Chapter III: Part 3

If a second litter is wanted during a year the sows should be put to the boar during the first heat after weaning. Many breeders do not like to pass periods of heat for fear that the sows may become "shy," and there is little reason why a sow should not have two litters a year. In any case, the sows should be carried on comparatively light feed until time to breed again, gaining a little in weight; and their treatment after breeding should be as already detailed for pregnant sows.

When the boar arrives at the farm he should be dipped in a solution of Pratts Dip and Disinfectant, as a matter of ordinary precaution against the introduction of vermin. As an additional precaution, a quarantine pen should be ready for him, especially if epizootics are prevalent. His feed before change of owners should be known, and either adhered to or changed gradually to suit the new conditions. If he has come from a long distance it will be well to feed lightly until he is well acclimated.

Breeders generally advocate the practice of keeping a boar to himself during the entire year--out of sight and hearing of the sows. However, a boar is often allowed to run with the sows after they are safe in pig; but during the breeding season it is by far the best policy to keep him by himself, admitting a sow to his yard for mating, and allowing but one service. The litters will generally be larger and the pigs stronger.

The boar should not serve more than two sows daily, preferably one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and can serve 50 to 60 in a season without difficulty.

In order to keep the boar in vigorous physical condition, he should be given Pratts Hog Tonic regularly. The beneficial results will be seen in the way of larger litters and stronger pigs.

The greatest drawback to the hog industry which breeders in this country have to contend against is found in the losses which may be experienced through the infestation of the animals, especially young pigs, by parasites, through outbreaks of hog cholera or swine plague, or through the contraction of tuberculosis.

In dealing with the diseases of hogs, preventive measures must be most relied upon. The animals must be given dry and well-ventilated quarters, which must be kept clean. Contrary to common belief, hogs have some habits which raise them above other domestic animals from the standpoint of cleanliness. For example, unless compelled to do so, a hog will not sleep in its own filth. If part of the floor of the pen is raised and kept well bedded with straw, while the rest is not, all excrement will be left on the unbedded portion of the floor, and the bed itself will be always clean.

In addition to cleanliness, close attention should be given to the feed which is supplied, that nothing may be fed which will convey the germs of disease, especially tuberculosis, to the herd. If the hogs are fed milk in any form obtained from cows kept upon the same farm, the cows should be subjected to the tuberculin test, as by this means all tuberculous milk may be kept from the hogs. If they run with the cattle of the farm a tuberculin test of all the cattle is none the less desirable. Animals dead from any disease should not be fed to the hogs until the meat has been made safe by cooking. Skim milk or refuse from a public creamery should not be fed to hogs until it has been thoroughly sterilized.

Feeding and drinking places should be clean and the water supply pure. Unless the origin is known to be uncontaminated and there has been no possibility of infection during its course, hogs should not be allowed access to any stream. Wallows should be drained out or kept filled up as much as possible. At least once a month the quarters should be disinfected with a solution of Pratts Dip and Disinfectant. These precautions will be found valuable aids in the destruction of the various animal parasites, as well as a protection from some more serious troubles.

The methods of feeding and management outlined above have been successfully followed by hog growers for many years. They are conservative and safe. But during recent years a new method of feeding has been developed and is being generally adopted, especially by specialists who make hog growing a real business. This is known as the "self-fed" plan, under which system feed is kept before the hogs at all times and they are permitted to eat at will. In poultry feeding this is called "the dry mash system."

Just who deserves credit for originating or developing this plan cannot be stated. That it is a good one is evidenced by the fact that it has received the endorsement of the Bureau of Animal Industry, United States Department of Agriculture; of many Agricultural Experiment Stations; of the specialty swine journals; of practical hog breeders in all sections of the country.

For this self-feed plan it is claimed that both feed and labor are saved, thus reducing production costs. That a 250-pound hog can be grown in thirty days less time than is possible where slop-feeding is practiced, thus getting the hogs to market earlier and avoiding danger of loss during this time. That it produces pork of highest quality, the meat being fine in flavor, firm, and with lean and fat well distributed.

Advocates of the self-feeding plan make the following comparison with the old-time slop-feeding method:

When dry food is supplied in automatic feeders, the attendant may fill the feeders at any convenient time of day and that at intervals of several days. In slop feeding, the meals must be prepared and fed twice daily, usually when other duties are pressing and time especially valuable.

When dry, ground grains are kept before the hogs at all times, they eat when they feel the need of food and are not liable to overeat at any time. Because of the dry character of the feed, they eat slowly, masticating the food thoroughly and mixing it with saliva. This means more thorough digestion and an absence of indigestion and bowel troubles. And, of course, quicker growth.

Slop-fed hogs, on the other hand, get very hungry between meals. At feeding time they pile up around the troughs, the stronger rushing and pushing away the weaker ones, those that really need the feed the most. Then they bolt the food without chewing it, taking all they can hold and leaving little for those that cannot find a place at the "first table."

The quality of the dry-fed pork has been mentioned. Equally important, from the standpoint of the butcher, is the loss in dressing of hogs. Tests have shown that slop-fed stock loses six to eight pounds more per hundredweight than does the dry-fed.

Another big advantage of dry-feeding lies in the fact that large numbers of swine, including those of various ages and sizes, can be safely kept in one herd. The writer has seen over two hundred head of swine, ranging in size from pigs just weaned to 250-pound porkers ready for market, living in peace and contentment in one building, eating and sleeping and sharing the forage pastures together. Of course this means a big saving in buildings and fencing and a great reduction in the amount of necessary labor.

