The business hen (a new brood) . the foul air without creat-ing too much of a draft. THE DUST BOX.—This ought to stand in the sunshine out of alldrafts; under the front window is a good place. Road dust is is well to secure a quantity of it during a dry spell in Summer. Wehave found dry sifted coal ashes good. A large shallow box is best. Donot fill it too full so the hens will kick the dust over the floor. In somecases a small quantity of lime is added to the dust, but we do not like it takes the gloss from the feathers. Do not let the dust remain toolong. It must not becom
The business hen (a new brood) . the foul air without creat-ing too much of a draft. THE DUST BOX.—This ought to stand in the sunshine out of alldrafts; under the front window is a good place. Road dust is is well to secure a quantity of it during a dry spell in Summer. Wehave found dry sifted coal ashes good. A large shallow box is best. Donot fill it too full so the hens will kick the dust over the floor. In somecases a small quantity of lime is added to the dust, but we do not like it takes the gloss from the feathers. Do not let the dust remain toolong. It must not become damp orcaked. In freezing weather the dustbox should be emptied frequently, soas to keep the dust dry. THE FLOOR.—Good arguments areadvanced for cement, board or earthfloors, just as different housekeepers pre-fer carpets, matting or rugs with hardwood. The wood floors are warm andeasily cleaned. Cement makes a solid floor, and if properly built keeps out „ „1 rats and vermin better than the others. SWINGING HEN 56 The Business Hen. It is easy to clean, the chief objection being that it is cold. With plentyof litter this objection counts for less. Earth floors can be dug over fromtime to time, and make a good natural place for the hens to dig anddust. After some years they become foul, unless dug out and changedyearly, and are more likely to carry disease germs than floors that canbe easily swept clean. Unless well drained they are wet in rainy combination liked by many is a cement floor covered with severalinches of sand or dry dirt. Whatever floor is used a good covering ofclean dry litter must be kept on it and frequently changed. Cut strawmakes good litter; so do forest leaves or shredded cornstalks. Oatstraw in the sheaf is used by some poultry keepers. ROOSTS.—Notice how a hen holds on to the perch and balancesherself upon it. A square strip with the edges rounded off gives her abetter grip than a round pole—a two or three-inch strip, accord
Size: 1660px × 1505px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectpoultry, bookyear1904
