Nebraska Newspapers

    THE SEMI.WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
CULLING THE POULTRY FLOCK IN SUMMER
ADVANTAGES OF THE HOME-GROWN FEEDERS
W
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Two Home Grown Feeders.
NOTES cW
PPQWBROOK
Why not mix the cropsT
Rape Is excellent for liogB.
-
A chilled chick Is a dead chick.
Movable hog houses aro convenient
Feed sour milk to the chicks from
the start.
As soon as the chicks crowd they
are too cold.
The soil must bo fed, theso days, as
well as Its owner.
All old wood should bo removed
from tho rose hushes.
Leavo tho chicks in tho incubator
until 36 to 4S hours old.
Silage Is the besf roughage for fat
tening any class of cattle.
a
The chicks should have grain In the
litter, so they will exercise.
f i
- .
Sfe5
Study each cow's tastes.
There la profit in broom corn.
For moles in the garden use traps.
As n soil builder clover has very few
equals,
Shelters should be supplied in every
pig pasture.
A few staples prevents many a
breachy heifer.
V
In warm or hot weather provide
shade for the chicks.
Wo must either put our Idle land to
work, sell It or lose it.
No place Is too small to afford some
garden or plant growth.
The safety of a horse depends large
ly upon his early education.
Putting colta in damp, dark stables
Is lively to produce rheumatism.
Plenty of salt Is vitally essential to
the thriftiness of the young stock.
Get the chicks out on the fresh
ground and fresh air as soon as pos-
tiblo.
Mix all the cream to be churned In
ono vat or can at least eighteen hours
before churning.
Small white onion sets are the best.
If they cannot bo obtained. yellow
Bets should be used.
A stunted calf will never make as
valuable a cow as its Inheritance
would certainly warrant.
The grass and the cattle are both
better If the owner Is not In too much
of a hurry to-uso the pasture.
The up-to-date farm equipment In
cludes machinery for the housewife
as well as for the men outside.
Corn is naturally a hungry plant. If
you want It to grow feed it liberally
with fertilizer, water and sunshine.
Horses are often whipped for things
purely imaginary in the mind of the
driver, and it is too cruel for words
Wash the butter once with pure
water at the churning temperature,
agitating three or four times, and
drain. I
'
Cream that contains from 30 to 40
per cent butter fat churns better than
that having only half so high a fat
content.
The temperature of churning should
be such as to make the butter come
in from 35 to 40 minutes, usually 55 to
60 degrees P.
EggB absorb odors, not so readily as
milk, but readily enough that one can
not afford to store onions beside a
basket of eggs.
Always offer the horses water be
fore going to bed at night. Never
leave the horse thirsty all night after
he has eaten his hay.
Keep the harrow coming along soon
after plowing. This is the beginning
of that good surface cultivation that
we hear so much about.
Be gentlo and quiet in handling the
sow and she will never cause any
trouble, unless she Is a particularly
vicious or ill-mannered female.
Crows will catch young chickens
and carry them off and if they got
started they sometimes steal dozens
of chicks, unless stopped with a gun.
IJogs roaming at large always sup
ply themselves with pure food and
water, and do not suffer from disease
na do those which are confined and
heavily fed.
Probably in no country are commer
cial fertilizers used to a greater ex
tent than In Germany, and there the
yields of crops are upon tho average
about twice the average yield in tho
United states.
When tho beginner once icallzeB
that the more care used In the selec
tion of the feeds that start the young
chickens on their way to maturity
there will bo less loss, and a better
growth. It pays to obtain a, good chick
grit.
i
Potato peelings, cabbago roots,
celery tops and such things are rel
ished by hens and keep tho flock
healthy. In summer the hens pick up
quantities of insects and worms, and
this form of food must be supplied in
winter by scraps of meat or cut bone
Driving on one rein le usually
caused by a sharp tooth or teeth.
.
Culling the. flock nnd separating the
weak und sick chicks Is Important.
Tlie fence line makes a harbor for
weeds, Insects and other crop peBts.
Tho practise of feeding hogs on
forage crops alone. Is not economical.
Much farm machinery wears out
more through exposure than through
use.
Use the coarse fodders, straws and
tho stalk fields for wintering the breed
ing herd.
When bugs are plenty and hens have
free range the beef scrap may be dis
continued. ' Try topworklng a few apple or
plum trees. The work is interesting,
but not hard-
By drainage, many acres of now
Idle land could bo brought into profit
able cultivation.
Don't yank the lines and swear at
the team. Find the causo of the trou
ble and remove It.
Quarantine all hogs you buy for at.
least three weeks after they are
brought on the farm.
