American Agriculturist, September 13, 1924 
Getting the Pullets Ready for Winter 
Housing- and 
A S the pullets are nearing maturity 
and some are laying in the colony 
houses it is time to think about housing 
them properly. 
The pullets that are matured should 
be culled, disposing of the poor ones, the 
good ones being put in their permanent 
quarters by themselves. The later 
hatched pullets that are not as far 
advanced should be left out on the range 
just as long as the weather stays nice, 
but just as soon as the weather changes, 
usually before November the first, cull 
out the poor ones and house the good 
ones by themselves. 
Separate According to Size 
We do not house early and late hatched 
pullets together as the large pullets will 
fight and pick the smaller ones. They 
will also keep them away from the mash 
hoppers and water fountains. Under 
these conditions the smaller pullets will 
not get the proper nourishment as they 
would if housed by themselves. 
The pullets having roosted in well 
ventilated colony houses, or out in trees 
should not be crowded in the laying 
houses, as this will invite different kinds 
of diseases. We leave the windows and 
curtains wide open until the weather 
turns real cold, unless it is storming 
hard. If they are shut up in poor 
ventilated houses they are liable to 
become too warm, and as they are used 
to fresh air the sudden change will have 
a bad effect on the birds, ofttimes develop¬ 
ing distemper, eye colds and wheezing 
in the throat which leads to other diseases 
such as roup, etc. 
We find it a good plan to go in the 
laying houses after dark and listen for 
any wheezing. If you find some of the 
birds wheezing put them in a coop or 
crate by themselves and doctor them 
for cold, in a few days they will be O.K. 
If the laying houses are long and 
divided into pens and the housing con¬ 
ditions are so that you have to put 
yearlings in some of the pens it is a good 
Feeding Must Be Righ 
plan to leg-band the pullets so if they 
should get mixed up by some one leaving 
the door open between the pens you can 
easily tell the pullets from the yearlings. 
This also works out good in the fall 
when it is a good time to dispose of the 
two-year-old’s. 
We take it for granted that the laying 
houses have been thoroughly sprayed— 
the roost, dropping-boards, nest, etc., 
painted with some wood preservative 
such |as carbolineum or creosote. One 
application of either will keep lice away 
for about one year. 
By cleaning the dropping-boards every 
day, this will help to keep the lice down 
as much as anything. The birds will be 
healthier, too, breathing fresh air instead 
of foul air which rises from the old 
droppings. 
After the pullets are once put in their 
permanent quarters do not let them out 
on the ground until next spring when the 
ground is dry. 
The pullets will act afraid of the straw 
on the floor the first few days, and as 
they are not used to scratching do not 
put in over four inches of straw. But 
after they get accustomed to scratching 
add another four or five inches. With 
this amount of litter the birds will be 
kept busy scratching, giving them plenty 
of exercise. 
Must Have Right Feed to Lay 
To insure success for high egg-pro¬ 
duction one must have the ability to 
make efficient use of raw material 
(feeds) so the pullets can manufacture 
the eggs continuously. We have to 
take in consideration when feeding that 
the pullet or hen can not produce a 
useful product until she maintains her¬ 
self first, which requires about 75% of 
the feed consumed. 
As the ground grains are fed dry, 
large mash hoppers are required having 
a large feeding surface. This way 7 of 
feeding the birds can help themselves at 
all times. 
to Get Eggs 
One of the best dry mashes I know of 
for egg production contains the following 
ingredients: 100 pounds wheat middlings, 
100 pounds oat middlings, 100 pounds 
cornmeal, 100 pounds gluten, 100 pounds 
beef scrap, and three pounds salt. 
You will note that this mash does not 
contain any wheat bran. The oat mid¬ 
dlings contains less fibre than the bran 
making it more digestible and it has a 
more valuable feeding value. 
The finer ground grains make the 
best mash, as the Birds will waste the 
coarse-ground grains such as bran and 
ground oats. 
Ration Must Be Balanced 
To give the birds a well balanced ration 
we have to feed some whole and cracked 
grains. In the cold weather it pays to 
feed plenty of corn as this produces heat 
units, and the fat in the corn will help 
offset the protein in the mash, helping 
to balance the ration. Do not feed the 
same amount of corn in the warm 
weather as they do not need it. The 
Mediterranean breeds can stand more 
corn than the American breeds. The 
American breeds such as the Barred 
Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds 
take on fat easier than the lighter breeds, 
such as the Leghorns, Minorcas or 
Anconas. 
A good ration for the cold months to 
feed with the above-mentioned mashes is 
two parts corn, and one part wheat. 
