Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1891 — THE POULTRY-YARD. [ARTICLE]

THE POULTRY-YARD.

Mating the Breeding Stock. Unless you desire to hatch chicks, the males can be kqpt away from the hens. By so doing, a larger number of hens can be kept together, instead of a male and ten hens, for If two males are put in the same pen, they will probably quarrel and fight, and be rendered useless.

When eggs are desired for incubation,, make up a breeding-pen of ten or twelve of the best hens in the flock; select from those known to be thp layers and which, have beon free from disease of any kind; with them put a vigorous cockerel, not under eleven months old and of a preferred breed, and tho result will be satisfactory. Do not attempt to raise chicks by using eggs for incubation from the eggbasket, and which are laid by hens that you are not sure were tho ones that deposited the eggs in tho nest; but make up a breeding-pen, consisting of selected hens, with a selected male with them, and you will then know the kind of chicks to expect, and also know something of thelr.futuro prospects; but unless this is done, all your efforts will bo like working in tho dark — Farm and Fireside. Poultry Notes. Well-fed pullots will lay much earlier than those allowed to go to roost without a well filled crop. No DANGER of getting tho growing" stock too fat. There Is more liability of not giving thorn enough. Fowls aro fond of onions choppod up and mixed with their soft food. Onions aro a preventive and remedy for mauy, diseases. Tub first step towards having eggs ini winter is to exterminate tho vermin from: your flocks and buildings and get your birds in good flesh. Don’t forgot to save the best young hen turkeys for breeding purposes. Kill tho others for Thanksgiving if you want, to but reserve your breeding stock first. Thk best market for the farmer or general poulterer, living near a city to cater to, is retail custom. Have a regular lino of housekeepers to whom you deliver eggs fresh once or twice a week, and fowls whenever they arc ordered.