The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-05-23
BONE FOR FOWLS.

Among the necessities of the poultry
breeder is crushed bone, writes b. But
Ter in the American Agriculturist.
This comes in three forms: One as a
Underground product, called bone
meal; one as a coarser product, the
particles being the size of a plump
grain Of wheat, or a bit larger, and
called granulated bone; and one still
coarser, and sold under the term of
chicken bone or crushed bone. The
feeding values of these three forms are
very similar, though the finer the bone
the more quickly is it taken up by the
system of the fowls. Bone meal is
especially suitable for feeding very
young chickens, and for use in mixing
with ground grains in mashes and
mixtures Granulated bone is usually
fed by itself, and is suitable for
chickens two months old and older,
and for grown fowls. Chicken bone is
suitable only for adult fowls.
The use of bone in some form is de-
sirable, in order to furnish the ma
terial out of which the bony structure
is formed. 1t has, of course, a greater
value for growing chicks than for those
already grown. Fed to the growing
stock, it almost invariably prevents
leg-weakness, an ailment that affects
chickens-especially of the larger
breeds-which have grown too rapidly.
For old fowls it furnishes the material
needed for the repair of the bony
structure. Bone also has a value as
grit. 1t Is not the best grit to be had
but for a short time. before the bone
begins to soften, it affords substance
that helps fowls to grind their other
food. Bone is valuable for laying
hens. In some way the phosphate Of
lime in the bone is transformed into
the carbonate of lime which forms the
shells of the eggs. Hens having plenty
of bone seldom lay eggs with shells, or
with very thin shells. At least,
know that in my experience the hens
which have had free access to bone
have laid eggs with strong shells. 1
have observed, also, that the hens
which have had bone as they required
have laid more freely than those which
lacked it, SO that it would appear that
bone was of value as an egg food,
either directly furnishing some of the
constituents of the egg, or furnishing
the system with some support that en-
abled the fowls to release other con-
stituents that egg production re.
quired.
The best way to fed the bone, if
either granulated or crushed bone is
used, is to fill a small box with it, and
let the hens eat of it as they wish. J
They will not over-eat if the bone is
free from meat, and no further care is
necessary than to replenish the box
from time to time. Hens do not ap-
pear to be very fond of dry bone, and
when it is kept constantly before them
will eat it rather slowly. If, however,
the bone has little meat on it, they
appear quite greedy for it. The green
bones, ground in bone mill, contain
meat, fat and marrow in greater or
less quantities, and of this the fowls
are very fond. This is an excellent
food for hens whsn fed iudiciously
but in the feeding of it one cannot
trust the hens appetite, but must regu-
late the quantity by his own judgment.
Given just enough, the hens will lay
very freely, and will handsomely re-
pay their owner for the cost of the
bone mill and the trouble of furnish
ing the ground bone.