In the warm weather cut the corn down 
to one part, making it half corn and half 
wheat. Feed twice a day, about one 
third of the amount of grain in the 
morning and the other two-thirds 
about one hour before the birds go to 
roost. 
When feeding the morning grain, 
scatter it in the litter the night before 
after the birds are on the roost. Just 
as soon as it gets light the next morning 
the birds will get busy scratching. 
Keep before the birds at all times in 
hoppers oyster shell, grit, and charcoal. 
185 
EASY NOW TO SAW LOGS 
AND FELL TREES 
WITTE Log-Saw Does the Work of 
10 Men at 1/20 the Cost—Saws 
25 Cords a Day. 
A log saw that will burn any fuel 
and deliver the surplus power so nec¬ 
essary to fast sawing is sure to show 
every owner an extra profit of over 
$1,000.00 a year. 
Such an outfit is the Witte Log-Saw 
which has met such sensational success. 
The Witte, equipped with the celebrated 
Wico Magneto, is known as the standard 
of power saws—fast cutting, with a 
natural “arm-swing” and free from the 
usual log-saw troubles. It uses kerosene, 
gasoline or distillate so economically that 
a full day’s work costs only twenty-two 
cents. 
In addition to sawing from 10 to 25 cords 
a day, the powerful Witte Engine can be used 
to run all other farm machinery,—pump water, 
grind feed, and other back breaking chores. 
Mr. Witte says that the average user of a 
WITTE Log and Tree saw can make easily 
$40.00 a day with the outfit and so confident 
is he that he offers to send the complete com¬ 
bination log and tree saw on ninety days’ 
g uaranteed test to anyone who will write to 
im. The prices are lowest in history and 
under the method of easy payments you can 
make your own terms. Only a few dollars 
down puts the Witte to work for you. 
If you are interested in making more money 
sawing wood and clearing your place at small 
cost, write Mr. Witte today at the Witte Engine 
Works, 6802 Witte Bldg., Kansas City, Mo., or 
6802 Empire Bldg., Pittsburgh, Pa., for full de¬ 
tails of this remarkable offer. You are under no 
obligation by writing. 
Peach Tree Borers Killed by Krystal Gas 
(P-C Benzene) l*lb. $1; five-pound tin, $3.75; with directions. 
From your dealer; postpaid direct; orC.O.D. Agents wanted. 
Dept. C, HOME PRODUCTS Inc., Rahway, N J. 
Booklet free. Highest 
references. Best results. 
Promptness assured. 
WATSON E. COLEMAN, Patent Lawyer, 644 G Street, 
WASHINGTON. D. C. 
The Outlook for Purebred Live Stock 
{Continued from page 173) 
never more active, even in war times, 
than in the last three months, that regis¬ 
trations and transfers have increased 30 
per cent over last year and that average 
sale prices, with nearly twice as many 
cattle sold, have been $28 higher than 
last year. Another secretary reports that 
the percentage of growth in the last 
twelve months has been greater than in 
any of the last ten years. This is a 
measure of the demand that breeders 
are finding for their surplus, and of the 
desire on the part of commercial dairy¬ 
men to improve their herds. Some of the 
dairy breeds show less gain in activity 
than others but all are sharing in the 
sunshine to some extent. 
Bull Demand Improves First 
Demand for purebred dairy bulls has 
broadened more than for cows. Cows 
,will probably be wanted later. This is 
the usual sequence in periods of improve¬ 
ment. Bulls are wanted to improve 
grade herds in response to better market 
prices for the product. Later, as the 
business remains prosperous, the desire 
to start purebred herds spreads and cows 
find more ready sale. 
Much has been said recently of the 
danger of overproduction in the dairy 
'industry. It is quite possible that the 
business temporarily will become too 
popular for its own good, but the time 
Required to increase our dairy stock, to 
produce good dairy cows, the dislike 
that many farmers have for milking, the 
high price of labor, the possibility that 
feeds may be rather costly in the next 
year, are factors that will tend to keep 
the industry within bounds. 
The dairy business is known as one of 
the most stable branches of agriculture. 
Cycles of ups and downs, periods of 
adversity and prosperity are not so 
conspicuous in its past history as in other 
classes of live stock. But, there have 
been some extreme booms in purebred 
dairy cattle which resulted disastrously. 
Some breeds have been much more 
guilty in this way than others. The 
memory of the collapse of the last boom 
is so fresh that it will probably be a long 
time before another such unhealthy 
situation arises. The improvement in 
prices thus far leaves values on a sound 
basis. 
