The Florida agriculturist., 1906-02-28

yield increased and the amount OF
feed fed diminished. Nobody was
worried. As short distance PROPOSE
ton my flight was a success.
1t was a year ago last August that
L adopted this plan. Ihave used it on
growing chickens with perfect success
Of course it is essential that grit, shell
and charcoal be before the poultry all
the time. l have had no regular pOul-
tryman during the time of the expert
ment. Anybody who happened to be
most convenient has been sent to do
the work L have done considerable
experimenting on the mixing of feeds,
but when once my formula is estab-
Hshed it takes no particular brain
power on the part of an attendant to
mix and feed it. The saving of time
is tremendous. My hens and chickens
do better on this plan than upon any
other L have ever tried.
PROFITS ARE ASSURED.
Now, L would not have every novice
rush into the poultry business because
he has heard of this easy road to
wealth. The handling of live Chings
of any kind, in order to be successful,
pre-suppOses knowledge of their
habits and characteristics both in sick
ness and health. Every man must
have a certain amount of experience in
any particular line in order to be effec-
tive at it. If, however, there are some
OF you who keep hens, this article may
give you something to think about. If
You are experimenting ill various ways
to discover why your poultry does not
do better, suppose you try feeding
them enough of the things they need
in the manner that is most natural for
them.
The conclusions l draw from my
success with dry mash are these:
When wet mash is fed, two or three
hens in your flock of % gObble it like
gluttOns. Just as likely as not one of
them has alighted OH the edge of the
pail before you are fairly within the
pen. Those hens eat too much and
become too fat to lay. Then you have
two or three more than are delicate
feeders. Unless you spend the time
to go through the pens a second time
with the mash, these light feeders
do not get enough; so they do not lay
as well as they should. Probably Is
most of the laying. Under the dry
feed method l have never found a
hen with a full crop. Each seems to
eat what she wants. Each drinks the
water she requires and does her own
wet mixing. A definite quantity of
whole grain fed in the afternoon is
just enough, is too much, or too little
for them to consume at a feed. 1t
makes no difference which, for if there
is not enough they can finish the day
OH dry mash; if too much they can
eat it up the next morning. My plan
is to feed such a supply of whole grain
that it takes till middle of the next
forenoon to entirely clean it up. This
keeps them exercised.
INDEPENDENT OF LABOR.
Under this plan l am Independent of
my labor. If every man OH my farm
should be called elsewhere today, the
hens would take care of themselves
for couple of days if necessary. Any
large boy or man that | could hire in
their places could do the work requir-
ed after 10 minutes instruction, if
were to be there to keep an eye on
things.
Cold water seems to be as good as
warm. | think the hens have less
colds when given cold water. | know
of one poor woman who wore herself
ont loct vviufor CARRYING hot wafer tn