Fresh Eggs From Your Own Hens
(Page 4 of 4)
March/April 1970
By the Mother Earth News editors
Secondly, if you don't have a brooder, then buy 6 to 14 week pullets from a good breeder. These will begin laying at 20 to 24 weeks. Here you must be careful to buy from a poultry man who is in the business of raising pullets to sell. Be wary of buying from a poultry man who is primarily producing eggs - he usually keeps his best pullets, sells his culls. Only buy 6 week old pullet in the spring or summer when there's plenty of grass range for you to raise them into strong birds.
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Thirdly, you can buy 20 week old pullets which are about ready to lay. These will cost $1.50 to $2.50 apiece. Buy only pullets - birds less than six month old. And remember, you don't need a rooster to produce eggs.
Prevention of Disease
It has been said that something like 300,000 people go into the poultry business each year to make their fortune - and about 289,000 give up because they couldn't make a go of it commercially. One reason for this bad showing is loss from disease. A backyard poultry raiser should have little trouble on this score if he has disease free birds to begin with and keeps sanitary conditions in the house. We know of any number of people who have been keeping poultry for years without serious loss from disease.
Main points to bear in mind:
Keep poultry house clean. Avoid drafts. Don't overcrowd birds. Paint roost once a year or oftener with Carbolinium to get rid of mites. Disinfect water and feed equipment - do this monthly anyway. Isolate any sick bird immediately. If any contagious disease occurs, kill affected birds and bury them immediately. Dust with lice powder if birds are lousy. Feed properly, watch for mouldy feed.
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