's flock the diseasewill do more to discourage him and causehim to go out of the business than any othersingle factor.Foundation stock should be free from

such diseases as roup, canker, and tubercu-losis. While these diseases may not betransmitted from the parent stock to thechickens, yet there is at least a strong pos-sibihty that such stock will transfer a lowervitality to the chicks and the chicks are thensusceptible to the disease.

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SELECTION OF STOCK 116. Market. The color of the egg de-

manded by the market in which the poultry-man wishes to sell his products will have abearing on the selection of his stock. TheNew York markets, for example, demand awhite egg, and this must be produced bysuch hens as Leghorns or similar breeds;whereas the Boston and other New Englandmarkets demand a brown egg, which is pro-duced by such hens as Reds, Rocks, andWyandottes. In each case, both the whiteegg in the New York market and the brownegg in the New England market commanda higher price than the ' egg of the othercolored shell. A poultryman should ascer-tain what type of egg sells best in his marketand should make every effort possible to pro-duce that type.

7. The Type of Business. There areseveral different types of poultry businesswhich a man may go into. It will be wise toconsider carefully this factor before choosingfoundation stock. If the poultryman isgoing to produce capons he will want a breedthat will grow to a comparatively large size,such breeds as Rocks or Brahmas. If he is

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12 POULTRYgoing into the broiler business as a separatebusiness he would again choose such breedsas Rocks or Wyandottes. The majority ofsuccessful poultrymen, however, are makingthe most of their money out of table eggs, andthis should be the type of business that anyman except a specialist should elect.

Unless he is very familiar with the poultrybusiness he will be better off to avoid anyphase of the business that is not generallyconsidered as good, sound poultry practicein the conduct of a standard poultry plant:such as, for instance, the hatching of chickensin September, October, or November, withthe idea of getting the birds onto the marketas broilers in the winter when the price maybe high. The market for such a type ofproduct is limited and there are many handi-caps that a man must overcome if he is go-ing to make this type of business successful.Summary. To sum up the selection ofstock: The stock should have vigor, should

have the size best suited to the breed, shouldbe adapted to the climate, should above allthings be free from diseases, should havebig egg-laying quality in its make-up, should

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SELECTION OF STOCK 13produce the type of egg that is demandedin the local market, and the business shouldbe established and built up upon good, soundpoultry practice. The best way to be sure ofthe foundation stock will be to write to theexperiment station or state college and getfrom them a list of breeders whose stock thecollege can stand behind and recommend.

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INDEX TO CHAPTER IICandling Eggs Before Incu- Incubator, Trying Out 21

hation* , 16 Incubator, What to ^uy 19Early OhickB, Value of 18 Incubator, When to Start 21Early Laying, Depends on Incubator, Where to Place .

.

19Early Chick^ 19 Lamp in Incubator 22Eggs, Selection for Incuba- Moisture jn Incubator 22tlon.. ..;..:... ..... 16 Nursery of Incubator 26Eggs, Turning in Incubator.. 24 QU for Incubator 20gSl'MYtU'd?.*!'."^;::: it Savm? Eggs for mcubation.. 17Hatching When 17 Selecting Eggs for Incubation 15Hen-hatching, DiBadvantage. 14 Storage,. Effect on Eggs for 16Incubator Chicks, Health of. 15 Hatching. ..........

.

Incubator, Details 19 Temperature in Incubator. .

.

23Incubator-hatching, Advan- Time for Hatching 17tage of 15 Turning Eggs in Incubator.. 2tIncubator, Setting Up 20 Ventilation of Incubator, ... 25

CHAPTER II. INCUBATIONIncubator vs. Hens. Having chosen the

foundation stock and being ready to repro-duce this stock in the form of young chicksfor the approaching season, one must con-sider the question of incubation. There isalways some discussion as to the relativemerits of hen-hatching and incubator-hatch-ing. The consensus of opinion among poul-trymen is that a man in the commercial henbusiness cannot afford to bother with settinghens. The time that he puts into it is too

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INCUBATION 15costly. Also, the time that the hens them-selves lose would make his chickens costmuch more than would be the case if theywere hatched in incubators, because the henscan be broken up from their desire to Set,and can be restored to laying conditions.With that accomplished they will producemore eggs and pay such a profit that theycannot possibly be considered as economicalhatchers.

It is now believed that incubator clucksare just as Strong and healthy as hen-hatchedchicks. Since the incubator does not hatchquite as many chicks from a given numberof eggs as do hens which are properly set,it is possible or even probable that thereis some elimination in the incubator of theweaker germ. If this is true, the chicksthat are hatched in an incubator shouldprove to be better than the chicks hatchedby a hen.

Selecting Eggs for Hatching. The eggsto be saved for hatching should be alike insize and color. It is considered that uni-formity of size and color are factors whichmay be inherited through the egg, and, of

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16 POULTRYcourse, we wish our hens to lay the same sizeegg as far as possible, and the same shade ofbrown or the same degree of whiteness.They should be free from ridges. Theyshould be candled before a strong light toremove any that show blood spots or meatspots, because such eggs will never hatch.Any that show fine cracks should be removed,because these will seldom hatch and in anyevent are very likely to become broken inturning. All eggs that are extremely long orextremely short should also be discarded.

Effect of Storage. The hatchability ofeggs is materially less after they are severaldays old. Eggs should not be saved, unlessunder special circumstances, for more thanten days. If the operator is trap-nesting hishens, or if he has certain hens that he knowsto be unusually high producers, the eggs fromthese birds may be saved three weeks; butthey should be turned once a day after theyare four or five days old. While the per centof hatch from these old eggs will be small, thechicks which come from them will be worthmore to the grower than the eggs would beworth if they were sold to eat.

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INCUBATION 17How to Store. Care should be taken to

see that the eggs, during the time they arebeing saved, are stored in a place that is nottoo dry and at a temperature around 55 to60 F. If they are kept at a much lowertemperature the germs may be weakened andmay not hatch well, or may not hatch at all.If they are kept at a much higher tempera-ture they are likely to start to develop. Inthat case, after being placed in the incubatorand kept there for several days, they will die.When to Hatch. The best time of yearto hatch chicks is early in the seasonfromthe first week in March to about the SOth ofApril. This is true even in locations wherethere may be snow on the ground at the timethe chickens are hatched, because the chicksthat are hatched early are inherently betterchicks. If we are saving hatching eggs froma flock of hens and pullets in February orMarch we are getting them from the bestbirds in the flock, because only the best areproducing eggs. The chicks that they pro-duce will be strong and vigorous; whereas,if we save eggs from either hens or pullets inApril or May we are saving eggs during the

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18 POULTRYtilne of natural heavy production, when prac-tically all of the flock are layinggood, bad,and indiflPerentand, therefore, we are get-ting a large percentage of our eggs from theaverage and poor producers. This is espe-cially apt to be true because the heavy-layinghens are likely to be going through their firstbroody period at that time. Under theseconditions the later-hatched pullets are notas good and never will be as good as the early-hatched chicks. They will not make asrapid growth because they are not inherentlyas good chicks.Advantages of Early Chicks. If theyare hatched early they will become wellfeathered before hot weather arrives andwill be protected from the heat by feathers.They will make a rapid, normal growth.Whereas, if they are hatched later they willnot be as completely feathered, will not haveprotection from the extreme heat and will notmake the same growth.

If the operator will compare a flock ofchickens hatched the 20th of March andanother flock hatched six weeks later, he willfind that there will be considerably more than

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INCUBATION 19six weeks difference in the time of reachingmaturity. The early hatched chickens willprobably reach maturity at approximatelyfive months, while the later-hatched chickens,in all probability, will require two or threeweeks longer. The late^hatched chickenswill not make as uniform growth; they willexhibit more runts and improperly developedchickens, there will be some chickens thatare poorly feathered, and, taken all in all,they will be a poor lot.

Selection of Incubator. In the selectionof an incubator there is one prime rule tofollow: Buy a good, standard make of ma-chine. Do not buy a cheap, poorly con-structed machine, because in the long runthey are the most expensive. They are moreapt to get out of order and they are not assubstantially built. An occasional poorhatch will more than make up the differencebetween the cost of a cheap machine and thatof a better, higher-priced, standard make.