Keep a mixture of wood ashes, char
coal, Bait, lime, sulphur and copperas
before the hogs all the time.
, .
The often repeated reminder to give
tho young pigs whole oats on a raised
platform should not be scorned.
Stop churning when the granules
are about the size of peas, varying to
wheat, and draw off the buttermilk.
When the soil is loose to a sulllcient
depth, com roots penetrate In abun
dance to a depth of three or four feet
No mistake will be made in choosing
the Senator Dunlap strawberry to
grow fruit either for home use or mar
ket. Farm manure is a perishable prod
uct which must bo handled with in
telligenco to obtain its maximum
value.
.
Where manure Is coarse and cstxe
lessly spread part of the ground la
fertilized and part of it is left with
out any.
Never keep a sow no matter how
good or well-bred she may be if she
will not produce more than live Rtrong
pigs at a litter.
Harden the chicks while still In
the Incubator by opening the incu
bator door for about one-half iuch after
they are well dried.
As pasture, hay or fertilizer, crimson
clover offers itself to farmers at a time
when tho ordinary summer-grown
crops are not available.
When the spreader Is used, less
manure will be needed to cover one
acre and the value and effectiveness
of the manure will be Increased.
There has too long been an unrea
sonablo prejudice against mules, and
yet they may be made one of the most
valuablo economic features of the
farm.
Try putting a -pinch of copperas in
tho poultry watering trough once oi
twice a month. Better still, bcrub oul
tho trough and spray thoroughly with
a copperas (solution.
Compactness being essential to pro
mote capillary attraction, It Is advisa
hie to plow deep s early as possible
after the crop Ah gathered, thereby
giving the landtime to settle before
spring heeding
Many a flock has been run down by
forcing methods from chickhood to
maturity and lato hatching year after
year, liatcn me ruiuro uruuuerH uuny
and do not force them at tho exponsr
of vigor. Grow size by selection and
breeding.
Chickens will eat everything Imagln
able, no difference how filthy. Feed
your poultry well. Give them good
grain and food and you will find them
disdaining filthy, strange food. They
only eat it when turned out to find
what they can or starve.
Single Comb Partridge Cochin China- Cock.
Uy PROF J O HAL.PIN. Wisconsin Agricultural College.
Tho poultry flock should be culled during summer, so as to tako ad
vantage of tho comparatively good prices that prevail thou, lions over
two or threo years old, the small heus, the badly shaped ones, such as thoso
with crow heads or crooked breasts, overfat hens, ami hens known to bo
poor layers, should bo sold.
Not only will tho prlco ho lower" later In the season, but tho presence of
theso undesirable hens will reduce tho efficiency of tho entire flock. Then,
after the flock has been culled, all tho remaining hens should bo given
bands or otherwise marked so that they may later bo distinguished from
tho pullets.
BROODING THE CHICKS
GOOD START IN LIFE IS MORE
THAN HALF THE BATTLE.
From Hatching Time Until Feathered
9nd Ready for Colony Is Moot Im
portant and Vital Period Lay
ing the Foundation.
(By J. W. KULLAIl. CopyrlKlit, 1914.)
Tho brooding period embraces that
portion of a chick's llfo from tho time
it Is hatched until it Is feathered and
ready for the colony house and Is a
most Important and vital period, for
then is laid tho foundation of the fu
ture. !
There aro two methods of brooding 1
the natural, In which tho hen sup
plies the warmth and care, and tho
artificial. In tho natural brooding all
thut Is necessary iB a comfortable
coop, not too warm, roomy and free
trom drafts, kept clean and sprayed
liberally with a good liquid lice killer,
or, better still, poultry disinfectant.
Then, "given proper feed, the hen will
do the rest.
' Artificial brooders have two parts
a hover which ic warmed and supplies
tho heat to the chicks, and a nursery
or exercising room. In choosing u.
brooder select ouo that Is well built,
easily cleaned nnd In which tho heat is
doflected downward on the chick's
back. Avoid bottom heat, which cauaes
leg troubles. Buy the brooder plenty
large and do not crowd tho chicks,
keep It sweet and clean and cover tho
floor with sand or fine chopped alfalfa
or clover.
Watch the Temperature.
Tho temperature under tho hover
during the first week should bo 00
degrees; then gradually reduce tho
heat until it reaches 80 degrees. Tho
nursery should be about seventy de
grees. As much depends on tho lamp
in a brooder, keep It well filled, with
a clean burner and well trimmed wick.
Have a good tested thermometer, take
the temperature from near tho fioor,
watching arefully, for overheating or
chilling chicks Is equally disastrous,
and abovo nil follow tho directions
that come with the brooder.