The self-feeder may be used all through the life of the hog, beginning when the pigs are still nursing and continuing until they reach market weight. During all this time the ration should contain Pratts Hog Tonic, the guaranteed hog conditioner, in order that at all times the herd may be maintained in vigorous condition, be kept free from disease, may avoid wasting feed through imperfect or sluggish digestion, may earn for the farmer the maximum amount of profit. We suggest that you make a test of this results-insuring, profit-producing tonic. Watch results. If _you_ are not satisfied the dealer from whom you purchased the goods will refund the full amount you paid for them.

The self-feeding plan of growing hogs gives best results when the animals are given access to growing forage crops. The feeders may be placed under cover out in the fields or kept in the hog house if the latter is reasonably near the pasture lots. An unlimited supply of fresh water must be available at all times because dry-fed stock drinks many times the amount of water that slop-fed hogs do. The reason is plain.

There are many different systems of handling hogs under this plan, varying according to local conditions. We will give in detail the method used most successfully for many years on a Pennsylvania farm which each season markets several hundred hogs of a quality which commands a premium above current quotations.

On this farm, particular attention is paid to keeping the hog houses clean and sanitary, light, sunny and dry. Dampness is always a fertile source of loss. Further, the houses are never crowded. Each animal is given plenty of room.

The brood sows are placed in separate pens at farrowing time and watched carefully when giving birth to the pigs. They are fed a rich slop, a small quantity at first, but in gradually increasing amount until they are receiving enough to insure a big flow of milk.

When the pigs are eight to ten days of age they are permitted to go at will to the self-feeder containing a mixture of ground grains. As a rule, several sows farrow at about the same time and the pens are so arranged that the pigs from several litters may all use one feeder.

This arrangement results in the pigs taking more exercise, eating more food and making more rapid growth. It reduces the danger of thumps and gives the youngsters a wonderfully strong start in life.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | ~MORE PIGS PER HOG--MORE HOG PER PIG~ | | | |Big litters of strong-boned, growthy pigs, and rapid growth of pigs from| |birth to maturity are the natural result of health and vigor of breeding| |stock and youngsters. Weak, run-down boars and sows produce inferior | |pigs and usually small litters. And such pigs are not money-makers. | | | | ~PRATTS HOG TONIC~ | | | |the guaranteed conditioner for swine, overcomes most hog diseases, makes| |the breeders healthy and vigorous, insures big litters of big pigs, | |makes the youngsters grow steadily and rapidly from birth to maturity | |and fatten quickly and economically. | | | |Many of the most successful hog-growers will tell you that one secret of| |their success is the regular use of Pratts Hog Tonic. You should at | |least test it. No risk on your part because | | | | "~YOUR MONEY BACK IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED~" | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+

The feed mixture used at this time varies somewhat according to available supplies and current prices. A sample pig ration is made up as follows:

RATION FOR YOUNG PIGS

Winter wheat middlings 40 lbs.
Hominy meal 40 lbs.
Oil meal 3 lbs.
Whole oats (heavy) 5 lbs.
60 per cent. Digester tankage 12 lbs.
Fine salt 1/2 lb.

Mix thoroughly.

When the pigs are weaned they are placed with the herd, a safe practice because of the general contentment and quietness and the entire absence of meal-time stampedes. They quickly adjust themselves to their new surroundings, and, because accustomed to the use of self-feeders, at once begin eating the regular hog ration with the rest of the herd.

In the hog house, enough self-feeders are provided to permit all animals to eat at will without being crowded. One feeder to each twenty-five hogs is the rule.

The hog ration, like the pig ration, varies according to conditions. But at all times it is palatable and contains feeds which build bone, muscle and fat. A favorite formula is this:

RATION FOR GROWING HOGS

Winter wheat middlings 50 lbs.
Wheat bran 50 lbs.
Corn chop 50 lbs.
Whole oats 10 lbs.
50 per cent. Digester tankage 20 lbs.

Soft coal and salt are kept before the herd at all times. The hogs eat these at will.

The grazing system is used on this farm. Many different forage crops are planted, in order to insure a regular succession of succulent feeds. As each field reaches proper condition for grazing, a hog fence is thrown around it and the herd admitted. The hogs do all the work of harvesting, thus securing valuable exercise and at the same time saving man labor. Under this system the fields have steadily improved in fertility, due to the turning under of the uneaten green stuff and the direct application of the valuable hog manure.

Forage crops vary in different sections of the country. On the farm in question the earliest forage is rye, followed in rotation by the various clovers and mixtures of oats, Canada field peas, vetch, soy beans, etc. Dwarf Essex rape is a favorite crop and one that furnishes a tremendous amount of forage per acre.

When the corn crop matures, the larger individuals are given the liberty of the corn fields and the crop is "hogged down." This again saves a great amount of hand labor, a big item under existing conditions.

In the winter, when grazing is out of the question, the herd receives once daily a liberal feed of second crop alfalfa or clover hay.

Understand, the feeders containing the dry mixture of ground grains, are available to the hogs _at all times_. They help themselves at will, day and night.

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_La Fontaine, Ind.

We have been trying to produce the largest hog in the world and we
have done it! We have a Big Type Poland China hog, that has been
fed 123 days, making a gain of 450 pounds and at this time weighs
over 1200 pounds. We fed him on Pratts Animal Regulator.

H.E. HENRY._
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When keeping hogs in large herds like this, it is of primary importance that the most careful attention be paid to sanitation. Pratts Dip and Disinfectant should be used regularly and thoroughly to protect against disease germs and vermin. And Pratts Hog Tonic used to keep the hogs in perfect condition _inside_.

