HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1925-08-27, Page 7TO HANDLE EARLY MOLTERS
BY GEORGE
Few hens lay while they are going
'through a complete. molt, and es it i -
not •cleirableto have hens stop ley-
• ing in July or early August to take
on a coat of new feathers which. will
• pot be oneedeci for protection. before
November or December, let us see
whether there is anything that can
be done about the early -molting hen.
• Since modern culling methods have
coma into vogue, considerable atten-
tion has been given to the time of
•molting as an index teethe laying
ability of a hen. Unfortunately for
thespeace of mind of poultry keepers
in general, contradictory conclusions
have been published by different in-
vestigators.
Most of the experimental data
show that early molting indicates an
inferior laying -record. Folks are be-
ginning to see, though, that early
molting, particularly where most hens
in the floe]: molt early, is often caused
by mismanagementeand is not necese
esellY a sign of poor laying ability. In
• talking of early molters, we meet dis-
tinguish between partial molt and
complete , molt
The degree of molt can usually be
determined by examining the primary
flight feathers in the wing. These
feathers drop out one at a time, ,or
list least only a few at a time, and
several weeks' time is required for all
the wing feathers to be molted. As
"a rule, when a wing feather is drop-
ped it is replaced by the new feather
coming in.
Normally, from seven to fourteen
days elapse from, the time one prim-
ary feather is dropped' until the next
One goes, with an average of Probably
ten days: Approximately four weeks
are required for a wing feather to
get its full growth, and a fairly de-
finite idea of how long a hen has
been molting, and what per cent. of
her feathers have been changed, can
be had by studying the wings.
Careful observation„ will show that
many of the hens which show new
feathers over the back and neck have
molted only two or three wing fea-
PHILLIPS,
lthers. This ineane that they are out
bf layipg,cpwlitipn for Possibly three
Or four weeks, and have undergone a
partial molt. conditionare.
faverable, those hens are likely to
lay well during most of the fall, but
will, in most cases, undergo a com-
plete molt before winter.
Hens that have brooded chicks will
undergo a partial molt before start-
ing to lay, but if properly handled
will lay well in the fall.
On many farms the feed is reduced
for the fovels after the grass cornes;
after laying heavily for a few weeks
a majority of the birds grow thin in
flesh, stop laying, and. begin to molt.
Then when harvest comes, if thio
birds have access to the grain -fields or
stacks, they commonly pick up iir
flesh, the molt will be stopped, and
the hens will begin to lay.
Long periods of excessively hot
-weather, eevere attacks of lice or
mites, carelessness in allowing4proody
hens to stay on nest too long before
they are broken-up—these are causes
of partial molts which make hens quit
laying for several weeks during the
middle of the summer.
The above causes explain why some
hens that. apparently molt early are
fairly good layers if given a good
chance. But there are hens svhiCh
are poor layers by inheritance, •and
which begin to molt in July and pro-
long the process until' about Novem-
ber. These hens lay few if any fall
or winter •eggs, and these are the
hens the.poultry keeper should be on
the lookout for; there are enough of
these in most flock S to make it worth
while to suspect early molters.
A good rule in culling, to get rid
of the early amolters, is to give the
entire flock at least four weeks of
regular and liberal feeding on a ra-
tion consisting of grain and laying
mash; then sell the ones that do not
show by the redness of their combs,
the flexibility of the abdomen, and
the spread of the pin -bones, that they
are laying, or are about ready to
start laying. A loafing hen puts no
money in your pocket.
.
Allan Falconer, champion Canadian rider. WI
saddle, a loving cup and $1,000. •
CAN-GIIILSIAISE NGS?
The Advantage of Thinning.
The harvest season is a good time
to check up on many things particu-
larly on the results of thinning.
One important aspect of the ques-
tion which we seldom hear discussed
and which is difficult, perhaps im-
possible, to estimate accurately, is the
time the grower saves in picking and
packing a crop of thinned fruit as
against that required for an equal
volume of fruit from unthinned trees.
