Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-01-23


poultry account will very likely be on the
wrong side. The yard of the hennery above
referred to was simply the barnyard, to
which the hens had*aecess at all times dur
ing summer. and every pleasant day irwin
ter. THERE'S great economy III letting hens
run in the barnyardt- They take to the
dunghill SO naturally, that they are some
times called dunghill fowls. Here they find
many grass seeds, not little partially di-
gested grain, and what is most congenial
to their taste, lots of maggots.
This leads me to say that the second es-
sential condition for the winter profit of
hens is suitable food. Exactly what raw
material and what proportion of them are
required for the manufacture OF eggs may
be learned from ali analysis of the egg it
sell. That of the average hen weighs 1000
grains, and consists of the shell, weighing
100 grains, composed of carbonate of lime.
the yelk, weighing 300 grains, composed of
water, albumen and oil, or fat; and the
white, which aside from its water, is pure
albumen. The amount Of water in fresh
egg is about the same as in fresh meat
from tWo-thirds to three fourths Of the
whole Prof. Johnston gives the compo-
Enents ofan egg, aside from its shell, as fol-
lows: Water, 66G grains; albumen, 127
grains; fat 04 grains; ash, 13 grains.
/ It will be seen from this that an egg is
really animal food; indeed, 1t is richer in
fat than fat beef. THAT it has all the COM
ponents of an animal is also manifest from
the fact that chicken (bones, feathers,
flesh, every party is made from it. The food,
| therefore. of a hen, expected, to lay eggs,
must be such as will bulld up an animal.
All the grains contain fat, gluten Ohe same
chemically as albnmen), lime. and other
4 salts, but not in the same proportion, or SO
4 chemically combined as in an egg. It is there
fore very essentials that the food of an egg
producing hen should be animal to cer-
tain extent In the summer, hens running
at large pick up Il vast number of insects,
either perfect Or in grub state, and these
satisfy their wants but when.shut up, eli
/ ther summer or winter, some Substitute for
insects must be supplied. Tie refuse bones
and meat of the house will often be suffi-
cient; if not, lard or beef scraps, fed Ia con-
llCSIAoh NlbA SAdilis viii iIitho hSio AoJ
i abnndantly. The most convenient animal
food for hens is found in what is called ami
nal meal. This is made from the refuse
bones, blood and meat OF onr large slaugll-.
| ter houses, being first steamed under high
pressure, then dried and ground together as
fine rs meal. A quart of this animal meal,
mixed with three quarts Of equal parts Of
1aa hran an xy.af, xuiti
skinned milk. makes a mixture that Will-
furnish hens with all the materials they
want for manufacturing eggs. unless it Is,
carbonate of lime. This is best turnsheda
in the form Of pounded lime shells. / have,
tried this animal meal for ten years. ard
found it to work like Il charm. II can be
found at most of our feed stores. and the
corn meal. The hens will be grateful If,
along with their grain some fine cut cab
bage or roWen is furnished them.
Eggs command SO high price in the win
ter, and are such Il nutritious and easily di
i gesteu food ut ali seasons, that farmers will
find it to their advantage TO produce Il liber-
al supply for the family table. and as nrplas>
for the market. In these times OF betton:
prices in all farm products, eggs are high
anu scarce. anu III more cUTl NTEG It'll W
poultry, and less 10 porkers, both the pro-
ducer and consumer world be gamers.
Pork diet is good lin issplaee, and IS cheap
enough certainly. but no one should be con-
fined to it. Hellth demands change OF
food. and sctleaaary persaas find in crfck-
ems antkeggs a food easily digestetl For
this they are willing to pays and farmers
, should see to it that theyare supplied both
snn,mere anti winter. He will show him.
self q Dnblic benpfactor who makes his. hens
; lay two eggs. especially In winter, where