i4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
January 
Q 
U 
Live Stock and Dairy 
MAPES, THE HEN MAN. 
Some Hen Queries.— Will chickens eat 
harmful materials if fed plenty, and no 
varieties of feed compounded? In feeding 
meats fresh, will fat do the chickens as 
much good as lean, and if not, why? Is 
green cut bone better for laying hens than 
dry or granulated? How long does it take 
an egg the size of shot to develop to de¬ 
positing size? m. G. s. 
Maryland. 
It is my opinion that a hen given 
plenty to eat in sufficient variety to sup¬ 
ply the needs of her system is in no dan¬ 
ger of eating anything that will be 
harmful to her unless it is mixed with 
other food, so as to disguise its true 
character. A healthy hen with an empty 
crop will be on the lookout for some¬ 
thing to satisfy the cravings of hunger 
as soon as daylight appears. Instinct 
will guide her to a proper selection of 
food to enable her to carry on the func¬ 
tions of life if it comes within the range 
of her choice. That is she will balance 
her own ration. If suitable food to en¬ 
able her to do this is not at hand the 
pangs of hunger will lead her to do the 
next best thing. In this case she might 
eat many things that would be injurious 
for her. A limited amount of fat meat 
may be eaten without injuiy, but any 
large proportion of fat meat in the food 
is decidedly dangerous. I have kept tal¬ 
low before a flock of hens for a long 
time without injury, so long as they also 
had plenty of the grains and some skim- 
milk and green food. They ate but very 
little of the fat. At the same time they 
were always ready to make a rush for a 
scrap of fresh lean meat thrown among 
them. I presume the reason the lean 
meat is relished under such conditions 
is because it supplies some need of the 
system that is deficient in the grains. A 
laying hen must have a liberal allow¬ 
ance of albuminous matter to enable her 
to deposit the white of an egg in the 
short space of time which it occupies in 
passing through the oviduct (30 to 48 
hours for both ' the white and the shell). 
This she can secure from the lean meat, 
but not to any extent from the fat. I 
have had but little experience in feeding 
green cut bone, but without doubt it is 
better than dry granulated bone. The 
granulated bone supplies little except 
calcareous matter, while the green bone, 
with its adhering particles of lean meat, 
contains much valuable matter besides, 
and is in more palatable and digestible 
form. 
Development of the Egg.— In regard 
to the time necessary fcr an egg to de¬ 
velop from the ova as large as a shot, 
much depends on circumstances. If the 
hen is broody there will be no develop¬ 
ment at all be she ever so well fed. 
Neither will there be during the moult¬ 
ing period. After the egg-producing ma¬ 
chinery gets in motion the time can be 
determined by counting the number of 
embryo eggs in the group, ranging from 
a full-sized yolk down to the shot size, 
and multiplying by the time usually 
elapsing between the laying of two eggs. 
In most cases this will be found to be 
from 17 to 20 days. For this reason we 
must have patience with biddy, when ex¬ 
perimenting with new feeds or com¬ 
bination of feeds. She cannot be ex¬ 
pected to perform impossibilities. When 
we remember that the minimum time 
required to grow an egg is nearly three 
weeks, under favoring conditions, we 
must not expect eggs within a few days 
after we get conditions right for the ma¬ 
chinery to start. 
Belligerent Chicks.— On August 27 I 
put two hens to sit and in due time 27 
chicks hatched from 28 eggs. During the 
warm weather of the following weeks they 
did splendidly, with the exception that 
being White Indian Games they fought 
terribly, the majority of them being very 
badly mutilated, and many of them being 
entirely scalped. About 10 days ago I 
noticed that some of them were moping 
around in a listless manner, and imagining 
they were suffering from cold took t,hem 
into one of the warm greenhouses, where 
some of them recovered rapidly, but others 
died, and are continuing to die, with the 
result that now instead of 27 I have only 
22. The chicks are perfectly clean, and as 
vigorous and healthy as any birds could 
be, with the exception noted above, and in 
every case which has terminated fatally 
the crop is apparently very much over¬ 
loaded with food, almost to bursting, more 
especially with whole grains of corn and 
wheat. My fowl-house is particularly 
sunny and warm, built tight and against 
east end of brick stable, fully open to the 
south, with cement floor, which is kept 
well covered with short straw and hay 
dust from hay loft, and but for the fact 
that they tight so unmercifully would be 
a good place to keep the chicks in entirely, 
but owing to this fact they are allowed to 
range outside. About three weeks ago I 
bought a green bone cutter and have been 
giving the chicks all the fresh bone they 
could eat at one meal three or four times a 
week, and it occurred to me that probably 
this would tend to increase their fighting 
propensities, but, on the other hand, I had 
the same trouble last Spring when we were 
not feeding any bone or animal food at all. 