In many discessions of the practice I
of thinning fruit, and certainly le the!
minds of most fruit growers, theesp-
• eration is charged and should be
charged with the total cost of the
job. Though, as a matter of fact, it
is robable that we get back in the
increased speed which is possible
with thinned fruit more than the cost
of thinning.
This greater speed is due to two
different factors. First, the smaller
number of fruits per bushel, owing 'troublesome and the best practice is
to the greater average size of the to make the house ebsolutely immune
House Early Pullets Early.
We are approaching the season
when early -hatched pullets should be
put again in their early laying quar-
ters.
Now is a 'good time to feed these
early -maturing pullets all of the
grain they will eat, and if mash is
given them see that it has a lot o7
cern, meal in it, for a couple of weed
at least—possibly 15 per cent. of yel-
low corn meal. The idea Is' to put as
much flesh on them as possible
enable them to carry through the rig-
orous production period just begin-
ning. When put itt the laying louse
see that each one is treated with blue
ointment or sodium flporide for body
lice.
Also be sure that the perches and
perch supports, nests and dropping
boards are painted with a good oily,
wood -penetrating, mite -killing paint,
for during August the mites are
individual fruits; And second, to the
fact that a very large percentage of
,the imperfect specimens have been
removed in thinning and there is much
less probability of poor stuff getting
by the operator when he speeds up.
The Experiment Station which has
done the best week on this question
of thinning apples, has this to say on
the phase of the question here under
diacussion :
"Ithas been found in this thinning
work,that if trees were heavily load-
ed, the cost of thinning could not
fairly be eharged against the thinned
"Different factors, such as the fol-
loWing, offset this charge in such
eases: In the first place, the fruit
fken off at thinning time would have
to be picked at picking time anyway,
Old it would cost as mull. to removal
it then as it would at thinning time.
This was the case with the Ben Davis
k
1914when the unthinned trees had
mom 1;000 to 1,666 more apples per
tree to be picked. Even with this ase
ditional fruit there was then less
than half as great a total market -1
able yield ne there was from the thin-
ned trees bearing the smaller num-
ber of apPles.
"Second, it cost ceoneiclerably more
in sorties; to remove the large num-
ber ofculls from the unthinned trees
Said after the sorting these culls were
then tot saleable. Thus in this cast
chargeftouid be made for thinning.
yen in the case of thinning young
Baldwins, it cost 35 per
t. more to pick the unthinned
s. Here again the sorting 'cost
As increased with more unsalable
sse
apples from the •nnthinned trees. '
' "In most cases where thinning is
necessary, only a small part, if any,
tit the cot of thinning can be charged
**abut the thinned trees."
•
The Septic Tank.
The septic tank is doing its part to
crease the average life of man.
t4i'o you built yours yet, or have
other sanitary means of eewag0
•ape? August is a good month
.01,) itch to do this work. Bulletin
SOorking plan. !'blue print" sups
be Dept. a Physio,
Is, to anyone desiring to build
aavettcomeost heap and keep it
gessWiag da:y by day.
from them.
•
Watch for Bumblefoot.
Bumblefoot is a quite common and
frequently serious nsenace to the
health and behavior of phickens. As,
the name indicgtes, it consists of a
swellingof the foot, caused by bruises
or injury and resulting in a pus
pocket forming under the bottom of
the foot svhich, if not treated proper-
ly, will develop rapidly, until lame-
r -less and possible permanent injury
Bumblefoot is -especially pre-
valent in the hot, dry weather of mid-
summer, when birds are allowed an,'
run on gravelly, bare ground. •
If the poultry yards can be seeded
down to a permanent sod, there will
be fewer injuries from this trouble.
During the hot days of midsummer,
if the yards are bare, plowing them
once every other week or cultivating
them once every other week, will go
a long way toward keeping them in
a better sanitary condition and re-
moving the danger of injury to the
birds' feet. o
Who Was the Joke On? I
A farmer had just built a big barn.
One day es he was. setting off for
town he told his two boys to cut a
small hole in one os the sides so that
the cat could get in or out at Will.
The boys ewe a hole just beside the
big barn door, but when the farmer
returned and. saw it he was much
displeased.
