October. 1910 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
197 
The Laying Hen 
by M. Roberts Conover 
P ULLETS hatched in April should 
begin laying in the early fall, like¬ 
wise the yearling hens that have completed 
their moult. Begin the egg ration as 
early in September as possible. Give the 
hens greater freedom than during the 
moult. 
The food given to ranging fowls at this 
time of year need not contain green food 
nor meat since grass is luxuriant and in¬ 
sects are numerous. Give them grain, 
chiefly wheat or oats with a small pro¬ 
portion of corn. It is safer to feed more 
freely of corn to the pullets than to the 
hens. The fowls should acquire a rea¬ 
sonable amount of fat to fit them for 
colder weather, but the older hens are 
generally inclined to too much flesh while 
pullets rarely become over-fat. 
About three-fourths wheat or oats to 
one-fourth of corn is about right under 
ordinary conditions. 
It is well not to feed the ranging 
fowls early in the morning. It lessens 
their appetites for the early worm. From 
my own observation, fowls that hustle 
from the henhouse when set free at day¬ 
break, dispersing quickly in quest of their 
breakfast, are more reliable as layers than 
those that mope around waiting to be 
served. After foraging for a couple of 
hours, call them up and give them their 
allowance of corn. They will then linger 
about the henhouse until the eggs are laid. 
At noon, give oats, and about an hour 
before roosting time feed whole wheat, 
all that they can eat in fifteen minutes. 
Notice the first eggs as to size, color 
of yolk and strength of shell. Pullets 
may lay small eggs at first, but this mat¬ 
ter will soon right itself. An all-wheat 
diet has a tendency to produce eggs with 
a light-colored yolk. Corn and green 
food give a richer color. Softness of 
shell is a matter demanding attention. 
The hens are not getting lime enough to 
produce shells of normal strength. 
Crushed oyster-shell should be supplied 
at-all times. Do not forget the crushed 
stone or crockery so necessary for the 
grinding of food in the gizzard of the 
fowl. 
If the flock gets enough insect food, 
there should be no egg-eaters in it. Once 
the habit is established, however, you had 
better remove the offender. 
The feeding of fish or any strong- 
flavored food destroys the delicate flavor 
of the egg. 
As the supply of insect and grass food 
diminishes these necessary elements must 
be considered in the daily fare. Give 
beef scraps or cut bone feeding, at first 
one-quarter of a pound to every ten hens 
daily, gradualy increasing it to one-half 
a pound. The beef scrap should be fed 
in a crumbly mash with bran or alfalfa 
meal. Where skimmed milk is to be had 
it may be used with bran instead of the 
beef scrap, feeding about one quart to ten 
hens. The sliced bone is supplied in a 
The purpose of this department is to give advice to those interested in poultry. All inquiries will receive careful at¬ 
tention. When an immediate reply is desired enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. 
F. GRAHAM 
BEAUTIFUL WILD 
GAME FOWLS 
Have lived in jungle till flesh 
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Send for large Illustrated Book. Providence 
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LEGHORNS 
150 acres devoted to standard 
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1,500 Breeders for Sale 
1,000 Early Pullets for Sale 
WILSON FARM, Morristown, N. J 
BUFF ORPINGTONS 
This shows a 
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Breeding Stock for 
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The best utility bird and 
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JOE-PYE 
South Norwalk, Conn., R. F. D. 37 
116 East 28th Street, New York 
‘World’s Best While Wyandottes” 
Has been our 
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We have bred 
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A Fishel Tyfie We ship stock 
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SEND 10c. for our new catalog. 50 
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J. C. FISHEL & SON, Box G, Hope, Ind. 
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Naturalist 
Rare Land and 
Water Birds 
Swans, Geese, Ducks, Peafowl, Cranes, 
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G. D. TILLEY, Naturalist 
DARIEN, CONNECTICUT 
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that new hen house or fix up the old one until you get our large new ioo pp. catalog (over ioo illustrations) 
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births old-350Its. 
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All Dog Fanciers 
should send for Prospectus 
of the third annual volume 
of the Pfeeders and Exhibitors of Dogs’ Guide Book and 
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The Bulletin (In.. Box 10118, Nev York (Itv 
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