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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1915)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION Profitable Business of Poultry Raising in America Hundreds of millions of chicks art hatched in America each year by the natural process of Incubation But there is no doubt that millions of eggs are spoiled and waited which would have hatched had the. poultry growers paid more attention to the care of the Hitting- hens, Success in this line depends upon using ergs of the right kind, and de pendable hens, plus careful work upon the part of the attendant. By follow ing; tlte instructions given below the best of results can be secured THOUGH the incubator is being steadly improved and yearly growing in popularity, the good old way of hatching chicks by hen power is still mighty popular. On most large poultry plants, it is true, tne wooden hen is depended upon almost exclusively to bring out the annual crop of chicks, but since the greater part of our poultry products comes from the vast number of small flocks maintained on general farms and in the back yards in towns and villages where the natural method of incubation is largely practiced, it is quite evident that the machine can- not entirely supplant the mother hen. There is an honest difference of opinion among poultrymen as to the relative value of hen-hatched and ma chine-hatched chicks. However, it will be noticed that the advocates of the artificial method do not claim that chicks so produced are superior to those hatched under hens, but merely that they are equally as good, and so the owner of a flock of natur ally incubated chicks can feel sure that these are as good as could be produced from the eggs used. Hatching Equipment Simple. It is a simple matter to set one or two hens and care for them during the period of incubation. It is quite another matter to successfully man age any considerable number of sit ters and satisfactory results can only be obtained through providing the simple equipment required to keep them upder control and carefully looking after many details of man agement. Unless this is done, one may expect to have many exasper ating experiences and submit to the loss of many valuable eggs and chicks. Broodiness is a normal character istic of all domestic fowls, and is most common during the Spring months, the natural breeding period of all birds. In certain breeds of poultry, as the Leghorns, this desire to incu bate has largely disappeared. Hens of the non-sitting breeds are usually nervous and flighty, easily "broken up" and usually unreliable sitters. For this reason they are not to be depended upon for this important work. On the other hand, the Asiatic breeds and certain of the American breeds are most persistent in their desire to rear a family, and these are most popular among poultrymen who use hens to do the hatching. At this season of the year the broody hen is much in evidence. In every flock will be observed Individ uals which are showing the symptoms in varying degrees. It will be noticed that they remain on the nest after laying and object to being disturbed. Presently they begin to cluck occa sionally and shortly they remain on the nest at night. At this point the poultryman should take action. If he proposes to make his hens lay and let the in cubator hatch the eggs, he should at once break up the broodies so they will speedily begin egg production again. If he proposes to set some hens, he should select those which promise to be most faithful and pro tect them from disturbances and break up the fever iu the nervous in dividuals; which would be trouble some if given a clutch of eggs to hatch. This hreaklng-up process is simple If it is used in time. The very first night the hen remains on the nest, Instead of going to roost, is the right time to take care of her. She should be at. once placed In the broody cpop or yard, and in the majority of cases, she will soon be ready to resume her duties as a part of the laying flock. The broody coop may be made en tirely of lath or wire netting or sim ply a box with slat or netting bottom. It should be suspended above the floor ho plenty of air may circulate through It, and within sight of the laying flock. In such quarters the most obstinate sitter will soon de mand her freedom, so she may re join her active sisters, especially if she receives plenty of cgg-maklng food and but little corn. The breakiug-up yard is another popular scheme. This is merely an. inclosure containing shelter of some kind, having roosts but no nests, and tenanted by a number of cockerels. Within a very few days after being placed in such a yard the broodies may be transferred to the laying flock, completely cured. The selected sitting hens should be left in their accustomed quarters until they have ceased to lay and the de sire to sit has become fully estab lished. Then they should be trans ferred to the nests prepared for them in separate quarters, where they will not be disturbed. Where any considerable number of hens are set, some special building or compartment should be given up to their exclusive use. This should be well ventilated and reasonably dark to insure comfort and content ment. Aside from the nests, but few fur nishings will be required. Recep tacles for food and water and a dust ing place of liberal size complete the list. The latter should have a goodly supply of fine earth in which the birds may wallow when liberated from their nests. Preparing the Nests. The nest boxes should be roomy. Small nests cause much discomfort to their occupants, induce restless ness, and this in turn results in much breakage of eggs. They should be so constructed that the hen may step into the nest. If the boxes are deep and the hens compelled to jump down on the eggs, many of the latter are sure to be broken. Each nest should be fitted with a door, which may be closed at will, thus keeping the occupant under con trol. Where open nest boxes are used and a number of bens sit in the same room, there is bound to be much fighting; some hens will remain off the nest for too long a time, two hens will frequently crowd on one nest, leaving another