"Why can't I depend on you boys
to do a 'single thing eight?" he ex-
claimed angrily. "Don't you. know
that hole is in the wrong plaeo?"
"Why?" asked the boys.
The fanirer fairly snorted. Leap-
ing from the buggy, he seized the
barn door and swung it open and, of
course, it covered the aperture.
"Now where is your cat hole?" he
shouted. "How in the name of sense!
can the cat get' into ttie ban when
the door's open?"
Protect Machinery.
Note repairs needed on farm equip -
Mont when through using tools. Clean,
ell and store Machines out of the
weatherthis practice lengthens the
life of a Machine and prevents delays
When it is to be used.
1.;
h the title, he got the
BY VERA M. DEAN.
When I was nine years of age I
was a very sick little girl. I had to
stay home froin school a great deal,
until the doctor told me to spend as
much time as possible itt the open.
Dad got nee interested in helping
him on our 240 -acre farm. There
were all kinds of chores to do—calves,
pigs, horses and cows to take care
of, besides berries and bees. ,
However, pigs were my choice. The
pig is one of the cleanest and most
intelligent animals on the farm if it's
given a chance. Besides, pigs increase
faster and mature quicker and give
more and quicker profits. I have
worked other projects in club work
and am deeply interested in all 05
them, but pigs make My biggest pro-
fits and help increase my bank ac-
count.
•When I wasn't much older than
eleven an old bearded friend of my
father's was over to see us. I told
him about my interest in pigs, but
he only smiled. I think I have raised
enough of them now not to be far
wrong when I say that girle can be
more successful than boys in the
raising of hogs. Girls usually take
more pains and time in keeping hogs
and their quarters more sanitary, and
look after the minor ailments with
closer attention.
One morning my father found one
of his best Berkshire sows dead after
farrowing .eleven little pigs. Five of
hem were still alive. He gave them
to me and I took them to the house
and fed them warm milk with a tea-
spoon.
• In a few days they learn to eat
from a shallow pan. They were kept
in an old Washbeiler near the stove
at night and were car out into the
open and sun in the daytime.
They grew fast and a grass lot was
provided foi: them. Their main ra-
tion was milk with ground oats, and
weeds from the garden. I gave. them
a clean place to sleep and washed
them with disinfectant to keep them
free from lice and their skin clean,
When Fair time came, I exhibited
three of them at our County Fair and
won two firsts and one second; selling
two of the male pigs at $35 and $75
each. Since then I have won many
A QUESTION OF CLOTHES
BY L, W.
My friend from desvre East is bav-
ing 'a wonderful journey; it is her
first vacation in many years and she
is enjoying it to the utmost. From
every city she visits else sends me
enthusiaetielsloat cards, so that"I can
follow and enjoy with her all of the
noel sights and good times. On her
way my friend stopped with me for
a day anci-a night, and we had one
of those delightful visits that only
two women who have known each
other for. years can experience,
I was so pleasant to help her un -
peek her pretty dresses and hang
them away, to • listen to her newsy
chat about other good friends, to set
our supper table out under the trees
at the edge of the garden, and later
to sit there in the moonlight gossip
-
frig long after all the windows in my
neighbors' houses were dark.
We exchanged views on every sub-
ject under the sun, from politics to
recipes, and of course the question of
clothes was given not •a little con -
sideration.
"I thought at one time I was not
iebbons and cash prizes to the am-
ount of $1,803.25, besides many ether
trophies and free trips. ,
1 But showing alone was not the
height of my ambition, I wanted to
make a real business out of it. Idid,
and discovered that feeding is the
most „important thing to make one
suceessful in the pig business. Here
is my summary of how to do it:
Skim -milk and whey, with plenty
of green pasture—alfalfa, sweet
eleven red clover, blue -grass and
fresh -pulled weeds .of all kinds.
•greens cut the feeding cost in two
and make better pork. and breeding
anima's. For concentrates feed
ground oats and standard middlings
with a little oilmeal, salt and wood -
ales added. Feed esparingly and
regularly four times a day. My ex-
perience is that pigs respond to good
care more than any other animal.
