Page 17 - Poultry Review June 2008

POULTRY REVIEW 11

We are frequently asked how to stop after mating. After our first 1908
broody hens from setting. In our ex- pullet commenced laying, May 30th,
perience they are just hke men; after she was mated to a cockerel of the
setting awhile they prefer that to work same age. In just forty-eight hours
and are determined to do nothing. she laid the third egg which was fertile
The only cure for a lazy man is to go and from it we expect a chicken next
to work as soon as he feels the spell Tuesday, June 23d. We now have
coming on, and just so with the hen. quite a lot of these pullets' eggs incu-
If taken the first night* after lay- bating and every one thus far has been
ing time, and placed in a cool coop with fertile. The eggs are small and may
a slatted bottom so the cool air will not produce very large chickens, but we
come up under her, she will soon give can only learn by experience, and are
up the habit and again commence laying. not sure but the third generation will
If allowed to stay on the nest several be possible before the end of 1908.
days it is sometimes necessary to give
them a plunge in a pail of cold water Just a word on another line. The
when the weather is warm. possibilities in improving fruit and
berries are fully as great as in breeding
poultry, and as the two work so nicely
Body lice on hens are more difficult to
get rid of than the red mites found on together, we are not sure but that it
roosts. During these extremely warm would pay to have a little gardening
days it requires all the vitality of the talk occasional'y.
hen to support^the lice and unless they If you will look over the strawberry
are killed the hens will not continue to bed as soon as this paper reaches you it
lay. W^hen convenient to provide a will^not be difficult to^find plants that
dust bath of dry wood ashes the lice have not produced any berries. These
will be hard to find. To make a quick plants will send out the most runners
job of the work one good application of and will start a lot of very thrifty plants
Pyrozone will not only kill every one of which one would naturally think su-
the lice, but will completely destroy the perior to those from productive plants.
eggs that produce them, and frequent Some of these plants will be productive,
applications will cure the birds of but not nearly as good as the sets from
feather pulling or any skin disease they plants producing fruit, and should be
may have. The advertisement may be destroyed at once. By carefully noting
found on another page in this paper. the most productive plants and those
* producing the most perfect berries and
There are some things about fertility setting young plants only from these
that may not as yet be fully under- the quantity and quality of the fruit
stood. A poultryman, while visiting will be greatly increased and improved.
us the other day, stated that one of his The first plant set on the runner will
hens was producing chickens from a produce more fruit the following yeai
mating three months after being separ- than those from the extreme ends of the
ated. While it is very possible, we have runners. Small tw'o-inch pots set in the
never seen any results from a former ground under the first set so the top will
cross after a separation of two weeks, come about level with the surface of the
and many times one week has completely ground and the plant started in the
changed the chickens to the latest small pot after filling it with rich soil
mating. will make plants that can be set the last
This w-e do know to be a fact: An of July and produce a full crop the
egg may be fertilized forty-eight hours following year.