If sickness appears in the herd the unaffected hogs should at once be removed to clean, disinfected quarters, preferably without much range, for by running over pastures they may come in contact with contagion. Their feed should be carefully regulated, and, if they have previously been on pasture, should include some green feed, roots, or an abundance of skim milk.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | ~BANISH HOG VERMIN AND DISEASES~ | | | |To make a success of hog raising, dipping is almost as essential as | |feeding. At least it is second only to proper feeding. | | | |Lice and vermin, the comfort-destroyers and profit-reducers, and the | |germs which cause cholera and tuberculosis, are exterminated by the | |regular use of | | | | ~PRATTS DIP AND DISINFECTANT~ | | | |Put the hogs and pigs through the dipping vat and spray the quarters and| |feed receptacles occasionally with a strong solution of the original | |Pratts Dip and Disinfectant. Result--comfortable, vermin-free and | |disease-free hogs, less loss, more pork, more money. | | | | | | | |There are other dips that look like the original Pratts, but they are | |not the same in efficiency. Refuse the substitutes. Use Pratts, the dip | |you can depend upon. It costs no more but it's worth more! You be the | |judge-- | | | | "~YOUR MONEY BACK IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED~" | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+

The quarters in which the sickness first appeared should be thoroughly cleaned, all bedding and rubbish burned, and loose boards and old partitions torn out and burned. If the pen is old, knock it to pieces and burn it. Disinfect pens and sleeping places using Pratts Dip and Disinfectant on the floors, walls and ceilings. Whitewash everything. If a hog dies from any cause, the carcass should never be exposed where it may be devoured by the other hogs or by passing birds or beasts, but should be burned at once or buried deeply and the pens thoroughly disinfected immediately. If possible, do not move the carcass from the place where it falls; but if this cannot be done the ground over which it is dragged should be disinfected. Hog-cholera bacilli can live in the ground for at least three months. Care must be taken to maintain an absolute quarantine between the sick and well hogs. The same attendant should not care for both lots unless he disinfects himself thoroughly after each visit to the infected hogs. Dogs should be confined until the disease is stamped out.

Treatment of hogs suffering from cholera or swine plague is not always satisfactory. The disease runs its course so rapidly that curative measures are more or less ineffectual, and prevention of an outbreak should be relied upon rather than the cure of sick animals. Pratts Hog Tonic has been successful in less virulent outbreaks when administered as soon as signs of sickness are shown.

Pratts Hog Tonic should be thoroughly mixed with the feed, which should be soft, made of bran and middlings, corn meal and middlings, corn meal and ground and sifted oats, or crushed wheat, mixed with hot water. If the hogs are too sick to come to the feed, the tonic should be given as a drench. Pull the cheek away from the teeth and pour the mixture in slowly. Care should be exercised, as hogs are easily suffocated by drenching. Do not turn a hog on its back to drench it.

Hogs often suffer very much from vermin. Lice are introduced from neighboring herds, and the losses in feeding are often severe, especially among young pigs, when death is sometimes a secondary if not an immediate result. When very numerous, lice are a very serious drain on vitality, fattening is prevented, and in case of exposure to disease the lousy hogs are much more liable to contract and succumb to it.

Newly purchased hogs should be carefully examined for vermin, and they should not be turned out with the herd until they are known to be free from these pests.

When the herd is found to be badly infested with lice all bedding should be burned and loose boards and partitions torn out. Old boards and rubbish should be burned. The quarters should then be thoroughly disinfected by spraying with Pratts Dip and Disinfectant.

Vermin are most common around the ears, inside the legs, and in the folds of the skin on the jowl sides and flanks. In light and isolated cases they may be destroyed by washing the hogs with Pratts Dip and Disinfectant, properly diluted, applied with a broom.

In severe cases, however, especially where the whole herd is affected, thorough spraying or dipping should be resorted to. In this case a dipping tank will be a great convenience.

Whenever any animals are brought to the farm, or when animals are brought home from shows or from neighboring farms, they should be kept apart from the rest of the herd for at least three weeks. If they have been exposed to hog cholera or swine plague the diseases will be manifested within this time, and the sick animals can be treated or killed and disposed of at once.

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_Galway, N.Y.

I bought two spring pigs the 15th of April and began feeding them
Pratts Animal Regulator until the 15th of December when I butchered
them. One weighed 415 pounds, the other 420 pounds. I know this
Regulator does what you claim it to do.

BALDWIN O'BREY._
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If cholera breaks out in the neighborhood the farmer should maintain a strict quarantine against the infected herds. He should refrain from visits to farms where they are located, and should insist on requiring that his neighbors stay out of his hog lots. Visiting of all kinds at this time should be carefully restricted. Dogs, cats, crows, and buzzards are very active carriers of infection from farm to farm, and should be guarded against as far as possible.

~COMMON DISEASES OF SWINE~

(Symptoms and Treatment)

~Diarrhoea or Scours~

_Cause._--By milk of the dam being affected by feeding of food tainted with the elements of decay; by making a sudden change in the food; by some disordered condition in the health of the sow, and by excess of milk furnished by the dam.

Usually occurs before the weaning stage, as a rule in swine not yet ten days old.

_Symptoms._--Very soft condition of the voidings which are sometimes almost watery.