Can a girl who is successful in the
Pig Club Project be successful in
canning? Why not? Last year while
I was in the show -ring showing some
of my dandy prize-winning pigs, I
was challenged by ray competitors,
also by a few noted men and women,
• that a girl who could be successful
at raising and showing hogs could not
be successful in canning and sewing.
Upon hearing this remark, I de-
cided I would show them that a girl
't can work the two projects together
['successfully.
• On March 1, I signed up in the
canning project, my motto • being,
"Can all you can, ehew them you
can,"- and at the end of the contest,
I had canned 1,269 pints of fruit,
meat and vegetables, and no doubt
would have canned more but I divided
my time with my three other pro-
jects, demonstration team and county
leadership.
In sewing I completed 29 articles
and garments- inside of three months.
Not knowing anything about sewing
when I started, I feel that it has
taught me a lot.
• So in conclusion, when any one
•asks rne, "Can girls and women be
successaul in raising hogs?" I point
to My rack of ribbons and other
prizes and say, "I certainly believe
they _can!"
Forcing' the Molt.
• The only reason for forcing a flock
of hens to molt early would be the ex-
pectation of getting the flock back
into production while egg prices are
-high in the early winter.
The theory is fine, but it is difficult
to Work out in practice. It is a shnple
'matter to force the molt at almost
any time that may be desired, but it
Is by no means easy to bring the flock
so handled back into high production
during cold. weather.
It is, of course, more or less un-
natural for hens to lay during the
winter months. It is only by provid-
ing comfortable quarters, stimulating
feeds and an environment that to
some extent approaches spring cpn-
dition s that one is able to get high
s.
winter egg production. -in general,
the problem is made more difficult
rather than simplified when an early
molt of all females is induced.
Unless one is able tO use artificial
light, so as to give the hen's a winter
•working day thirteen or fourteen
hours long, the chances are not very
good for increasing the total yearly
income by means of a forced early
molt. It is usually more profitable
to carry a sufficiently high percent-
age of pullets 'in the flock to furnish
the necessary winter egg yield.
•
Real Realism.
Artist—"This is my latest picture.
'13uliclers at Work.' It's very realis-
tic."
rriend—"But they are not at work!"
Artist—"Yes, that's realism!"
. .
going to be ,able to make this trip,"
- said my friend. "I felt that I could
not afford both the journey and the
new clothes I would need for it, and
I so I became discouraged and almost
decided to stay at home."
"But you managed the new clothes
in some way, didn't you?" I replied);
for no woman could ask for a more
I suitable wardrobe."
"Yes, I' managedelut not with new
clothes; just furbished up my old
things and made them do."
Of course I wanted to know all
about- it and, as we are old friends,
she told me.
KING.
"First a aR," she began; laid oat
all the clothes I possessed and looked
them over and made a list of them.
Then I made up my mind which could
be made presentable, and decided to
concentrate on thern, 1 disovered all
sorts of ways ie which they eould be
freshened up; new and attractive
collars and cuffs did it for • some of
them, a change in the waistline made
a wonderful difference lir others, some
of the skirts I shortened to conform
ta the latest mode and then 1 men -
aged en ensemble costume from an
old tailored suit that 1 feel is quite
an achievement.
"I remodeled the sleeves in eaverea
good but unfashionable dresses, and
brought them up to date in other;
ways. And do you know I had al-
most as much fun fixing over my old
things as though I were planning a
whole new wardrobe? a
'While I worked I discovered many
things that are going to prove very
valuable to me in the future. One is
that it is very foolish to let the ques-
tion of clothes interfere with one's
chances for a good time, and another
that it isn't necessary to fellow all
of fashion's whims in order to be well
daessed. Becoming lines and colors,
distinctive little trimming details and .
simplicity now seem to me the very
foundation stones to a well-bredy
smart appearance.
And when I saw my friend off at
the train the next morning, garbed
in her cleverly remodeled dress, with
its mike becoming collar and cuffs,'
her simple hat and neat shoes, I knew
that she was right. Becomingness is
the most important quality a wo-
man's clothes dan possess.
•••••••••••••••..
The Horse in Hot Weather.