Uocation of Incubator. The best placeto run an incubator is in a cellar. Here thetejpipetature is more nearly uniform. If thesurroundings are free from marked fluctua-

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20 POULTRYtions it will be easier to maintain an eventemperature within the machine, and thebetter this is accomplished the better theeggs will hatch.The Oil to Use. If the machine uses oilfor fueland most of the smaller machinesdocare must be taken to purchase the bestgrade of oil that can be obtained. Since thelamps in an incubator are forced to runstraight through every hour in the twenty-foiu: through a period of twenty-three ortwenty-four days, it stands to reason that onlythe best oil should be purchased. If a poor oilis used the wicks become charred and coveredwith carbon, they are very likely to flare up,depositing soot on the interior of the chim-ney, the lamps become intensely hot and mayset fire to the machine. Incidentally, thehouse may be set on fire. Even though themachine is closely watched, it is more diffi-cult to obtain a uniform temperature withpoor oil than with good oil. While a goodoil may cost several cents more per gallon, itwill be well worth the added price.

Setting Up the Machine. In buyingany make of machine, follow as far as pos-

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INCUBATION 21sible the maker's directions for setting up themachine and for running it. It should, ofcourse, first be leveled. If this is not doneone corner may be higher than the others,with the result that the part that is higherwill also be hotter and the eggs in variousparts of the machine will not be getting thesame degree of temperature. Some will betoo hot and others will be too cold.Trying It Out. Whether the machine is

new or second-hand, it should be run severaldays to see that it will run accurately. If asecond-hand machine is used, care should betaken to see that the rod which connects thethermostat with the damper arm is per-fectly straight. If this is at all bent, therod may bind as it passes through the littlehole in the top of the machine and cause thedamper arm to stay down, or It may lift thedamper arm and hold it lifted, so that it willbe impossible to run the temperature evenly.If the machine is run several days beforeplacing the eggs in it, the operator will havea chance to find out whether all the parts areperfect. At least two days should be allowedfor getting the machine warmed up.

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22 POULTRYCare of the Lamp. The lamp should be

filled and trimmed once each day. The lampshould not be filled nearer than half an inchfrom the top, and if any oil has been spilledon the lamp it should be thoroughly wiped offso as to avoid any possibility of smoking.This should not be done until after the eggshave been handled, because, if the operatorin caring for the lamps gets any oil or sootupon the hands, it is very likely to get ontothe eggs and affect the hatch.

Providing Moisture. Many of the pres-ent-day incubators are supplied with a mois-ture pan. This pan should be filled withsand and kept moist from the time the ma-chine is first started, in order that all theconditions may be the same in regulating themachine as they will be after the eggs areput into it. If the machine is not equippedwith moisture pans, in most climates and inmost cellars it will be well to use several tinpie plates filled with sand and water andplaced on the floor of the incubator, under-neath the egg tray, being very careful, how-ever, not to set the pans over any openingwhich may be used in ventilating the ma-

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INCUBATION 23chine. These pans should be kept in themachine until the hatch is entirely over.The Right Temperature. Temperatureprobably has as much to do with good hatches

as any other single factor. If the incubatorcomes equipped with a thermometer which isso arranged that the bulb rests on or near theeggs, the machine should be adjusted to runat 101 the jfirst week, 102 the second, and103 the third. If the thermometer used isarranged to hang with the bulb suspendedperhaps one-half inch above the eggs, thenthe temperature should read 103 for theentire three weeks. In either case, regard-less of the type of thermometer used, thetemperature should be allowed to rise to104 or 105 from the time the chicks pip theshell until the hatch is over.

Close of the Incubator Period. If allthe conditions previous to the hatching ofthe eggs have been correct and the tempera-ture of the machine has been constant, thehatch should be entirely over at twenty totwenty and one-half days. If the tempera-ture is allowed to drop at all during theselast two days, known as the exclusion period.

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INCUBATION 25one or two rows at the marked end of thetrays and roUing the rest toward that end.By following this system of turning, at theend of two or three days the eggs will havepassed directly across the tray and will haveoccupied every possible variation of tempera-ture which may be present in the machine.After the first twelve hours the eggs shouldbe turned three times daily6 a.m., 12 noon,and at 6 p.m.until a chick is found to havepipped the shell; then the turning shouldcease.

Ventilation. In the average house cellarwhere the ventilation is good, it will not benecessary to take the eggs out of the ma-chine and allow them to set for any lengthof time merely to cool them. The ventila-tion of a cellar may be judged by the presenceor absence of odors. In the older types ofincubators, where the ventilation problemhad not been seriously considered, or insome cellars where the ventilation is insuflS-cient, it may be necessary to cool the eggs;but under most conditions it will not benecessary. The eggs, of course, will have tobe taken out of the machine to turn them.

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26 POULTRYand this will give them suflBcient cooling.During the time when the eggs are beingturned the door of the incubator may beleft open and this will aid in airing out themachine. It will, of course, lower the tem-perature, but only for a short time, andshould have no ill effect upon the hatch. Ifanything, it will be beneficial.Care at Hatching. When the first chickpips the shell the thermometer, if of thestanding type, should be tied down adjacentto the second row of eggs from the door, sothat the chicks in scrambling around will nottip it over and so that the operator canwatch the temperature. The moisture pansshould be filled, the machine closed up, and ifthere is not an outside wooden door, a bag orsomething similar should be hung over thefront of the machine to exclude any light;otherwise the chicks that have hatched willcome forward to the light and crowd. Themachine should not be opened again until thehatch is entirely over, at the end of twentyor twenty-one days.Removing to Nursery. At that time the

door should be opened, the moisture pans re-

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INCUBATION 27moved, a burlap frame placed in the bottomof the nursery, and the chicks removed byhand from the egg tray to the nursery.They should not be allowed to drop down tothe nursery floor, because the change in tem-perature is too great, especially if the chicksare not hardened off, and the fall maybe injurious. After the chicks have beentransferred to the nursery the egg tray shouldbe taken out, thoroughly washed with somegood disinfectant, and placed in the sun todry. Any ventilators on the machineshould be opened wide and the door shouldbe fastened so that there will be an openingan inch wide at the top. The chicks shouldthen be kept in the nursery, given no feednor water for at least thirty-six hours, tothoroughly harden them off and get themready for transfer to the brooder.

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INDEX TO CHAPTER III29Arrangemeat of BrooderHouseBrooder House, DetailedConstruction 32Brooder Stove, Chimney . , . . 35Brooder Stove, Management 36Brooder, Temperature 38

Brooder, Temporary Fence. . 38Brooder, Transferring Chicksto 38ChickB, Exercise 41Chick Feed 39

Chicks. Feeding in BrooderHouseChicks, Transferring toBrooderChimney of Brooder Stove .Construction of BrooderHouse 32Curtain of Brooder House . . 30Exercise for Chicks 41Feed, Chick 39

39

35

Feeding Chicks in BrooderHouse 39Feed, Milk 40Feed Trays for BrooderHouse 37Fence for Brooder House .... 41Formula, Mash for Chicks. . 39Grit for Brooder House 37House, Brooder 28Mash for Chicks, Formula . 39Milkfor Chicks 40Milk, Value of, for Chicks . 40One-room Brooder House,Best 29Open-front Brooder House . 30Portable Brooder House. ... 32Run, Brooder House 41Size of Brooder House 28Stove, Brooder 34Temperature of Brooder 38Two-room Brooder House,Disadvantage 29Windows of Brooder House . 30

CHAPTER m. BROODINGSize of Brooder House. The first thing

to consider in planning for the brooding ofchicks is the brooder house. The houseshould be large enough to permit the stoveto be set one-third of the way from the backwall and at the same time leave plenty ofroom in the front of the house for the chicksto exercise in. The depth from front to