_Treatment._--Being highly contagious, spray the floor thoroughly with Pratts Disinfectant. Keep the young swine comfortable and remove the voidings carefully two or three times a day. Correct the food given the dam, mixing Pratts Hog Tonic with her feed. Also give a small tablespoonful of sulphur daily to the sow.

~Hog Cholera and Swine Plague~

Hog Cholera and Swine Plague are very much alike. Both are characterized by inflammation of stomach and intestines, enlarged and inflamed lymphatic glands and sloughing of portions of the skin. The treatment and preventive measures are alike in many respects.

They are germ diseases, contracted in purchasing swine which may contract the germs when in transit on cars; by exhibiting at fairs; through persons who have visited infected herds; through the feet of dogs and birds to which the germs may have adhered; through the water of an infected pond or stream.

The most dangerous source of infection by far is coming in touch with diseased animals.

Reduced stamina and filthy quarters favor the spread of these diseases.

~Hog Cholera~

_Symptoms._--Dullness, loss of appetite or depraved appetite and a disposition to lie down; constipation or diarrhoea; stiff gait; red spots or blotches discernible about the ears and under the neck and belly; in some instances there is difficulty in breathing.

_Treatment._--Authorities agree that there is no known cure for real hog cholera. Preventive measures, therefore, are of vital importance. Pratts Disinfectant should be used frequently and to build up the general health of the hog, giving it full disease-resisting power, Pratts Hog Tonic should be added to the ration. Besides, it is a valuable tonic and fattener.

~Swine Plague~

_Symptoms._--Extensive inflammation of the lungs, by which it can be distinguished from hog cholera. There is coughing and labored, painful and oppressed breathing.

It frequently comes as a pneumonia or an inflammation of the lungs and pleural membrane. The animal is in a sleepy and even comatose condition much of the time. If it walks it staggers. The skin reddens in a marked degree and the bowels become constipated. This disease, though not nearly so common as hog cholera is usually very fatal. Preventive measures, as indicated for hog cholera, are all important. Use Pratts Hog Tonic as directed and disinfect with Pratts Disinfectant.

~Thumps~

_Cause._--Too liberal feeding and lack of exercise, resulting in poor digestion. The diaphragm contracts suddenly at irregular intervals, thus giving the name to the disease. The pig becomes unthrifty and stunted. If the sow is a liberal milker, nursing pigs may be affected. Treatment is usually preventive, consisting of exercise and careful feeding, Pratts Hog Tonic being added to the feed.

~Tuberculosis in Swine~

The losses from this disease are beginning to assume enormous proportions. It results largely from swine drinking the milk of tuberculous cattle.

_Symptoms._--Digestive disorders, such as diarrhoea and vomiting; a stunted condition and a staring coat and breathing more or less labored.

_Treatment._--There is no positive cure for this severe disease, but good sanitation is the best preventive. Use Pratts Disinfectant freely and maintain health and vigor by regularly using Pratts Hog Tonic.

The importance of testing heads of cattle that may be affected with tuberculosis is thus further emphasized.

~Worms~

There is perhaps no other animal troubled to so great an extent or with so many varieties of worms, as the hog. Indeed it is almost a rule with some growers when a hog is sick and it cannot be told exactly what is the matter that they doctor for worms.

There are four species of worms that live in the intestines of swine, resulting in more or less harm. The Common Round Worm, Pin Worm and Whip Worm develop from eggs taken in in food and water. The Thornheaded Worm develops from a white grub which swine eat. To a great extent these are kept in check by Pratts Hog Tonic.

As preventive measures, drain stagnant pools and wet places where these eggs may be found; plough up yards and pastures; do not feed on floors not properly cleaned, or on ground that may have been much used for such feeding; do not give water from a deep well, do not allow the swine to wallow in the drinking trough.

_Symptoms._--Frequently a gluttonous appetite without corresponding improvement in flesh. Again a much impaired appetite is found; diarrhoea or constipation; excessive itching, causing the animal to rub, especially the hind parts. These symptoms will only exist when worms are present in large numbers.

_Treatment._--Give each adult hog one heaping tablespoonful of Pratts Worm Powder with the feed once a day for four days. After the last dose give a bran mash to loosen bowels.

Repeat this treatment two weeks after the first to insure killing any worms which may have hatched in the meantime.

Even if you are not sure that your hogs have worms--as they _probably_ have--you should use Pratts Worm Powder as above as a matter of precaution.

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_Woodsboro, Md.

I bought four pigs, four months' old, weighing about 16 pounds
each, and, in bad condition. Began to feed Pratts Animal Regulator
and at 5 months' old they averaged a gain of one pound a day per
pig.

CHARLES W. HOLBRUNER._
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~POULTRY~

"One hundred hens on every farm" was the small number set by the United States Department of Agriculture in its great war drive for increased production of foods. And certainly this number of fowls, and many more, can be easily and profitably maintained on the average farm. Easily, because under free range conditions, which are possible on the farm they require but little attention. Profitably, because under these conditions, where they pick up much of their living, the cost of production is comparatively low, while eggs and flesh sell at good prices. Further, these delicious and nutritious foods add variety to the farm table.

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_South Easton, Mass.

I have used Pratts Poultry Regulator regularly.

The egg record for 900 fowls for five months the past winter was as
follows: Dec., 50%; Jan., 43%; Feb., 55%; March, 69%; April, 69%.
The lower record of January was caused by some pullets moulting.

Would say that fertility of eggs averaged 87% in December to over
90% later in the spring.

J.H. RANKIN._
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Many a farmer's wife finds her poultry flock a never-failing source of pin money. Many a farm girl and boy have secured their education from faithfully saving the "egg-money." And the opportunities for profit in this line are now greater than ever before.