After tho first week or two chicks
may bo allowed to run about In a
small outdoor ynrd when tho weather
is clear and mild, provided they can
always return easily to tho hover
when they feel cool. When tho weather
is bad conlino them to the nursery and
induce exercise by scattering fine
grain among tho litter.
Tho question of brooding largo colo
nies of several hundred chicks In a
small room or house by tho use of
brooder stoves has attracted much at
tention lately. Theso small coal or oil
burning stoves with largo cono shaped
metal heat deflectors have been used
for many years in California and un
doubtedly aro great labor savers. The
flrelesB type of brooder, which de
pends on thick, soft insulation to con
servo tho natural heat of tho chick, as
well as portable hovers, aro also In
quite general and successful use.
Roostc for Young Stock.
Provide nmplo roosting places for
tho growing young stock. Beware of
crowding. Nothing Is so conducive
to colds as the overheating that comes
of crowded quartern.
!G00D RATI0N F0R fattening
If Fowls Have Their Liberty and Are
Free From Lice Cracked Corn
Will Make Rapid Gains.
From tho many fattening rations
and the articles on crute fattening,
pen fattening and cramming, the
farmer might get tho impression that
fattening is a different proposition.
Such, however, la not tho case,
says tho Farmer. Somo of tho -best
poultry we ever saw fnttened was
fattened by simply giving them all
tho cracked corn they would eat for
three weeks, while they were on free
range of tho farm. Usually farm
fowls are healthy, and, If they have
their liberty and aro free from Uco,
plenty of cracked corn, will make them
gain rapidly, and when dressed for
market they get plump nnd of a bright
red color.
Whero It la desired to fatten somo
of tho Hock nnd not all of It, Uiat
which la not to bo fattened can be al
lowed to run at liberty, and that to
bo fattened can be put Into yards, or
even kept In the houses. In that caBe
a different ration is needed. There
Bhould bo plenty of grit and charcoal
within reach, and green food should bo
supplied every day. In the morning
a mnsh made of threo parts cornmeal,
ono part wheat bran and ono part
high-grade beef scraps, mixed Crum
bly with water or milk, should bo
given, all they will eat up in 15 min
utes, nnd no more. At noon somo
green food and cracked corn may bo
given, and at night they should havo
all tho cracked corn they will eat. If
they aro frco from vermin they will
fatten rapidly under this treatment.
If they do not eat heartily, they
must bo put out on tho range again
until they recover their appetites.
SELF-FEEDER FOR CHICKENS
Device May Easily Be Constructed
Out of Material found About the
House or Stable.
A good self-feeder for fowls, such ut
is hero illustrated, can bo easily in 11 do
out of material found about tho house
or barn. Tho feed Is placed in the
Ik FEET
Self-Feeder for Fowls.
box from the back and Just enoug
drops Into the trough to prevent
wabte, yet maintaining a continual
supply. The feeder shown In tho il
lustration Is two feet high.
iToor J
(Uy I, m. hi:nnington.)
One of the chief disadvantages that
most cattlo feeders have to contend
with Is tho purchase of feeders from
somo remote district. If It ta possible
to select a small bunch of good qual
ity, uniform-sized feeders of about tho
same ago In hla own neighborhood
they will make a moro profitable lot
of feeders for tho average farmer to
finish than tho class of feeders that
come from somo remote district. )
Many failures among feeders enn
bo traced directly to the fact that
they aro not acquainted with tho ef
fects of acclimation and domestication
of the purchnsed feeders nnd fall to
got them started off In good condi
tion. Then again somo farmers come to
tho conclusion that It Is unprofitable
to keep a herd of cowb and bellovo
thnt they can buy their feeders for
less money than they can nfford to
grow them. TIicbo men soon find
their mistake, nnd many who havo
aold their cow herds aro now develop
ing now herds for tho purposo of
raising their own feeders.
EXCELLENT NOTES
ON CARE OF SWINE
All of Leading Breeds Are Adapt
ed to Economical Production
Keep Animals Healthy.
Tho use of corn In hog-feeding
Bhould bo tempered with Judgment.
Tho corn and hog crop go hand In
hand. A man starting in farming In
tho West relies upon this combination.
Tho hog from first to Inst 1b capable
of getting a large proportion of Its
feed from grass.
Wo aro npt to make the mlstako of
feeding grain too freely because the
hog utilizes It bc efficiently and eco
nomically. No breed enjoys any marked prefer
ence In tho markets of tho country.
All of the lending breeds aro adapted
to economical production.
To have healthy swino on tho farm
tho first essential la to have good, vig
orous, healthy, breeding animals.