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BROODING 29rear should be such that the front third willbe cool and at times even cold. The secretof the proper brooding of chicks is to main-tain a temperature under or near the hoversuflSciently high to insure that the chicks willbe warmed up quickly, while at the sametime they have ready access to quartersthat are considerably cooler. This makes itpossible to harden them off.One Room Best. It is better to have thecool area and the warm area all in one room,so that the chicks, when they are runningaround where it is cold, may constantly seethe stove and the other chicks. They willthen readily go back and get warmed upwhen they grow too cool. If the broodingarrangements are in two rooms it will benecessary to teach them to go in and outthrough an opening. Of necessity this open-ing must be small. The chicks may get toofar away from the opening and become lost,because they cannot see or feel the source ofheat, or see other chicks.Construction of House. The brooder

house should be twelve feet wide and sixteenfeet deep. The roosts and dropping boards

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30 POULTRYshould be permanent, with the roosts sohinged that they can be tipped up out ofthe way during the brooding season. Thereshould be an open front at least two and one-half feet high and extending clear across thefront. This open front should start at theplate, or, in other words, as high up in thefront as is possible, so that the sunlight andfresh air will penetrate to the back part of thehouse.The door should be built directly in the

middle of the front of the house. The upperhalf of the door should be an open space.At the bottom of this open space a slantingwater table or board should be arranged soas to carry off rain which may spatter downfrom the roof. The eaves, both front andback, but especially at the front, shouldextend out over the studs at least a foot.The dropping board is used during thebrooding period for the storage of coal andgrain. If the grain is stored there, includingrolled oats, chick feed, and mash, it will savethe operator many steps.Windows and Curtain. Two windows

should be placed at either end of the front.

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32 POULTRYThis will give plenty of light during thetime that it is necessary to have the openfronts covered with a curtain. This curtainshould be made of thin cotton cloth, such assheeting. White cloth bagging, such asrolled oats come in, may be used. The cur-tain should be closed during the night inMarch and April. Until the chicks are tendays old it should not be raised until eighto'clock, and it should be closed down aboutfour, when the day begins to cool off.

Details of Construction. The brooderhouse should be set on six-by-six skids, sothat it may easily be moved. An averagepair of farm horses can move the housedescribed here without diflBculty. The houseshould be portable because it is desirablethat the chickens should not be allowed torun on the same ground year in and year out.The roof is of the type laiown as a two-thirds span, which means that the frontrafters are half as long as the rear rafters.The building is made comparatively lowbehind to lessen the cost and to make itwarmer and lighter. It is covered with or-dinary drop siding or ship-lap, which is

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>Haoo1^wwooowot4

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34 POULTRYtongued and grooved. This affords a build-ing that is light and at the same time tight.Incidentally, the building has a good ap-pearance. This type of wall is but littlemore expensive than ordinary boards coveredwith roofing paper and it will give muchbetter satisfaction.The floor is made of single matched floor-

ing. If well laid it will serve just as well asa double floor because there should alwaysbe abundant litter on the floor, and thus nocold air can get through from beneath.The Brooder Stove. There are on themarket several makes of coal-burning brooder

stoves, practically all of which are good.This is the type of brooder stove that willgive best results. In a house of the dimen-sions described here, four hundred to fivehundred chickens can be brooded. With abrood of this size the stove should have ahover, or canopy, at least fifty-two inches indiameter.

In making calculations to brood from fourhundred to five hundred chickens in each lotcare should be taken that the eggs be set inmultiples of approximately eight hundred.

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BROODING 35With good stock and proper incubators apoultryman should get a hatch of about 55per cent. Thus he will have a reasonablemargin to go on. For example, if he gets a60-per-cent hatch he will have four hundredand eighty chicks, which will be fairly withinthe capacity of his brooder house. If hegets a poor hatch of, say, 45 per cent, he willhave three hundred and sixty chicks, whichwill make a comfortable brood. In otherwords, his incubating should be so plannedthat each hatch will furnish one good broodof chicks. Early-hatched chicks require alarger stove in proportion than late-hatchedchicks; thus a forty-two to forty-eight inchhover will be large enough for a brood offour hundred in April or May.Arrangement of Chimney. Care should

be taken to see that the chimney extends atleast a foot and a half above the ridgepole,in order that there may be a good draught,regardless of the direction of the wind. Acertain amount of creosote is very likely tobe deposited on the interior of any metalchimney. Occasionally the chimney shouldbe taken off the stove, swung to one side.

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BROODING 37a foot and a half above the floor. Thestovepipe may be pulled down through theopening in the roof, cleaned, and put up bythe stove. The opening in the roof maythen be covered with roofing paper so thatit shall be tight.

Feed Trays. The feed trays which areused for the small chicks up to the time theyare eight weeks old may be made of a boarda foot wide and two feet long, with laths ornarrow strips nailed around the outer edges.It is necessary, of course, that the chicks beable to get at the grain readily. While theymay soil the grain in such a tray, this will beoffset by the fact that the chicks will haveeasy access to the feed. This is essential.

Providing Gravel. Before the chicks aretransferred from the incubator to the brooderhouse enough fine gravelnot sandshouldbe put in the house to cover the floor one-half inch deep. A fire should be built in thebrooder stove so that this gravel will bethoroughly dried out and warmed and willgive the operator a chance to regulate thestove. On top of this gravel should be placeda layer of chaff from the barn or finely cut

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38 POULTRYclover or alfalfa. This chaff or litter shouldbe swept off and removed about once a weekand a new coating put on.Temperature of Brooder. During the

first ten days after the chicks are placed inthe brooder house the temperature shouldbe 100, two inches from the floor at theouter edge of the hover. It should be low-ered about five degrees a week until the timecomes when the chicks will need no heat.For early-hatched chicks this will be aboutten weeks, for later-hatched chickens abouteight weeks.

Transferring Chicks. When the chicksare transferred from the incubator theyshould be kept covered with flannel or some-thing of that kind so that they will rim norisk of being chilled. Just before they areplaced in the hover, their bills should bedipped in sour skim milk or buttermilk, sothat every chick is forced to swallow a dropor two. Sour skim milk or buttermilk aidsin the digestion of the chick's food and helpsit to adjust itself to the poultryman's systemof feeding.After the chicks are all in the hover, a

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BROODING 39strip of woven wire about twelve inches highshould be placed around the hover about afoot outside of its circumference. This isfor the purpose of confining the chicks nearthe brooder for the first thirty-six hoursuntil they become hover-broken. Duringthis time they should have constant accessto sour skim milk or buttermilk. No otherfood should be given. If milk is available nowater is necessary.

Early Feeding of Chicks. At the endof thirty-six hours the wire fence may beremoved and the chicks given a light feedingof dry rolled oats, the same as used for hu-man consumption. The next feed should beordinary commercial chick feed. Theyshould be fed six times a day for the firstfourteen days on these two feeds, threefeedings of rolled oats and three of the chickfeed, fed alternately. Enough at each feedingshould be given so that the chicks will beten or fifteen minutes eating it up. Theyshould be hungry when the next feed is given.At the fourteenth or fifteenth day a little

dry mash of the following formula should begiven in tin pie plates or on boards or

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40 POULTRYshingles: one hundred pounds each of cornmeal or hominy feed, bran, white middlings,gluten feed, meat scraps, and ninety poundsof rolled oats. This should be left before thechicks fifteen or twenty minutes in the after-noon. The next day it should again beplaced before them for perhaps a half hour in.the morning and a half hour in the after-noon. On succeeding days the time shouldbe gradually increased so that by the timethe chicks are three weeks old the dry mashis constantly before them. From the timethe chicks are three weeks old until they areapproximately eight weeks old the amount ofchick feed given them should be so regulatedthat they will be getting half chick feed andhalf dry mash, by weight. For furtherinstructions on summer feeding of chicks,see the succeeding chapter.Value of Milk. The question is fre-

quently asked, "How long can one afford tobuy milk to feed the chicks?" If skim milkor buttermilk can be purchased for two centsor less per quart, the poultryman can affordto feed this all summer. Even if it is neces-sary to pay a higher price for skim milk it

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BROODING 41should be fed without fail until the chicksare four weeks old. In fact, rather than omitthis item of their diet the poultryman canprofitably go to the extent of buying wholemilk, skimming the cream (using it in thehouse), souring the skim milk, and feedingthis sour skim milk to the chicks. There isno feed that will give chicks as good a startas milk. Chicks fed on milk will grow fasterand more uniformly, will suffer materiallyless mortality, and will exhibit fewer runts orpoor chicks. They will reach the broilerage much sooner and, therefore, will beworth more, because during the summer thebroiler prices drop rapidly and the sooner onegets his broilers on the market the moreprofit there is in the business.Outdoor Exercise. Every effort should

be made to get the chicks out onto theground by the time they are eight or ninedays old. Small, portable yards made ofone-foot-wide inch-mesh wire, nailed ontotwo-inch strips ten or twelve feet long, makegood yards. They are easy to step over andare plenty high enough to confine smallchicks.

