The Republican journal., 1873-07-03
Grass for Chickens.

As by far the largest part of the chickens
supplying our markets are raised on large
farms, where they have ample liberty for a
free range, the amount of grass consumed
by them is not generally appreciated as
much as it should be. This is one reason
why so many persons fail in the attempt to
succeed with poultry in state of confine-
ment. Enclosures are often made without
a thought of the relations which grass or
green food has to success. Running at
large over many acres and helping them
selves to grass at any moment, the breeder
of ordinary observation falls to notice that
very large part of the fowls daily food
if not the largest part-consists of green
food. He feeds corn and oats, or scraps
and table refuse, and imagines that they
live on that almost exclusively, and teaches
that such food will also answer when fowls
are confined. A trial undeceves him.
In preparing an enclosure for breeding in
confinement, no hennery will be complete,
| or will be even worth attempting without
| 4 reservation of space for grass. In case
the fowls can be allowed a part of each day
for a range, say short time before night,
the matter is of less Importance. Still it is
far better to provide pasturage for them
when it can be done. Something may be
done on the 'tsoiling plan" also, if that is
deemed best. Vegetables, such as cab
bages and other green things which they
like, may be grown for them, and cut and
fed to them. Their sharpened appetites
will aid them to dispose of a large amount
in very short space of time, and in many
cases such plan will be more economical
in furnishing green food than to depend on
range or grass plat where they can help
themselves. No breed has vet oeen dis
covered or produced possessing so much
discretion as not to destroy utterly grass
plantation, without any regard for the
claims of tomorrow. For this reason it
will be of no use to sow grass seed in
hen-yard while the fowls have access to it.
If they do not scratch the seed out, they
will eat off the tender shoots the moment
they appear, and no matter how great a
range they have, they prefer young grass,
and will be sure to take it when the chance
Is offered. For this reason no amateur
need expect to raise grass or vegetables to
| maturity in an enclosure where fowls are
kept. In some cases, however, it may be
an excellent plan to SOW seeds in their
yards on purpose to give them employment.
Corn may be very advantageously used in
this way. If deeply planted or sown, all
the better-provided it is not too deep to
sprout-as it gives them more work too
scratch it out. The leaves furnish palata-
BILE article of green food, while the half-de-
composed kernels are peculiarly acceptable
to the poultry tribe. Any other grain, of
course, can be sown at the same time. The
man who furnishes an abundance of employ
ment to fowls in confinement masters at
once more than half the difficulties attend
ing it.
commodious scratching bed used in
| this way for seeds, or for burying refuse
meat, also to be scratched out, would in
| every case be an important and extremely
useful adjunct to poultry yard, even
where judicious foresight had provided, in
addition, requisite range for grass.
Country Gentleman