~Helps for Poultrymen~

In a short chapter in a general publication of this kind it is impossible to go into the finer details of modern methods of poultry husbandry. For those who desire more information on this subject we have a big 160-page book, pages 6x9 inches in size, fully illustrated with 150 photos and drawings. The title is "The Poultryman's Complete Handbook." It's worth a dollar, but we will send you a copy, prepaid, for only ten cents in stamps or silver. Address your request to Pratt Food Co., Philadelphia.

Pratts Poultry Service Department is maintained to give expert information and advice on poultry topics. There is no charge for this service. Whenever you get puzzled, write Pratts experts. They will send you a prompt personal reply containing the information you desire. No charge, no obligation. Address such letters to Poultry Service Department, Pratt Food Co., Philadelphia.

~Breeds of Poultry~

Regardless of breeding and appearance, a heavy layer is a good hen to own. And laying ability is not confined to any one breed or class of fowls. There are exceptional layers, dependable profit-payers, in practically every fair-sized flock, whether made up of standard-bred stock or mongrels.

As a general rule, however, standard-bred birds are best. By that term we mean those which have been bred to meet the typical breed and variety descriptions as appearing in the official Standard of Perfection which is published by the American Poultry Association. Such a flock is bound to be uniform in size, appearance and general characteristics, is easier to manage properly because of its uniformity, and its products, both eggs and table poultry, will also be uniform. Further the income from such a flock may be increased through the sale of eggs for hatching and of breeding stock at prices many times greater than those of table eggs and poultry.

No matter what breed you select, the most important matter, the very foundation of success, is the securing of _individual birds which are strong, sturdy, vigorous and healthy_. Only stock of high vitality can be depended upon to give continuously good results. It is time and money wasted to keep fowls which are weak, sickly or "run-down," the result of improper breeding or management.

As a rule, it is best to select that breed which is most popular locally, because such popularity indicates that the breed in question thrives under local conditions and meets the requirements of the local markets. Further, one has greater opportunities of securing good birds and a larger market for hatching eggs and stock.

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_Clemson College, S.C.

We have been using Pratts Baby Chick Food and are very well pleased
with it. I think that it is the best baby chick mash on the market
today.

FRANK C. HARE, Prof. of Poultry Husbandry._
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Among the farmers whose markets demand white-shelled eggs, the S.C. White Leghorn is the most popular fowl. The Black Minorca is another favorite. It produces the largest white eggs.

Where brown-shelled eggs are wanted, the Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red and Orpington lead. And for the production of the largest table carcasses the Light Brahma, either pure or crossed with a more active breed, is a favorite. The live weights of adult birds of these breeds are as follows:

Breed. Cock. Hen.

Leghorns 5 1/2 lbs. 4 lbs.
Black Minorcas 9 lbs. 7 1/2 lbs.
Plymouth Rocks 9 1/2 lbs. 7 1/2 lbs.
Wyandottes 8 1/2 lbs. 6 1/2 lbs.
Rhode Island Reds 8 1/2 lbs. 6 1/2 lbs.
Orpingtons 10 lbs. 8 lbs.
Light Brahmas 12 lbs. 9 1/2 lbs.

Most of these breeds have varieties, determined by color of plumage or shape of comb. Select that one which best pleases you.

~Poultry Houses~

When locating the poultry house remember that it is a great advantage to have soil which is light and naturally well drained, since such soil dries off quickly after a rain and is "much warmer," as poultrymen express it. Heavy soil, even stiff clay, may be made to serve the purpose admirably if provision is made to drain off all surface water. But avoid a site on which water settles in pools, as the surface soon becomes filthy and is a menace to the health of the flock.

The birds should have the benefit of several hours of sunshine each day. So locate the poultry house where the sun can strike it freely. The shelter of tall buildings on the north, or even on the east or west, is frequently an advantage during the winter months, but the south side should be open if conditions permit. Shade trees and large shrubs about the house are a source of comfort to the fowls during hot weather and may be used to screen or partially hide the poultry plant.

The poultry house must be dry, well-ventilated, free from draughts, light, sunny and cheerful. And if it is planned with reference to the convenience of the poultryman, so much the better. The most simple and inexpensive form of construction should be used. In all sections of the country, excepting the extreme north, a single wall of matched boards on a light frame is perfectly satisfactory. Unmatched boards with battens nailed over the cracks or a layer of lightweight roofing paper over all are equally good. In fact, in case of necessity, one may use the roughest of lumber, and by covering the entire structure with roofing paper make a building which is tight and comfortable and acceptable in appearance.

The rear and end walls and roof must be _tight_ to insure dryness and prevent all draughts. Windows and doors may be placed in end walls, but these should usually be located forward of the center of the building and made to fit snugly. The rear part of the house, where the roosts are located, must at all costs be protected against cross-currents of air.