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4^ POULTRYThe day selected for the fijrst outdoor

exercise of the chicks should be, if possible,warm and sunny. The chicks should begotten out about ten o'clock in the forenoon,and, incidentally, at about feeding time.The door leading into the yard should beopened, every chick driven outdoors, and thedoor closed. Then the chicks should be fedtheir rolled oats or chick feed outdoors.This will keep them busy, active, and con-tented for a little time, even on a cold, rawday.

After the chicks have eaten their fill, andwhenever they begin to peep and appearcold, open the door and drive them all backin again, every chick. This shoijld be doneagain that same afternoon, about two orthree o'clock, while the day is still warm.If this process is followed for about threedays, then the chicks will go in and out oltheirown accord and go readily.Care should be taken to see that the run

from the brooder house to the ground bejust as low and as gradual as possible. Thismay be accomphshed by using sods or earthand building a gradual runway. A steep

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BROODING 43board runway should never be used, becausethe chicks will not go up and down readily.Removing Fence. When the chicks are

large enough to fly over the temporary fencethe fence can be removed and the chicksallowed to run at large. After the chickshave been outdoors in the yard several daysall of their feed hoppers and milk dishesshould be placed outdoors, and every induce-ment made to get the chicks out and keepthem out. If this is done the chicks will behardy and will never become so-called hot-house chickens.

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INDEX 'Broilers, When to Market. .Brooder House, Cleanliness.Brooder-house RoostsBrooder-house SpraysButtermilk, Semi-solidButtermilk, Substitute forGreen Feed

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SUMMER FEEDING 45from chick feed to the scratch feed should bemade when the chicks are eight to ten weeksold, and about a week should be occupied inmaking the change.

Scratch feed should consist of equal partsby weight of cracked corn, wheat, and oats.This feed should be fed twice a dayhalf inthe morning and half at night.How to Adjust Feeding. It will not beat all diflBcult to adjust the scratch feed sothat the mash and scratch shall be equallydivided. If the chickens eat fifty pounds,for example, of mash one week they shouldreceive fifty pounds of scratch the succeedingweek, or approximately seven pounds perday. If in some succeeding week the chickenseat one hundred pounds of mash in a week,they should receive the following week onehundred pounds of scratch feed, or approx-imately fourteen pounds per day.Avoid Undue Forcing. By feeding thechickens in this manner, they will not be

unduly forced into egg production. It ispossible to feed pullets so they will reachmaturity, as far as egg production is con-cerned, before they reach maturity in size.

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46 POULTRYWhile they will lay, and while some will laylarge numbers of eggs, yet the tendency ofthese pullets is always to lay a comparativelysmall egg. Of course, the tendency is thatthe pullets themselves will never be as largeas they might have been.

Milk. If milk in some form is availableafter the chickens are eight or ten weeks old,the meat-scrap content of the mash shouldbe cut in two. In other words, fifty poundswill replace the one hundred poxmds given inthe original formula.How to Feed. The scratch feed shouldbe fed on the ground and scattered over as

great an area as possible. It should be fedat some distance away from the house.Scratch feed should never be fed so liberallyas to lie on the ground from one feeding timeto the next. The chickens should clean upeach feeding in an hour or less.The dry-mash hoppers should be con-

structed so that the mash will not get damp.The roof of the hopper should extend out overthe hopper itself at least a foot on each sideso that the chickens may stand under thereand eat, even if it is raining hard outside.

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SUMMER FEEDING 4YSemi-soird Buttermilk. If a good range

is furnished it will not be necessary to giveany other form of green feed. If the rangeis somewhat scanty, or, in other words, ifthe grass is pretty well eaten down, everyeffort should be made to use milk in someform.For the average commercial chicken man,

or for the man who keeps only a few chickens,there is no milk product on the market whichis more easily handled and which is lowerin price than semi-solid buttermilk. Itshould be fed daily to chickens eight or tenweeks old at the rate of two pounds to everyfive hundred pounds of chickens. It shouldbe fed on boards or in a trough, just as itcomes ftom the barrel. It will not be neces-sary to dilute it with water. The chickenswill eat it more readily than Ihey Will drinkit if diluted with water, and the labor offeeding it is much less when it is fed as itcomes from the barrel.

Reducing Beef Scrap. If the semi-solidbuttermilk is fed to the chickens at the rategiven, the beef scraps in the dry-mashformula should be cut in two, or in other

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48 POULTRYwords, fifty pounds instead of one hundred;and this semi-solid buttermilk should be fedall summer. While semi-solid buttermilkmay not entirely take the place of green feed,it will materially help. It has been foundthat chickens ranged considerably less whenfed on milk and ate down the grass on theirrange very much lessan indication thatmilk will take the place of the green feed forgrowing chicks.

Selling Off Broilers. Just as soon as thechickens reach two pounds the male birds,after the breeders have been picked out,should be shipped to market. There is notime when a chicken will pay as great a per-centage of profit over and above its feedcost as it will when it is disposed of as a two-pound broiler. The man who keeps his malebirds until they reach the roasting size^five,six, and seven poundsdoes not make asmuch money on each individual chicken as hewould have if he disposed of it as a broiler.Also, he has added to his cost of labor incaring for the chickens, he has added to hisrisk, and of course he has added to hishousing costs.

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SUMMER FEEDING 49Roosts in Brooder House. Assuming

that the male birds have been taken out ofa brood of four hundred to five hundredchickens, and the mortahty has been ap-proximately 10 per cent, which is averageunder ordinary conditions, there will be leftapproximately two hundred to two hundredand twenty-five pullets in the house. This willbe a satisfactory and manageable number.

"Whenever the pullets begin to show a de-sire to roost, additional temporary roostingpoles should be placed in the building sothat all the birds will learn to go to roost.If some of them are obliged to remain on thefloor, there will be difficulty in teaching themto go to roost when they are transferred towinter quarters. This will be avoided byseeing to it that there are enough roosts inthe brooder house.

Cleanliness. The brooder house shouldbe cleaned out at least once a week duringthe summer. It should be sprayed every twoor three weeks with a strong solution of somegood coal-tar spray. Any of the standardcommercial sprays on the market will besatisfactory. After the house, the floor, and

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50 POULTRYdropping boards have been cleaned a thinsprinkling of sand should be placed on thefloor and dropping boards so that the drop-pings will not stick and the house can bekept much cleaner.Shade. If possible the brooder house

should be located in an orchard or someplace where there is natural shade. If not,some effort should be made to furnish shade.The easiest way to furnish shade to growing

chickens is to plant corn. The chickens, as arule, will not disturb the corn, even when itis small. After it gets to be a foot high thechickens will spend a great deal of time in thecorn, will get all the shade they will need,will have a chance to dig and burrow and Will,of course, get some grubs and insects. Thecorn may be ripened and picked off andused as feed. The cornstalks may be al-lowed to dry thoroughly and may then becut up into short lengths and used as litterin the henhouse the succeeding winter.Water. If no liquid milk is available

there should be a constant supply of fresh,and if possible, cold water. If running wateris to be had this may be accomplished by

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SUMMER FEEDING 51laying a pipe two or three inches under-ground. The simplest way to lay such apipe is to plow a furrow, place the pipe, andplow the earth back. This arrangementkeeps the pipe and water cool. If the wateris allowed to drip slowly into a tub or troughthere will not be any muddy place aroundthe drinking fountain. At the same timethere will be an ample supply of cool, freshwater. When the pullets are taken from therange and placed in winter quarters, thepipe may be disconnected and pulled upwithout any diflBculty.

