1 86 The Hen at Work 



Clean the Dropping Boards. — Droppings should 

 not be allowed to gather beneath the hens, so as 

 to become offensive. They should be cleared away 

 twice a week the year round, when weather per- 

 mits. In cold weather if they freeze they should 

 be cleared away as soon as a warm day comes. 

 While frozen they are not offensive. The cleaner 

 we can keep the dropping boards, the better for all 

 concerned. 



If possible, sift dry, hard-coal ashes over the 

 roosts after cleaning them. The hens enjoy them, 

 and wiU frequently eat a surprising amount of the 

 small particles. They absorb the odors and liquid 

 from the droppings. The fine dust which settles 

 into every crevice is death to lice and mites. On 

 roosts dusted with ashes dtiring the past eight 

 years no sign of breeding lice or mites has ever 

 appeared. While in other houses, near by, where 

 ashes were not used, they became a serious pest in 

 hot weather. 



Grit. — ^AU crushed stone is by no means equally 

 valuable for poultry. Some they like and eat 

 freely; other kinds they hardly touch. There is a 

 sort of shell marble in New Jersey that breaks into 

 attractive sizes, and appeals greatly to the hen. It 



