POULTRY-CRAFT. 131 
severe, and varies in individual cases — some hens being much more suscepti- 
ble to change than others, and some of those easily affected recuperating 
quickly, while others recover tone and vigor but slowly. 
The foregoing statements give the problem of fall and early winter egg 
production quite fully, showing how impoitant is skillful management, yet 
how impotent against extremely unfavorable changeable weather at this season. 
Occasionally it happens that the weather is continuously mild, or uniformly 
cool, then cold. In either case it is comparatively easy to get and keep hens 
laying. There is a great deal of chance in this matter of fall and early winter 
egg production ;—there are many zfs; yet the man who intelligently does 
what man can do toward getting the early eggs, has by far the Jest chance. 
More than that, when good management misses the best, it catches the next 
best. Though it may fail to get eggs in November and December, it makes 
January eggs practically a certainty; while poor management in the fall is 
apt to result in no eggs before March. 
172. Anticipating Weather Changes. — Some Little Things that 
Count. — Poultry keeping is essentially an occupation made up of trivialities. 
In poultry keeping it is the little things that count. In working for early 
winter eggs, some little things may have big results, determining whether it is 
to be eggs, or xo eggs. The wide-awake poultryman is weather-wise. He 
anticipates the weather changes. He sees, or feels them coming, and takes 
measures against them. A keen, cutting, chilling wind, springing up on a 
warm day in the fall, will chill the hens through and through before they take 
shelter, * and will, of course, make an open house as cold as out-doors. Such 
cold storms, as also cold rain storms, an observant person can anticipate early 
enough to get the fowls into the house, and close doors and windows. This is 
a little trouble at first, but zt pays. The house closed up with the fowls in it, 
is full of warm air which cools gradually. The fowls hardly feel the change. 
But there must be no coddling — no shutting up fowls for slight changes, no 
keeping them in the house when robust well fed fowls should be comfortable 
out-doors. Once a severe change has occurred, and what could be done to 
mitigate its effects has been done; things should proceed in the regular routine. 
On sharp frosty mornings, fowls may be kept in until they have had a meal, 
but should never be confined late when the cold is not severe enough to nip 
their combs. They should have the opportunity to go out-doors. Those that 
will not use it are good to kill. They are the ones easily affected by cold, and 
most subject to diseases emanating from colds. If the day is only raw and 
bleak, the open scratching shed, or the house with windows open, gives as 
much shelter as healthy fowls need. If it is stormy, without being very cold, 
* Note.— Contrary to a common belief, hens, like other animals, most children, and 
some people, have not the instinct of doing what is best to do in any given circumstances. 
They learn by experience. After they have found out which is the most comfortable 
place to go to when a cold storm comes up, they will go there every time. It is easier 
to teach them what to do than to leave them to learn it for themselves — easier, and it 
comes cheaper. 