The south or front walls, on the other hand, should have ample openings to admit air and sunshine. The open-front or fresh-air type of house is much superior to the old tightly closed type. Plenty of fresh air means comfort, health, vitality and increased production.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "~PRATTS MAKES HENS LAY~" | | | |~What is Pratts Poultry Regulator?~ A positive tonic and conditioner for| |poultry of all kinds and ages. _A health-builder and health-preserver._ | |Not a food. | | | |~What does it contain?~ Roots, herbs, spices, mineral substances, etc. | |Each ingredient performs a certain duty. The combination spells "health | |insurance." | | | |~What does it do?~ Pratts Poultry Regulator makes and keeps poultry | |healthy, vigorous and productive. It shortens the molt, sharpens the | |appetite, improves digestion and circulation, hastens growth and | |increases egg-production. _It saves feed_ by preventing waste due to | |poor digestion. _It prevents disease by_ keeping the birds in condition | |to resist the common ailments. | | | |~Has it been fully tested?~ Yes! In general use for nearly fifty years. | |The _original_ poultry conditioner. Imitated, but unequalled. | | | |~Does it give general satisfaction?~ Positively! _Satisfaction | |guaranteed or money refunded._ Test it at our risk. Increased egg | |production will prove that "Pratts makes hens lay." | | | |~How is it best used?~ Daily in small quantities. For adults, | |tablespoonful daily for 10 birds. Younger stock in proportion. Mix with | |dry or moist mash. | | | |~What does it cost?~ Nothing, because _it pays big profits_. About a | |cent a month per hen is the investment required. | | | |~Where can I get it?~ From 60,000 Pratt dealers. There is one near you. | |Direct from the Pratt Food Co., prepaid, if your dealer can't supply | |you. | | | | | | | | | | "~YOUR MONEY BACK IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED~" | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+

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_Cincinnati, O.

I have been using your poultry foods and remedies with the best of
satisfaction and results for the last ten years.

FRED O. FLAHERTY._
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From a quarter to a third of the front wall should be left open. Cover the openings with one-inch mesh wire netting to keep the fowls in and repel all enemies and food-seeking sparrows. Cloth-covered frames should be provided to close these openings and keep out driving storms. The cloth, should be open in texture, as coarse cotton or heavy cheese cloth, not "boardy" and air-tight. Frames may be left loose to hook or button on inside or outside, or hinged to the top of the openings and swung up against the roof when not in use. In some cases, as in the Tolman house, these openings are never closed, day or night, summer or winter.

It is advisable to provide one or more glass windows in addition to the openings referred to above in order to admit light when the cloth-covered frames are closed. The windows may be placed in either the front wall or the side walls. In the latter case the sun is admitted to the building more hours each day, which is a big advantage during the fall and winter months.

Poultry house floors may be of cement, boards or earth. Cement is best for large, permanent structures. Board floors are excellent in houses of any size and are almost a necessity in small ones which may be moved frequently. Earth floors seem to be favored by the fowls, but if used the earth should be filled in to bring the floor level several inches above the surrounding ground. This to insure dryness.

The accompanying cuts show typical designs of satisfactory poultry houses. When building, just bear the above principles in mind and the results will be satisfactory.

The Tolman type is a strictly "fresh air" or "open front" house. For a flock of thirty to forty birds this house should be ten feet wide, sixteen feet front to back, seven feet to peak of roof, front wall four feet and rear wall five feet high. The highest point of roof is five feet from the rear wall.

The entire south side is a wire-covered opening, save for boards placed as shown in the cut. A full-sized door is located in the east wall opposite the window in the west side. Roosts are placed near the north wall, level with or slightly above the front opening.

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_Port Dover, Canada.

After a long experience I find Pratts Poultry Regulator to be
absolutely the best tonic to keep a flock of poultry in condition.
Just as soon as I find a pen is not doing well, I use the Regulator
in their mash. Almost immediately I notice their appetites improve,
their combs redden and they lay better. I have also made trial of
your other remedies and I find them all absolutely reliable.

JOHN S. MARTIN_
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For a flock of one hundred or more birds the New Jersey Multiple Unit Laying House is to be recommended. Each unit is twenty feet square, accommodating a hundred fowls. Similar units may be added for each hundred additional birds. The drawing on page 48 shows two units.

In this house the front studs are nine feet high, rear studs are four and a half feet high.

Simple, inexpensive furnishings are best. The cuts show home-made equipment which will meet all practical requirements.

~Getting the Eggs~

Early-hatched, well-matured pullets are the most dependable layers during the fall and early winter months. Some few yearling hens may continue to lay fairly well during their molting period, but, as a rule, egg production drops with the feathers and does not begin until the new coat of plumage is completed and the system readjusted. So yearlings, taken as a whole, do little toward filling the egg-basket until January or later.

Get the early-hatched pullets into winter quarters by late September or early October before they begin to lay. But be sure the house is fully prepared in advance. Clean house! Disinfect thoroughly with a strong solution of Pratts Poultry Disinfectant. Kill every germ. Avoid possible loss.

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_Cherokee, Iowa.

I have used Pratts Poultry Regulator for the last twenty years and
always had the best of results. It is a great egg producer and the
best feed to keep little chicks strong and guard off that terrible
disease, bowel complaint. In fact, I cannot do without it.

GEO. WM. LYON._
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~Get Fall and Winter Eggs~

It is most desirable that the flock begin egg production before the weather becomes severe. Get the laying habit established while the season is favorable, and it is comparatively easy to maintain it. And, as production will not commence until the layers are fully matured, the pullets must be hatched early to give ample time for them to make the needed growth.

As a rule, it takes about seven months to mature pullets of the general purpose breeds and six months for the egg breeds. Therefore, March and April chicks of the former, and April and May chicks of the latter, are most valuable. This is a general rule. Some poultrymen are experts in this matter of growing chicks and can bring them to laying maturity in less time.

If disease appears take instant action to check it. Delay of a day or two may permit an epidemic to get well started. In order to enable you to give proper treatment without delay you may well keep a stock of Pratts Poultry Remedies on hand.

