National Agricultural Library

Care of Mature Fowls

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Poultry-Club members should get good returns from their hens, as a small flock of fowls will give excellent results if they receive the proper feed and care, and the waste from the kitchen, table, and garden will help materially in keeping down the feed bill. The henhouse should be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and made tight for the winter. See that the house is tight on three sides and that there is no chance for a draft to strike the hens while on their roosts.

Before putting pullets with old hens be sure that the birds hatched in different years are banded or "toe-punched" so that you can tell the age of each one. Move the pullets into their winter quarters before they begin to lay. All of them should be settled for the winter before the weather gets cold. Market any pullets which are very small, poorly developed, or in poor condition.

Farmer's Bulletin

Number 1105