Late Summer Feeding. It has beenobserved that a pullet that is about to lay,or one that has just begun to lay, is charac-teristically fat. This excess of fat in thepullet is used by her as a surplus to carryher through the cold winter months. Itshould be the aim of the poultryman to getan ample amount of this fat on the body ofhis pullets before they are placed in winterquarters.About two weeks before the pullets are

ready to lay the following change in feedingshould be made. Instead of providing half

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INDEX TO CHAPTER VBroody Coop 64 Moisture 54Cement Floors 62 Nests 63Cost of Laying House 57 Open Front 54Curtains 57 Partitions 68Design. Laying House 60 Pens 60Dirt Floors, Management. .

.

62 5^ *"Disinfection 58 ^""^^^^: 67Draughts, Avoidance of ...

.

54 SizeofLaymg House. .... 60Dropping Boards 67 l^entUation"" MFeed Hoppers 64 Wall Construction .': i! i! i! 57f.'oo''---.- 61 Water Containers 66Foundations 61 Water Heaters 66Laying House, Details 60 Wet Floor, Danger of 64Mash Feeders 64 Windows 67

CHAPTER V. HOUSINGFrom the time they are ready to lay eggs,

on through the rest of their hfe, pullets willbe confined in a laying house or henhouse.Regardless of the style of house, its size,

or the climate in which it is to be built, thereare several features which must be takeninto account. These are as follows: (1) FreshAir, (2) Sunlight, (3) Cost, (4) Ease of Clean-liness, (5) Convenience.

Fresh Air. It is absolutely necessarythat fresh air in abundance be present in ahenhouse. This is due to a simple and

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54 POULTRYeasily understood fact. Since a hen has nourinary apparatus it is necessary that allof the moisture which she takes into her bodyin the form of water or in her feed be givenoff with the breath from the lungs. Thushens require five times as many cubic feetof air per pound of live weight for propermaintenance of life as any other domesticanimal.Too Much Moisture. If there is not

sufficient ventilation in the house the airbecomes laden with moisture. This moisturesettles toward the floor, has a tendency towet the litter, and collects on the glass andon the walls and roof. When cold weathercomes this moisture will be deposited asfrost. During the middle of the day, whenthe henhouse warms up, this frost willmelt, run down on the floor, and cause thelitter to be even damper than in summer.

If a henhouse is damp, the hen's breathingapparatus has to work harder than it should.She is more susceptible to colds and to allkinds of digestive disorders.Open Front Best Plan. There is, ofcourse, a difference between fresh air and

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56 POULTRYdraughts. There should be no draughts in ahenhouse, especially in winter.The best way to get fresh air into a hen-house is through an open front. This openfront should extend downward from theeaves to about two and one-half feet fromthe floor, and lengthwise to a window ateither end of the house, as described in thenext paragraphs. Its area should be one-sixth that of the floor area of the house.The reason for having the open front as

high as possible is to allow the air to come inat a high level. It will then go farther backinto the house, and therefore give betterventilation all over the house.

Sunlight. Sunlight, being one of nature'sbest disinfectants, should have ample accessto the interior of a henhouse. Sunlight, ofcourse, will come into the henhouse throughthe open front. Therefore, the open frontshould be on the south side of the house. Ina henhouse from twelve to twenty-four feetin length there should be two windows.These windows should be placed on thesouth side, at the extreme right and extremeleft of the front. These, hke the open front.

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HOUSING 57should be placed high up in the front of thebuilding so as to get the sunlight as far backinto the house as possible.The windows that are recommended are

the ordinary stock sash. They should bescrewed or nailed to the studding, because itis not necessary that these windows beopened at any time. Any window that opensor swings is much more likely to be brokenthan one that is permanent.On stormy days it is intended that the openfronts should be covered with their curtainsmade of thin cotton cloth.

Cost. Since the profits that are madefrom the poultry business depend in part onthe amount of so-called overhead charge,which includes interest on the money, taxes,and depreciation, it is obvious that the costof construction of a henhouse should beseriously considered. It is not necessarythat any henhouse be double boarded, orsheathed, or plastered, or in any other waymade unusually warm. It is only necessarythat a henhouse be absolutely tight on threesides. A henhouse should be as simply andplainly constructed as possible. The only

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58 POULTRYfinish that is necessary on the building isthat which will make it conform as closelyas necessary to the other farm buildings.

Ease of Disinfection. The henhouseshould be so constructed that there shall befew crevices to collect dirt. This can beaccomplished by using drop siding or ship-lap which is tongued and grooved and fitstogether snugly. This gives the appearanceof clapboards and at the same time makes thehouse tight. The nests should be so con-structed that they can easily be taken down,washed, sprayed, and dried.Convenience. The henhouse should be

so designed that the operator can stand upin it anywhere and do the work conveniently.If it is designed as a series of connected com-partments imder one roof it should be soconstructed that a litter carrier can be used.This litter carrier will be a labor saver notonly in removing the droppings, but in carry-ing grain, mash, water, green feed, or eggs.Types of Henliouses. There are in

general use several different types of hen-houses having various shapes, styles of roof,open fronts, etc. The type which will give

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!2iOMOd

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60 POULTRYthe best results in a climate that is cold andfrosty in winter will of course give goodresults in a climate where there is but littlefrost in winter. But a house that wouldgive good results where there was but littlefrost would not necessarily offer the sameadvantage in a colder country.

Design of House Recommended. Thehouse which is here recommended is designedas a series of pens, all under one roof andwithin connected walls. It is constructedwith a two-thirds span roof; or, in otherwords, the peak of the roof is one-third of theway from the front wall, the front raftersbeing half as long as the rear rafters.Each pen of this house should be twenty-

two feet square. Such a pen or compartmentwill accommodate one hundred and sixtylaying hens of the heavier breeds, such asReds, Rocks, or Wyandottes. It will accom-modate at least one hundred and eightyLeghorns or similar lighter birds. This typeof house is economical to build; it is light;it gives the birds plenty of fresh air andexercise; and it allows a man to take care ofa large number of hens with a minimum

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HOUSING 61amount of effort. It has been used success-fully as far north as the northern part of NewEngland. There is no apparent reason why itshould not be successful farther north. It willbe equally satisfactory in a warmer climate.

Height Aboveground. Any henhousehaving a board floor should be placed atleast a foot and a half above the ground.If it is so built it will be practically rat-proof,because rats will not live under a floor whichis built up that high above the ground, sincecats and dogs can easily get under the floorand drive them out. A floor so built willbe more nearly dry because there is a freecirculation of air under the floor. The houseshould not be banked up in winter, becauseif this is done the ground underneath thebuilding will not freeze, and as capillary actionpumps up moisture all winter the floor willalways be moist.

Foundations and Floor. The bestfoundations are cement piers, although postsof cedar or chestnut may be used. The flooris best made of single, matched spruce orpine flooring. With plenty of litter on thefloor it will be sufficiently warm.

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62 POULTRYDirt Floors Not Economical. Dirt

floors should never be used in a henhousebecause they are hard to keep clean, Theonly time that a dirt floor is really fit for ahen to live on is during a month or two afterthe floor has been laid or after it has beencleaned out and new dirt put in. After twomonths the dirt becomes thoroughly mixedwith the droppings. In the long run a dirtfloor is expensive to maintain, because it isabsolutely necessary that this floor be entirelyremoved at least once a year and new dirtor gravel hauled to the henhouse, shoveledinto the building, and then evenly spread.This, in a commercial poultry plant, or inany poultry plant, for that matter, involves agreat deal of work.Cement Floors. A cement floor can befairly satisfactory. In localities where gravelis handy it is a comparatively cheap floor toconstruct. But, unless it is very well built,it is Ukely to be damp, owing to the capillaryaction causing moisture to pass up throughthe foundation and into the cement. It is acold floor under any conditions, and is noeasier to keep clean than a board floor.

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HOUSING 63Ne6ts. The nests should be built on

either side of the pen and toward the frontof the building. They should be built in

CONStKUCTION OF NESTS AND BROODY COOPtiers, one above the other, and the upper andlower tiers should be separate from each

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64 POULTRYother so that they can be more easily takenout and cleaned. Each nest should be onelong, continuous compartment with no par-titions. The hens are less likely to breakeggs in such a nest than in one which is par-titioned. A drawing of this nest will befound on page 63.Broody Coop. The broody coop shouldbe built above one of the tiers of nests. Thefloor should be made of matched boards solaid that they can be easily cleaned. Thewalls and top of the coop should be built ofwire. There should be a door which can beeasily opened.

