The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-12-01
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
Helpful Suggestions For the
Agriculturlsts.
HINTS THAT ARE INTERESTING.
some Gooa Advfes for the RurnIists-A
Budest Of Knowledge That May
Prove Beneficial.
The Morning Ration.


Fifteen years careful consideration
Of the question has convinced me Of
the importance Of making the morning
mach AZ dry as possible. II the hen
had the duck 8 capacity TO take its feed
out Of the water while rejecting that
element, this matter would be much
simplifed. But in my experience the
greater portion Of those who presume
to mix a hen mash correctly would do
better not 10 attempt to rise above the
care Of ducks.
. The hen is a very light drinker when
not .hampered as to its drinks; unless
restricted from water for considerable
period, will never take much water
into It's crop at one time. The condi-
ton of moisture in the crop seems to
control in the matter of thirst How
ever, il the otherwise appetizing ration
is drowned in water il is swallowed, to
the fowls later discomfort. and If this
course is persisted in the result is
group Of dyspeptics with distended
crops. II has been many year now
since ] have seen this ailment among
my hocks, and ii is seldom | have
come across any considerable numbers
Of fowls outside my yards entirely free
Of it.
For many years have followed the
plan Of stirring more and more of the
dry feed into the scalded mess until at
last it would emerge as crumbly and to
outward semblance nearly as dry as be-
fore wetting. This would entail sew
eral minutes work over each pailful;
and the casual visitor would generally
exclaim, 81 see you feed your fowls
dry feed. And what is the advan-
tage Of moistening the feed at all?'
will often be asked. The answer is
plain. II finely ground, it will choke
the fowls up and often cause them to
turn away. Again, the question arises,
why feed any ground food at all,
especially as hens are known to thrive
when only whole grain Is furnishedf
And the answer is that it is a matter
Of economy and the correct balancing
OF the ration that renders mixed and
mostoned ration once day desirable.
have often said that il the natural
diet Of the jungle were obtainable, con-
sisting largely OF insects, this neces-
sity OF supplying animal food would
easily be eliminated. But with the
conditions prevailing in the average
run, and even with free range at most
seasons, animal food in some form is
one of the inevitables. And to feed a
morning mash with some one Of the
many forms OF animal meal added to
the grain constituents seems the best
way to reach all members of the flock
alike.
After drudging over these pals OF
mixed feed, a matter OF some ten or
fifteen minutes, for many years, was
in just the frame of mind one day dur
ing the last Boston show to welcome
any relief from task 20 irksome.
And the Turkey Hill feed-mixer soon
became fixture at my ranch. 1t has
already earned consideration AZ a per
manent necessity where fowls are tC
be fed morning mash.
| My most approved ration for fowls
of all ages, unless it is desired to de.
velop flesh rather than eggs or growth,
is as follows: Fourteen quarts of the
coarsest bran, four OF corn meal, two
of ground oats and four of meat meal
This makes three pecks of feed, about
sufficient for flock of two hundred
adult fowls, il given a feed of grair
later in the day. The best wheat OBJ
tainable is my staple for hens and
pullets, although corn is substituted t,
some extent in winter.-F. W. Proctor
in Poultry Monthly.