The only time they are allowed corn is at 
the last meal at night. Some one has sug¬ 
gested that they are being killed by an 
insect which they pick up from a manure 
heap, where they scratch, and that if we 
do not keep them from doing so we shall 
lose every one of them. This I do not be¬ 
lieve, but would like an expression of 
opinion thereon. Upon examining the crop 
of a fine largo chicken I found inside sev¬ 
eral pieces of straw about an inch long, 
and in the gizzard of another which died, 
a white worm about three inches long and 
the thickness of a good-sized pin. Daily 
feeding is as follows: Potato parings and 
other vegetable and meat scraps, well 
boiled and mixed with cow feed, consisting 
of equal parts bran, cornmeal and ground 
oats, for breakfast, and fed warm; dinner, 
when not foraging, whole wheat of best 
quality, for which I pay 90 cents per bushel, 
and for supper whole corn, which latter is 
often varied with cracked corn, which we 
crack ourselves in a bone mill. 
The older fowls are doing finely. Do you 
think it right to feed them every morning, 
just before they get the warm feed de¬ 
scribed above, as much fresh cut green 
bone as they will clean up in 15 to 20 
minutes, or would every other day be bet¬ 
ter? They are nearly all pullets (40) which 
we are desirous of getting to lay as quickly 
as possible. What will be the effect of 
giving too much bone or meat? The older 
fowls although of same breed, do not fight 
at all. j. r. 
Pennsylvania. 
The above letter is given in order to 
draw out opinions from others. For my 
own part I can only say, “I do not 
know.” It must be very unusual for 
chicks of the same brood to fight as 
stated. I never knew it to happen, but 
I have never raised any Games. I am 
not much of a chicken doctor, and am 
not able to diagnose the case of the sick 
chickens from the description given. It 
may be a case of indigestion caused by 
eating too much of the worms, etc., 
found in the manure pile. I have known 
cases where earthworms fed in large 
doses would cause sickness and death. 
Then again giving a full meal of green 
cut bone the first meal in the morning 
when they are hungry may cause them 
to eat too much of it, particularly if it 
contains much fat and grease. This is 
only conjecture. Can any of The R. 
N.-Y. family throw any light on this 
point? o. w. MAPES. 
A small five-year-old after tasting a 
cup of milk at the supper table one even¬ 
ing set it down, and said: “Mamma, I’ll 
bet a nickel to a doughnut that our 
milkman has got a sour cow.”—Saturday 
Evening Herald. 
“Will you wait on me, young man?’’ 
asked the old lady in the shoe store. 
“Yes’m,” replied the young clerk. “Have 
you felt slippers?” “Sure, I’ve been 
spanked many a time when I was a kid.” 
— Philadelphia Ledger. 
When you write advertisers mention THE 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee8thpage. 
It Pays ”“•* 
STOCK FOOD 
if you own one of our 
Eonomical Feed Cookers 
The best and most durably made 
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Uses little fuel and holds fire Ion per than 
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anteed full capacity;jacket of high carbon 
i oold-rolled steel; large fire door takes in 
ohunkB; kettle of best quality new oast iron 
(no scrap), smoothly finished. Free circular 
gives many other good points. Write now. 
TOLEDO PLOW CO., Dept. R, Toledo, O. 
Spaviiv 
Curb 
Splirvf 
Care These Blemishes 
Also Ringbone, hard or soft 
enlargements. Sweeny, Knee- 
8prnng,Fistula and Poll Evil. 
Slight cost and oertain cures. 
Two big booklet* telling how l 
to do it sent free.Writetoday. 
FLKfllNO BROS., Chrml.ta, 
222 Union 8toekTarda*Chicago,111. , 
* Lady can hold him 
TRIAL 
the BEERY BIT " 
BITS IN ONE 
Cures Kickers, Runaways, Pnllrrs, 
Shyers, etc. Send for Bit on Ten Hays 
Trial and circular showing the four 
distinct ways of using it. 
Prof* q. Beery, Pleasant Hill, Ohio 
—Less Feed 
■MORE EGGS 
| Humphrey Bone Cutter, 
Humphrey Clover Cutter, 
will double egg yield. Poultry Book sent free. 
HUMPHREY, Fall Street Factory. JOLIET. ILL. 