Water often when the heat is in-
tense, a little at a time if horse is
warm; don't water too soon after
feeding, and always at night after
horse has eaten his supper.
When the sun is hot let horse
breathe once in a while in the shade
of some house or tree. Anything
upon the head, to keep off the sun, is
bad for the horse unless it is kept
wet, or unless the air can circulate
freely underneath it. -
If horse stops sweating suddenly,
or acts etrangely, breathes short and
quick, or if ears droop, get him into '
the shade at once, remove harness
and bridle, wash . out his mouth,
sponge a over, shower legs, and give
him two ounces of aromatic spirits of
ammonia, or two ounces of sweet spir-
its of nitre in a pint of water, or a
pint of warm coffee Cool head at
once, using coed water or if necessaiy,
chopped ice wrapped in a cloth.
A hot night in a narrow stall
neither properly cleaned nor bedded,
unfits the horse for work.
Turning the hose on the horse is
too risky a thing to do unless you are
looking for a sick horse. Spraying'
the legs and feet when he is not too
yam on a hot day will be agreeatee
fe him.
Sponge out the eyes nose and dock
when the horse comes in tired and
dusty at night with clean cool water,
and also sponge under the collar and
saddle of the harness.
nes.
He—"you say you had the 'advant-
age of a college education?"
She—"Yes. Several of them. I've
been engaged to about a dezen college
boys."
, • ..:•::::::K:4S4:•:0•W: • :.4,•••
A PARIVI WHICH WALKED DOWN iVIA1N STREET •
Above is one of the Canadian Pacific floats svhieh took part reoently itt a procession at the Calgary stampede
and wrp, regarded as the most unique feature' of the parade. It is a complete model of a farm and'besidee the uses,'
buildings, and livestock, shows such details AS a redio aerial stretching from the barn to the farnehouse, an, auto.
mobile entering a garage, farm implements andall, the parapherhalla eusto inertly associated with nibtlern farm
yards.'; The float Was, prepared an4 oentributee by the Deperttnent of Natiiral Resources of the Canadian ?twine lay,
t.4.1,t1.21. II. 1.1.4.4 :-.0 ...).1..w...r.L.4.::.
Juniors' frocks in bright prints and
plain Coors, for afternoon or play, are
charming with short kimono sleeves
and little boyish collars or low necks.
A sash of contrasting -color ribbon is
tacked beneath side plaits, which form
a panel effect in the front, tying in a
large bow at the back, and is the only
trimming. The diagram pictures the
simplicity of Pattern No. 1138; which
is in sizes 4, 6, 8 and 10 years, Size
6 years requires 1% yards of 36 -inch
or 40 -inch material. Price 20 ants.
Horne sewing brings nice clothes
within the reach of all, and to follow
the mode is delightful when it cars be
done so easily and economically, by
beaming the styles pictured in our
new Fashion Book. A chart accom-
panying each 'pattern shows the ma-
terial as itappears when mit out,
Every detail is explained so that the.
inexperienced sewer can make with-
eut difficulty -an attractive dress,
Prise of the book 10 cents "the napy,
Each copy includes one coupon good
for five cents in the purchase of any
pattern,
HOW TO ORDER PATTERNS.
Write your llama and address plain.
iy, giving number and size of such
patterns as you want. Enelose 20c in
stamps or coin (coin preferred; wrap
it carefully) for each number, and
address your order to Pattern Dept,
Wilson Publishing Go., 7R West Ada.
1 laide St., Toronto. Patteline sent by
return mail.
. __nee
Polluted Well Water.
If doubtful of mit farm water
Isupply send a smell sample to the
13acteriological Dept., O.A.C. for �x -
amination and Advice, At this time
of year, when wells are Low, eon-
tantination is frequently found. Boil-
ing doubtful water for drinking pus. -
poses is always good practice, as is
'also the treating of same with chlor
ide of lime.
Whitao -Cynic!
Tired leuelnetis 11fan—"It like to ge
where rd be -entirely out eft from blue',
wo rl (1.4'
lrriene--"Why done yowl try a
phone booth, b14 thor
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