POULTRY DICTIONARY AND CALENDAR. 339 
Wing coverts—The broad feathers covering the roots of 
the secondary quills. 
CALENDAR OF POULTRY WORK. 
January.—Make poultry houses as warm and dry as 
possible, stopping cracks and crevices, taking care to pre- 
vent drafts on the birds at night. Fowls should have a 
warm feed all through the cold weather, at least once a 
day. Feed cut bone two or three times a week. Sort 
the birds closely, and don’t keep any surplus. Study 
the mating, so that no time will be lost at breeding sea- 
son. When whole grain is fed at night, it is well to 
warm it in the oven. Plenty of grit-is important. 
Hang up cabbages for green food. Feed some meat and 
cut bone twice a week. Keep the incubators running 
for early broilers. Keep brooders in repair. 
February.—Protection against cold is important this 
month, but the fowls should have exercise in an open 
shed attached to the house. A curtain should be at- 
tached, to be let down stormy days. Warm mash for 
breakfast, green bone and meat should be continued. 
Mating should be finished by this time. Select only the 
vigorous birds. Weaklings, however well marked, are 
useless in the breeding pen. Feed plenty of bone and 
meat to the breeders, and make them exercise, in order 
to secure fertile eggs. Droppings should not be allowed 
to collect more than a day or two. Keep the floor cov- 
ered with litter. This is the worst month for roup, 
which can be prevented by dry, warm houses, with no 
drafts upon the fowls, especially at night. 
March.—Feeding is much the same as during the pre- 
ceding month, but rather less whole corn should be 
given. Feed more wheat instead. If the breeding pens 
have been made up at least four weeks before, eggs may 
now be set for early chicks. Chicks hatched the last of 
March will not usually molt before winter, and will be 