TEN DAYS’ 
FREE TRIAL 
of Mann's Latest Model 
Bone Cutter. No pay un¬ 
til you’re satisfied that it 
cuts easier and faster than 
any other. Catalog free. 
F.W. Mann Co.,Box IS.MIlfo 
Mail. 
Dfllll TDV®*^ 
rllUL I If f^sjaascj 
) POULTRY LINE— Fencing, Feed, Incu-5 
jbators, Livestock, Brooders—anything—1 
jit’s our business. Call or let us send you) 
jour Illustrated Catalogue—it’s free for the) 
j asking—it's worth having. ^ 
lExcelsior Wire & Poultry Supply Co.,< 
■ODept. H.G. 26 & 28 Vesey Street. New York City.j 
OOOOOOOOQOOOOOCOQOQOOOQOG ! 
Animal Meal 
Makes hens lay. 
Makes chickens grow. 
The D nu/ |/ Qr Company, 
BUWKGl 43 Chatham St, 
.. Boston 
BOOK ABOUT IT FREE. 
GREIDER’S FINE CATALOGUE 
of Standard bred pouliry for 1904,printed in color*, 
fine ehromo, suitable for framing, illastratos and 
describes 60 varieties. Gives reasonable prices for 
stock and eggs, tells all about poultry, their dig* 
eases,lice, etc. This book only 10 cents. 
B. H. CREIDER, RHEEMS, PA. 
SQUABS PAY ggg 
Easier, need attention only part of 
time, bring big prices. Raised i n one 
month. Money-makers for poultry- 
men, farmers, women. Send for FREE 
BOOKLET and learn this rich home 
Industry. PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB 
CO.. 4A Friend Street, Boston. Mass. 
lirilC bred 18yearsfor Barred Rocks 
NP Nft up to 273 eggs a year. Catalog free. 
■■ ■■■■ w rphe New System of Hatching and rais¬ 
ing chickens PAYS the best of all. Try it. 
F. GRUNDY, Morrisonvllle, Ill, 
Rural Poultry Farm, 
Barred and White Plymouth Rocks and Bull Cochins. 
Eggs and stock for sale. Illustrated catalogue of 
poultry houses for stamp only. 
Pft ft ft—Single Comb Brown Leghorns only 
PllUft $1.50 per 15; $10.00 per 100. AlsoPekin 
Duck Eggs. $1.00 per 13; $8 00 per 100. 
CRYSTAL SPRING POULTRY FARM, West Cox- 
sackie, N Y.,K F D. 
Darred Plymouth Rock Cockerels—Leading strains, 
A^$i apiece, nicely barred. Chester White and Poland 
China Sows bred. Also serviceable Boars at farmers' 
prices. D. D. Rhinesmith, Lack P. O , Juniata Co.,Pa. 
Var’s Poultry, Pigeons, Parrots, Dog9, Cats, 
Ferrets, etc. Eggs a specialty. 60 p book, 10c. 
Ratesfree. J A BERGEY, Box8,Telford, Pa 
S. C. White Leghorns. 
We still have a few of our choice Cockerels to dis¬ 
pose of at moderate prices. 
WHITE & RICE, Box A, Yorktown, N. Y. 
CTOCK FOR SALE—Cockerels, Pullets and Hens. 
^ All leading varieties. ■Prices lower now than 
later. 'Write to-day and state your wants. 
MT. BLANCO POULTRY FARM, Mt. Blanco, Ohio. 
PflPIfEDEI ©-Choice W. Wyan., P. Rocks, 
uUuKCllELv Brahmas, Cochins, Leghorns, 
from prize-winning stock. 23 varieties of land ana 
water fowls. Satisfaction guaranteed. Big catalogue 
free. PINE TREK FARM, Box T, Jamesburg, N. J. 
onn Choice Barred and Buff P. Rock and White 
4UU Wyandotte Cockerels. Also pullets. Price 
reasonable. Du. S. C. MOYER, Lansdale, P-t. 
EMPIRE STATE WHITE LEGHORN FARM. 
Cockerels, *2; Pullets, $1.50; Eggs, $1 for 15; $5 per 
100. Heavy Winter layers. Catalogue free. 
ZIMMER BROS. R. D. 41, Weedsport, N. Y. 
