THE SEASONS AS AFFECTING POULTRY 
from the cold weather, which will still further 
retard the molt. 
Fowls can often be forced to commence to molt 
and the process hastened by feeding very light for 
a week or ten days, and then feeding heavily on 
nutritious food. This should be done during the 
latter part of July or in August. Where eggs for 
hatching are the specialty, it is not desirable to 
have the hens lay heavily through the winter, and 
late-molting hens are not particularly undesirable 
in this connection, but all hens should be fully 
feathered out by the time the weather turns cold, 
for they will need a full coat of feathers for 
protection. 
While I cannot agree with some writers that 
the process of molting is a serious and critical 
drain upon the vitality and physical powers of the 
fowl, still I do believe that it may easily become 
such under any other than the most proper and 
natural conditions. Molting is a process of Na- 
ture, and not a disease, and so no drugs, stimulating 
condiments or tonics are either necessary or desir- 
able. Let Nature have her own way and time, 
doing your own part faithfully and well in pro- 
viding the correct and natural conditions that you 
should, and you will have no trouble with sickness 
or death among your fowls on account of the molt. 
Feed and care for molting fowls the same as at 
any other time, only remembering that the weather 
221 