Shepherds in Favored Position 
Owing to high prices of lambs and wool 
for nearly 3 years, the purebred sheep 
men are probably in the most favorable 
position of any of the groups of breeders. 
On both the range and in the corn belt 
the tendency is to expand production 
and there is a broad demand for pure¬ 
bred sheep which flock owners find it 
difficult to supply. The situation varies 
according to the popularity of the breed 
but all breeds of sheep are participating. 
Even the dry weather beyond the con¬ 
tinental divide, which covers some of the 
important sheep states, seems to have 
had no broad effect thus far on the 
western demand for rams. 
So far as the future is concerned, this 
period of prosperity for purebred sheep 
seems to have a long time to run. There 
is the possibility of tariff readjustments, 
of course, but there is a world shortage 
in production of wool which it will take 
several years to overcome. Since the 
present price in this country is below the 
foreign level, plus the duty, the reduction 
of the tariff would not necessarily cut 
our prices materially. Nor is there any 
likelihood that production in this country 
will be expanded to a point where we will 
be independent of outside sources of 
supply. 
Lamb production has a greater chance 
to catch up with the domestic demand. 
Nevertheless, relatively high prices for 
lambs compared with other classes of live 
stock are to be expected for two or three 
years yet, and possibly longer. 
Briefly stated, in purebred dairy cattle 
and sheep, where breeders are now enjoy¬ 
ing relative prosperity, this prosperous 
state is likely to last for several years. 
In those classes where adversity exists at 
present, the indications are that the beef 
cattle breeders have already turned the 
comer and the purebred hogmen do not 
have much further to go before they will 
begin to come out of the woods. The 
draft horse outlook is not so clear-cut, but 
in that division also, breeders have 
probably plumbed the depths of adversity 
already. 
Buying Opportunity Presented 
Success with any kind of purebred live 
stock is a matter of years because of the 
long time required to build up a herd. 
Farmers who are iry position to take 
advantage of present prices will find that 
their dollars have high purchasing power 
when invested in purebred beef cattle, 
hogs and draft horses. A given expendi¬ 
ture of funds will buy much more than 
the usual number of good individuals 
with meritorious pedigrees. A start 
made under present conditions means 
the possession of a surplus of breeding 
stock for sale by the time conditions have 
improved enough to put values appre¬ 
ciably higher. Prices of purebred dairy 
cattle and sheep are not inflated and 
investments can be made with reasonable 
safety. 
BABY v ; CHICKS 
Chicks 
BABY CHICKS C. O. D. 
S. C. Rhode Island Reds. .10Cts. 
Barred Rocks. 9Cts. 
S. C. W. Leghorns. 8Cts. 
Mixed or Off Color Chicks 7Cts. 
These chicks are all hatched from free 
range stock. Safe delivery and satisfac¬ 
tion guaranteed. Descriptive booklet free. 
W. A. LAUVER, McALISTERVILLE, PA. 
5,000 PULLETS 5,000 
BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS 
RHODE ISLAND REDS 
S. C. WHITE LEGHORNS 
Ready for shipment at $1.00 each 
HECLA POULTRY FARM Bellefonte, Pa. 
CHICKS 
SEPTEMBER CHICKS 
FOR WINTER FRIES 
AND SPRING LAYERS 
4,500 husky chicks per week from choice, heavy 
laying culled flocks. 4 hatches only. $10.00 
per hundred and up. Write for our circular 
and price list today. 
ATHENS CHICK HATCHERY 
BOX F, ATHENS, OHIO 
D A DV rUIY From heavy laying free range flocks. 
DAD I CniA s. c. White Leghorns, 100, $7; S. C. 
Brown Leghorns, 100, $7; Barred Rocks, 100, $9; S. C. 
R. I. Reds, 100, $10; Broilers or Mixed Chix, 100, $6.50. 
Special p ices on 500 and 1,000 lots. 100% prepaid safe 
delivery guaranteed. Address 
J. N. NACE, Box 30, RICHFIELD, PA. 
PULLETS AND COCKERELS 
Purebred Barron Pullets and Cockerels at $10.00 each 
and up. Also breeding hens at moderate prices. Descrip¬ 
tive catalogue free. 
C. M. LONGENECKER, Box 40 Elizabethtown, Pa. 
W E are NOW booking orders for 12 weeks’ old 
White Leghorn Pullets. All Pullets farm 
raised, milk fed, hatched from extra heavy lay¬ 
ing strain. 500 yearling hens for sale. Chicks 
and Ducklings at reduced prices. 
IDYLDELL FARM, Wolcott, New York 