Give every bird a thorough treatment for lice. Work Pratts Powdered Lice Killer all through the plumage. This will fix the lice, but will not kill the eggs. In anticipation of the latter hatching, rub Pratts Lice Salve in the small feathers about the vent and beneath the wings. That means death to the young lice as they appear, but to make sure, apply the salve at intervals of a few weeks.

Don't overcrowd the house. Better have a hundred hens comfortable and laying than double the number crowded and loafing.

Leave all ventilating openings wide open. Keep them open until winter storms make more protection necessary. During the summer months the pullets have had plenty of fresh air. To bring them into a warm, tightly closed house is to invite general debility and an epidemic of colds, catarrh, roup and other allied diseases. (Pratts Roup Remedy dissolved in the drinking water every few days, especially during changes of weather, will help to prevent such troubles.)

Keep the house clean. Remove the litter from the floor as soon as it becomes damp or soiled and replace with new, fresh material. Clean the droppings boards at frequent intervals. Wash with Pratts Poultry Disinfectant or scald the food and water dishes. Disinfect the whole house every few weeks, taking advantage of sunny weather so quick drying will follow. Disease causes loss--disinfection prevents disease. Therefore, DISINFECT whether you see need of it or not.

~Poultry Feeding~

The more food the birds eat beyond bodily requirements the greater the amount of the salable products they create. Any hen that is a natural layer will turn the surplus food into eggs. If she is naturally a meat producer she will build flesh or take on fat. And the sooner the fat producers are identified and removed from the laying flock, the better for all concerned. Your birds will not "get too fat to lay"--they will get fat if they don't lay. And _the big problem is to induce the layers to eat as much food as they can digest_ in order that they may lay heavily and steadily.

To overcome all possible danger of overfeeding, Pratts Poultry Regulator should be regularly added to the mash. This natural tonic and conditioner contains appetizers, to stimulate the desire for food--digestives, to insure complete digestion and assimilation of the food consumed--laxatives, to regulate the bowels--internal antiseptics, to keep the entire digestive tract in a condition of perfect health--worm destroyers, to expel irritating and dangerous intestinal parasites.

Regularly used, Pratts Poultry Regulator insures freedom from the more common poultry disorders, reduces feed bills by preventing feed waste due to sluggish digestion, hastens growth, improves the egg-yield, shortens the molt, makes the entire flock more efficient, swells the profits.

Pratts Poultry Regulator should be added to the mash at the rate of one and three-quarters pound to each hundred pounds of mash. Mix thoroughly so each layer will get her share. The ideal poultry ration is a varied one. It contains mineral matter, green food, animal food and grains. The absence of any one of these groups of foodstuffs means a reduced egg yield.

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_I am both selling and feeding Pratts Poultry Regulator, and make a
specialty of high-bred Buff Orpingtons. Twelve cockerels, worth
from $20 to $75 each, were all placed in healthy condition by use
of Pratts Poultry Regulator and their quarters disinfected with
Pratts Disinfectant.

W.H. TOPP, Westgate, Iowa._
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The staple grain feeds are corn, oats, wheat, barley and buckwheat. The grain by-products, bran, middlings and gluten feed, to which may be added corn meal, ground oats and ground barley.

Animal food of some kind is an essential to growth and egg-production. Skim milk and butter milk, fish scrap made from oil-free fish, beef scrap, fresh cut green bone and good grades of digester tankage are all excellent. But use only feeds of this character which are of prime quality. Oily fish, poor beef scrap and mouldy green bone will surely cause trouble.

Fowls on range during the growing season will pick up all needed green food. In the winter one may feed cabbages, mangel wurtzels, beets, carrots, etc. Or, if fresh stuff is not available, heavy oats may be sprouted and fed when the sprouts are two or three inches long. Dried beet pulp, a dairy food made at beet sugar factories, is a convenient green food. It must be well soaked before feeding.

One saves much time, and not infrequently some money, by buying ready-mixed feeds, especially dry mash. In, making such purchases, be guided by _quality_ rather than price. Adopt some brand made by a reputable concern and give it a fair trial. But do not hesitate to change if a better brand becomes available. Just try Pratts Milk Egg Mash.

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_Kingston, R.I.

I have used your Baby Chick Food with the best success and would
gladly recommend it to anyone wanting such food. I do not only use
it for baby chicks, but for those 5-7 weeks' of age.

C.E. BRETT, Rhode Island State College Dept. of Poultry Service._
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~Feeding Dry Mash~

The most simple and generally satisfactory feeding method is the dry mash system. Feed a certain amount of the scratch mixture--whole and cracked grains--each day and permit the fowls to complete the daily ration by eating dry mash--ground grains--at will. Keep mash before them in open hoppers and let them help themselves.

The mash, because of its high protein content, is the real egg-maker. And during recent years there has been a tendency toward restricting the scratch feed and inducing the layers to eat more mash. Results seem to indicate that this plan is best, increasing the yield and reducing feed costs.

The laying ration now recommended by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station is simple and efficient. This ration is made as follows:

~Dry Mash~ lbs.

Wheat Bran 100
Wheat Middlings 100
Ground Oats (heavy) 100
Corn Meal 100

~High-grade Fish Scrap or Meat~

Scrap 100

~Scratch Grain~ lbs.

Cracked Corn 200
Wheat 100
Oats (heavy) 100
Barley 100

The same institution has perfected the following feeding table showing what amount of scratch feed should be given the layers daily each month in the year. This is a most valuable guide, especially to the inexperienced poultryman. When the birds are fed scratch grain, as indicated, they will naturally eat enough mash from the open hoppers to meet their requirements.

