Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-21
Feeding Hens For Eggs.

A hen may be regarded as a machine for
the production Of eggs. If only enough food
is given to just keep her alive-just to run
the machine-uo eggs, of course, can be ex-
pected, but usually there is no trouble in
this direction. People do not often err in
not giving their hens enough it is more fre-
quently the case that they give them too
much, and Of the wrong kind Of food. If n
machine is fed with too much raw material,
more than it has capacity to utilize, it
becomes clogged in its action, and fails in its
work. Or, if the wrong kind Of material be
supplied, the desired product will not bo
turned out For hen to produce an egg
daily she must be well supplied with raw
material out of which to make it. There
must be albuminous substances such as are
found in meat and grain, out Of which to
form the white and yolk, and lime to produce
the shell. Various kinds of grain contain
these substances in different proportions, and
this fact renders some kinds better adapted
for the food of fowls than others. Wheat
wheat middlngs, oats barley, Indian corn,
and buckwheat are good articles Of food for
hens, if they are used alternately. If Indian
corn were to compose whole diet Of the hens,
they would be rendered too fat for laying
purposes, but as a regular diet it is very val
uable About three times per week the
hens will need some bits of meat, to furnish
more abundautly the albuminouS element Of
the egg. Burned oyster shells pounded, old
mortar, bone meal, or something similar,
should be kept by them at all times as ma
terial for shells. There should also be 4
constant supply of fresh, clean watr. Hens
should never be permitted to cat snow.
Snow water is highly injurious to them.
Many persons feed their hens all they will
eat, and keep grain by them all the time.
jured by overfeeding than in any other way.
If a man eats all that he can, he becomes to
some extent, incapactated for exertion, and
if he continues the practice his system will
become deranged. So the hen, when over
fed, becomes too fat and is good for nothing
but to be marketed. A simple rule in feed
ing hens is to give them as much as they
will eat eagerly, but no more. As soon as
they cease to eat with avdity, and will not
run for the food, it should be removed.
Fowls should be fed in this way three times
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morning meal should consist Of soft food of
some kind, for during the night the crop and
stomach should become empty. If whole
grain is fed, the fowl Is obliged to grind it
before she gets any nourishment, and delay
in the morning is injurious therefore, it is
best to have scalded meal and bran with
mashed potatoes prepared. At noon, din
ner of meal or grain may be given. At
night, grain should be fed so that the hens
will have something substantial in their
crops to last them through the night. In
winter Indian corn is good to feed at night /;
in summer, oats, wheat, or barley may be
used. Wheat middlings are an excellent
summer food, because Of the flesh forming
elements contained in them, the requisites
for producing eggs. Soft food should be
mixed rather dry, so that when thrown upon
the ground it will fall in pieces. When soft
it sticks to the beaks, to the annoyance OF
the fowls, and it is also liable to derangc
their digestion. Fowls require also daily
supply Of green or fresh vegetables, both
summer and winter. Chopped turnips, cab
bages, or apples are suitable for winter. In
summer, access to green grass is the best
IN cans Of gratifying their wants. In order
to be successful in keeping fowls, their wants
should be attended to with the same care
and regularity that is bestowed upon other
animals the increase in the number Of eggs
will then be rceptible.-CorreSpOnden Of
Kentucky Lire Stock Record.