Feed Hoppers. The feed hoppers shouldbe so constructed that the mash is alwaysavailable and yet so designed that the henscannot waste the mash or scratch htter intoit. Many types of deep self-feeding hoppersare in use. But in deep hoppers, wheneverthere is an excessive amount of moisture inthe air the mash is very likely to becomemoist, stick to the side of the hopper, andnot flow readily.The hopper which is recommended is

shown on page 65. This hopper is usually

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HOUSING 65placed on pieces of two-by-four set up edge-ways and is located directly under the openfront and about a foot away from the frontwall. With the hopper located here prac-tically no litter is ever scratched into it.

ottce7iter

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CONSTRUCTION OF FEED HOPPER

It is easy of access and the birds can see toget to it, even late at night.There is no necessity for placing a mashhopper on an elevated platform in order toprovide exercise for the birds. They willget sufficient exercise during the day insearching for scratch grain. The mash

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66 POULTRYshould be made so readily accessible that thebirds will not be obliged to make any extraeffort to obtain it.While the hopper shown requires a little

more frequent attention than do some of thedeeper hoppers, this fact is indirectly anadvantage, because the poultryman shouldkeep an accurate record of the amoimt andpounds of mash and scratch feed his birdsconsume each week, and this record is moreeasily obtained in using a small hopper thanin using large hoppers which may furnish amonth's supply of mash.Water Containers. The water contain-ers should be such as can be easily cleaned,should be inexpensive, and, like the mashhopper, should be easily accessible.The best water container to use for summer

or winter is an ordinary twelve- or fourteen-quart galvanized-iron pail. In the summerit is set on the floor inside of a frame whichprevents the birds from tipping the pailover, and which furnishes them with a plat-form upon which they can stand. In winter,if in a climate where freezing occurs, thissame pail is set into a small box lined with

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HOUSING 67asbestos paper, having an opening at thetop corresponding to the diameter of thepail about five inches below its top. In thebottom of this box is placed any one ofseveral commercial lamps made for the pur-pose of keeping the water from freezing. Itwill be necessary to bore several holes in thesides of the box, two or three inches abovethe floor.

This water container, both summer andwinter, is placed near the front of the buildingunder the open front, principally to locateit in a place where the least litter from thefloor will be scratched into it, since usuallythe birds face the light and scratch backward.

Dropping Boards. The dropping boardsshould be laid perpendicular to the back wall,because if they are laid parallel to the backwall the operator will have difficulty in clean-ing them off readily. They should bematched boards, so as to leave no largecrevices.

Roosts. The roosts, in a twenty-two-foothouse, should be in three sections, hinged atthe back so they may be tipped up out of theway when the dropping boards are cleaned.

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68 POULTRYPartitions. If two or more compart-ments or pens are to be built, the best par-

tition is one made of boards running thewidth of the building and up to a height of afoot above the roosts. The remainder of thepartition should be of inch-mesh wire.

This gives good circulation of air, especiallyin the upper part of the henhouse towardthe back part. Also, it gives more sunlightin all of the pens because, as the sun issetting toward the west, it will shine diagtm-ally through the open spaces of the parti-tions, and in the same manner the morningsun will shine diagonally.While this particular type of henhouse is

not the only good house that has been builtin this country, it is a house that will givesatisfaction anywhere and it provides all therequirements of a good house.

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INDEX TO CHAPTER VIAppetite, Importance of ...

.

83Buttermilk, Amount to Feed SIButtermilk, Care in Feeding. 82Buttermilk, Dried 82Buttermilk, Semi-solid SOCabbage and Mangels 79Cheese, Pot '. 82Condition of Pullets, How toJudge 71Dried Buttermilk 82Dry Mash, Amount to Feed. 75Dry Mash, Formula 75Egg Laying, Condition of Pul-lets Necessary to 70Egg Laying, Control by Feed-ing 70Egg Production, Percentageto Expect 72Fat Reserve, Necessary 70Feed, Formula 75Feed, Green 7SFormula. Dry Mash 75Formula, Scratch Feed 76

Grain, Formula 76Green Feed 7SHens, Feeding 69Judging Condition 71Laying Hens, Feeding 69

Mangels and CabbageMash, Control of AmountEaten by PulletsMash, FormulaMilk, as FoodMilk, Substitute for GreenFeed

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70 POULTRYproblem is a dual one of producing all theeggs possible, but at the same time main-taining the vigor and condition of the pulletsat such a pitch that in the spring months theeggs which they lay will produce a large per-centage of chicks that will live and grow.Condition of Pullets. The pullet, when

she is about to lay or has just begun to lay,is invariably fat. This surplus of fat sheaccumulates to use as a reserve during coldweather, and this reserve of fat must bemaintained as far as possible if we aregoing to keep the pullet in good physicalcondition.Adjusting Feed to Egg-Laying. Poul-

trymen consider that the egg-producingingredients of the feed are found largely inthe mash, whereas the body-maintenanceand fat-forming ingredients are found in thescratch feed.

It is possible for the feeder to regulate theconsumption of mash by a flock of pulletsbecause they will naturally eat scratch feedmore readily than mash, since they Hke itbetter. Thus, the proportion between thetwo kinds of feed can be controlled in spite

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FEEDING PULLETS 71of the fact that the mash is before them allthe time.On this basis the adjustment of the feed

for pullets is a comparatively simple problem.If the quantity of scratch feed given to aflock of pullets is somewhat reduced theywill, within certain limits, eat more mash inproportion. If they eat more mash they willbe getting more of the egg-producing ingre-dients, and we shall find that a larger nuniberof eggs will be laid. On the other hand, ifthe quantity of scratch grain feed is materi-ally increased, the pullets will eat less mashand we shall find that egg production islowered.How to Judge Condition. There is areliable and easy means by which the poul-tryman may know whether egg productionis getting higher than is consistent with thecondition of his birds. The test is the weightof the birds. Several pullets, say eight orten out of each one hundred, should bebanded and weighed and the individualweight of each pullet accurately recorded.Then the same pullets should be weighed atfrequent intervalsevery two or three weeks.

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72 POULTRYOf course, the birds should be weighed at thesame time of day. It is immaterial what timeis selected.How the Weights Should Run. Thepullets, for a short time after housing, shouldgain in weight. After that there should beno appreciable drop in weight throughout thewhole winter season until after the incuba-tion period is over. If there is a drop inweight the quantity of scratch feed should beincreased. Presently, the natural sequencewill followthat is, the egg production willfall off and body weight will increase.Standards of Egg Production. A rea-

sonable standard of egg production will runas follows: Through September, 20 per cent;October, 30 per cent; November and De-cember, 35 to 40 per cent; January, 40 to 45per cent; then the production may be allowedto go to 50 or above during February, March,and April, without materially causing thebirds to lose flesh and without at all impair-ing their production of vigorous hatchableeggs.