~Amount of Grain to Feed Layers Each Month in the Year~

Months Amount Per Day Per Pounds For Each
100 Birds Feeding
A.M. P.M.
November 12 lbs. 4 lbs. 8 lbs.
December 12 " 4 " 8 "
January 12 " 4 " 8 "
February 12 " 4 " 8 "
March 12 " 4 " 8 "
April 12 " 4 " 8 "
May 10 " 4 " 6 "
June 10 " 4 " 6 "
July 8 " 3 " 5 "
August 6 " 2 " 4 "
September 5 " 2 " 3 "
October 5 " 2 " 3 "

Study this question of mash and grain consumption, for if your birds are not getting enough protein mash, they cannot lay eggs in larger numbers.

* * * * *

~Hatching the Chicks~

For layers or broilers, hatch chicks early. For late markets and home use, you may bring off hatches at intervals throughout the entire summer.

The incubator and brooder are big helps where many chicks are hatched. Pratts Poultry Service Department will gladly advise you regarding makes of such machines which are giving general satisfaction.

Just a word of caution. Operate incubators and brooders in accordance with the directions furnished by the maker. Go slow in making changes.

Sitting hens are very satisfactory if properly handled. Use only quiet, motherly sitters and place them where they will not be troubled by the rest of the flock. Feed whole grain and a little green food and supply plenty of water.

Dust the sitting hens occasionally with Pratts Powdered Lice Killer so they won't hatch a brood of lice with the chicks. And paint the nest boxes with Pratts Red Mite Special to keep the blood-thirsty mites away.

~Growing the Chicks~

Little chicks must be attended to no matter what else is done, because lack of intelligent care in early life will be reflected in poor performance when the chicks reach maturity. One can seldom, if ever, offset the mistakes of brooding time by the best of attention later on.

Protect your chicks against the weather, against their various enemies, against diseases, against lice and mites. Keep them comfortable and happy. Start them right, keep them growing steadily until they attain their full size.

Protection against unfavorable weather conditions--rain, cold winds, blazing sun--is secured by providing well-built coops and natural or artificial shade. Coops should be weather-proof, but well ventilated, and so located that surface water from sudden showers cannot flood their floors. They should also be sufficiently roomy to keep the flock happy during long hours of confinement in periods of stormy weather.

Chick enemies include those that do their work in the coops, usually at night, as rats, weasels and skunks, and those that prey upon the flock when it is at liberty, as cats, dogs, crows and hawks.

Protection against the former is found in proper construction of the coops, which should have tight floors and fine wire netting over openings left open at night. A good dog will discourage these night prowlers and steel traps placed at strategic points will often put a quick end to their activities.

Protection against ordinary diseases lies in keeping the little birds strong and vigorous through proper feeding, exercise, etc., and by close attention to sanitation. Keep the quarters and food and water dishes _clean_. Use Pratts Poultry Disinfectant at frequent intervals.

Aim to _prevent_ rather than _cure_ disease. Should there be any evidence of bowel trouble, give Pratts White Diarrhoea Remedy in the drinking water. Don't let the condition become chronic or general. In "sour weather," when colds may be expected to appear, use Pratts Roup Remedy in the drinking water.

Lice and mites work practically unseen, but they are the source of heavy loss, both directly and indirectly. In extreme cases they actually kill many chicks.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "~BABY FOOD FOR BABY CHICKS~" | | | |~Pratts~ Buttermilk Baby Chick Food raises every good chick. It won't | |prevent losses from accidents, but it does prevent death from digestive| |troubles and the more common chick disorders which are so often due to | |improper feeding. | | | |The original Baby Chick Food--PRATTS--contains all the food elements | |required to build muscle, bone and feather, to nourish the whole body, | |to give that strong start in life which assures rapid growth, even | |development and profitable maturity. | | | |Feed the original Pratts for the first three weeks--the critical | |period--at least; it may profitably be used much longer. Refuse | |substitutes and imitations. These may be slightly less in _first cost_,| |but in _results_, as measured by _number_ and _quality_ of chicks | |_reared_, Pratts Buttermilk Baby Chick Food is | | | | ~The Cheapest Food on Earth~ | | | | "~YOUR MONEY BACK IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED~" | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

~POULTRY~

Early in life, when two to four days old, all chicks should be treated with Pratts Head Lice Ointment. Rub a little of the mild preparation on top of the head, under the throat and beneath the wings. At the same time dust with Pratts Powdered Lice Killer. Treat the mother hens most thoroughly, substituting Pratts Lice Salve for the ointment. When the youngsters are ten days old, treat them again, this time using the salve. And repeat the treatment at reasonably frequent intervals to insure complete freedom from the trouble makers.

The deadly blood-sucking mites do not live on the bodies of the birds, but make their homes in cracks and crevices of walls and floors of the coops. Attack them there. Clean coops carefully, then spray or wash walls and floors with Pratts Red Mite Special. Repeat as necessary. That will fix 'em. But you had best do the work on a bright, sunny day when the flock can be kept outside until the coop dries.

~Feeding the Chicks~

Do not feed chicks for forty-eight hours after hatching. In fact, you may safely wait until they are seventy-two hours old before giving them their first meal. Nature has provided for nourishment during this period and it is best not to upset things.

If possible, start the youngsters off on their life's journey with a drink of _sour milk_. Let them have sour milk to drink exclusively for the first ten days at least, and give it to them all through life, if this excellent food drink is available.