The Florida agriculturist., 1889-07-10
How Much Feed to Give.


How much food shall | give?" When
we consider that no two fowls have the
same appetites, or eat the same quantity
OF food, the question is not one easily an
day has been given as an estimate for a
hen for one day, which is intended not only
for the supply of eggs, but for nourish-
ment and repair OF waste tissue. A hen
not laying requires less. There is quite a
difference in the habits and characteristics
of the several breeds, and that which will
prove successful with some, fails with 9TH
ers. LeghOrns, when laying, may be fed
as much as they will eat, and they will
seldom become too fat, but the Brahmas
cannot be SO treated. AS was stated in a
former number, a hen seldom begins to
situntil she becomes very fat, and it is this
popularity Of the nOn-sitting breeds lin
aptitude to fatten) that induces them to
refrain from sitting. The Southern Cul-
tivator, in alluding to feeding, says:
''In regard to the cost of feed required
for one hundred fowls at one meal, that
can be best be arrived at by taking the
cost for one month or one year. The
writer has kept fowls i'll confinement year
after year at cost of so cents per head
annually, or 5 cents each per month, pay
ing 60 cents a bushel for corn, 45 cents
for oats, and $1.25 per 100 pounds for
various kinds of ground mixed feed. On
the other hand, the cost of fowls at liber-
erty, where they had plenty of grass, has
been less than 4S centS-nearer 36 cents
annually and their egg record far eX-
celled those deprived of grass. The only
rule as to how much chicken should be
fed at one meal is to throw only so much
to it as it will scramble for and eateagcr-
ly, and as soon as it pecks about indiffer-
emily stop the supply at once. Feed twice
a day, giving ground feed mixed up
warm in the morning, and whole grain
corn, wheat or oats, just before roosting
time Leghorns at liberty will average
16O eggs each, and they will nOtconsume
over 60 cents worth at the very outside
calculation, and this, at only cent each
per egg, leaves $1 profit from each fowl
annually"
The great difficulty in feeding is to
KNOW WudU W SlV0' 1uC OWO PA1HOAPcOI
substances are nitrogen Qor flesh, albu-
men, etc., and carbon Qorfat.) The nit
rogenous foods are meat, beams, clover,
and, to a certain extent, the grains. The
carbonaceous foods are corn, fat meat,
grease, rice, etc. If hen is fat she needs
no food excelling in fat. Hence, finely
cut clover hay, scalded in the morning,
with tablespoonful of meat at night, is
better for egg production than grains. Ii
the hen is poor give some grain at night
All foods, however, contain fat, and also
some nitrogen. 1T should be born in
mind that the more quiet and sluggish
the disposition the less corn, or heating
food is required. A laying hen should
never be fat, for the accumulation of fat
is injurious to reproduction. Ii too fat,
the hen cannot lay. She becomes egg
bound, breaks down, and soon proves
unproductive Any breed Of fowls that
are active foragers, and are laying, may
be fed all they will eat, but if the hens are
apparently in good health, but do not
lay, feed no corn; give plenty Of meat, and
allow bulky food, or they will quickly fat
ten. If fed heavily, a hen will either lay
or fatten in short time and if the hens
are Asiatics, and cease to lay, the feeding