Poultry Meeting at Columbia. 445 



A bird should not commence laying in September. When a 

 pullet lays at that time of the year there is a great probability 

 that she will go into a fall molt. If this occurs the hen has a 

 vacation for three months just at the time when winter eggs 

 are expected. Avoid the fall molt by hatching at the right 

 time. Obtain winter eggs by developing the bird so that she 

 commences laying in November and early December. 



Another point that should be taken into consideration is 

 that of the breed itself. Some hens are born to lay, some are 

 not. The writer kept two flocks side by side, same age, same 

 house, same care; one flock produced on an average of one 

 hundred and twenty eggs in a year. The other produced on 

 an average of seventy. The only difference in the two flocks 

 is that one had inherited from its ancestors the faculty to 

 produce eggs, the other had not. 



Having considered the factors other than the care of the 

 hens, let us now take up this question: By November 1st the 

 birds should be placed in winter quarters. The house previous 

 to this should be thoroughly cleaned and precautions should 

 be taken to see that the house is dry, free from cracks, com- 

 fortable, well ventilated and with plenty of light. The floor 

 should be covered with at least a foot of straw so that the birds 

 are compelled to exercise for their food. Pullets should not 

 be confined with hens if it is possible to make other arrange- 

 ments. The hens always overrun strange birds, make it un- 

 pleasant, thus checking the pullet's growth. 



THE FEED. 



One of the first principles of poultry feeding is that poultry 

 will not do well if fed on a grain ration alone. The feeding 

 of grains alone is too great tax on the digestive apparatus of 

 the fowl. Too much energy will be taken up in digesting the 

 food and less will remain for the production of eggs. The 

 writer has observed a large number of flocks which were not 

 only deficient in egg production, but also were impaired in 

 health because of this practice. 



In addition, a ration of grains does not possess the required 

 food nutrients in their proper proportions. To correct the first 

 fault ground feeds should be fed and in the proportion of one- 

 half as much ground food as whole grains. To correct the second 

 it is necessary to supply those foods necessary for the produc- 

 tion of eggs. Wheeler of the New York Experiment Station 