Amount of Scratch Feed Required.The amount of scratch feed that will be

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INDEXAcid phosphate for droppmg boards, 114Apparent colds, 142 ,Appetite, importance of maintaining, 83Arrangement, of brooder house, 29Artificial light for pullets, 118Artificial light, how to use, 116_

BBeginning a poultry business, 3Body, shape of^s guide'in culling, 100Branches of the poul ry business, 11Breeding, iiens vs. pullets, 104Breeding stock, selection of, 84Broilers, when to market,' 48Brooder house, cleanliness, 49Brooder house, detailed construction, 32Brooder house roosts, 49Brooder house sprays, 49Brt)oder records, 121Brooder stove, chimney, 35 Brooder stove, management, 36Brooder, temperature, 38Brooder, temporary fence, 38Brooder, transferring chicks to, 38Broodiness, how to control, 122Broodiness, use as a guide in culling, 103Broody coop in laying house, 64Buttermilk, amount to feed pullets, 81Buttermilk, care in feeding pullets, 82

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ii INDEXButtermilk; dried, for ptdl^B,: 82Buttermilk, semi-solid, 47Buttermilk, semi-solid, for puillet?, 80 'Buttermiljc, substitute for green feed, 47

Cabbage and mangles for pullets, 79Candling^ggs before incnbation, 18Carbolic acid, use as spray, 107 >Cement floors in laying liouse, 62Cheese, pot, for pullets, 83Chicken felj 39Chicken-pox, 143Chicks, cost of, influence of breeding stock, 88Chicks, exerqisie, 41 , -Chides, feeding in brooder house, 39Chicks, transferring to brooder, 33Chimnisy of "brooder stov^ 3SChpobiiig parent stock, 3Cteaulittess of brooder house, 49Climate, choice of stock for, 8Climatic conditions, 8Coccidiosis, cause of, 143.Coccidiosis, treatment for, 144

-CodcereJs, how to judge, for breeding stock, 91Cockerejs vs. cocks, for.breeding stock, 89Coekereb, vigor of, for breeding stock, 90Cocks, cost of, for breeding stock, 90Cold

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INDEX iiiContests, egg-layings 5Corn as-littCT, 50Cora for shade, SOCost of laying house, 57Crop botind, cause of, 149,Ciiop bound, .treatment for, ISObulling, how to'do, 99Culling, intportance of, 96Culling pullets, for jjreeding stock, 93Culliig, reasons for, 96Cjui;aiii of brooder house, 30Cujitains in laying house, 57

DDesign, laying house, 60Diarrhea, white, 137Dirt floors, management, 62Diseases, 137 ' -"Disinfectants for laying house, 107'Disinfection of laying hotise, 58Draughts, avoidance of in laying house. SiDressing poultry, 128 -.Dried butterniilk for pullets, 82Dropping boards, care of, 114Dropiiinig< boards in laying house, 67 .. -^Droppings, how-to store, 115 '^Droppings, use of, 115 5Dry mash, amount to feed pullets, 75 /Dry mash fbrmiila for pullets, 75 ~Dry mash hoppers, 46Dry picking, how to kill, 129Dry pickings . scalding, 128

Early, chicks, value of, 18Early laying, depends on early chifck^, 19Egg color, importance of, 11 ' ,' \ .,

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iv INDEXEgg containers for marketing, 136Egg-laying ability, 5Egg-laying, condition of pullets necessary to, 70Egg-laying contests, 5Egg-laying, control by feedings 70Egg-production, percentage to expect, 72Egg records, 120Eggs, home preservation, 134Eggs per year, possible average, 6Eggs, selection for incubation, 15Eggs, selection for market, lS2Eggs, selling by parcel post, 135Eggs, selling plan, 132Eggs, stamping for market, 133Eggs, sterile for market, 133Eggs, turning in incubator, 24Electric lights, equipment necessary, 117Epsom salts for laying hens, 112Eversion, 149Exercise for chicks, 41

Fat reserve, necessary in pullets, 70Fattening, advantage of, 127Fattening hens, 126Fattening male birds, 127Feed, amount required for males, 125Feed, amount required per pound gain, 125Feed, amounts to give, 45Feed, chick, 39Peed, danger of forcing, 45Feed, dry mash vs. scratch grain, 45Feed, formula for pullets, 75Feed, green, for pullets, 78Feed hoppers in laying house, 64Feed, how to feed scratch grain, 46Feed, late summer, 51

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INDEXPeed, milk, 40Feed records, 120Peed, scratch grain, iSFeed, summer, 44Feed trays for brooder liouse, 37Feed, yomig pullets, 51Feeding chicks in brooder house, 39Feeding pullets,"' 69 .Females, selection of, for breeding stock, 93Fence for brooder house, 41Final selection of breeding stock, 94Floor of laying house, 61Forcing, danger -of, 45Forinula, dry mash for pullets, 75Formula, tor fattening, 127Formula, mash tor chicks, 39Formula, scratch feed, 45Formida, scratch feed foy pullets, 76Foundations of laying house, 61

Grain, formulas tor pullets, 76Green feed tor pullets, 78Green feed, salts as substitute for, 112Grit for brooder ho,use, 37

HHatching, care of chicks, 26Hatching methods, 14Hatching, when, 17 -vHead, shape as guide in culling, 102Health, importance of, 9Heaters for water, 120 iHen-hatching, disadvantage, 14Hen house (see laying house).Hens, feeding, -69

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vi INDEXHens, how to choose for breeding, 104Home preservation of eggs, 134Hoppers -for dry mash, 46House, brooder, 28House, laying (see laying house).Housing of parent stock, 4

IIncubator chicks, health of, 15Incubator, details, 19;Incubator-halching, advantage of, 15Incubator records, 121Incubator, setting up, 20Incubator, tiying out, 21Incubator, what to buy, %&Incubator, when to start, 21IncUbato^, where to place, 19Inspection

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INDEX viiLaying hSuse, details, 60Laying house disinfectants, 107Laying house, spraying, 107Laying house, transferring pullets to, 108Laying, how to tell when pullets are ready, 52Leg weakness, 145Lice, traitment for. 111Lighting at evening, 118Lighting at ijiorniug, 118Lights, electric, equipment necessary, 117

: Lights for pullets; 118Litter, corn stalks, -50Litter, imjiiortance of changing,^ 109Liver diseases, symptoms

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viii INDEXMoisture in incubator, 22Moisture in laying house, 54

N, Nests in laying bouse, 63No-yard system for pullets, 109Nursery of incubator, 26

OOats for litter, 116Oats, sprouted, for pullets, 78-Oil for incubator, 20One-room brooder house, best, 29Open-front brooder house, 30Open-front laying house, 54

Parcel-post container for eggs, 136Pared post, limitations of in selling eggs, 136Partitions in laying 'house, 68Pelvic bones, how to judge in culling, 101Pens in laying house, 60Pests, treatment for. 111Phosphate for dropping boards, 114Picking, dry method vs. scalding, 128Pigmentation, how to judge in culling, 99Portable brooder house, 32Pot cheese for pullets, 82Poultry diseases, 137Poultry lice, treatment for, 111Pox, chicken, 143Prices, selling when market is high, 125Productive ability, 6Profit and loss records, 122Profits, factors influencing, 6, 125

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INDEX ixProfit in broilers, 48Pullet feeding, 51Pullets, culling for breeding stock, 93Pullets for breeding, 84Pullets, feedisfg, 69Pullets, how to cull, 98Pullets, how to tell when ready to. lay, 62Pullets, importance of giving attention to, 126Pullets, lights for, 118 ^Pullets, maiataining weight for breeding, 89'Pullets, itfaturity of for breeding stock, 88J'ullets, selection of for breeding stock, 93Pullets, space for, 106Pullets, success as breeding stock, 85Pullets, transferring to laying house, 108Pullets vs. hens, as breeding stock, 85Pullets, vigor of, for breeding stock, 87fullets, vitality of, for breeding stock, 86Pullets, yards not necessary, 109

BRange-grown stock, 4Records, feed and eggs, 120Records, incubator and brooder; 121Records, profit and loss, 122 -Roof of laying house, 60Boosts in brooder house, 49Boosts for laying house, 67'Boup, 151Bun, brooder house, 41Runs, not necessary for pullets, 109

SSalts for laying hens, 112Saving eggs.for incubation, 17Scalding vs. dry picking, 128

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X INDEXScaly leg, ISOScratch feed, 45Scratch grain, amount to feed pullets, 72Scratch grain, hdw to feed, 46Scratch grain, summer feeding, 77Scratch grain, winter feeding, 76Selecting eggs for incubation, 15Selecting eggs for market, 132_Selection of breeding stock, ,84Selection of parent stock, 3Selling at high prices, 125Selling eggis, plans for, 132 . 'Semi-solid buttermilk, 47-'Semi-solid buttermilk, for pullets, 80Shade, com, 50Shade fo^ chicks, 50Shanks, how to judge in culling,. 102Shape of body, use of in cuUibg, 100Shipping poultry, 131Size of brooder house, 28Size of laying house, 60

' Size of parejit stock, 7Space o new pullets, 106Span, use of in culling, 101Specialized poultry business, 12Sprays for, brooder house,-49^rays for laying house, 107Spring selection, in culling, 97Sprouted -oats for pullets, 78Stany>ing eggs for market, 133Starting a poultry business, 3Starving before killing, 129Sterile eggs for market, 133Stock for breedmg, selection of, 84Storage^ Ieffect on, eggs for hatching, 16Stove, brooder, 34Sulphur, how to administer, 114

: Summer feedihg, 44

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INDEX xiSummer feedings redson for decreased amount, 77Summer-feeding, scratch grain, 73 - !Summer selection, in culling, 98Sunlight, importance of in laying house, 56Switch for electric lights, how to Construct, 117 .

