The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-09-08
DAT DIET FOR HENS.
when Fed with Corn Oats Is ere Of
the Finest and Most Reliable of
EgS-ProducerA.

In this day OF scientific poultry
breeding we read and near a great deal
II regard 10 the best food for the hens
10 cause them 70 fl the egg basket.
The various agricultural experiment
stations have taken up the subject, and
al considerable expense OF both time
AID money have issued from time 10
time elaborate tables which they see
TT TO call q balanced ration" which
to the average farmer is no better than
50 much Greek and IS beneficial only I o
those who have every convenience at
hand TO follow OFT instructions as
there made and provided. In Ihei1 rea-
soning they take as a basis the consti-
tuition OF the EGG. hence foods that are
rich IN certain elements must from ne
cessity when fed the hens. aus them
TO produce the egg. This is all very
beautiful in theory. but when you get
down to business and facts. where T
you ate" Ny experience has been al
most universally hat while the theory
seems reasonable, the results obtained
do not justify it. Il was for q long time
and is still considered by many that
there was nothing in the way of a
regular diet for laying hens Ike wheat.
/ have found this a fallacy, and have al
q had far better results, especially
during the winter season. from 4 ZEN
erous diet OF corn. which as the wealth
er becomes settled and warm was
gradually reduced, and ais largely
substituted; but corn never Giscon-
tinued. One factor that 10 use slang)
cuts a considerable figure in the oat
diet is a very great difference between
their relative price. which must be
taken into account. and may throw the
balance to the debit side OF the ledger,
instead OF the credit without 4 CORE
spending benefit. To obtain the best
results the oats should be fed in the
sheaf, the hens compelled 10 scratch
nj what they obtain. and never placed
before them all ready ihreshed. and
they allowed TO i'll up on the grain
without any effort. I always make 1t
a rule all through the year. summer
and winter. TO feed largely OF this
grain, and with most satisfactory re-
salts. During cold weather the morn
ing meal consists Of Z warm taot hot)
mash. composed OF ground pats - per
cent, coarse corn OF stock meal 81 per
cent, bran 1914 per cent, middlinss
12ze per cent. At noon / give oats in
the straw OF sheaf. AID al night I full
feed of whole corn thrown in the litter
OF the scratching shed. OF course,
they have The usual allowance OF green
stuff or roots. fed raw, and ground
green bone. and having proven the ef-
Icacv OF such feed I shall not change
until something better Is shown up.
For the growing chicks / have never
found a better feed than oatmeal fed
dry. II comes high. but amply repays
the extra expense in the rapid growth
of the fowl but once started right it
continues. even after its discontinue
ance. and 4 married difference j plain
II seen between the chicks thus led
and those otherwise. Should there be
any doubt in your mind in regard 10
the efficacy Of an cat diet. next spring
plant z small tract where the hens can
have free access 10 il. and I am conf
dent all yoar doubts VIII vanish speed
ily.-F. V Chapman. in Prairie Farmer.