The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-03
Fecding Cut hone.

NV experience with cut bone as
food for fowls extends over two years
only with a flock of 100 hens. Prior to
that time | had not used cut bone and
my article is based on the percentage
of gain in the growth. health and eggs
of fowls over the two years previous,
when | did not use bone; all other con-
ditions for the four years being about
the same says the American Poultry
Association. My attention being called
to the value of fresh cut green bone
as a food for poultry, ! determined to
experiment | crushed some hog bones
as best | could and fed to layers. The
result was so satisfactory 1 bought a
small bone cutter and began to feed
green cut bone to my poultry twice
week. l tried all sorts of bones, and
have found the hog and beef bones the
best, being easier obtained and con-
tanning more of the nutritive value.
l get a soup bone of the butcher,
shave off the meat "a little meat won't
hurt if you intend feeding as soon as
cut) and feed the same day it is cut.
Some people make the mistake of using
bones that have been boiled or lain out
and sunbleached. Some of the most
essential feeding value of the bone has
thus been lost, especially as fed for
growing chicks. The animal as well
as the mineral qualities of the bone,
is what makes it valuable. ! expert
mented with cut chicken bone a little
and fanciedI saw an Improvement over
the other bone, but l am not sure, and
even though there be, 1t is not conven-
lent to get green chicken bone Be
sure, that the bones used are not those
of animals that have died of disease,
old age or starvation. The former two
are dangerous to the health of fowls,
the latter worthless. Bones Of animals
are the best.
For growing chickens, after two
weeks old. l mix the bone meal with
corn chop, dampen with curd milk
(water will do, so that each bird gets
from half to one teaspoonful of the
bone meal. according to age. 1t Is an
excellent bone food for the fowl and
general invigorator and growth forcer.
Extra large and quick growth bone
in fowls means more meat, and more
meat means Z to 10 cents per pound.
For laying hens l feed mixed as above,
only that each hen gets one teaspoon
full twice or three times a week, ac-
cording as / think they may need an
extra allowance. They need more when
they are laying regularly or moulting.
The results of the bone as a feed is
seen in very few days in the re-
newed vigor, health and appetite, and
last but not least, egg product TAX
ing every advantage gained by feed
ing bone--i. e., general health of flock
quick growth of hroilers, increase in
amount of eggs, etc, over the two
years the bone was not fed, | figure it
and | keep close accounts-that the
profit derived is Is per cent. over the
profits of the two preceding years. This
10 per cent. is attributed to the bone
feed and the other increase in profits
was credited TO the source from which
they came. Now don't feed an over
dose at first, or at any time for that
matter; feed regularly. Don't expect
the hens to lay two eggs, daily, and
the young chicks to grow up in one
fed bone. Mix well with the other food
so that each bird gets its proportionate
share.
Don't expect TO feed bone only. The
bone is only an additional feed. "A sort
of tonic. Now / am not going to 20
into detail to explain how the be ne
assists-couldn't If L wanted to-only
to say that the component parts of all
meat bones are the same, and the min
eral part of the bone may be found in
eggs Material for eggs and shells
must be supplied from what the caYvl
eats. hence we feed it to them. directly
in shape of cut bone, instead of midi
rectly, in the shape of corn, oats, etc.
etc. IL you once give fresh cut green
bone a trial as a food for fowls YOU
will never discontinue IT,