Breeders’ Directory 
FOR SALE.—Six A. J. C. C. Yearling Heifers, 
grand daughters of Emma’s Pearl. All have been 
bred to my Imported Bull, Arthur’s Golden Marquis; 
I also,two BullCalves, by Arthur’s Golden Marquis, 
out of tested dams. They are ALL bred right, raised 
right, and for sale right. Money refunded i f you are 
notsatisfled. Address, E. W. MOSHER, Aurora,N.Y, 
YOU GAN INCREASE 
the butter yield of your herd by buying a butter bred 
Jersey sire. Write for Booklet B1 and Sale List B19. 
Wintergreeu Hill Farm, Scottsville, N. Y. 
G-EDNEY FARM 
White Plains, 3XT. Y. 
HIGHEST CLASS JERSEYS 
BRIARCLTFF BEAU. 
THE BEST SON OF JERSEY BEAU. 
BRIARCL1FF BEAU’S get show promise of being 
great Dairy and Show animals. Uniformity, color, 
etc , are of the finest. 
Specialty —Young Bulls from this great sire. 
Also Imp. CHESTER WHITES and Standarri-Bre'l 
BLACK MINORCAS and WHITE WYANDOTTES. 
Correspondence solicited. 
L. E. ORTIZ, Supt., White Plains, N. Y. 
Registered Jersey Bull Calves 
from Imported Golden Lad at fair prices. 
R. F. SHANNON, 907 Liberty Street, Pittsburg, Pa- 
GNAGEY FARM 
Offers Jersey Bull Calves on approval. If you need 
one, write us at once. SAMUEL HERSHBERGER 
Manager,Grantsville, Md. 
tii nr r solid colored jersey heifers for 
[Hill $100. Dukes Maiden, No 174,520, dropped 
March8,1903; Blenda Flowrette, No. 174,528, March 
22, and Angelo's Norah, No. 174,575, May 9 Also, 
young cows soon to be fresh, and bull calves for sale 
J. GRANT MORSE, Poolvllle, N. Y. 
HOLSTEIN - FRIESIANS. 
Choice young stock of the best breeding for sale, 
Prices reasonable. Kvcrv animal registered. 
WOODCREST FARM, Uifton, Ulster Co., N. Y. 
HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN STOCK. - ™' 
Calves for sale at very low prices. W rite for list giving 
prices and breeding. W. W. CHENEY,Manlius,N.Y. 
HOLSTEIN CATTLE 
Good ones, and all ages. Fine Yearling Bulls, 
ready for servioe. 
RAMBOUILLET SHEEP. 
BERKSHIRE SWINE. 
Write DELLHURST FARMS, Mentor, Ohio. 
FOR SALE 
—Purebred Holsteln-Frieslan Bulls 
Chester White Pigs of the best breeding at reasonable 
prices. CHARLES RECORD, Peterboro, N. Y. 
HOLSTEIN BULL CALVES. Scotch Collies, Spayed 
** Females. SILAS DECKER, South Montrose, Pa. 
Ayrshire Bull Calf For Sale. 
Born October 4; well bred; nicely marked; lowprice- 
O W. BKUSIE, Millerton, N. Y. 
RED POLLED CALVES 
sexes. B F LEWIS, North Spencer, Tioga Co., N. Y. 
Reg. P. Chinas, BerMires and C. Whites. 
8 wks. to 6 mos.. mated not akin. 
Service Boars, Bred Sows. -Write for 
prices and description. Return if not 
satisfactory; we refund tbe money. 
HAMILTON & CO., Erclldoun, Chester Co., Pa. 
ENGLISH BERKSHIRES 
eligible to registry, on approval, try SUGAR GROVE 
FARM, Grantsville, Md. 
LARGE ENGLISH YORKSHIRES 
Three Gilts, May farrow, $5 to $8. Duroc Jerseys, 
September PUs, $3 to $5. Rred Sows, 115. Mature 
Boar, $18 lironze Turkeys, $3. Rocks and Wyandot 
tes, $1. Elegant stock. George Enty, Templeton, Pa 
IMPROVED LARGE YORKSHIRES SKTEX 
hog. Pigs of all ages from imported stock for sale. 
MEADOW BROOK STOCK FARM. Rochester, Mich 
THE NIAGARA STOCK FARM 
Offers some choice Shropshire Ewes of different ages, 
bred to Imported Rams. Address, 
J. C. DUNCAN, Lewiston, N Y. 
For Sale.—Scotch Collies, magnificently 
bred. A. j. BENEDICT, Bristol, Wis., R. F. D. No,2, 
Shetland Ponies. 
The largest herd of Registered Shetlands in the 
United States. Small foundation herds a specialty. 
Illustrated catalogue and price list just published. 
Address, THOMSON PONY FARM, Toledo, Ohio. 