uncovered ana unsatisfactory results are bound to follow. It is unquestionably the better plan to remove the" birds daily and permit them to feed and exercise for a reasonable period, but keep them confined to the nests the rest of the time. I have experienced much satisfac tion from the use of trapnests for sitting hens. The hens may be re leased at any convenient time and the traps adjusted. As each sitter re turns to her nest, she automatically locks herself in and the others out and many of the dangers attending the use of the open nest are thus overcome. For nesting material nothing Is better than hay or straw cut into rea sonably short lengths. Earth may be used as a foundation, and this should be shaped before the other material Is added. The nest should be saucer shaped. It flat, Bonie of the eggs may roll out from under the hen. If the cavity is deep, the eggs may pile up and be crushed. Attention to details of this kind pays. The hens should be removed to their new quarters after dark, as they are less likely to object than when transferred during the hours of daylight. For. the first day they should be permitted to sit upon china eggs or discarded eggs from other nests until they have shown their willingness to attend to business. Then the valuable eggs may be safe ly intrusted to their care. The number of eggs given each lien is regulated by her size and the sea son of the year. While cold weather lingers, an average hen should satis factorily cover 10 to 11 eggs. In ordinary Spring weather Bhe will care for 13, while In the warm season she may be given 15. It is always well to set several hens at the same time. When the eggs are tested at the end of the first week it may be found possible to give all the fertile ones to a smaller number of hens, thus permitting one or more to be returned to the laying flock or reset on other eggs. Again, at hatching time, the broods may be doubled up and several sitters re leased from further duty In connec tion with the chicks. Feeding I he Sitters. The sitters should be kept upon a hard grain ration, but this must be given in liberal quantity. Probably the best plan Is to provide grain hoppers of generous size and let the birds eat all they wish. Com and wheat are staple grains. Mash mix tures of any kind are to be avoided. Green food may be given, sparingly but not in sufficient quantity to In duce looseness of the bowels. Grit should also be available, and, of course, clean, fresh water in abun dance. Each day as the hens are released from their nests, the latter should be carefully examined for cracked and soiled eggs, and any troubles cor rected. Very few hens will soil their nests if they can avoid it, but when they are confined the greater part of the day, more or less trouble of this kind may be expected. However, it is most essential that both nesting material and eggs be kept clean, and this must be looked after dally. The sitting room should also be kept in sanitary condition. The drop pings should be removed each day, never permitted to become mixed with the earth or litter or scratched into the food and water supply. Sitting hens are the prey of lice and mites and should be fully pro tected against these pests, ine nenis ahnnM hn trpatpil before being used and the hens themselves dusted with some good lice-killing preparation several times during the period of incubation. There are several excel lent lice-killing powders on tne mar tot nnri Persian insect powder may be depended upon to do this work thoroughly. Eggs Should Be Tested. it Is advisable to test the eggs twice before hatching time arrives and remove such as are infertile or contain dead gerniB. Those which remain are thus given a better cnance to hatch. When the chicks begin to pip their shells tho hens will stick closely to timir nfists. This Is a most critical time, and the poultryman should carefully watch nis cnarges umu iuo hatch is over. Before any chicks have actually hatched the hens should be removed and encouraged to. eat their fill, then kept confined. As a rule it is poor policy to dis turb a ben which seems to be care fully attending to her duty at mis timo Rut some individuals get ex cited when they hear the youngsters peeping, and may do consiaerauie damage through trampling them or even picking them. Under such con ditions a transfer should be made, the flighty hen being replaced by one of the quiet, motherly sort. If the nests aro properly construct ed the chicks may safely be left with quiet hens until the hatch Is com pleted. J-ut If loss is feared tho babies may bo removed and tucked away in padded baskets or boxes and kept in a warm place until moved to the brooding conps. (Oopright, 1M5, by Matos-Menx Adv. Co., Inc.) The Call of the Wild. I know a place where the fern Is deep. And the giant fir waves high. And a rooky ledge hangs dark and steep. And a laughing brook leaps by, And it's there to be with a soul that s free From the street's discordant Jnr, With a blanket spread on a ct'dar bed, And the voice of the world arr I know of a pool In a leafy dell That the wary trout love best. And a timid trull to the chaparral Where the red d-er lie at rest. A night bird's call when the shadow fall And a cougar's eerie cry, A silence deep, and a dreamless sleep Under the open sky. Leslie's Weekly. CAYUGA DUCKS. M!Illi!IMl!! ' jf-tWr-0 'iA"J HIM M These ducks were first produced nearly a century ago In Cayuga County, N. T., from which the breed takes Its name. It is said that they were first produced by crossing mallard and wild black ducks, and that the blood of the Black East India duck was Introduced later. The color Is lustrous, greenish-black throughout. Males weigh seven and eight pound?, females six and seven pounds, according to age. These birds are very hardy, are easy to raise and cany a large quantity of fine-flavi red flesh. While this breed is not used on commercial duck farms, It is an excellent one for the breeder who wishes to keep a smull flock of attractive water fowl and breed a few young ducks for tho home table or to supply a retail trade. The quantity and quality of the flesh will offset the disadvantage of a few dark plnfeathers and black shanks.
