Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 197, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1917 — POULTRY POINTERS [ARTICLE]

POULTRY POINTERS

In preparing fowls for shipment by parcel post, the chief object is to keep the skin from being torn or rubbed. Dry picking is recommended. The floor of the duckhouse must be kept dry and should be well littered with clean, dry straw. Strange as it may seem, while ducks will thrive if they have access to a stream of water or pond, they must have dry quarters at night. Growing chicks will grow best when they can roost where there is clean perches and only a roof over their heads. Sulphate of iron is a blood tonic, as well as an effectual remedy against the small round worms frequently discovered in the intestines of the birds. Any of the larger breeds of ducks will yield quite a great deal in the way of feathers in a year’s time. Feathers should not be plucked during the cold weather. Ducks are conveniently kept In flocks of about A house 15 by 10 feet is large enougffTof JETs' number. 5 , When fowls become lame first in one leg and “then in both, it is caused by some liver trouble. Sometimes the birds at the same time become very light. There is no cure. Prevent by not feeding pepper or spices, not too heavyof corn. Cleaning out the houses several times a week, will not only give a purer air, but it will greatly help in killing disease germs. Access to swimming water is not at all necessary in order to successfully raise Pekin ducks. Where there is a nervous, quick jerking of the legs, making the fowl step high while walking, it is an affection similar to stripghalt in horses. While this cannot be cured it does no particular harm. It is a nerve trouble. An excellent substitute for meat foods is cottage cheese. You may feed it to fowls of any age and will find it very nutritious. Give about three feeds each week of the cheese.