Temperature in incubator, 23Temperature of Ibrooder, 38

, Tim^-for hatching, 17 ,^Turning eggs ih incubator, 24 -

. Two-room brbpder.house, di^vantages, 29Type of business,-- 11 -. . . .>. -.. . ^Ventilation, laying house, 54

Ventilation of Incubator, 25Vigor of parent stoek, 4:

WWall construction of laying house, 57Warm" climate, choice of parent stocki 8Washing poultry for marked, 131Water containers for laying house, 66Water glass, for presepving eggs, 34Water heaters for laying house, 66Water, how to prevent freezing, 120Water; how to, supply, 50 'Wjeakness, Jeg, 145Walght, maintaiiing, in breeding stock, 89Weighted cup, for killing) 130Weight of pullets, how to judge, 72Wet floor, dangia of in laying house, 54White diarrhea, cause of, 137,White diarrhea,'danger of, ,9White diarrhfea, dimination of, i4t)

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xii INDEXWhite diarrhea, remedial measures, 139White diarrhea, symptoms of, 138White diarrhea, testmg for, 140Windows in laying honse, 57Windows of brooder house, 30Winter feeding, reason for increased amount, 76Winter feeding, scratch grain, 73

YYards, not necessary for pullets, 109

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FEEDING PULLETS 73necessary to produce these results will vary,not only with the climate, but also with thetype of hens kept.The following table will give the reader

a general idea of approximately the amountsrequired for Leghorns in the general latitudeof the southern part of New York or northernpart of New Jersey, and in areas westwardwith the same climatic conditions:

SeptemberOctober. .NovemberDecemberJanuary

.

FebruaryMarch . .April.

.

May. .June.

.

July. .

.

August

.10 pounds daily per 100 hens

.11

.12

.12

.13.1313.12.11.10. 9. 6

The following table will apply to RhodeIsland Reds, Rocks, or Wyandottes under thesame climatic conditions:6

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74 POULTRYSeptember . . 10 pounds daily per 100 hensOctober.... 11 " " " "November.. 13 " " " "December.. 14 " " " "January .... 15 " " " "February ... 14 " " " "March 14 " " " "April 13 " " " "May 12 " " " "June 10 " " " "July 10 " " " "August.... 9 " " " "For the conditions which prevail in central

or northern New England and in areas west-ward with the same climatic conditions thefollowing figures will apply for Reds, Rocks,and Wyandottes;

September . . 12 pounds daily per 100 hensOctober.... 14 " " " "November.. 16 " " " "December.. 17 " " " "January.... 20 " " " "February. ..20 " " " "March 18 " " " "April 16 " " " "May 15 " " " "June 12 " " " "July 12 " " " "August 10 " " " '

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FEEDING PULLETS 75For Leghorns and sinoilar breeds under the

conditions in central or northern New Eng-land and in areas westward with similarclimate about one-fifth less scratch feedshould be given than in the above table.

Ratio of Mash to Scratch. If an accu-rate record is kept of the total number ofpounds of mash and scratch feed consumed,it will be found that the proportion of mashto scratch in the more northern areas willbe approximately as follows: September andOctober, equal parts of each; November,December, January, February and March,two of scratch to one of mash; April andMay, equal parts of scratch and mash;June, July, and August, two of mash to oneof scratch feed.Dry-mash Formula. The dry -mashformula which is recommended is as follows:

Cotn meal or hominy feed. . . lOO poundsferan 100White middlings 100Gluteii feed lOOMeat scraps 100Rolled oats 90

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76 POULTRYIn this formula the amount of meat

scraps should be reduced to fifty pounds ifmilk is fed. See paragraphs on feeding milk.Scratch -feed Formula. The scratch-

feed formula which is recommended is com-posed of equal parts by weight of crackedcorn, whole oats, and whole wheat.

Increased Amounts in Winter. It willbe noted from the above tables that con-siderably more scratch feed is given to thebirds in winter. The reason for this is readilyunderstood, since the scratch feed furnishesthe body maintenance of fat and fuel.Naturally, more fat and fuel are used in coldweather than are used in warmer weather.Further, if, as winter comes on, the birdsdo not get an increased quantity of scratchfeed, they will use up all the body reserve offat by laying too many eggs in proportion totheir capacity and their maintenance ration.Presently they will become thin, will shedtheir feathers, and will stop laying. Thisperiod of nonproduction will last from threeweeks to three months. Whereas, if thebody weight of the birds is maintained duringcold weather by feeding an increased quan-

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FEEDING PULLETS 77tity of scratch feed, the birds will shed butfew feathers during the first winter, and willcontinue to lay all winter long.

Decreased Amounts in Summer. It isevery poultryman's ambition to produce asmany eggs in summer as possible, and inorder to do this he must get the birds to eatas much mash as they will during the warmermonths. To accomplish this the scratch-feed ration should be reduced, thus causingthe birds to eat more mash.

If this plan is followed the birds are muchless likely to become overfat and lazy.Because they have consumed more mashthey will lay more eggs. The egg produc-tion will not drop to a low point in thesummer as is frequently the case when toomuch scratch grain is given during thewarmer months.How to Feed Scratch. The scratch feed .should be given in a deep litter to induce asmuch exercise as possible, because it isthoroughly proved that birds that are keptactive, both summer and winter, show betterappetites, eat more food of all kinds, andtherefore have a greater power to produce

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78 POULTRYeggs because they are in better and morevigorous condition.

One-fourth of the day's supply should befed in the morning, one-fourth at noon, andone -half at night. In excessively coldweather, for instance, if there are two or threedays when the thermometer goes to con-siderably below zero, two or three poundsextra of the scratch feed per one hundredhens should be given each of these days.This may be given in extra feeds, so as toinduce as much exercise as possible.Green Feed. It is considered by manypoultrymen that green feed in some form is

essential. The green feeds which are mostgenerally used are sprouted oats, cabbage,and mangels. Of the three, sprouted oatsare best.Sprouted Oats. If oats are sproutedfor green feed the grain used for the purpose

should be that which has not been treatedwith sulphur or by any other similar process.The sprouts should be allowed to grow notover two or three inches and should be fedin the htter so that the birds will have tosearch to get them.

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FEEDING PULLETS ^9In order to sprout oats two things are

essentialheat and moisture. If the oatsare kept around eighty-five to ninety degreesthey will sprout quickly and will not mold,provided they are moistened once a day withcomparatively warm water. Do not use hotwater.Cabbage and Mangels. Cabbage makes

a very good green feed, the objection to itbeing that it will not keep all winter. Also,in the average house cellar and under thebest of conditions, there is considerable workinvolved in stripping off the outer leaveswhich should not be fed to the hens. Theprincipal advantage of mangels is theirkeeping quality.

Milk as a Substitute for Green Feed.There is one feed which is coming more andmore into general use and which the authorbelieves will take the place of green feed,and this is milksour skim milk or butter-milk.Value of Milk. Milk is known to con-tain the vitamines which apparently havebeen proved to be essential to growth and tomaintenance of life. Birds which are fed on

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80 POULTRYa ration which includes milk will keep inbetter physical condition. There will befewer deaths from such a pen than from apen fed no milk. If such birds go through amolt or partial molt they will feather muchmore readily and quickly. The eggs frommilk-fed hens will hatch better and will pro-duce better chicks. In the judgment of theauthor, if any strain of hens is fed for fiveconsecutive generations, both as chicks andhens, on a diet containing milk, there will bean extraordinary gain in the general condi-tion. In fact, the author believes that noman in the poultry business to-day shouldtry to grow chickens or keep laying henswithout the use of milk in some form.

Substitutes for Liquid Milk. Sincemany poultrymen live some distance from acreamery or even from a railroad station, itoften i