Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-20
HlisftIlarltous.


In good grass runs where the turf has
tDan prepared from properly selected
grasses and herb seeds, It Is seldom nee
essAry, unless in very hot weather, to
supply fowls with any other green food
besides what they are able to pick up
there: bat all fowls in confinement, or
in such runs as afford little or no supply
Of green food. should have it given to
them in abundance at the present time,
and less or more throughout the whole
year, but more particularly when moult-
ing and in hot weather Some fowls are
very fond Of green food Of every descrip-
ton, and others will hardly eat ii in any
form. 1t depends very much on how
they have been brought up. Chickens
reared and allowed to run at large for a
considerable time In field. are frequently
a long time before they will even deign
10 look at green food when thrown in to
them in a confined run. and they have
sometimes held out so long in this way
that we have been obliged to chop up
refuse vegetables small and mix them
with the meal This plan Of giving
green food is good one, and may be
practiced with all fowls and under all
circumstances. Chickens, however,
which have been reared in confinement.
and under mothers which were fond OF
picking at anything green. seem to take
to green food naturally, and with such
there Is no trouble, as they will eat freely
OF what Is placed before them. When
green food is scarce, less is used than
when it Is chopped up and mixed with
the other food than when thrown down in
the rough.
Another good way is to suspend it with
q piece of cord about foot from the
ground. or Just high enough for the fowls
to reach il. They pick at this in very
cheerful way, and besides adding 50
much to their health. it affords them both
amusement and exercise. No day should
pass without fowls having some green
food or other, and when they can supply
themselves. IL is astonishing what guam
tity they will sometimes eat. At certain
seasons we have seen some of our birds
prefer green food to all other, and they
appear to live on little else When green
food is withheld from fowls, the feathers
frequently assume a dry withered APP
pearance, which may relapse into some
thing worse. and they seem 10 be particu-
larly fond Of eating each others feathers.
and this in the case of show fowls is a
great evil, especially with crested birds,
such rs Sultans, Polands, Hondans, etc,
~ ragged top-knot is serious dis
figurement.
In summer there are few instances
where abundance of green food cannot be
had Of some sort or other such rs cab
bage. cauliflower, turnips, beet, lettuce,
young onions, and other crops which may
be going to waste. But where green food
is grown purposely for the fowls, we
would only grow lettuce and endive.
These they eat most greedily. and they
thrive better on them than anything we
have tried. and we have tried all kinds OF
green food. The endive We prefer most
Of the two, and so do the fowls. as it is
very cooling, and being so bitter is fine
tonic. Surprising any fowl not to be tax
ing its food freely, if the leaves of the
endive are chopped up and mixed with the
other food. the difference in its appetite
will soon be apparent. Plenty Of green
food acts more as a preventive and cure
of disease among fowls than nine-tenths
Of the articles which are sent out as med
icine. In winter. or during severe
weather it is often difficult matter with
many to secure a supply of green food,
and then variety must not be thought
about. Cabbage or savoy leaves will do.
and failing such as these, turnip and man.
gold wartzel roots are much better than
nothing. Potato parings may also be in
cluded in the same category, and they are
plentiful enough all the year round in
most places.-J. MIR.