Suggestions gathered from the worlds most successful poultry raisers
Use open-front hen houses or houses open on the south side and only protected by muslin curtains. Curtains to be dropped in zero weather only.
Keep houses perfectly clean. Dropping boards to be cleaned at least once a week and floors as often as the litter becomes soiled or damp.
At least once a year whitewash the building’s thoroughly. If this is done you will not be troubled with mites.
To get eggs in winter you must make the hens exercise. Do this by keeping the floor well covered with from 6 to 12 inches of clean dry straw in which scatter the morning and evening feed, thus making them work for what they get to eat.
Feed all the hens will eat, twice a day. Feed a balance of wheat, oats and barley in equal portions and in the summer add an equal portion of corn but in the winter add three times as much corn. The proportions may be varied to suit the inclination of the fowls.
You cannot expect many eggs in the winter unless you give plenty of green food. Sliced beets are good, also keeping the feeding rack full of short cut clover. Hens are fond of clover and you can depend on its producing eggs. Sprinkle the clover with water and let it stand a day before feeding.
A good and inexpensive green food is made by sprouting oats.
Keep beef scraps, egg shells constantly before the hens keep these in hoppers to avoid waste.
Keep fresh clean drinking water before the fowls all the time. Clean the water dishes every day.
Avoid disease by the free use of disinfectants such as vinegar.
Keep a box keep of clean dry dust in a sunny corner of the poultry house. This is important.
Do not over crowd the hens and do not keep too many in one building.
Hens do best in flocks of not more than 50.
Allow one rooster for every 12 or 15 hens in the breeding pens. No roosters in the lane pens.
Allow plenty of fresh air at all times but do not have drafts.
Keep the hens free from lice.
In the summer the chickens should have free range if this is impossible they should be supplied with plenty of green food.
For breeding purposes use only your best and healthiest stock.
If you want to breed for the best egg production get trap nests and keep your record of each hen and breed only from the hens that show the greatest yearly production of eggs.
In the poultry business it is attention to detail that counts. Observe regularity in feeding, cleaning and filling the hoppers and look after the comfort of the hens at all times.
One breed well cared for will pay better than too many breeds.
If you feed a mash do so in the morning but do not feed enough to keep them from exercising. Many poultry raisers give dry feed exclusively.
