BACKYARD FOWLS

Evening Post, Issue 122, 26 May 1933, Page 12

BACKYARD FOWLS

How many .householders are bewailing the if act that' their heiis won't lay? It is just/this'yety Teason that eggs aro priced-as: high as they ate every: autumn, and even the best commercial egg: producers aro not getting as many eggs as they would like. All adult hens aro resting at this time of the year and renewing their wardrobe; somo that mouted-early in tho year should soon bo coming back into lay, and just the odd one will moult and still lay a few eggs a week. ; But those wellmatured September-hatched pullets should be laying four and five eggs a week if they are well housed, where the sun reaches their sheds, and provided that they are well fed. Blame yourself for tad management if your pullets aro not laying, for either they have been hatched too early, too late, or aro not receiving proper attention. Those that were hatched early in the spring and which laid soon after Christmas will go into1 a partial moult with tho adult birds. Late-hatched summer chicks are usually stunted and seldom niako first-class birds. Given especial treatment and care they may come away well, but this is an added overhead cost. Tho addition of an extra proportion of incatmeal for tho moulting hens may help to bring them into lay a little quicker, but take care not to over force, and those hens required for breeding should never be encouraged to lay too caTly;in;tlie; winter. Look to the. conditions in your fowl house. Is the floor damp? Is tho sun reaching right, back to tho roosts? Is there plenty of straw on the floor for scratching amongst? If the walls are not draught proof your fowls cannot keep warm, and may develop colds. Dampness will cause disease and. lower the vitality of the birds quicker than anything else. Allow about four squaro feet floor space for each bird, and at least'ten inches'perching space.; The sun should: reach each part of the floor some time during the day.