Sunbeams, crude carbolic ucld and
lime aro the best and cheapest disin
fectant.
When hog-wntorors are used they
should be cleaned frequently and a
lump of qulcklrVno dropped in tho bar
rels occasionally will assist In keeping
them aweet and clean.
Health and drugs have no nlTlnlty
In the successful management of a
herd of swine.
Health is natural. Disease unnat
ural. Both aro contagious.
If In the fight between health and
disease wo give nature u little encour
agement we will coma off victorious,
It Is, nfter all, more our mission to
keep ourTiogs henlthy thnn to allow
them to keop themselves In that condi
tion. Wo should keep the hogs closo com
pany, study their habits and their re
quirements and then cater to them.
Add to this, humane treatment; nnd
wo have solved tho wholo problem.
Mud is not a good thing to feed pigs
In, dust Ib worse. Both should be
avoided us much as possible.
A short noHo. is good, but a long
body Is better.
i no practise of niaiu loimcrs of
driving a team through cold water to
waal) tho filth from their feet and legs
Is dangerous, as It causes many dis
eases that they aro nuhjuct to.
A warm or overheated team should
not be put In u cold nlry place, but
llrBt exercised and then blanketed
and put In a warm stable and after the
blankets nro removed the horbes
should be wiped dry with straw or
cloths,
When a team hus been exposed to
PROPER TREATMENT 0 ALL FARM HORSES l
Then again there la another mnttei
that entera Into tho economy of tho
feeding question, and that Ib tho mat
ter of selling tho cnttlo before they
aro llnlahed. There are times when
It will be moro money In tho feeder's
pocket to sell tho cattlo when they
arc Just oil grass, even though tho
price beenis small compared with what
corn-fed cattlo aro selling for.
Farmers who are going into tho
business would do wel to raise a
high class of feeding animals and feed
only what thoy can handle to tho
most profitable advantage on their
own farms, nnd'BcIl when tho prlceB
are right.
Sell when Just off grnss If the price,
la right and grain foods arc high.
Feed well on n variety of woll cured
alfalfa, clovor and corn stover and a
liberal grain ration,
Hnlso tho breeda best adapted for
tho ono spcclnl purposo and keep In
close touch with tho market condi
tion's In relation to both food and beef.
If tho cattlo aro to bo full fed, se
lect the full-feed period with Intelli
gent discrimination nnd precaution.
OF COURSE FARMER
SHOULD KEEP SHEEP
Profitable Method of Getting Rid
Of Weeds Is to Sell Them in
Mutton at 6c a Pound.
(Uy C. D. IA'ON.)
Some men were looking over M
weedy paaturo and ono of them Bald:
"What shall 1 do with theso weeds?"
Quick us a (lash his neighbor aald:
"Sell them in mutton at 0 centB a
pound."
Every man knows his own buBlnea
best und can best decldo whnt kind or
Btock will pay him tho greatest profit,
but on most farma thero la room for
a small Hock of sheep and nt tho end
of tho season tho money tho wool and
lambs will bring will bo that much,
clear profit,
Going back to tho first proposition
that of the weeds that Infest our fields.
It mny bo said that while growing
sheep entiroly upon weeds, Is not
a plnn to bo advised, they will eat
nearly every weed that grows upon
farm and will put on good, solid fat
upon stuff that cnttlo and horses ro
fuee. Tho most tractable of all farm stock,'
they can bo managed with loss trou
ble than other stock, all that la re
quired to restrain them being a wire
net fence of tho cheapest grade.
Tho other day 1 was talking over
tho sheep question with somo friendm
nnd while wo did not agreo us to
hrcedB, we wero unanimously In favor
of the breed of sheep that will bring-,
a good heavy shipping lamb with tho
lleece a secondary consideration.
'I his Is tho very season to think or
starting a (lock ns a great many fiock
maatera sell off somo cwoa na, soon ns
shearing timo Ib over, and unless a
man has plenty of means In these dayw,
ho will havo to start with such ewes
as he can buy on tho market, thor
oughbreds being almost out of thoj
qupstlon for tho ordinary farmer
Fresh Butter Best.
Butter Is better when fresh thnn 1J
over will bo ainln.
iu mi tin bli u.ij iiot be lelt to be
coi ic do but ahould bo rubbed dry,
an cbillb, levers and other ailments
often result from allowing them to dry
by the evaporation of tho molBturt
from their bodies.
If wo would allow the teani3 moro
rest at noon wo should accomplish
moro work than when they aro al
lowed only time to swallow tholr food.
At evening fet them be well groomed
and their legs, bellies nnd feet be re
lieved from all mud und filth,
1